Thursday, July 31
Top Womenswear Executive Resigns from PacSun
Retail
Christine Lee, senior vice president of women’s merchandising and design, has resigned from Pacific Sunwear Inc., the surfwear retailer headquartered in Anaheim, Calif. She has been with the company since 2010.
Mansion Trade Show to Debut in Las Vegas
Trade Show
Atlanta-area production company Collab Avenue plans to host its first fashion trade event, the Mansion Trade Show, in Las Vegas Aug. 17–19
Opening at LA Market
Skylton Paris
After testing the U.S. waters over the last year, French denim brand Skylton is putting down roots with the opening of a new showroom at the California Market Center.
City Chic to Roll Out California Stores
Retail
City Chic, an Australian retailer of women’s plus-sized fashion, opened its first American store Aug. 1 at the Westfield Culver City retail center, located off a busy stretch of the San Diego (405) Freeway.
Smith, Uner to Relaunch FashionWeekLA.com
Fashion
Los Angeles Fashion Week has been criticized throughout its history for not attracting enough buyers and not producing enough shows for high-profile designers. For Kelsi Smith, director of Los Angeles Fashion Council, a community organization for fashion designers, what the fashion week needs is better organization.
Nordstrom Expanding Online and With Bricks-and-Mortar
Retail
Nordstrom Inc. is busy laying down plans for a new outlet store in Orange County while buying an e-commerce site that caters to men.
UPDATE: The Influence: Celebrity Style, Millennial Shopper
Technology
Fashion enthusiasts often turn to celebrities and musical icons for style reference. And in a time and age when a majority of shopping is done over the Internet, it seems a sensible idea to combine the two elements and establish a shopable celebrity-style database.
Madison’s Melrose Store Closes in Real Estate Deal
Retail
After a 16-year run, prominent Los Angeles boutique chain Madison shuttered its Melrose Avenue location on July 26, the company’s second store closing in two months.
Scouting the Denim Market
Kingpins LA
The July 30–31 run of boutique denim trade show Kingpins at the Cooper Design Space in Los Angeles drew designers and representatives of brands and retailers from Levi Strauss & Co., Nordstrom, Nasty Gal, Uniqlo, Lee, Lucky Brand, Volcom, Alexander Wang, Paige and Current/Elliot
Zero Degrees Celsius
Showroom Profile
An abundance of light streams in through the south-facing windows of the new showroom for the Zero Degrees Celsius line.
Agent Icon
Showroom Profile
After many years on the 12th floor of The New Mart, the Agent Icon showroom moved in in June to a new space on the second floor of the Cooper Design Space, where light filters into the bright space through the trees lining Los Angeles Street.
Showroom Profile: Lynn Girard
New Location
After 36 years of running a showroom in the California Market Center, Lynn Girard thought it was time for a change.
Centric’s New Investment to Fund China Expansion
Technology
Centric Software Inc. announced on July 29 that it received $24 million in Series D capital funding.
Loyola Hosts First Summer Intensive Fashion Law Program
Fashion Law 101
Loyola Law School in Los Angeles formed the Fashion Law Project, an academic center dedicated to the unique legal issues facing the fashion industry, both domestically and internationally.
Highlighting Apparel Production and Fashion in Colombia
Colombiamoda
Colombia is a powerhouse of apparel production in South America, right after Brazil. And the country is fighting to keep its apparel and textile industry vibrant. Every year, Colombiamoda gets bigger with more pavilions and elements to it.
Tokidoki Gets Cute
Cute and spooky was Tokidoki’s style when the Los Angeles-headquartered pop-culture brand took its bow about a decade ago. With the ntroduction of a new character Palette, it's just getting cute.
Pepsi Style
Pepsi. It’s not just a soft drink. It’s a fashion line too. Pepsi recently introduced the Pepsi Live For Now Collaboration.
