Friday, April 27
PAD System Acquired by Distributor
Montreal-based CAD/CAM company PAD System Technologies has been acquired by its main distributor in Asia for an undisclosed sum....
New to Ashworth Board
Carlsbad, Calif.–based golf lifestyle manufacturer Ashworth Inc. has named Eric S. Salus to its board of directors, bringing the total number of directors to nine. Ashworth recently adopted a resolution to increase the number of directors from eight to nine...
Great China Wall Launches Bridge Line
Alfredo Settimio carries the highly focused air of a perfectionist craftsman. Every detail on his Great China Wall vintage-inspired fashion label, from Swarovski crystals to Chinese ...
Good Jeans
Los Angeles–based denim maker YMI International hosted a runway show on April 10 at trendy Hollywood club Boulevard 3 to showcase its Fall 2007 offerings. Rachel Smith, Mis...
BB Dakota: Brand-New Bag
Young contemporary brand BB Dakota has launched its first line of handbags for Fall 2007. Inspired by runway “It” bags, BB’s new bags in 14 styles “complement the line and can pu...
Quiksilver Lands New CFO, COO
Huntington Beach, Calif.–based surf giant Quiksilver has announced the appointment of Joe Scirocco as its new chief financial officer. Scirocco, who last served as the chief financial officer...
Milo: Contemporary Classics
Los Angeles–based Milo handbags is making its debut with a collection of chic, functional styles. Business partners Sarah Tyerman and Lu Lopez hope their bags will be conside...
7thOnline Expands Sales Staff
New York–based 7thOnline, which supplies planning and optimization software to the apparel industry, has named three new sales executives to its national staff....
Gerber Names PLM Manager
Technology veteran Richard Farb has been named strategic PLM/PDM account manager for Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology....
Nano Horizons Rolls Out Anti-Odor Wool
State College, Penn.–based Nano Horizons Inc. and Philadelphia-based G.J. Littlewood and Son Inc. have rolled out a line of high-performance wool staple fiber enhanced with ...
Corel in Joint Venture for Design Pack
The Ottawa, Canada–based Corel Corp. and CDESIGN have teamed for a new CAD product, which uses Corel’s popular CorelDRAW graphics engine and a database of about 18,000 existin...
PacSun Gets Space-Age Sales Analyzer
Anaheim, Calif.–based retailer Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. continues to enhance its back-office technology initiatives. Its latest venture has the retailer using business-intel...
Matrushka Moves to the Sunset Junction
Matrushka Construction has upgraded its digs from its previous location off the beaten path to the Sunset Junction shopping block in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles. This is the secon...
ABS Hires Executives
Los Angeles–based ABS by Allen Schwartz has hired Lillian Rodriguez as senior vice president of sales and Charles Pegram as vice president of international alliances. Rodriguez, formerly t...
Laquette: Charlotte Tarantola's New Luxury Tee Division
Novelty print knit cardigans, cute pointelle knit tops and faceted Swarovski crystal buttons are the cornerstone of Charlotte Tarantola’s definitively girly 10-year-old clothing line,...
Malawi Calling
The drum rhythms coming from the Max Azria store had their roots in West Africa, but the focus of an April 19 fundraiser at the Los Angeles Max Azria boutique was the nation of Malawi in sout...
Zara Goes to Hollywood. Will More Shoppers Follow?
Fast-fashion chains have helped change the face of retail for many U.S. companies. Now, fastfashion stalwarts Zara and H&M Hennes & Mauritz have set their sights on Hollywood...
Back in the Gap
San Francisco–based retail giant Gap Inc. announced that Gary Muto, a 19-year veteran of the company, has been named president of Gap Adult and Gapbody. Previously, Muto headed up Gap’s Forth & Town...
Free-Trade Agreement Brings Hope to Central America
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala—Inside a cinderblock-walled factory filled with hundreds of sewing machines, nimble- fingered workers are putting the final touches on a batch of lingerie headed for Los Angel...
Everlast in China
New York–based athletic apparel and footwear maker and lifestyle company Everlast Worldwide Inc. signed a master license agreement with Hong Kong–based Brand Management Holdings PTY Ltd. to distribute Everlast goods in mainland China....
Moving Day at Reef
After almost 10 years in San Diego, Reef, a division of the VF Corp., based in Greensboro, N.C., is moving to bigger digs in Carlsbad, Calif., next month....
