Stories for November 2010

Americana's New Expansion Plans

The Americana at Brand shopping center wants to expand its 15.5 acres in Glendale, Calif., and on Nov. 30, the town’s redevelopment agency gave a green light for more talk on expansion plans, accordin...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Skulls and hearts meet the embroidered arts in Ed Hardy cross-stitch book (Los Angeles Times' All the Rage)Band of Outsiders debuts new digs...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Events – Ports 1961 Morphs Magnificently for Spring 2011 (Mondette)Saks After Thanksgiving Sale Not for the Claustrophobic (Racked LA)Fashion Goes, Keds...

The Day After Black Friday

Shoppers, like the crowd pictured above at South Coast Plaza, scouted for big deals on Black Friday. The news coming out of Black Friday sounded like a resounding triumph. South Coast Plaza’s General Manager David Grant estimated 300,000 people crowded through the Costa Mesa,...

Cherokee’s Sideout Heads to Soriana

Cherokee Inc. struck an exclusive license agreement with Tiendas Soriana S.A. de C.V. allowing Soriana to sell Sideout men’...

LF USA Acquires Oxford Apparel

LF USA, a division of Hong Kong–based Li & Fung Ltd., acquired Oxford Apparel, a private-label division of Atlanta-base...

Social Shopping Site ThisNext Announces Redesign, New Focus

Santa Monica, Calif.–based social shopping website ThisNext (

Scifen: Streetwear Grown Up

At the time that Barmak Bandaei started Scifen streetwear clothing in 1999, he was a college student that B-boy-danced and wore Dockers pants rolled up at the ankle, polo shirts and Clarks Originals’ ...

HauteLook Launches on Facebook

Los Angeles–based flash-sale site HauteLook launched an events division on Facebook. Facebook members who “like...

Container-Traffic Growth Looks Healthy Over the Next Five Years

During the recession, consumers around the world tightened their belts, causing world exports to nosedive and container traffic to plummet....

Argentina Meets Hollywood

A trio of Argentine designers from the South American country’s Mendoza province

Google Eyes Fashion With Boutiques.com

While Google is better known as the search-engine behemoth, the jury is still out on its ability to translate the offline-shopping hunt to the Web. Google hopes to change that by tur...

Holiday Forecast: Conservative.

The Conference Board, the New York–based research company, said consumers are expected to spend an average of $384 on gifts...

New Design Director, VP of Sales at Gramicci

James Sowins has joined Agoura Hills, Calif.–based Gramicci as design director, the company announced. Also new to Gramicci’s executive ranks is Paul Cronin, who has been promoted to vice president...

High-End Apparel Makers Banking on Korean Free-Trade Agreement to Help

The free-trade agreement with South Korea may not be the biggest boon for the textile and apparel sectors, but some heavy hitters in California’s clothing industry are looking to the accord to boost th...

Malaysian Magnate Dives Into L.A. Fashion Biz

If you live in Malaysia, you probably deal every day with The Naza Group of Companies, one of the largest privately held conglomerates in the Southeast Asian nation of an estimated 28 million...

Rhythm Plans New Beat for Surf

The marketplace for surf and skate fashion is crowded and dominated by a handful of brands with a loyal following, but Australian-founded brand Rhythm plans to carve a niche in this sometimes...

Send in the Clones, E-Commerce Site Says

When fashion producer and impressario Michael Venedicto launches his Fashion Los Angeles runway-show concept next year, he plans to also introduce a new technology that allows consumers to create an avatar...

New Boutiques Taking Gamble on Montana Avenue

Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Calif., was hit particularly hard during the depth of the recession. More than 27 fashion stores shuttered between 2008 and 2009, but Stella Shirman decided that the wo...

BCBGeneration Opens 13th Store

On Nov. 24, a growth spurt ended for BCBGeneration, the lower-priced division for younger women run by Los Angeles–based BCBGMaxazria Group....

