Stories for August 2007

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Friday, August 31

Beyond the Valley of the Art Dolls

The Suru boutique’s pint-sized figures of Darth Vaders, space aliens and warriors beckon tourists and fashion-savvy people walking the gritty sidewalk of Melrose Avenue. When people walk into ...

Pantone Sold for $180 Million

X-Rite Inc., a provider of color matching, measuring and simulation solutions, signed an agreement to purchase Pantone Inc. for $180 million in a deal expected to be finalized this fall....

Gap Inc. Gets New Financial Officer

Another major executive has left The Gap Inc., the San Francisco maker of all things blue jeans....

Licensing Game

Miami-based Perry Ellis International has been on a licensing spree. It recently announced three new licensing agreements in Asia. The first is in South Korea with Posong Co. Ltd. to develop men’s and women’s swimwear lines and women...

New CFO at Joe's Jeans

The Innovo Group Inc., the Commerce, Calif.–based company that makes Joe’s Jeans, announced that Hamish Sandhu has been appointed as the company’s chief financial officer. Sandhu was previously chief financial o...

OP Headed to Wal-Mart

The New York–based Iconix Brand Group Inc. has signed an exclusive direct-to-retail license agreement with Wal-Mart for its Ocean Pacific and OP brands for direct distribution of apparel and accessorie...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Genevieve Primavera

San Francisco’s urban environment and unique architecture played a major part in Mary-Elizabeth Primavera’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Effie's Heart

Designer Kim Pledger’s heart belongs to the 1920s as well as the 1950s. She divided her Spring/Summer 2008 line into two collections. One reflected the Roaring ’20s, and the other echoed the era of Eliz...

Lucy to VF

The VF Corp., which has been on a buying spree lately, said it has completed its previously announced purchase of Lucy Activewear Inc. The executives at Lucy, based in Portland, Ore., will remain, including C...

Knitting With Attitude

Singer, bass player, knitter. It’s an unusual career trajectory....

Selling the Old and New at MyGirlfriendsCloset.com

Designers and start-ups looking for an online venue to sell their creations now have another choice in MyGirlfrien...

Garment Contractor Dies at 83

Margaret Walter, who started a Los Angeles sewing contracting business in 1960 with her husband, Frank, passed away on Aug. 25 after a sudden fall. She was 83....

A Buyer's Market in Las Vegas

It was a buyer’s market in Las Vegas as the giant MAGIC Marketplace set up shop with its ever-growing coterie of satellite shows....

New Hire, New Stores May Cure Bebe's Blues

Bebe Stores Inc. has been experiencing flat to negative same-store sales this year, and next quarter doesn’t look any better....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Onerary

Bridges are the connecting forces between Onerary’s two designers....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Missing Piece

Uniqueness was the operative word for Missing Piece, a niche show that was founded in 2004 by owner and artist-representative Danielle Cohen. It consists of creations by fashion and costume d...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Vian Hunter

Designer Lisa Hunter took everyone on a journey to the late 1950s and 1960s with her very ladylike designs, which evoked a certain “women who like to lunch” feeling....

Young Designers Dominate San Francisco Fashion Week

The fourth season of San Francisco Fashion Week was marked by a host of new and young designers launching their lines and getting their first exposure to the runway....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Kirribilla

The three designers behind the Kirribilla label turned to Hawaii for their inspiration. But not the Hawaii we know today. Instead they looked to old-time Hawaii, when things were simpler. The...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Vindyco Clothing

Sparkle and pizazz filled the designs created by Cindy Vo, who has been forming fashions since she was 4. She veers toward bold looks for independent women who aren’t afraid to stand out in a crowd.Jus...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Dcepcion

Twins David and Daniel Concepcion haven’t been out of college for even a year, and already they are wowing crowds with their clean, sleek casual line for men and women....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: The Little Black Dress Collection by Emerging Stars

Dresses came in all shapes and sizes as students from all over the Bay Area captured the elegance of the little black dress. This is only the third annual Emerging Stars fashion show in San Francisco...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: EVarize

Designer Erica Varize divided her Spring/Summer 2008 line into two parts: a sort of mid-’70s bohemian look and then a totally red collection called Measu(RED). The designer intends to dedicat...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Richard Hallmarq

Under the big top was where designer Richard Hallmarq found his muse for his newest collection of men’s and womenswear. The colors were bright, and the prints were bold. He was particularly high on sequined le...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Wee Scotty

As its name suggests, the fashions from Wee Scotty are for wee folks....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Gen Art

Even though Gen Art has been giving emerging artists a chance to showcase their talent for 14 years, the nonprofit organization didn’t start organizing fashion shows for San Francisco designers until 2...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Pink Elf

Kaushie Adiseshan took her cue for her Spring/Summer 2008 collection from her native India, using metallic fabrics that had a glittery feel to them. “Quite a few of the pieces are insp...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Emily Jane Clothing

Sophistication dominated the collection created by Emily Dumitrescu, out on her own since last year....

