Friday, June 29
Globe Sells World Industries
Boardsport brand Globe International announced the sale of skate brand World Industries to Newport Beach, Calif.–based I.E. Distribution....
Ports Extend Deadline on Clean Trucks Program
After a barrage of comments, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have delayed by 60 days their vote on the Clean Air Action Plan, which was unveiled earlier this year....
True Religion, Jessica Simpson Dive into Swim
InGear Swim, a New York–based swimwear manufacturer, has landed licenses for True Religion and Jessica Simpson swimwear....
New Licensees for Sanrio
Sanrio named Jennifer Campbell its new vice president of licensing and struck two new licensing agreements for its Hello Kitty brand....
Retail Pricing Decision
The U.S.Supreme Court decided in favor of Commerce-based accessories maker Leegin Creative Leather Products, makers of Brighton Accessories, in its lawsuit against Texas retailer PSKS Inc. The case hinged on whether Leegin could req...
Pop Life
More than 300 people packed Los Angeles–based Xin on June 22 when the boutique hosted a gallery show for the artist Chase. The 29-year-old single-named artist has painted pop art–inspired murals in Tokyo, Berlin and Los Angeles’...
Retailing for Nonprofit
Meredith Garrett was nervous about pitching Kitson. She not only was going to ask the pioneering Los Angeles boutique to debut her collection, OmniPeace by Signorelli, she w...
Legal Aid Formed for Prop. 65 Concerns
California apparel manufacturers and retailers are increasingly becoming concerned about complying with a 21-year-old statute that has since snowballed into a complex set of restrictions that could ca...
Baltazar Joins Komarov, Martinoff at Kisca
Komarov, the Los Angeles–based contemporary line known for its trademark pleated fabrication, and Kisca, its more street-savvy sister line, both have new designers at the helm....
Counterfeit Ring Nabbed in New York
After more than a year of investigations, federal authorities in New York charged 29 people with trying to smuggle in more than 950 shipments of fake purses, shoes, watches and apparel through various...
Barney's Dubai
Istithmar, a private-equity and alternative-investment house based in Dubai, purchased Barneys New York Inc. from Jones Apparel Group for $825 million in cash. The deal allows Jones to consider other ...
Quiksilver's New Mission
Is surfwear strictly the domain of teen-agers? Not according to Quiksilver. The venerable surf giant’s Quiksilver Edition Santa Monica is designed for fashionable men aged ...
Liz Claiborne, 78
Designer Liz Claiborne died in New York on June 26 after a protracted battle with cancer. She was 78. With her husband, Art Ortenberg, and business partner Leonard Boxer, Claiborne founded her eponymo...
Hanesbrands Reorganizes Factories
Nearly a year after being spun-off from Sara Lee Branded Apparel, Hanesbrands Inc. announced it will close its factories in four countries and lay off 5,300 workers....
U.K. Store to Open 50 U.S. Stores
London-based retailer Reiss hopes to start another British invasion with its recently opened boutique on Los Angeles’ Robertson Boulevard....
The Pros
The Professional Club, formerly known as the Textile Professional Club, held an end-of-the-season dinner June 21 at the Bel-Air Bar & Grill in West Los Angeles,...
Spy Games: New Tag Technologies Help Fight Theft, Counterfeits
Customs officials recently seized more than $230 million in counterfeit merchandise bearing the names of Chanel, Prada, Nike, True Religion, Coach...
Sports to Sportswear
American consumers bought $43.7 billion in sports apparel last year, according to a new report released by investment banking company The Mercanti Group. Sports apparel sales represented nearly 23 p...
Rock & Republic Suits Filed
Two former business associates of denim maven Michael Ball have filed lawsuits against the founder of Rock & Republic, the Culver City, Calif.–based premium-denim maker, accusing Ball of e...
Puente Hills Retail Center Sold
The Plaza at Puente Hills, a 14-acre shopping center adjacent to the Puente Hills Mall in the City of Industry, Calif., has been sold for $44 million, reported Irvine, Calif...
Innovo Tweaks Merger Agreement
Innovo Group Inc., the maker of Joe’s Jeans, is modifying its merger agreement with Joe Dahan, the designer of Joe’s Jeans....
House Extends Andean Trade Preferences
It was a down-to-the-wire decision. But the U.S. House of Representatives voted to give a short-term extension to a trade agreement that affects four Andean countries....
L.A., S.F. Retail Rents Near the Top
California’s showcase shopping areas showed strong rent growth over the past year, trailing only New York for the title of having the country’s priciest real estate....