Tracy McWilliams: Express Yourself
Happy prints and playful colors are signatures of Tracy McWilliams’ self-named clothing line. McWilliams’ floodgate of pattern and hue makes up for the 12 years she spent wearing a uniform of black or g...
CenterStone Signs Under Armour
Denver-based CenterStone Technologies Inc., which develops sales software for the apparel industry, has signed on two new users for iVendix, its order-management system....
TradeCard: Putting an End to the Paper Trail
Technology companies have conquered just about every element of the supply chain with IT (information technology). One area that has been somewhat overlooked is the more intangible financial supply c...
Buyers Face New Challenges at Material World/SPESA Expo
The apparel industry is facing a new dynamic as buyers head to Miami Beach for the Material World, SPESA Expo & Technology Solutions May 8–10....
Assyst to Debut 3-D Product at SPESA
Morrisville, N.C.–based CAD specialist Assyst/Bullmer will unveil its 3-D modeling solution, Vidya, at the Material World, SPESA Expo & Technology Solutions May 8...
Talking PLM With NGC's Fred Isenberg
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) continues to be a hot topic among apparel-industry executives as they look for ways to cut costs and improve productivity. Using electronic task managers and extensi...
Eleksen Opens Bay Area Office
United Kingdom–based Eleksen Group Plc., which markets “smart fabrics” that integrate iPods and other electronic devices into clothing, has opened new offices in San Fra...
Digital Textile Printing Continues Upswing
Digital technology is the fastest-growing method of printing textiles, according to a report from United Kingdom–based researcher Textile Outlook International....
FTC Clears Avery, Paxar Merger
The Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice have cleared the path for Pasadena, Calif.–based tags and labels suppliers Avery Dennison Corp. and White Plains,...
Jantex Launches Color Matching for Printers
Pico Rivera, Calif.–based Jantex Inks has launched a new water-based color-matching service for textile printers....
Alandale Rolls Out Knitting Technology
Troy, N.C.–based Alandale Knitting will introduce a new knitted fabrics range based on a new patented knitting technique....
Tarrant Breaks Off Deal With Canadian Retailer
The deal is off between Tarrant Apparel Group—the decades-old Los Angeles apparel company known for its private-label blue jeans and its American Rag label sold at Federated...
May 1 Protest Planned for Downtown Los Angeles
The City of Los Angeles and building owners and businesses in the Los Angeles Fashion District are preparing for large crowds of protesters to turn out for the “Boycott March,...
Vietnam Views
The United States Department of Commerce recently began to monitor goods imported to the U.S. from Vietnam to watch for anti-dumping activities, and two major trade associations are not happy about it...
Mitzi Gaynor Auctions Bob Mackie Costumes
A selection of Bob Mackie’s over-the-top costumes and sketches for the triple-threat singer, dancer and actress Mitzi Gaynor is being auctioned at Julien...
Filly Hosts Quail Trunk Show
It was an inadvertent woodland creature–themed party on April 19 at Filly on West Third Street in Los Angeles. The specialty boutique Filly hosted a trunk show for Long Beach, Calif...
Jam Warehouse's Jack Malkin, 77
Finishing-company owner Jack Malkin died on April 22. He was 77 years old....
MJW Opens Sales for Fashion District Lofts
Santa Monica, Calif.–based MJW Investments has released the last phase of lofts at Santee Village, located in the Los Angeles Fashion District....
Fashion Meets the Water
The Port of Los Angeles is 100 years old this year. And to celebrate the event, the port is partnering with the California Fashion Association to hold a fashion show and reception on July 12...
New CFO at Charlotte Russe
Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. announced on April 24 that Patti Johnson, the former chief financial officer of Gap division Old Navy, will join the San Diego–based Charlotte Ru...
Blackhart Brotherhood: Core for Hire
With an in-your-face aesthetic and an outsider’s mentality, boutique design and marketing firm Blackhart Brotherhood is hellbent on staying core and bringing a sense of irreverence ba...
Tukatech Enters The Cool Zone at SPESA
Los Angeles–based technology developer Tukatech Inc. will conduct demonstrations of its 3-D visualization application e-fit simulator at a special section called The Cool Zo...
Friday, April 20
Apparel Execs Open Up About PLM
Getting insight into Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) has been challenging for the crop of companies exploring the emerging technology, but that...