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Velvet Leaf

Sisters Laura and Beck Carter of Placerville, Calif., set out to create a line of clothing that would embrace the organic-fiber movement. Sustainability is their calling card, which was seen on a runw...

San Francisco Fashion Week '07: 615 Project

The 615 Project was all about dresses and jackets made to travel with the girl on the go....

New Prez at Retailer

Retail chain Stein Mart Inc. has appointed Linda McFarland Farthing as the company’s new president and chief executive. She is taking over from Michael D. Fisher, who resigned recently after working with the Jacksonvi...

Former St. John Exec Heads to Menswear

Richard Cohen, the short-lived chief executive at St. John in Irvine, Calif., has been appointed chief executive and president at California menswear company Robert Talbott Inc....

Friday, August 24

Hartmarx Buys Monarchy

Chicago-based Hartmarx Corp. has acquired Los Angeles–based premium-denim and sportswear brand Monarchy for $12 million. Hartmarx, which produces men...

New From Russell Simmons

Phat Farm creator Russell Simmons has his eye on a new market: upscale menswear. Simmons will launch Russell Simmons Argyle Culture, created for the “urban graduates who have ’arrived’ in the world...

To Be or Not To Be

Critical questions loom over importers as 2007 nears the end ...

Xubaz Relocates to SoCal

Xubaz, an accessories line that features multi-functional unisex neckwear, has relocated to Santa Monica, Calif., from Tucson, Ariz....

MJW Sells East L.A. Retail Site

Real estate developer MJW Investments of Santa Monica, Calif., has reached an agreement to sell a 23-acre swatch of land in East Los Angeles to boxer Oscar De La Hoya and partner Man...

Roxywear Seeks to License Brand

Roxywear by Roxx, a contemporary label sold at Barneys New York and Macy’s, may be locked in a heated battle over its name, but that isn’t stopping the small Los Angeles compa...

AIMS Expands With Web Tools, Services

Los Angeles–based software provider AIMS Technology Solutions Inc. is taking a step backward....

FBI Gets $97k Grant

Fashion Business Inc. has been awarded a $97,000 grant by the city of Los Angeles to provide consulting services to apparel manufacturers in the city....

Go Jeans Sues Target

Los Angeles–based Vanounou Clothing Inc., maker of Go Jeans and Go Couture, has filed suit against the Target Corp. The suit, filed in A...

WGSN on the West Coast

On the West Coast, Sally Lohan is the face of WGSN. As West Coast content manager, Lohan helps track down emerging trends on the left coast from young designers and new boutiques to lifestyle tren...

Las Vegas Emerging as Wholesale Destination

Las Vegas isn’t just a land of slot machines and trade shows. The desert city is becoming a wholesale mecca, as well....

Dress for Success Launches Young-Executives Division

Dress for Success L.A., a nonprofit agency that supplies disadvantaged women with clothing and educational services, has established Young Executives for Success (Y.E.S.), a new divi...

Design Piracy Prohibition Act: The Opposing View

The Design Piracy Prohibition Act, proposed last year by U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R–Roanoke, Va.), was reintroduced this year to both houses of Congress after several months of review by a subcommittee chair...

7 Takes One for Robertson

Popular Los Angeles denim brand 7 For All Mankind forecasts opening 10 boutiques across the United States before the end of 2008. But it will debut the first store on Los Angeles’ Robertson Bo...

More Contemporary En Route to CMC With New Area 4

In a quest to find more room for contemporary showrooms, the California Market Center is looking to break new ground to expand beyond its existing 130,000 square feet of contemporary space on...

Sewing Along at Home

Bravo’s fashion reality show, “Project Runway,” has struck a licensing deal to produce “Project Runway”–branded sewing patterns, as well as equipment and textiles. Brother In...