L*Space's App Connects Shoppers With Stores

Irvine, Calif.–based contemporary swimwear maker L*Space has released a free iPhone app that allows users to view L*Space collections, photos, blog posts and videos; locate b...

The Fitting Room Is in the Phone

Total Immersion, the French maker of augmented reality software (AR) with U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, has announced the launch of a new mobile-commerce application that uses AR face tra...

YMI Announces Lingerie License

Los Angeles–based juniors denim maker YMI has announced a lingerie licensing agreement with New York–based Madison Avenue Intimates, formerly MAF Inc. Under the new license, w...

Fashion-Focused Networking at Behind the Seams

Social network met old-fashioned face-to-face networking at Behind the Seams, an all-day workshop series organized by Afingo (www.afingo.com...

Cherokee#039;s Sideout Heads to Soriana

Cherokee Inc. struck an exclusive license agreement with Tiendas Soriana S.A. de C.V. allowing Soriana to sell Sideout men’...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Alternative Apparel adds accessories to its laid-back clothing line (Los Angeles Times' All the Rage)Flat-outChic. How two L.A. stylists dreamed up the coolest comfort shoe...

Black Friday: Deals, Gifts and a Mayor

Citadel Outlets drew in a special crowd for a debut of its new wing last week. On Black Friday, the mall expects a 10 percent increase of crowds compared to its traffic on Black Friday 2009On your mark, get ready, it’s Black Friday everybody. Shop!!!!...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Portraits – Shoe Designer George Esquivel (Mondette)Barker Black boutique bows on North Robertson (Los Angeles Times' All the Rage)Annie Segal (Fred’s...

Divine Design--Mark Your Calendars!

Last year's honoree "Mad Men" star Christina Hendricks It’s that time of year again—the time when you can shop like a celebrity (or, for those of you attending the opening-night gala, you can shop with a celebrity...or two). And it’s all for a worthy cause....

J.Crew Bought by L.A.-Based Investment Group

New York–based J.Crew inked an acquisition deal with TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners L.P. valued at $3 billion. ...

Anne Fontaine Arrives at South Coast Plaza

Anne Fontaine with her husband, Ari ZlotkinA touch of France alighted at the South Coast Plaza in Orange CountyThe shopping center that includes every range of store - from your basic Sears to your...

The Rockettes' Citadel Kick

The Rockettes Doing Their Thing at CitadelIt’s not a party until The Rockettes do their routine, that’s the way life should be. While it’s too bad that most festive occasions are not graced by the venerable precision dance company, they did high...

Apparel News Daily Reader

It Begins... The annual transformation ofL.A.-as-pseudo-winter wonderland has begun. (Style Section L.A.)Events – Inspired Tron Fashion Pops Up at...

Class Moves to Hollywood, Launches Holiday Show

Class, the boutique menswear and denim-focused trade show, has called the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, Calif., home since its inception in February 2008. Now, Jason Bates, ...

Kaboodle, 80s Purple Give Back for the Holidays

Today, Huntington Beach, Calif.–based e-tailer 80s Purple and Sunnyvale, Calif.–based social shopping site Kaboodle are teaming up for a giveaway for a $500 gift card to shop for merchandise on the 80s Purple website, which sells goods from hip brands such as...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Inspirations – Lillian Bassman’s Elegant Femininity Resonates Today More Than Ever (Mondette)Plastic bag ban: New law, new accessory (Style Section...

Shop & Dine

The latest edition of our biannual tribute to inspired stores andelegant eateries...

Loehmann’s Files Again

Off-price retailer Loehmann’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York but expects to emerge from bankruptcy ...

JCP’s Big New Concept

Plano, Texas–based JCPenney announced plans to launch a new retail concept for the men’s big and tall customer. The ...

Rack Up in Orange

Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. announced plans to open a 35,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack at The Block at Orange in Orange in 2012....

Thinking Outside the Trade Show Box

For Todd Masters, creating a big impact in a small trade show booth often takes nothing more than a cheap stage prop. ...

Loehmann#039;s Files Again

Off-price retailer Loehmann’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York but expects to emerge from bankruptcy ...