Mom's The Word Takes A Bow
fter 17-years of running maternity shops in the San Francisco Bay area, Mom’s The Word opened a Los Angeles location.
Wednesday, July 30
Globe's Old School Surf Movie
Action Sports Brand Globe International defied the current way of making the surf movie. Their flick, Strange Rumblings in Shangri La, premieres on July 31. Here's a peek into Globe's big surf world.
Tuesday, July 29
The Influence: Celebrity Style, Millennial Shopper
E-Commerce
Newly launched e-commerce site The Influence uses celebrity images and makes their outfits accessible by a simple click of a button.
Rebel 8: Pop-up at the Edge of Town
Streetwear brand Rebel 8 produced pop-up shops in Taipei and Sydney this year, and in June the brand opened a shop at its Los Angeles-headquarters. But for some people, it might be as tough to get there as skateboarding down a set of concrete steps.
Monday, July 28
Fashion History with a South American Accent
Fashion Museums
At the Museo Nacional de la Historia del Traje in Buenos Aires, Argentina, fashion history is on display.
Friday, July 25
Onda de Mar Hits the Runway at Colombiamoda
Fashion
Colombian swimwear maker Onda de Mar shows its latest collection on the runway at Colombiamoda.
Thursday, July 24
Business Makes a Big Splash
Miami’s Swimwear Trade Show
The trend for women’s swimwear is getting skimpier, but the market for bikinis, one-pieces and coverups is becoming a much bigger business.
Macy’s Boosts Sustainability Efforts
Retail
Department-store giant Macy’s Inc. is introducing several new sustainability programs that will be rolled out this year and the next.
Indah at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Call Indah a multi-cultural flirt. Its new swim line was called Jambo Zuri, which translates as 'Hello Beautiful' from Swahili. It took a bow July 21 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim
Visionet Systems’ EdgeAX Releases Updated Apparel and Retail Solution
Technology
EdgeAX has introduced a new update, which is compatible with the latest release of Microsoft Dynamics AX enterprise resource planning solution AX 2012 R3.
Gerber Lands Innovation Award for Design and Cutting-Room Integration
Technology
Tolland, Conn.–based equipment and software solutions provider Gerber Technology received the gold-level award for product innovation from the Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership Inc. (CQIA)
Gap to Launch Brand in Slovenia and Austria
Retail
San Francisco–based Gap Inc. has struck an agreement with new and existing franchise partners to extend the Gap brand to Slovenia and Austria.
American Apparel Names Four New Board Members
Manufacturing
There are four new members to American Apparel’s board of directors following an agreement reached with New York–based hedge fund Standard General, which recently agreed to infuse American Apparel with $25 million to help pay off a $10 million loan that was being called in.
Building Your Brand: Authenticity and Consistency Are Key to Keeping an Edge in the Market
Finance
Social media has given consumers a front-row seat and an inside look into their favorite brands, but it has also changed the traditional dynamic between brand and audience.
Menswear-Inspired Contemporary Collection for the Rebellious Dreamer
Capulet
Taking inspiration from the strength and romanticism of Shakespeare’s passionate character, the Los Angeles–based team introduced Capulet, clothing for the edgy, rebellious, dreamer type. This eclectic, carefree spirit fits the prototype of the LA woman.
Kellwood Names Marc Babins President of Western Region
Manufacturing
New York–based Kellwood Co. named Marc Babins president of Kellwood Western region, based in City of Industry, California
UPDATE: L.A.’s Topson Downs Acquires Majority of Rachel Roy Label
Manufacturing
Topson Downs, a Los Angeles manufacturer established in 1971, announced on July 18 it had acquired a majority interest in the Rachel Roy brand from The Jones Group. No purchase price was listed.
Minimale Animale at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim
Was there a bad girl at the sunny Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim? It could have been the line Minimale Animale. Models wore motorcycle helmets at the show and heavy metal music blasted on the show's soundtrack.