L.A. Contractor to Pay $110,000 in Back Pay
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has ordered a Los Angeles contractor to pay $110,000 in back wages to current and former workers as part of a resolution to labor-law vio...
Retailer Carves Own Space on La Brea
Retailers want their stores to be unique, but Lily Savitch thought that her boutique could forge an individual identity through numbers....
St. John: Back in the Groove
After a year of executive flux and slipping sales, Irvine, Calif.–based St. John seems to be getting its groove back—or, at least, that is the opinion of the high-end brand’s loyal customers....
Fields' Forecasts for Fall '07
Anorak jackets will be all the rage. Printed hoodies will be at the top of every teenager’s wish list. The 1980s and the 1960s will be the retro inspirations for Fall 2007 fashions....
Princess Brides
The Disney Co. is partnering with Los Angeles–based bridal designer Kirstie Kelly for a line of Disney princess–themed wedding dresses under the label “Kirstie Kelly for Disney’s Fairy- Tale Weddi...
Economic Outlook Sees Tempered Growth
Note to retailers: Don’t pump up those inventories this year. And don’t get too wild in hiring new people....
Fall 2007 Forecast From Doneger
Among the biggest trends for Fall ’07 are new shapes and new proportions. The new look includes full silhouettes worn over skinny bottoms, as well as kimono sleeves, high waistlines, and micromini dres...
Strong Buyer Turnout at L.A. Majors Market
Despite the balmy weather, department-store and specialty- chain buyers from all over the country converged on the California Market Center ready to buy cool-weather offerings durin...
There's Gold in Former Cow Town
Since 2001, Fred Levine has been prospecting Valencia, Calif., a city 34 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, as the next place for his luxury M. Fredric boutiques....
Victory and Another Delay for Caruso
The Arcadia City Council unanimously approved Caruso Affiliated’s long-delayed Shops at Santa Anita project on April 17, but Arcadia residents say a bruising fight might be brewing fo...
Electronics, Accessories and Swim
Electronics, fashion accessories, underwear and swimwear shared space at the recent China Sourcing Fair at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, which drew 43,000 buyers, representing a 17 percent increase over last year’s show. Retai...
Directives West: Moderate Fashion Show, quot;L.A. Blueprintquot;
The varied looks of Fall ’07 showcased by Los Angeles–based retail consultant Directives West for the moderate market on April 10 at the California Market Center ranged from c...
Busy Days at L.A. Textile Show
Traffic started strong and continued on throughout the April 16–18 run of the Los Angeles International Textile Show at the California Market Center. ...
Anti-Dumping Duty
The U.S. Commerce Department placed an anti-dumping duty on polyester staple fiber imports from China after discovering two large Chinese suppliers—Ningbo Dafa Chemical Fibers Company and Far Eastern Industrie...
The Online Revolution Needs Old Business, Retailer Says
Everything old is new again....
Directives West: quot;L.A. Over Easy,quot; Juniors and Girls' Fall Fashion
Directives West brought a little of the fashion-week buzz to the Los Angeles Majors Market on April 10, when the Los Angeles–based retail consultancy hosted a runway show in a tent e...
Pooltradeshow Goes Eco
The Pooltradeshow in Las Vegas has been a destination for home-grown and directional designers to showcase their wares for specialty boutique buyers since its launch six years ago. This Augus...
Tiffany N.J.
New York–based luxury jewelry and gift retailer Tiffany & Co. has struck a lease with Old Bridge, N.J.–based R.J. Brunelli & Co. Inc. to open a 6,000-square-foot store in Red Bank, N.J., in November within a 7,500-square-foot ...
Calif. Employers Lose on Back-Pay Ruling
In a move that settles years of legal wrangling between employers and employees who were denied lunch breaks, the California Supreme Court handed down a ruling on April 16 siding with employees....
Friday, April 13
Iconix Wins Case Against California Jeans Maker
After a long and drawn-out lawsuit that lasted nearly three years, Iconix Brand Group Inc. won a jury verdict in its case against Los Angeles denim king Hubert Guez....
New Lines for Moda at CMC
The ModaStyle showroom has relocated to suite A311 of the California Market Center and has added several new resources....
Lubow Joins Clear Thinking
Hillsborough, N.J.–based Clear Thinking Group LLC has named Nathan M. Lubow to its team of nationwide consultants. Lubow is a leading specialist in accounting for the retail, apparel manufactu...
