California Apparel News

The Black Design Collective announced that it will honor designer Kerby Jean-Raymond at its second annual scholarship gala on April 18 at the downtown Los Angeles campus of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. The organization is a Los Angeles–headquartered nonprofit that supports African-American designers and mentors student creatives. Jean-Raymond, founder of Pyer Moss, was honored with the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2018. He also serves as the creative director for Reebok Studios.

Gap Inc. named Sonia Syngal as its new chief executive officer on March 5. Syngal, a CEO of Gap Inc’s Old Navy division, will replace Art Peck. He left the company in November, after what was considered as a disappointing 3rd quarter same-store sales, which declined 4 percent. Bob Fisher, Gap Inc’s interim CEO, said that Syngal’s top priority will be to strengthen the performance of the company’s portfolio. “Sonia has all of the characteristics and experiences needed to effectively execute against the work ahead,” he said. “She is an excellent operator who drives innovation and decisive action, and she leads with both vision and heart.”

Greenpeace, an influential environmental group, challenged the apparel industry in 2011 to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its manufacturing and supply chain by 2020. Last month, Greenpeace formally recognized a Lithuanian company as the only mill in the world that adheres entirely to Greenpeace’s textiles-procurement rules. The mill, Utenos tTikotažas, based in Utena, Lithuania, will be making the organization’s T-shirts and has already wrapped up a first run, said Viola Wohlgemuth, Greenpeace’s consumption and toxics campaigner.

Otis College of Art and Design recently named Charles Hirschhorn, a career entertainment executive, as its new president. He will assume his new role June 1 and will succeed Randall Lavender, who currently serves as the interim president for the Los Angeles–headquartered arts-and-fashion college. Hirschhorn is a trustee of the Berklee College of Music and serves on the advisory board of the Lloyd Grief Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Southern California. Hirschhorn’s résumé includes working on the launch of the Fox Network, where he helped to develop the comedy series “In Living Color.” He also founded G4 Television, the first TV network devoted to video games, and served as the chief creative officer of Retirement Living TV. His nonprofit work includes volunteering for Chrysalis, which offers job-counseling services to convicted felons.

Tilly’s Inc., a multi-brand action-sports retailer, named Jon Kosoff as chief digital officer on Feb. 24. Krassoff will be directing the Irvine, Calif.–based company’s e-commerce business. Kosoff most recently served as vice president of e-commerce and performance marketing at the fast-food chain Taco Bell. Kosoff joined the company as campaigns to revive its sales stumbled during the crucial holiday 2019 season. Same-store sales for its bricks-and-mortar stores declined 2.7 percent during the holiday season, according to a Tilly’s statement that was released on Jan. 13.