Obituary: Philip 'Flippy' Hoffman: Surfer and Textile Manufacturer, 80

On Nov. 10, surfing pioneer and textile manufacturer Philip “Flippy” Hoffman died in Mission Viejo, Calif., due to complications of a pulmonary disease. He was 80....

Alexandra Cassaniti: Surfer-Girl Style, Upgraded

Though Alexandra Cassaniti’s self-named line of summery totes, neoprene swimwear and wetsuits has always possessed a beachy mood and surfer style, she didn’t officially define her brand as “surfw...

Wet Seal#039;s Shopkick Deal

Foothill Ranch–based The Wet Seal introduced a new mobile-phone app that allows shoppers to receive deals just by entering ...

Sweet Charity

Fashion met philanthropy at the Legion of H.O.P.E. gala, a fund-raiser to celebrate the fifth anniversary of H.O.P.E.4Children, a nonprofit organization that provides education and scholarshi...

Hot Topic Cuts Stores and Trims Jobs

Betsy McLaughlin, chief executive of Hot Topic Inc., announced her company would close 40 to 50 of its 835 stores and cut 14 percent of its field management and corporate jobs....

JCP#039;s Big New Concept

Plano, Texas–based JCPenney announced plans to launch a new retail concept for the men’s big and tall customer. The ...

Technology Is the Cost-Saving Future for the Apparel Industry

NEW YORK—With a far-flung retail empire in 87 countries and $2.12 billion in revenues, Guess? Inc. is like many major apparel companies grappling to connect its worldwide staff of employees to...

SIMA Announces New Dates, Location for Image Awards

The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association has announced a change of date and venue for its Image Awards. The awards ceremony, which in the past has been celebrated in Mex...

Vans Announces Online Video Network Offthewall.tv

Cypress, Calif.–based Vans has announced the debut of

CFDA Names Fashion Fund Winners

The New York–based Council of Fashion Designers of America named Billy Reid the winner of the

Wet Seal’s Shopkick Deal

Foothill Ranch–based The Wet Seal introduced a new mobile-phone app that allows shoppers to receive deals just by entering ...

Shopping Gets Technical at The Wet Seal

I just returned from New York, attending a technology conference for apparel makers and retailers, and realized that brick-and-mortar shopping as we know it is getting very technical and very Web savvy. Joining the world of...

CMC Launches Select

The California Market Center will launch a new temporary trade show with a contemporary and young-designer format during the Jan. 17–20 Los Angeles Fashion Market. ...

ENK to Launch Show in China in 2011

ENK International—the New York–based producer of Coterie, Designers Collective, ENK Vegas, Intermezzo Collections and WSA—is taking its show to China. ...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Marie Claire Turkey: Dark Age (TomandLorenzo)Ab Fab back: Lumley and Saunders are ready to revive their champagne-guzzling TV characters...

New Nordstrom Rack to Open in Orange County

The Block at Orange shopping center off Highway 22 in Orange CountyIf you are an avid bargain hunter, like I am, you will be happy to know that Nordstrom Rack will be opening a new store in Orange County.While it won't be...

Agenda Courts Contemporary Market

The Agenda trade show, which launched as a T-shirt-driven boutique show for the streetwear market, has evolved into a key show for the action-sports and streetwear market. In January...

Forever 21's Minnie Mouse Makeover

Models show off the Minnie Muse lineNo longer a mere sidekick to Mickey, Minnie Mouse launched a new role as a fashion icon Nov. 16. Her new Minnie Muse fashion line, a collaboration between Disney Consumer Products and Forever 21, took a bow at XXI...

Sample Sales - Tis The Season

Sample sale season is upon us and just in time for the holidays. The Apparel News calendar has a full listing of sales which kicked off today. Check the site for deals and steals on brands such as +Beryll, Raquel Allegra, Hurley, Vince and...