Trunk to Debut Expanded Brand

With its very first full-time designer in place, updated designs and a growing license portfolio, Culver City, Calif.–based Trunk Ltd. is set to debut its new direction at th...

Design Piracy Prohibition Act: The Proponents' View

The Design Piracy Prohibition Act, proposed last year by U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R–Roanoke, Va.), was reintroduced this year to both houses of Congress after several months of review by a subcommittee chair...

Fitzgerald in at Liz's Direct Brands

New York–based Liz Claiborne Inc. named Tom Fitzgerald chief operations officer for its Direct Brands business, which includes its Lucky Brand Jeans, Kate Spade, Juicy Couture and Mexx labels, as well as the c...

Exclusive's Goetz to Retire This Month

Apparel-industry veteran Stevi Goetz is calling it a career. Goetz, co-owner of The Exclusive menswear show and a long-time sales agent for a number of couture and menswear lines, will retir...

Robertson Continues to Evolve Without Coach

Coach bags plans for a Roberston store, but the high-profile L.A. thoroughfare continues to draw new boutiques. ...

Groovy Goddess Shirts to Bow at MAGIC

New women’s tops line Groovy Goddess, based in Los Altos, Calif., will bow Aug. 27–30 at the MAGIC Marketplace at the Las Vegas Convention Center....

Myne: Reconstructing the Classics

Wunderkind designer Ashley Ann cites vintage fashion, people-watching and Hollywood glam as inspirations for her collection of contemporary dresses and tops. Prior to launching Myne, the youn...

Kazuo: Japanese Fashion, L.A. Style

Joel Knoernschild sweats the small stuff. From tiny knife pleats in a shirt that are individually ironed to French darts on T-shirts and back pockets on jeans specially designed to keep wallets safe ...

Red Scorpion Clan: Plaid but Punk

Since 2002, Jeff Shafer has invested his time in building a fashion line characterized by playing it safe. This year he is going to take a gamble. The fashion executive and designer ...

FCI Students Show Their Cool Sides

Students from Los Angeles–based Fashion Careers International (FCI) went from rock to classical for their “Califor...

Hot Topic Expands IT Program With Lawson

Retailer Hot Topic Inc. is expanding its information-technology infrastructure with St. Paul, Minn.–based supplier Lawson Software, adding the company’s Business Intelligence ...

WGSN: Scouting Global Trends From the Desktop

Imagine scouting trends on the show floor of Bread & Butter’s Barcelona trade show, then dropping into a few boutiques in Los Angeles to find out who’s hot and who’s flying under the radar. ...

L.A. Fashion Awards' Denim Nominees

Five Los Angeles denim brands will compete to be named “Supima Denim Designer of the Year” at the 2007 Los Angeles Fashion Awards presented by Saturn ...

Anand Jon Looks for Attorney No. 3

Beleaguered designer Anand Jon Alexander, who sits in Los Angeles County Jail charged with 46 counts of sexual assault, is having trouble holding onto his high-profile lawyers....

Smart Sportswear

Italian luxury brand Zegna and British technological textile maker Eleksen Group plc. have teamed up to produce the Zegna Sport Bluetooth iJacket, which incorporates Eleksen’s ElekTex controls in a garment the two com...

Veltex to Sponsor Celebrity Golf Event

The City of Industry, Calif.–based Veltex Corp. will sponsor the America’s Baby Cancer Foundation’s annual Heroes Tour Celebrity golf tourna...

Friday, August 17

New Execs At Nike

Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike Inc. named Mary Kate Buckley vice president of apparel for Nike’s Europe, Middle East and Africa business. Previously, she headed Nike’s Americas region. She has been with the company since 1998. Jil...

NPD Goes Back to School

The Back-to-School shopping season is starting a little later this year, according to Port Washington, N.Y.–based research firm The NPD Group Inc., which recently released its 2007 Back-to-School survey. Accor...

Paul Frank Reorganizes Brands, Settles Lawsuit With Co-Founder

Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Paul Frank Industries is seeing a future as cheerful as its iconic Julius the monkey...

Schedule, Economy Impact Los Angeles' Holiday/Resort Market

The Holiday/Resort market has traditionally been one of the smallest markets on the calendar, but buyer traffic was particularly low during the most recent Holiday/Resort event according to m...

The Exclusive Menswear Show Sold

Another trade show has been swiped up by a competitor....