Blue Holdings Makes Nice With NASDAQ
Blue Holdings, the publicly traded maker of Antik, Taverniti So and Yanuk premium denim, got into hot water with NASDAQ in June in connection with an agree...
Palm Springs Landmark Set for Renovation
The former Desert Fashion Plaza, once home to stores such as I. Magnin and Saks Fifth Avenue, looks like it will finally be renovated, much to the delight of reside...
Friday, June 22
WFX Launches On-Demand PDM, PLM
Miami-based WFX has launched on-demand versions of its Web PDM (product data management) and Web PLM (product lifecycle management) applications....
Ella Moss: Black Label
Designer Pam Protzel’s Ella Moss brand has become synonymous with luxe and comfy go-to T-shirts, dresses and tanks. “It’s the kind of stuff you can just toss on and look great and feel good [in],...
Gianfranco Ferre, 62
Italian fashion designer Gianfranco Ferre died on June 17 in a hospital in Milan after suffering a brain hemorrhage two days before. He was 62 years old. Ferre studied architecture in his native Italy but upon gradua...
Liz Divides Its House in Two
Liz Claiborne Inc.’s new chief executive is shaking things up at the New York–based apparel and accessories giant....
Feraud Debuts
The streets of Beverly Hills are lined with the flagships of iconic designers, but the newest arrival has its own angle. The 57-year-old French-based Feraud label held a grand debut for its 1,300- square-foot boutique...
Cherokee's Global Growth
Van Nuys–based licensor and brand management company Cherokee Inc. is planning to expand its global reach over the next year to Saudi Arabia, Chile and Peru through partnerships with Fawaz Al Hokair/Geant in Saudi Arabia and S.A.C.I. Falabel...
MySpace Testing Fashion News Blog
MySpace has launched a fashion news blog at
Lucky Takes Denim on the Road
This summer, Lucky Brand Jeans will kick off the “Denim Highway Tour,” a “Summer of Love”–meets–the MTV generation extravaganza. A 1949 Flxible bus—complete with a psychede...
Parasuco Takes Bow on Robertson
Canadian jeans manufacturer Parasuco is on the move. On June 14, it celebrated the opening of a 2,800-square-foot store on Los Angeles’ Robertson Boulevard, a required shopping spot for any pr...
Suitmaker Hartmarx Looks to Two California Companies for Growth
Inside a red brick building in Santa Monica, Calif.’s high-tech corridor, two small apparel companies have shifted into high gear to create new lines for their new owner, Hartmarx Corp. ...
Porridge Clothing Gets New Showroom, HQ
Porridge Clothing is on the expansion track. The 3-year-old contemporary brand will open a new showroom and headquarters in the Los Angeles Fashion District on July 1....
Miss Me Launches New Labels
Taking a cue from Los Angeles’ fashion chameleons, Miss Me, a division of Sweet People Apparel, is reworking its offerings and launching new lines....
Caruso Lands Another Barneys Co-Op
The Barneys Co-op store at The Grove has been such a big success for the Los Angeles shopping center, according to Grove owners Caruso Affiliated, and the ...
Green Theme Catches on With Technology Vendors
The green movement is on the upswing, and technology vendors are even getting in on it by employing green themes through e-commerce and other applications. Among them are new ventures from San Fran...
Doneger West Expands
The Doneger Group, the New York–based buying office and global-trend forecaster, is expanding its West Coast office, located in the California Market Center....
L.A. Fashion Event Turning Green
Green has become so trendy that even fashion shows are embracing the eco-friendly cause....
NPD: Dress Sales Surge
Dress sales are strong in all market channels, according to the latest findings by Port Washington, N.Y.–based research firm The NPD Group....
Kellwood to Close Chico Warehouse Amid Protests
St. Louis-based Kellwood Co. will shutter its Chico, Calif., distribution center, effective Aug. 31, resulting in the layoff of about 160 workers....
Promotion at Jones
Joseph Donnalley, senior vice president of corporate taxation and risk management for the Jones Apparel Group, has added treasurer to his duties for the company. Donnalley is a 12-year veteran of the New York...
American Apparel Realigns IT
Los Angeles–based American Apparel has overhauled its information-technology platform with new enterprise software from the Microsoft Corp. The company has an 800,000-square-foot manu...
NGC Names PLM Manager
In a bid to strengthen its PLM (product lifecycle management) initiative, Miami Lakes, Fla.–based New Generation Computing has promoted Mark Burstein to vice president of PLM solutions....
Designers Take First Steps at Publik Park
Publik Park might sound like a place for games, but owner Tom Heckman said his boutique will be a place where new designers can take their first steps toward being noticed....