Designer Going to the Dogs

One of Charlotte Tarantola's new doggie sweatersThe age-old problem for designers is what to do with those dribs and drabs of fabric leftover from cutting a dress or pair of pants out of a large roll of...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Creatures Of Comfort's Prairie Woman-Chic Collection (Refinery29)Billy Reid wins 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award (Los Angeles Times' All the Rage)At...

Beverly Center's New Prada

Exterior of Beverly Center's PradaWith little fanfare, Prada debuted a new store at Beverly Center on Nov. 16. The more than 2,800-square-foot boutique will sell the iconic Italian fashion house’s accessories, footwear, men’s styles and...

Sue Wong Looks to Accessories

When you think of designer Sue Wong, you think of her luxurious beaded gowns accented with feathers that evoke the 1920s and mesmerize everyone when they come floating down the runway.Sue is one of those people that seems to...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Retro Wave. The cool new wooden surfboards catching waves from Malibu to the O.C.? Those would be Alaias. (Style Section L.A.)Style File: Doo-Ri Chung...

ENK to Launch Show in China in 2011

ENK International, the New York–based producer of Coterie, Designers Collective, ENK Vegas, Intermezzo Collections and WSA, is taking the show to China...

SwimShow Announces Addition of Lingerie

Come July 2011, buyers at the SwimShow trade show will find an entirely new category to shop. SwimShow, the largest swimwear show in the world, will add a lingerie category to its annual tra...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Street Fashion From Revolve's Relaunch Bash (Refinery29)Hurley celebrates its new pop-up at the Americana at Brand (Los Angeles Times' All the...

Robertson's Other Fashion Block

leBLOC co-founders from left Keana Essex, Andrew Litow, Lauren Glassberg and Morgan McPhersonFashion retailing can take root on any street. That’s what the entrepreneurs of new fashion company leBLOC hope. On Nov. 11, they opened...

Hurley's Tron Xmas

Hurley's Pop-up at Americana at BrandGlendale, Calif. is not exactly Surf City, but leading surf and skate brand Hurley debuted its only Christmas pop-up shop at Glendale’s Americana at Brand mall on Nov. 12. The pop-up will be doing business...

ENK Closing Brighte, CMC Plans to Launch New Show

After seven years, New York–based ENK International is shuttering its Brighte trade show, held five times annually in the Fashion Theater at the California Market Center in L...

D&A Grows Paris Show

In October, Designers and Agents took its trade show to Paris. In March, the show plans to expand its Paris edition to two venues. ...

The Best Yard Sale for Your Weekend [UPDATED]

*Unfortunately, this weekend's yard sale has been canceled due to Mother Nature and her impending downpour. But not to worry, the bloggers are planning to reschedue. Amid this weekend’s slew of upcoming sample sales,...

Art Meets Fashion at Prada, of Course

Apparently, when art imitates fashion it’s just as tall and skinny. Photos from WallpaperLos Angeles artist John Baldessari has an exhibition at the Prada Foundation in Milan featuring sculptures created to imitate a fashion show. Titled “'The...

REVOLVE Parties For The Relaunch

Big changes on REVOLVEClothing.com's home page.A relaunch of an e-commerce website is a good reason to throw a party. When the influential REVOLVEclothing.com announced sweeping changes for its website, it held a gala event Nov....

The Sanrio Carnival Rolls Into Town

For its 50th anniversary, Sanrio rolled into town last night bringing along with it a circus-style celebration under the bigtop of the Barker Hangar in Santa...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Handbags with History. Local designer Maxine Dillon transforms old jackets into hip new handbags. (Style Section L.A.)Wilkommen, Frau Gillard!...

American Apparel Reports Loss in Third Quarter

American Apparel—the Los Angeles–based vertically integrated manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer—is continuing to reposition itself with a greater emphasis on wholesale operations and a new le...

Banana Republic's Design Revolution

While many retailers are cutting back on store sizes, Banana Republic, a division of Gap Inc., is experimenting with emporium-sized stores—think more than 13,000 square feet—to show it...