SF True

Vernon-based premium-denim lifestyle manufacturer True Religion Apparel Inc. signed a lease for a 1,146- square-foot True Religion store in the San Francisco Centre in San Francisco. The store will ca...

Altamont Launches Selvage for Skaters

Altamont, the year-old skate-inspired line of men’s apparel from Lake Forest, Calif.–based Sole Technology, will debut its first collection of selvage denim for Spring 2008. Launched in collaboration ...

Brand Integrity: Lessons From Leegin

Supreme Court decision provides luxury labels with a new weapon in retail pricing and brand integrity ...

Mesmerizing Retailers for 20 Years

Los Angeles–based updated resource Mesmerize is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, but the company’s owners are not making a big fuss about the milestone. They would rather let their c...

Sunset Plaza: On a Sophisticated Mission

Many landlords might cheer if a Hennes & Mauritz H&M moved next door to their retail center. But not Francis S. Montgomery II, owner of Sunset Plaza in West Hollywood, Calif...

Symposium to Focus on Fabrics, Fiber and Wash Techniques

The latest trends and developments in fabrics, fibers, washing and dyeing will be the focus of a symposium set for Dec. 12–13 at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, Calif., ...

Law Firm Launches Apparel Division

Los Angeles–based law firm Loeb & Loeb LLP has launched a Fashion and Luxury Brand Industry Group, catering to apparel companies seeking representation in intell...

Marketing 2.1: Partnerships, Branding & Convergence

How fashion brands can position themselves in a rapidly changing new media world...

Return of the Rocketing Rates?

Workers’ comp rates are no longer at the sky-high levels of three years ago, but business owners can implement costcutting measures before they begin to climb again. ...

M.Fredric Fund-Raises Like a Rock Star

M. Fredric co-owner Fred Levine, center, partied on Aug. 9 with his wife, Lisa Levine, at left, and his son, Adam Lev...

Wollyhood Clothing: Laughs & Disposable Fashion

The words “self made” are tattooed on Dillon James McKnight’s knuckles. The tattoos might be the mark of a hard man. Yet tough tales are not what comes out of t...

Revolver: A Rare Glimpse at a Secretive Brand

“I don’t really believe in titles,” said Stephen Vigil, whose Los Angeles–based contemporary line, Revolver, places a priority on anonymity for both the designer and the brand. “I feel the...

DMK

BRIEF ENCOUNTER: Diane Kirkland hopes her men’s underwear designs will do for fellows what the push-up bra has done for women. “It’s designed to enhance what’s there,” Altadena, Calif.–base...

Two New Lucy Stores

Just a few weeks after being acquired by VF Corp., activewear retailer Lucy will open two new stores in the Detroit area this fall. The Portland, Ore.-based chain operates more than 50 stores in 13 st...

Brooks to Shutter Campuses in Long Beach, Sunnyvale

Officials at Brooks College, which offers fashion programs at its Long Beach and Sunnyvale, Calif., campuses, said they will close down both campuses in a gradual phase-out expected to be com...

Fiber and Wash Techniques

The latest trends and developments in fabrics, fibers, washing and dyeing will be the focus of a symposium set for Dec. 12–13 at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach,...

Andrew Christian Underwear

SPORTY SHORTS: Los Angeles–based Andrew Christian has a 10-year-old sportswear line and 5-year-old swimwear line under his belt. Combining aspects of both, his new underwear line hits all the right notes and has become ...

Party at Howe's Hause

Menswear designer Jade Howe threw a party and virtual fashion show on Aug. 11 to kick off the Spring/Summer 2008 Hause of Howe collection and bow the company’s new runway space at its headquar...

E-Commerce Companies Merge

Santa Barbara, Calif.–based e-tailer CoutureCandy (

Brisk Business at Lingerie Americas

Organizers credit new marketing strategies for uptick in traffic...

Fashion on the Agenda at L.A. Anti-Counterfeit Event

Fashion-industry executives will discuss the impact of the sale of counterfeit goods on the apparel industry at an Aug. 22 seminar in downtown Los Angeles....

Under the Toga

Barneys New York made a toast to the ancient world’s luxury when it held a cocktail party at its Beverly Hills emporium on Aug. 4. The stars of the party were the cast and the costume designe...

Project Runway's Dao Gets digital

Chloe Dao, the Houston-based designer who won the top prize in the second season of Bravo’s fashion reality show, “Project Runway,” is launching a new mobile technology case collection in partner...