Uncertainty Swirls Around Free Trade in Textiles
Quota restrictions on Chinese-made apparel and textile imports don’t expire until the end of 2008, but already the winds of a trade war are gusting....
Suh Tahn: Opposites Attract
For designers Shannon Nataf and Dimitri Tcharfas, Suh Tahn is an exercise in duality. Even the name, with roots in “light” and “dark,” straddles two worlds. Debuting for Fall 2007...
Crimes and Misdemeanors
NEW BEGINNING: Iris Friedman’s Los Angeles–based line, Crimes and Misdemeanors, made a splash in 2005 with sweatpants, hoodies and tees embellished with Swarovski-cr...
D&A Goes Green
Designers and Agents is partnering with Good magazine to launch a new Go Green initiative and Designers and Agents Goes Green, a new section of the bicoastal trade ...
New Web Resources for Sourcing, Fabrics
Apparel-industry executives continue to involve the Internet in the product-development process. Two new Web ventures— New York–based eSourceApparel...
Blue Cop in the Red
Cathay Bank seizes assets of Blue Cult’s manufacturing division ...
Capital Taps Sulpizio
The Los Angeles office of Capital Business Credit LLC has named Lou Sulpizio senior vice president and senior account executive. He will handle marketing and business development for Capital...
Lucy in Cali.
Portland, Ore.–based women’s activewear retailer Lucy opened new stores in California. The chain’s 20th retail store opened in the La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara on April 13, and another store opened on Railro...
TexItalia Bows Out of L.A.
TexItalia, the exhibition of Italian textile mills sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission, will not be exhibiting at the April 15–18 run of the Los Angeles Intern...
AIMS, Continental to Host Factoring Seminar
Los Angeles–based AIMS (Apparel Information Management Systems), which develops order-management software for the apparel industry, and Woodland Hills, Calif.–based f...
Apolis: Contemporary for a Cause
Raan Parton and his brothers, Shea and Stenn, have screen printed T-shirts plastered with street art–style drawings for friends since they were in high school in Santa Barbara, Calif. What motivated th...
Attorneys Join Sheppard Mullin Fashion Team
Attorneys Theodore C. Max and Charles A. LeGrand have joined Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP’s new fashion apparel division....
March '07 Sales Surge
Warm weather and the Easter holiday made retail sales skyrocket in March....
Port Container Traffic Up Over Last Year
During the first three months of this year, the number of cargo ships calling at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach dipped slightly compared to 2006....
New Face at Textile Association
The Textile Association of Los Angeles has hired Alla Kogan as the new office director....
Suite Spot
Exhibitors, attendees and guests toasted the conclusion of the Design Suites at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios with a March 22 party h...
Nightcap: The Look of Lounge
Los Angeles–based designer Carisa Brambles developed a reputation for her easy, breezy personal style as a sales rep for labels such as Tocca, Beth Bowley a...
Biza and Green Apple: Activewear Gets Eco-friendly
Cristofer Smith has been in the activewear apparel business for nearly 18 years and has worked with cotton and petroleum-based fabrications such as microfiber polyester, Meryl nylon and Lycra fabric...
PPR Plus Puma
Paris-based luxury goods and retail conglomerate PPR has struck a deal to acquire a stake in athletic footwear and apparel brand Puma. PPR’s Sapardis subsidiary struck the deal with Mayfair Beteiligungsfondsgesellschaft I mbH...
Mike & Chris Launch Knits
The husband-and-wife team of Mike Gonzalez and Christine Park-Gonzalez debuted a collection of high-end knits for their Mike & Chris line for Fall 2007. Knits aren’t an entirely new focus of the L...
Fraudsters Deal Big Threat to Retailers
It’s a claim that no retailer wants to top....
Counterfeit Case
Four accused sellers of counterfeit luxury handbags were sentenced for money laundering and trafficking recently in Boston. The four Massachusetts residents were found guilty of selling more than $1 million i...
Academy of Art to Honor Posen, de la Falaise
Designers Loulou de la Falaise and Zac Posen will receive honorary doctorates of humane letters from the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco during a ceremony and ...
Friday, April 6
English Rose by English Laundry
The men’s line English Laundry by Christoper Wicks, known for its embroidered and embellished woven collared shirts, launched a sister line, English Rose by English ...