Wednesday, July 23
Silver Jeans Stores Files Chapter 11, Plans Retail Liquidation
Denim Report
SJC Inc., the company that has been operating the Silver Jeans retail stores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 21 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., with plans to close five Silver Jeans stores and liquidate inventory.
Custo Barcelona Shows at Colombiamoda
Fashion
Spanish designer highlights first day of fashion shows at Colombiamoda in Medellin.
Tuesday, July 22
Fashioning TV’s Looks
Costume Design
The FIDM Museum & Galleries at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles recently opened its eighth annual “Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design” exhibition.
Knit Hack
Fashion/Tech/Art
"Glitch," an exhibition of glitch-inspired fashion and accessories recently opened at the Tokyo Kaihouku shop in Japan.
Suboo at MBFW Swim
Miami Swim
Sue DiChio, designer of swimwear line Suboo, unveiled a ’70s-inspired collection on July 20 at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim.
Monday, July 21
Miami Swim Week
Cruise Collections
The runway shows in Miami Beach are underway as swim designers showcase their latest collections on the runway and at the trade shows.
We Are Handsome at MBFW Swim
Australian swim line, ‘We are Handsome,’ took a bow at Mercedes Benz Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim.
Mikoh at MBFW Swim
After years of exhibiting their swimwear line at trade shows, Mikoh's Oleema and Kalani Miller produced their first runway show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim.
FIDM Students to Design Windows at Saks
Retail
FIDM students to enter content to design the display windows at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.
Friday, July 18
L.A.’s Topson Downs Acquires Majority of Rachel Roy Label
M&A
Topson Downs, a Los Angeles manufacturer established in 1971, announced on July 18 it had acquired a majority interest in the Rachel Roy brand from The Jones Group.
Art Meets Fashion at H&M and the Whitney
To celebrate the opening of the new H&M store on New York’s Fifth Avenue, the Swedish fast-fashion retailer teamed up with artist Jeff Koons and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Koons created a limited-edition handbag for H&M modeled after his well-known Balloon Dog sculpture series.
Thursday, July 17
Trina Turk’s New Handbag Line
It's In the Bag
Known for colorful aesthetic and iconic contemporary designs for fashion and home, the brand is officially launching three categories of clutches, satchels and totes in August for Fall 2014.
Full Circle Lite: Software for the Emerging Fashion Company
Technology
Since Innovative Systems opened for business in 1994, some of the action-sports field’s biggest players have signed up to use its Full Circle software.
The Venice Retail Scene
What's Checking
As a tourist hot spot and local hangout, Abbot Kinney in Los Angeles’ Venice Beach neighborhood is the central retail destination for eclectic finds and true laid-back Southern California style. The mile-long stretch boasts a multitude of apparel, swim, footwear, accessories and home items, many of which are locally sourced.
Fred Segal Heads to Tokyo in Global Expansion
Retail
Fred Segal, the Los Angeles nameplate launched in 1961 by denim guru Fred Segal, is setting up stakes in Tokyo with its first retail complex outside of the United States.
After Billabong Sale, Dakine Expands Surf Line
Dakine's Transformation
Ever since Billabong International sold its Dakine label last year for nearly $66 million, the brand has been undergoing a transformation.
Fashion: Swimming Pool
Waterwear
Prepare for a chic getaway with Cruise ’15’s bright, eclectic mix of swimwear. Here are some of the hottest looks to wear poolside.
The Outlets at Tejon to Open
Retail
More than 70 well-known retailers are scheduled to open stores at the new Outlets at Tejon center on Aug. 7.
Love Culture Retail Chain for Sale After Filing for Bankruptcy
Retail
Love Culture, the Los Angeles–based retail chain founded by two former Forever 21 executives, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
L.A. Boutique Veterans Alisa Loftin and Neely Shearer Return to Retail With In Heroes We Trust
Retail
After a long break, two stars of Los Angeles’ boutique scene, Neely Shearer and Alisa Loftin, will open a new store near booming Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
Cargo-Container Volumes Surge at Local Ports
Import & Export
With contract negotiations still going on with West Coast longshore workers, apparel importers and retailers were pushing to land their goods before a potential work stoppage or port strike takes place.