Seegal Joins Bluefly

New York–based e-tailer Bluefly Inc. named Denise Seegal an independent member of the company’s board of directors. ...

Sears Wants You to Wish Socially

Hoffman Estates, Ill.–based Sears Holdings Corp. is adding a social component to its Wish Book by putting the holiday catal...

Forever 21 Opens Fashion Island Emporium

Los Angeles–based Forever 21 continues to open big stores at a quick pace....

Beverly Hills Fashion Festival: Teresa Rosati

Dresses were on the mind of Polish designer Teresa Rosati, who presented her

Beverly Hills Premiere

Beverly Hills Fashion Festival, the fashion event from the producers of Downtown L.A. Fashion Week, bowed on Nov. 6 with a series of runway shows that included we...

Glendale Retail Panelists Says Xmas Sales to Increase

Jack Kyser, a veteran Southern California economic guru, forecast retailers’ sales would grow by 3 percent during the upcoming Christmas holiday season. He made the forecast at Glendale Galleria...

Survey: Retailers Will Hire More Seasonal Workers This Year

More than 68 percent of major retailers plan to hire more seasonal workers this Christmas season than they did in 2009, according to CIT Group Inc.’s second annual retail-outlook study, releas...

Beverly Hills Fashion Festival: H. Lorenzo

H. Lorenzo, the cutting-edge boutique and a Los Angeles mainstay,

Levi's and Pendleton Go Native

When two heritage brands get together for a collaboration, one can expect a lot of archive diving. That was indeed the case for the new collaboration between Levi’s and Pendleton, ma...

The Evolution of Skingraft

When designer Jonny Cota debuted his Spring 2011 Skingraft collection recently at Los Angeles Fashion Week, the Los Angeles–based line had a renewed focus that refined the look of the...

Bon-Ton Less One

A 98,000-square-foot Bon-Ton store in the Frederick Towne Mall in Frederick, Md., will close at the end of January, according to a...

Playboy Signs With IMG in Europe

Chicago-based Playboy Enterprises Inc. has signed IMG Licensing Worldwide at its exclusive agent in Europe, covering most Playboy ...

Tee Shift

Brands look to T-shirts for rebirth, growth. ...

J Brand's Jeff Rudes Named City of Hope Award Winner

The City of Hope’s Apparel Industries Group has announced that Jeff Rudes, founder and chief executive of J Brand, the Los Angeles–based premium-denim brand, will be awarded the charity...

Otis Releases 4th Annual 'Creative Economy' Report

In Southern California, one in every six persons is employed either directly or indirectly in the creative economy. ...

Denim Company Lets Consumers Trace the Origins of Their Jeans

Arcanum, Ohio–based All American Clothing Co. thinks shoppers will appreciate knowing that their jeans were “grown and sewn” domestically. ...

Westfield's Shops at The Patio Debuts

It’s been a slow year for mall developers, but on Nov. 11, Westfield Group debuted Shops at The Patio, a lifestyle-center extension of Westfield Valencia Town Center in Santa Clarita,...

Beverly Hills Fashion Festival: William Rast

Guests at the William Rast show held during the Beverly Hills Fashion Festival were given a dose of Americana—albeit with a nomadic twist. The collection, which was co-founded by Just...

Beverly Hills Fashion Festival: Elie Tahari

Elegance ruled in the

Livity Remodels Its Eco Style

New exterior for Livity Outernational flagshipReady for the eco-Home Depot? The organic Urban Outfitters? That’s how Isaac Nichelson describes the remodeled Livity Outernational flagship store which took a bow Nov. 5 at 2401 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica....

Return of The Limited

Limited CEO Linda Heasley, standing, speaks at debut of Glendale Galleria shop. Seated from left are stylist Jeannie Mai,author Nicole Williams and Elliot Staples, Limited's design chief.After a 14-year hiatus, The Limited-brand opened a store at Glendale Galleria retail center in Glendale, Calif.A grand opening fete was held Nov. 9...