Tulle: New Direction, New Look
For Los Angeles–based fashion line Tulle, changing direction means growing up....
Avery, VF at Supply Chain Summit
Pasadena, Calif.–based Avery Dennison will join a host of companies making presentations at the Supply Chain Summit to be held June 25–27 at the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, ...
Elmer Ave.: A New Production With a Custom Edge
Elmer Ave. is taking its custom aesthetic and bringing it to a wider market. ...
Friday, June 15
Made in California, Part II: A Special Report
The second in a continuing series of apparel and accessory brands that are “making it” in California ...
MKP Development Expands Production, Sample Making
Los Angeles–based MKP Development LLC, which provides production and sample-making services to the apparel industry, has relocated and expanded its operations....
Alternative Tees Star in Kids' Benefit
T-shirt maker Alternative joined the festivities at the 2007 “A Time for Heroes” family carnival to benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation on J...
Thieves Take $41.6 Billion Graft and Construction From America's Retailers
America’s retail industry lost $41.6 billion to fraud and theft in 2006, according to the “National Retail Security Survey,” which was released at the recent National Retail Fed...
Hippie Ink Shirts to Aid Angelina Jolie's Charity
Los Angeles–based Hippie Ink will donate a portion of proceeds from sales of its “Love” series T-shirts and tops to Millennium Promise, a charity supported by actress An...
Bollenbach in at Macy's
Cincinnati-based Macy’s Inc. named Stephen F. Bollenbach, co-chairman and chief executive officer of Hilton Hotels Corp., to its board of directors. The Southern California native was named co-chairman of Hilton in 2004 and has served as chief execu...
Jordache, Frankie B. Settle Dittos License Dispute
After getting off to a rocky start, Jordache Enterprises and Frankie B. owner Daniella Clark have worked out a settlement for the Dittos denim brand....
Forever 21 Goes Upscale With Twelve by Twelve
Forever 21 unveiled its new concept, Twelve by Twelve, with a cocktail party at hip downtown loft space The Marvimon House....
Retail Is the Rising Star in the Inland Empire
California’s Inland Empire has long been known as the warehouse empire of the West, but for the first time in years, retail real estate investment is outpacing industrial sales, indicating that retaile...
Anand Jon Pleads Not Guilty to New Counts
Designer Anand Jon pleaded not guilty to 13 new charges of sexual assault on June 12 in Los Angeles Superior Court....
Fashion Makes Big Change on Abbot Kinney
When Carrie Hauman walked her dog, Zoe, around Abbot Kinney Boulevard a few years ago, the former interior decorator wondered how the handful of fashion boutiques on the street survived....
McCluskey's in the Swim
Helen McCluskey, group president intimate apparel of New York–based Warnaco Group, has added global management of Warnaco’s swimwear brands to her responsibilities. McCluskey has been with the company since 2004. Warnaco’s lingerie lab...
International Gap
San Francisco–based retailer Gap Inc. struck a pair of franchise agreements that will bring Gap and Banana Republic stores to Saudi Arabia and Turkey over the next five years. The retail giant teamed with Fawa...
Sullen Goes for the Girls
Sullen, a line of tattoo- and action sports–inspired men’s apparel, has always thrown girls a bone. A T-shirt here and a hoodie there kept female fans of the Irvine, Calif.–based brand going....
Style Trend Forecaster WGSN Looks to 2009
While some apparel companies are focused on forecasting the trends six months out, the Worth Global Style Network (
Port Traffic Way Up
The average number of ships docked at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during the first days of June was up 40 percent over last year, repeating an overall trend of large increases in vessel tr...
Trends Help Draw an International Crowd at L.A. Fashion Market
Business was surprisingly good at the June 8–12 run of the Los Angeles Fashion Market at the California Market Center, The New Ma...
Friday, June 8
FGILA Plants Seeds of Change
Going green—it’s a hot topic as of late. In an attempt to answer the inevitable “How to” que...
The Namasteacute; Greenhouse
Cooper Design Space Suite 328 (213) 624-1150
Microsoft, AIMS Bring a Truckload of Technology to Fashion District
Microsoft Corp. literally rolled into the Los Angeles Fashion District on June 1 with one of its 42-foot mobile showrooms, hoping to educate the apparel industry about the latest sof...
S.A.M.
The New MartSuite 407(213) 489-5265...
Packing Cargo Into the Ports
Retail container traffic is expected to reach new highs this summer throughout the country’s major ports, according to a recent report by the National Retail Federation and economic-f...