Surging Retail Traffic & New Lines Debuts
Agenda
Agenda has always staked a claim to being the go-to place for streetwear and action-sports clothing, and it defended that position this year by attracting a host of big-name retailers and a wide array of apparel outposts.
Controversy Over the ‘Made in USA’ Label
Manufacturing
Los Angeles blue-jeans makers may be headed to court over one little thing: the “Made in USA” label sewn inside their garments. Several Los Angeles denim makers have been hit with class-action lawsuits and legal letters challenging the accuracy of their labels because most of their raw materials are imported from Europe or Asia even though the jeans are sewn in California.
UPDATE: Los Angeles Apparel Industry Could Grow With Hi-Tech Fabrics and Other Innovations
Manufacturing
During the last decade, the number of people working in California’s apparel and textile manufacturing industry has shrunk some 43 percent as production of clothing and textiles has moved overseas.
New Boots for Palladium
Palladium used to march to a military beat when it made boots for the French Foreign Legion. With its upcoming collaboration with Alpha Industries, it is marching to the beat of a different drummer.
No Surf? Here’s Seventh Wave & Endless Summer!
There are no waves in Long Beach. But there's the Seventh Wave Surf Shop and the Art Theatre. It just enough for a 50th anniversary screening of The Endless Summer - the flick that put surf culture on the world's radar screens.
Wednesday, July 16
Akai Ito's New Store
Akai Ito opened in 2012 with the mission of bringing high end avant garde fashions to Los Angeles' Arts District. But it recently moved to the Old Bank District, and its new space will offer an art gallery and a shop.
Tuesday, July 15
Los Angeles Apparel Industry Could Grow With Hi-Tech Fabrics and Other Innovations
Manufacturing
Report shows that California's manufacturing sector is shrinking but is still the largest in the country.
The Cooper’s Eternal Sunshine of the Contemporary Mind
During the World Cup, Cooper Design Space screened the soccer event’s highly anticipated games in its lobby, now it’s back to art with a gallery show by artist Jess Black.
Friday, July 11
Flirty and Cool
HeartSoul
Fans of the HeartSoul juniors line will soon find a collection of swimwear and coverups following a licensing agreement between Gardena, Calif.–based Big Strike, owners of the HeartSoul brand, and Miami-based swim maker In Gear Fashions Inc.
Comfort, Confidence and Summer Memories
Lime Ricki
When sisters Colette Callister, Jennifer Anderson and Nicole Bruderer decided to create a collection of swimsuits for women of all sizes, the three drew inspiration from their summers spent as lifeguards and swim instructors in the local pool followed by lime rickys at a local burger joint.
A Brand Between Land and Sea
Manglar Swimwear
Designer Irene Sultan’s swim collection, Manglar, pays homage to her Latin roots and cultural upbringing and more than 30 years of experience in textile and fashion manufacturing.
Creative Cooperation
Malu Swim
Venezuelan-born sisters Maria and Lucia Rivas were inspired by fashion since they were young, and the two moved to the United States to continue their education at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
International Man of Swimwear
Gideon Oberson
Back at the helm of his namesake label, Gideon Oberson channels his international perspective and haute couture training to the fine art of swimwear design.
Islands in the Stream
How swimwear designers do their job far away from corporate headquarters
Designing swimwear and running a swimwear company are worlds apart. So why shouldn’t a swimwear designer’s studio be a world apart from corporate headquarters? Many are.
Thursday, July 10
Demand-Based Manufacturing Readies for Commercial Roll-Out
Technology
A California-based company that is pairing the disruptive technologies of purchase activated and demand manufacturing with a waterless dyeing and printing process expects to soon sign the first contracts for commercialization.