Marni Moves to South Coast Plaza

Marni pioneered high-fashion retail on Los Angeles’ Melrose Place, but on July 27 it moved into a more-established luxury neighborhood. The exclusive Italian label opened a 2...

Demand Still Strong for Fashion District Lofts

The first major condominium project in the Los Angeles Fashion District is a wrap....

Friday, August 10

Making Eco Ready for Fashion

Business is booming for eco-consultants ...

St. John: New CEO, New Focus on Familiar Customer

St. John, the venerable knitwear company whose detour from its core customer a few years ago sent revenues tumbling, is hoping to reinvent its magic formula for success with the help of a new...

Stylish Satchels

California accessories designers—or designers with a California connection—are offering a range of handbag styles using luxurious materials and custom hardware that are retail priced from $300 to $800....

Prana Buys Scapegoat

Vista-based activewear brand Prana, a division of New York–based Liz Claiborne Inc., purchased men’s outerwear label Scapegoat and plans to create a line of premium technical outerwear called Scapegoat ...

4 Tech Pack

How software leaders are charging ahead in the speed-to-market race ...

Gearing Up for a Crowded Trade Show Scene in L.V.

It’s that time of year again, when a huge swath of the apparel industry descends on Las Vegas for the massive MAGIC Marketplace and its concurrent satellite shows. ...

FBI to Offer Online Seminars on New Web Site

Fashion Business Inc. has added a series of online video seminars to its redesigned Web site, accessible at

True Religion Designer Launches Jewelry Line

After more than 20 years in the apparel industry, Kymberly Gold-Lubell wanted to experiment with something different: jewelry....

Odd Molly

Cooper Design SpaceLobby J (213) 623-9332 ...

Gen Art Announces Lineup for S.F. Fashion Week

Gen Art, the nonprofit organization for emerging fashion designers and other artists, has announced the program for its “Fresh Faces in Fashion” runway show, which will...

Petro Zillia Relaunches Wholesale Business

In 2006, designer Nony Tochterman decided to focus on her new Los Angeles store, House of Petro Zillia, after 10 years ...

Re-Branding Lord & Taylor

New York–based venerable retail chain Lord & Taylor will kick off a $10 million re-branding campaign in the fall to modernize its image and recognize the retailer’s 181-year history. The campaign is...

Ben Sherman Moves to Cooper

British contemporary brand Ben Sherman has closed its 7,500-square-foot showroom in the California Market Center. Now, buyers looking for Ben Sherman’s preppy mod apparel fo...

Stylish Community Showroom

Gerry Building Suite 205(213) 623-2005 ...

Ginger

The New Mart Suite 707(213) 689-9620

Tulula & Under

California Market CenterA255(213) 488-9650

Hippie Ink Goes Organic

Los Angeles–based T-shirts line Hippie Ink by Jennifer Ashley has debuted a new line of organic cotton shirts....

ASAP to Discuss Retail Opportunities in China

Executives from the ASAP Global Sourcing Show and InfoSmart Inc. are hosting a meeting on Aug. 18 at the Hilton hotel in San Gabriel, Calif., to discuss retail franchising o...

Swimwear Sales Drop at Warnaco

Swimwear sales took a dive at The Warnaco Group Inc. ...

New Chief, New Directions for L.A. Menswear Retailer

Men’s clothier Sy Devore tailored suits for stars such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley during its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s. The new president of the retailer, Danny Marsh, seeks to bring the s...

Istithmar Wins Barneys Bid

The bidding war for Jones Apparel Group’s Barneys New York division has ended with Dubai-based Istithmar landing the upscale retail chain for $942.3 million in cash....

Design Piracy Law Heads to U.S. Senate

The Design Piracy Prohibition Act, the proposed law that would extend copyright protection beyond textile print and surface design to include original garments, was introduced to the U.S. Senate on Au...

Steady Growth, Weakness Shape July '07 Sales

Retail sales grew at a steady pace in July, but the performance was judged as weak by many economists....

President Signs Cargo Bill

On Aug. 3, President Bush signed a law that will require 100 percent inspection of all cargo bound for the United States before it is loaded onto container ship. The new requirements are part of the governmen...

Uptick in Pricing Doesn't Deter Exclusive's Buyers

Buyers attending the Aug. 5–6 run of The Exclusive menswear show, held at the Embassy Suites in Los Angeles, received a slight case of sticker shock as they prepared for their Spring ’...