Retailers Bounce Back in May '07
Consumers regained their appetite for spending in May after a downturn in April. The recovery ended talk of a market slowdown, said Michael Niemira, chief economist of the New York–ba...
Opposition to Port Clean-Air Plan Goes Into Higher Gear
Trucking companies are starting to take off their mitts to challenge the local ports’ clean-air plan, which would virtually eliminate all independent drivers picking up and delivering to the docks in t...
Clarity Group
Gerry Building Suite 708 (213) 623-9693...
A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz
California Market Center Suite A555 (213) 489-1049 ...
Trerotola In at Invista
Wichita, Kan.–based Koch Industries promoted Dave Trerotola to president of Koch’s Invista Apparel division, producer and marketer of several branded fibers, fabrics and finishes. Previously, Trerotola was global president of Invista...
Virtually H&M
Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M is going virtual, thanks to a partnership with Redwood City, Calif.–based video-game maker Electronic Arts Inc., owners of the longstanding virtual-reality game The Sims. The Sims...
Karen Luu: From Pillows to Sleepwear
Karen Luu’s company, Karen Luu Exclusive Fashion Services, helped local clothing designers in San Francisco for over 15 years with full-package design, pattern-making, sample-making and produ...
CMC and 1060 Sherman to Open Market
The June 8–12 run of the Los Angeles Fashion Market kicks off with a grand-opening-night mixer co-hosted by the California Market Center and contemporary la...
Streets Ahead Billboard Banned
Los Angeles–based accessories manufacturer Streets Ahead found itself embroiled in a decency debate when the company launched its latest billboard campaign....
Paige, Gonzalez and Nieder Honored by AIU
The American Intercontinental University will present its 2007 portfolio graduation fashion show on June 21 at the Avalon club in Hollywo...
CMC Inks Deal for Jewelry Expo
The California Market Center has struck a deal with trade-show producer Golden Triangle Shows to bring a new biannual jewelry show to Los Angeles....
Saturn's Fashionable Comeback
General Motors’ Saturn brand has signed on again to sponsor the L.A. Fashion Awards, which will host its third annual event Oct. 26 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The award nominees an...
United Trade Show Opens Retail, Heads East
A mere five months after Ryan Walker made a splash by debuting United Trade Show in Las Vegas, the 26-year-old entrepreneur took a small step into retail. On June 4, he opened a 350-square-foot shop...
Most Ethical
Ventura-based outdoor-apparel manufacturer Patagonia; Beaverton, Ore.–based footwear and activewear giant Nike; and Spartanburg, S.C.–based textile mill Milliken & Co. were among the companies named as the...
Demand for Warehouse, Retail Space Continues to Be Strong
The search for quality distribution and warehouse space continued to be difficult during the first quarter of 2007 in Los Angeles County, where vacancies remained at the sub 2 percent level, ...
New Parking in L.A. Fashion District
The first parking garage in 20 years officially opened May 29 in the Los Angeles Fashion District....
FIG Dallas Names New Retail Manager
Ashley Gage has been named retail-development manager for the Fashion Industry Gallery (FIG) wholesale center in Dallas....
Private Investors File Suit Against J Brand
J Brand Inc., a chic line of blue jeans that pioneered the skinny-leg concept, is embroiled in a legal squabble that could place 40 percent of the Los Angeles–based company in the hands of its...
Going to School on Fast-Fashion Retailers
Fast-fashion retailing has become so dynamic that it’s now being taught in schools—at least to students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona....
Sales Surge, Server Crash Courtesy of Oprah
A mention on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” can make sales of almost anything skyrocket, yet ShopLAStyle President Cynthia Rojas found that a good word from talk-show diva Oprah Winfr...
Bedhead Pajamas Expands Retail Boutique
Renee Claire’s Bedhead pajama store at 3305 Motor Ave. in Los Angeles started out as an “afterthought.” Claire describes with a laugh that the 200-square-foot space allotted in front of ...
Beija Brazil's New Life in Vida by Juliana Paes
Beija Brazil lingerie found a new life in loungewear. The lingerie line, which launched in 2003, enjoyed such high success with its lyocell loungewear division that designer Guy Blew...
Friday, June 1
Off to Japan
The Innovo Group, the maker of Joe’s Jeans, has entered into a three-year deal with a Japanese company to distribute and license Joe’s and Joe’s Jeans in Japan. In the exclusive distribution deal and non-exclusive license agreement, Itochu Cor...
Container Bill Heads to Senate Floor
A controversial state bill to charge a $30 fee for every 20-foot container coming through three of California’s biggest ports could be headed for a vote on the state Senate floor the week of June 4....