SLVDR: Taking the Boardshort in a Different Direction
Manufacturing
Technical boardshorts have ruled the action-sports swim game for years. But Rob Myers, president and creative director of the Santa Ana, Calif.–based men’s collection SLVDR, wants to challenge swim fashion with his label’s new “Water Short,” which debuted at the Agenda trade show in Long Beach, Calif., on July 10.
Los Angeles Swimwear Maker Belusso to Make Colorful Splash in Miami
Miami Bound
Inspired by the luxe beaches and resort lifestyle of the French Riviera and coastal Florida, Belusso was established six years ago in Los Angeles.
Blue Jeans Are a Harder Sell to Teenagers, Who Have Other Favorites
Manufacturing
For years, denim hit its stride with everyone snapping up several pairs of blue jeans to wear just about anywhere, anytime. But in recent years, denim has been seeing some new competition, which has the makers of everything denim taking a second look at what consumers want to buy.
Venue Makes Its Third Appearance
The Place to Be
For the owners of the Casablank streetwear label, business can be a transcontinental road trip.
June Sales Better Than Expected
Retail
A month of warm weather melted some of the winter blues held by some retailers, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, a New York trade group for the shopping-center business.
Longshore Workers Get Ready to Return to the Negotiating Table
Import/Export
After taking a three-day break, longshore workers and their employers were planning to get back at the negotiating table to hammer out a new six-year contract that expired on July 1.
Major Investor in American Apparel Commits to Keeping Manufacturing in Los Angeles
Manufacturing
The largest investor in American Apparel has agreed to infuse the company with $25 million so the Los Angeles clothing maker can pay off a $10 million loan that is being called in.
Tough Times in Retail Lead to Complex Ways to Thrive
Retail
After a decade of solid growth, Ricky Takizawa’s Popkiller chain of stores will experience its first big setback. Its long-running boutique at The Lab, an upscale and hip specialty retail center in Costa Mesa, Calif., is scheduled to close at the end of July.
Menswear Trade Show Has an Alternative Vibe
Fashion and Insight
A new menswear show called Fi3 took flight at Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, but it had a different twist.
Bebe Announces New Board Members
Retail
Last month Bebe Stores Inc. named Jim Wiggett as its interim chief executive officer. Now the beleaguered contemporary retailer has revamped its board of directors.
Economy on Strong Footing to Grow, But Apparel Sales Challenged
Finance
For once, economists are in agreement. The financial outlook for California and the rest of the nation is bright for the rest of the year.
What’s Next For USC’s University Village
For decades The University Village Shopping Center across the street from University of Southern California has been kind of a sad sack mall. There have been no boutiques or restaurants which captured the collective attention or dollars of the hundreds of thousands of relatively well-off students at USC. But that might be changing. Construction fences were placed, and renovation might begin in the Fall.
Pacific Coast Knitting: High-End Knitting in LA’s Huntington Park
Textiles
Pacific Coast Knitting’s showroom has racks of sweater knits, double-faced fabrics, sheer knits and styles with multi-color slubs, as well as basic fabrics.
Première Vision Preview Summit to Cover Sustainability From Fast-Fashion to Luxe
Textiles
Model and actress Amber Valetta and representatives of Gucci, Eileen Fisher and the Council of Fashion Designers of America will be on hand to discuss sustainability issues across the supply chain at the upcoming July 22–23 run of Première Vision Preview New York in its new location at Pier 92 in New York.
Wednesday, July 9
Top Investor Commits to Keeping American Apparel Production in Los Angeles
Manufacturing
Investors say they will support American Apparel's factory in Los Angeles and not move it out of the country.
Agenda Unveils Caps
Agenda, the streetwear, action sports, and lifestyle trade show, starts July 10 in Long Beach, and it is all about the cap. Take a look at this show's caps.
American Apparel Board to be All Shook Up
Manufacturing
Investor wants to see different people on the American Apparel board.