True Times Three

Vernon-based premium-denim lifestyle label True Religion Apparel Inc. will open three stores in Las Vegas in the Fashion Show Mall, the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and in the Las Vegas Prem...

Friday, August 3

Key Trends at Blue: Selvage, Organic, Raw

NEW YORK—Blue’s upscale denim exhibitors and a boutique- style venue drew a discerning crowd of buyers to the show, produced by ENK International and held July 23–25 at Pier 92...

ecoChic

How the fashion industry is making it easier to be green ...

Fair Trade

Trade shows are going green...

Dreams Fade for New Port in Baja California

A major Mexican port project in Baja California that would compete with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach may never go beyond the drawing board....

More Venues and More Shows Mean Greater Risks and Rewards for Showroom Owners

Independent showroom owners thinking about expansion may take some advice from those who have been there: Do some homework first....

Order Writing and Trend Scouting at Project N.Y.

NEW YORK—Cool music pumped throughout the aisles of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where chandeliers hung over walkways labeled as the major streets in Manhattan and multip...

Deb Shops Sold

New York–based DSI Holdings Inc., an affiliate of Lee Equity Partners LLC, has acquired Philadelphia-based retail chain Deb Shops Inc. in a deal worth approximately $395 million. Allen Questrom, senior advisor of Lee ...

Security Bill Mandates All Overseas Cargo Containers Be Scanned

President Bush is expected to sign a bill that would require all air and sea cargo to be scanned before it leaves foreign ports for the United States....

Indie Menswear Show Capsule Debuts in New York

New York–based public-relations agency Brand Pimps & Media Whores debuted an invitation-only menswear show called Capsule July 23–24 at a performing- arts space ...

The Changing Face of Melrose Place

When fashion designer Catherine Malandrino opens her next store in Los Angeles in December, she will be gambling on a fashion neighborhood that is at a crossroads....

Skinny Jeans Served With a Twist

For three years, Todd Moore ran Eye 5, a small sunglasses boutique at The Lab, a specialty shopping center in Costa Mesa, Calif. But this year, he decided to shift gears and jump in...

CurvExpo Inc. Launches CurveNY Show

With only one completed CurveNV trade show in Las Vegas under its belt, CurvExpo Inc. announced the launch of a second trade show, CurveNY in New York....

Gearing Up for San Francisco Fashion Week

The fourth annual San Francisco Fashion Week will take place Aug. 22–25, featuring creations from the Bay area’s homegrown designers....

Riding the Waves of an M&A Summer

Factors weigh the effect of recent acquisitions on West Coast companies....

Doctrine: In More We Trust

Since 1991, George Latos has been cooking up fancy embellishment treatments for everything from denim and T-shirts to prom dresses at his Los Angeles–based contracting and product-development operati...

Another 'Big Box' Ordinance Approved

City officials for the city of Elk Grove, Calif., just south of Sacramento, recently approved a “big box” ordinance, banning the development of stores of more than 150,000 square feet....

L.A. Contractor Fined

A Los Angeles garment maker has been ordered to pay his workers back wages and overtime pay as part of a court settlement....

Schlesinger to Leave Limited

Len Schlesinger, vice chairman and chief operating officer of Limited Brands Inc., announced plans to resign from the Columbus, Ohio–based company, which operates several retail chains, including Victoria’s Secret, Bat...

Peeking Inside Hong Kong's Factories

U.S. customs officials are sending jump teams to Hong Kong to inspect apparel and textile factories....

Hause of Howe to Host Fashionable Open House

Jade Howe, designer and creative director of contemporary menswear line Hause of Howe, will host a party to kick off the Spring/Summer 2008 line on Aug. 11....

Los Angeles Ranks Among Top 10 Fashion Capitals

Los Angeles was ranked seventh among the world’s top 25 fashion cities, according to an annual survey conducted by San Diego–based Global Language Monitor....

Som, Bastian Join Blass

Designer Peter Som has been named creative director of Bill Blass Ltd. Inc.’s women’s division. Michael Bastian has been named creative director for the company’s menswear division. In his new position, Som will head up Bill Blass’ women’s desig...

L.A. Designer Hosts Fashion Benefit for Malaria

Los Angeles–based designer M’Backe Seye will host the second annual Defal Sa Walle fashion fund-raiser to raise money and awareness for the fight against malaria in Africa....