Students Mount Campaign For Sweatshop-Free Apparel
In a flashback to the sweatshop protests of the 1980s and 1990s, students once again are hoisting picket signs and staging campus sit-ins to demand administrators get tough with stringent anti-sweatsh...
New Banker
Former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick was nominated by President Bush to take over as president of the World Bank. Zoellick would replace Paul Wolfowitz, who steps down at the end of June. Wolfowit...
Will M-Commerce Embrace Apparel?
Once upon a time, Web pundits said nobody would buy clothes on the Internet. The arguments against e-tailing apparel ran the gamut from “You can’t feel or adequately see the merchandise” ...
Men's Boutique
Tiffany & Co. announced plans to open a new men’s store on the ground floor of the Isetan department store this September in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. The boutique is Tiffany’s first endeavor to focus exclusively o...
Getting Intimate
Kohl’s is getting into the intimate-apparel business. The department-store chain based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., is launching its first private label, called Moments. It also has two other exclusive in...
Gerber Expands in Vietnam
Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology has bought out Schmidt Vietnam Co. Ltd., its agent and distributor in Hanoi, Vietnam. Going forward, Gerber will operate the unit as a company-owned enterprise....
MAGIC Names Group-Sales Director
Woodland Hills, Calif.–based MAGIC International, producer of the MAGIC Marketplace trade show in Las Vegas, named Karalynne Sprouse group-sales director for the trade show....
NPD Accessorizes
Market-research firm NPD Group is launching a new Accessories Market Tracking Service to track changes in the market for manufacturers, retailers and financial analysts....
Ahern in at U.S. Customs
Jayson P. Ahern has been named deputy commissioner of the United States Customs and Border Protection, effective in August, when the current deputy commissioner, Deborah Spero, retires....
FIDM to Reprise Emmy Costume Exhibition
The Museum & Galleries at the Fashion Institute of Designer & Merchandising will host its second annual “The Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design” exhibition featuring ...
Fashion District Thrives as Economic Engine
The Los Angeles Fashion District is celebrating its slightly more than 10- year anniversary with plans to expand its boundaries to the east and build on its claim as the hub of Southern California’s fa...
Head Hunting
Michael Vollbracht, the lead designer and creative director at Bill Blass, has resigned from the New York–based company after four years with the label. Vollbracht arrived at Bill Blass in March 2003 right aft...
European Retail Sales Drop Sharply in May
European retail sales experienced their steepest decline in recent memory, falling more than six points on the Bloomberg Eurozone Retail Purchasing Managers’ Index in May....
T-Shirt Makers Sound Off With New Concepts
Challenged by a spike in competition, T-shirt designers are putting their creativity to work and are coming up with some new and old concepts to stir up sales and the political pot....
Hurley Hosts Design Competition
Hurley is once again hosting its “Walk the Walk” design competition in which Orange County, Calif., high-school students are given the chance to produce their own fashion shows ...
Next-Generation Textiles
Studio Bert Forma carries on the tradition of seeking new lines and new business ...
Former Trovata Principals Launch New Label
Jeff Halmos and Sam Shipley, half of the original dream team that turned the contemporary brand Trovata into a fashion darling, are set to debut Shipley & Halmos, their new men’s and wome...
ASR Holiday Gives It a Second Try
A typical Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo it was not. But ASR Holiday’s two-day second edition May 23–24 in Costa Mesa, Calif., seemed to be a step up from its debut show last year....
Retailers Make Big Gains in E-Commerce Sales
Move over, Microsoft. For the very first time, online apparel sales outpaced computer-product sales in 2006. Apparel is No. 1 for all non-travel-related e-commerce sales, according to a rece...
Get Out Your Toilet Paper
For the third year in a row, Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com will host its “Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest.”...
Gerber on President Bush's 'E' List
Tolland, Conn.–based technology supplier Gerber Technology and 10 other companies were recognized by President Bush and the U.S. secretary of commerce for being among the nation’s most outstand...
LENY Trade Show to Bow in New York
Londonedge NY is set to bow at Pier 92 in New York in July with a roster that will include punk- and rock ’n’ roll–inspired clothing, accessories, footwear and gifts....
L.A. Designer Checks In With Hotel Uniforms
Maybe you’ve seen designer Tadashi Shoji’s creations on the runway of the Miss Universe contest....
New Zip Systems More Durable
Atlanta-based trimmings supplier YKK USA Inc. introduced two new zip products at the recent Material World show in Miami....
State Sweep Closes 30 Garment Factories
In one of the largest garment-factory sweeps in the last two years, labor inspectors visited 37 garment factories across Southern California and closed 30 of them for wage and labor violations....