Ice Palace Takes Beverly Center

Beverly Center's Ice PalaceThe Royal/T restaurant and gallery will feature pop-up shop devoted to the movie Tron on Dec. 19, but BeverlyCenter has taken the lead to win the game of movie promotion one-upmanship.On Friday, the Los...

Jobs Forecast Shows Improvement in California

Things are looking up for more jobs in California....

Otis Announces Mentors & Debuts 27 Years of Fashion Online

photo courtesy of Otis.eduOtis College of Art and Design is known for its fabulous year-end fashion shows. And next years seems to be shaping up to be equally as fabulous. Otis has just announced that Cynthia Rowley, KaufmanFranco and...

Stylish Debut for Beverly Hills Fashion Festival

Beverly Hills Fashion Festival kicked off yesterday with a series of runway shows and pop-up shops that drew a fashionable crowd.Organized by Leanna Lewis and Barbara Graff, the event featured runway shows by Elie Tahari, Teresa Rosati and...

Here's the pitch: Judy Jetson meets 'Tron'

MIT's Gravity Loading Countermeasure Skinsuit, photo from Popular ScienceResearchers at MIT are working on a new spacesuit that will help astronauts stave off bone loss during the prolonged exposure to zero gravity during long space flights. The suits are engineered...

Monkey Treats

Costa Mesa–based Paul Frank Industries struck a deal with Glendale-based Nestle to create a limited-edition Nestle Crunch P...

T-Notes Resource Guide

Los Angeles–based apparel manufacturer Bella/Canvas continues its tremendous growth in 2011 with a brilliant team of fashion and technical designers and quality-assu...

ASR Bows Out, Action-Sports Brands Look for New Strategy

The Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo, the biannual trade show for the surf and skate business, on Nov. 3 confirmed reports that it has canceled all future events. The news, according to sources, was...

San Francisco's Fillmore Uneasy About New Stores

San Francisco’s retail neighborhoods have a reputation for keeping the big brands out....

The Return of Loyandford

The label relaunches in the U.S. with a Los Angeles boutique on the horizon....

Rock & Republic Keeps L.A. Flagship Store

Rock & Republic, the Los Angeles premium-denim maker that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April, will be able to stay in its high-end flagship location on South Robertson Bo...

Pop-Up Tron Shop

Glendale-based Disney Consumer Products will kick off the Dec. 17 opening of its “Tron: Legacy” film with a pop-up s...

German Retailer Fashion Club Debuts First U.S. Store in L.A.

After months of scouting Los Angeles retail locations and putting the finishing touches on its wide range of merchandise, a fast-fashion German retailer has quietly rolled out its first store in the U...

Target: Downtown L.A.

Target will open at the 7+Fig mall in downtown Los Angeles in 2012 in the space left vacant when Macy’s shuttered its store...

The Future of Vernon, Calif., Under Renewed Scrutiny, Businesses Wary

On the heels of the Bell, Calif., salary scandal, neighboring Vernon has found itself a target of investigations and demands from local politicians that the small Los Angeles County city be disbanded....

Charmingly Social

Bensalem, Penn.–based retailer Charming Shoppes Inc. launched a new social-networking site for plus-size fashion. Sonsi...

Texas Gets Torrid

City of Industry–based Hot Topic will open a new Torrid store for plus-size juniors at The Centre at Preston Ridge in Frisco, Texas. The store will carry Torrid private-label apparel, as well as Source of Wisdom, Frag...

Gilt, CFDA Party in Hollywood

Martine Assouline, Cameron Silver and Mimi CrumeThe CFDA, Gilt Group's Gilt Home and Assouline, publisher of the new book "American Fashion Designers at Home" by Rima Suqi, threw a fabulous party Nov. 4 at Palihouse in West...

Revolution At Banana Republic

Crowds at South Coast Plaza's Banana Republic Revolution storeAn estimated crowd of 800 shoppers stormed South Coast Plaza’s Banana Republic Nov. 4 to see its new Revolution concept store.The two-story emporium was the site of Banana Republic’s “After...