Tuesday, July 8
A Hard Day’s Varvatos
After spending years convincing famous rockers to model his self -named line, John Varvatos finally got a Beatle.
New Restaurant in Fashion District
Fashion District
New Argentine restaurant, 1810, opens in Fashion District.
Monday, July 7
Demand-Based Manufacturing Prepares for Commercial Roll-Out
Technology
A California-based company that is pairing the disruptive technologies of purchase activated and demand manufacturing with a waterless dyeing and printing process expects to soon sign the first contracts for commercialization.
Baciano by Bacci Takes It To The Street
The Baciano by Bacci contemporary label is planning its Spring 2015 looks, and a higher profile. The new profile started with a move to a street level boutique space at 1316 Santee St. in downtown Los Angeles.
Thursday, July 3
Re-Claimed, Up-Cycled Fashion With SoCal Roots
Rico Adair
Growing up as a self-proclaimed “punk-rock kid” in Los Angeles’ Venice Beach neighborhood, Rico Adair always admired Vivienne Westwood’s designs but could not afford them.
An Activewear Line That Goes From Working Out to Working
Fashion
With a new shop at the prominent Fashion Island retail center in Newport Beach, Calif., Out Incorporated plans to introduce activewear that can be worn to the gym or the office.
Maria Contino Joins Rosenthal & Rosenthal
Finance
Rosenthal & Rosenthal of California announced it has hired Maria Contino as its new senior vice president and business development officer.
Sport Chalet Acquired by East Coast Retail Group
Sport Chalet
Sport Chalet Inc., a prominent West Coast retailer of sporting goods for more than 50 years, was acquired by Vestis Retail Group,which runs Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports.
How Vintage Fashion Affects Contemporary Design
Fashion
Ralph Lauren is one of the prime examples of how a designer turns the past into the present. In the 1980s, he built his line on the American prairie look. Most recently, he has been an astute student of the Edwardian period of the early 20th century, which falls in sync with the popularity of the British TV series “Downton Abbey.”
Party in L.A.
Made in LA
Here’s a typical timeline for designers: Toil through the process of making a debut line, produce a big party, and then hope buyers take a look at the line. The Well, a downtown Los Angeles creative company, flipped the typical timeline.
Le Tote: Finding A Stylist In The Machine
Technology
Le Tote is riding the wave that has spawned other rental e-commerce rental sites such as Rent the Runway and Bag Borrow & Steal. But the San Francisco e-retailer has carved out a unique niche for itself.
Brookfield’s Hogan: Why FIGat7th Retail Center Paid Off, What DTLA Needs To Do To Keep Retail Booming
Retail
Downtown Los Angeles is a hot retail spot now, but eight years ago, it was a dead zone for high-end mall-style retail.
Soko: From Kenya to S.F. Through M-commerce
Soko, a San Francisco, headquartered company, will ship jewelry from rural and urban slum artisans in Kenya, and place them in top retailers such as Anthropologie.Gwendolyn Floyd, co-founder and president of Soko, runs the company and pays artisans, often living in isolated places in Kenya, through m-commerce.
New Country Western Clothing Online Store
Retail
New country western online store launches in San Diego.
Wednesday, July 2
The Morning After Mess
It’s Fourth of July this week. Do you know what that means? Beach cleanups! At least if you are in San Diego. Here's a list of some of them...now start cleaning!
Guess Founder Returns with New Denim Line
Georges Marciano
Marciano has returned to fashion with his own clothing line. It is called GM - Georges Marciano. It launched about three months ago with the help of 6188, a creative branding studio owned by Marciano’s son, Scott Marciano, and Marciano’s former design liaison, Angela Furlong.
Longshore Workers and Employers Continue Talks After Contract Expires
News
Even though the six-year contract between West Coast dockworkers and their port employers expired at 5 p.m. on July 1, the two sides will continue negotiations through the middle of July.