True Growth Track
Vernon, Calif.–based premium-denim lifestyle brand True Religion Apparel Inc. has signed two new leases for retail stores at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif., and at the NorthPark Center in D...
Ujein: Back Again
After a twoseason hiatus, Los Angeles–based architect-turned-designer Eugene Ong is relaunching Ujein, his high-end knits line, for Fall 2007. Now, the entire collection is made from a special...
Archbold Leaves Saks
New York– based retailer Saks Inc. announced that Michael G. Archbold, executive vice president/chief financial and administrative officer of the company’s Saks Fifth Avenue division, will leave his pos...
Ungaro Relaunches in California
It’s the first time in 10 years that Emanuel Ungaro has been available in California. An elegant cocktail party and fashion show kicked off the relaunch of the Parisian cou...
Directives West Partners With Trends West
Los Angeles retail consultancy Directives West has formed a formal partnership with Los Angeles trend-forecasting agency Trends West....
Doneger Expands West Coast Office
The Doneger Group opened its West Coast office in 2005 and ever since has had growing pains....
AIMS Teams With Continental for Fast Factoring
Santa Ana, Calif.–based software developer AIMS (Apparel Information Management System) and Woodland Hills, Calif.–based factoring agency Continental Business Credit have join...
Made in Mauritius Is Denim Designer's New Tag Line
In Los Angeles’ manufacturing community, denim is king. But as price sensitivity for premium denim grows among consumers, some companies are looking for alternatives....
VF Takes North Face from China
The Greensboro, N.C.–based VF Corporation has taken back The North Face business in China from its licensee, the Korea-based Youngone Corp. VF’s general manager for The North Face Asia/Pacific, Frank Cancelloni...
Hertz Sells L.A. Jewelry Center
The Moinian Group of New York has acquired the 400,000-square-foot International Jewelry Center in Downtown Los Angeles from former California Market Cente...
Stars in Waiting at 'Project Runway'
“Project Runway” producers are gearing up for the fourth season of the hit fashion reality show and kicked off their latest round of auditions recently in Los Angeles....
Metropark Names New Chief Exec
Los Angeles–based retailer Metropark has named Robert Allison chief executive officer of the 39-store contemporary streetwear chain....
Labor Commissioners, GCA Highlight Key Issues for Contractors
Labor issues topped the agenda at a March 22 meeting hosted by the Garment Contractors Association of Southern California and the Economic & Employment...
Collapsible Controversy
Canton, Mass.–based Reebok International Ltd. filed a lawsuit against Beaverton, Ore.–based Nike Inc., charging that Nike infringed on Reebok’s patent for its collapsible-shoe technology, which allows the shoes to be co...
PacSun: Figuring Out Where the Sun Shines
After a year of slumping sales, retail observers are wondering whether Pacific Sunwear of California’s newest formula for success will work for the purveyor of surf and skate–oriented apparel....
Securing the Ports
Construction on the Port of Long Beach’s $20 million Command and Control Center broke ground on April 3. The new center, conceived as part of the port’s post–9/11 security efforts, will house communicati...
Seeking Fashion Advisors to the Mayor
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa plans to set up a Fashion Advisory Council made up of a cross section of representatives from the Los Angeles fashion industry....
Department Stores Are Back in Business
This could be the year of the department store....
Sebelia Unveils Latest From Cosa Nostra
Nearly 800 people were on hand to view the latest collection from Los Angeles designer and “Project Runway” winner Jeffrey Sebelia, who showed his...
Anand Jon Faces Additional Felony Charges
Designer Anand Jon Alexander is facing 13 additional counts of sexual assault after the Los Angeles District Attorney on April 4 filed the new charges stemming from reports from five new female victim...
South Korea Is Newest Member of Free-Trade Club
After nearly a year of negotiations, the United States and South Korea hammered out a free-trade agreement on April 1 that could boost trade between the two countries by as much as $20 billion a year....
More Space for Formal
Tradition is not a dirty word at menswear store Scott & Co. The 6-year-old boutique, located in West Hollywood, Calif.’s exclusive Sunset Plaza retail area, specializes i...
Chico's to Anchor New Irvine Center
Fort Myers, Fla.–based Chico’s FAS Inc. will open its first Irvine, Calif., store this summer at the new Orchard Hills Village Center, located off of Culver Drive....
