INDUSTRY ISSUES
Warning: Failure to Label in California Is Known to Cause Litigation Nightmares
By Chelsea Murtha, AAFA Senior Director of Sustainability | December 12, 2024
Labels with a scary warning—that the product you are about to buy is known to the state of California to cause cancer or reproductive harm—are found on everything from cleaning supplies and furniture to bottles of hot sauce and even entire hotel buildings. Soon you will see them on more clothes and shoes—and this is a good thing.
Kitson’s Fraser Ross Sues Former Business Partner
In 2011, Fraser Ross hired Chris Lee to turn the Kitson chain of boutiques into a global brand.
Industry Voices: Avoiding A Writ of Attachment: A Buyer’s Guide to Rejecting Non-conforming Goods
The formidable Writ of Attachment is a popular tool among plaintiffs in California collection actions. A Writ of Attachment allows a plaintiff to turn its unsecured claim into a secured one by placing a judicial lien on the defendant’s assets—even before the case goes to trial.
Long-Time LA Garment Manufacturer Charged With Hiding Income at Israeli Banks to Avoid Paying Taxes
Masud Sarshar, known for taking an ordinary workwear brand and converting it into a colorful array of pants called Dickies Girl, has been charged by the federal government with hiding more than $21 million in income in Israeli banks and avoiding U.S. taxes on it.
Benjamin Seigel Joins Greenberg & Bass
Longtime apparel-industry attorney Benjamin S. Seigel has joined Greenberg & Bass LLP as senior counsel to the firm, based in Los Angeles’ Encino area.
Industry Voices: Sellers Beware: The Ever-Shrinking Copyright Coverage in Your Insurance Policy
Many players in the apparel industry face tremendous exposure from copyright-infringement lawsuits. Every day, copyright holders (plaintiffs) file dozens of lawsuits against apparel manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, alleging that the goods they manufacture, distribute, advertise and sell infringe on a plaintiff’s copyrighted design.
Contempo Inc USA Controller Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud
Peter Suk Lee started working for Los Angeles accessories maker Contempo Inc. USA in August 2014 as the controller at the company. But one year later, the owners were alleging that the 49-year-old had embezzled nearly $1.4 million from the company, according to court documents.
Robert Ezra Joins Freeman Freeman Smiley to Head New Fashion Law Practice
Over the course of its 40-year practice, Freeman Freeman Smiley LLP has represented apparel-industry clients, but until now the Los Angeles law firm didn’t have a dedicated fashion law group.
Garment Factory Manager Found Guilty of Offering Bribe to Labor Inspector
The general manager of a Southern California clothing factory was found guilty on April 26 by a federal jury for offering to pay a bribe to a labor inspector to close down an investigation into back wages owed to factory workers, said the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Loyola Event Tackles the Legal Risks of Social Media, Technology and Advertising
The legal ramifications of the continuous evolution of technology and social media and how they affect the fashion industry were discussed at two panel discussions at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles on April 15.
Lord & Taylor Cited for Not Disclosing Payments to Fashion Bloggers
In the last decade, the fine line between paid advertising and commentary has grown more complicated as social-media sites and fashion blogs become the norm for getting out the word about a new product.
Hong Kong to Share in $20.5M Retrieved from Clothing Smuggled Through L.A. Ports
An elaborate scheme that involved bringing in Chinese-made apparel from Hong Kong through Los Angeles ports, allegedly destined for Mexico but ending up in the United States, will result in Hong Kong sharing some of the $20.5 million worth of forfeited assets collected during the investigation.
Man Who Embezzled From Citizens of Humanity Pleads Guilty
The man who oversaw a scheme to embezzle $8 million from a commercial laundry house owned by Citizens of Humanity pleaded guilty to federal charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Label Conscious: Designed in California
CFA’s trademarked hangtags put the emphasis on country of design.
Blue Jeans Imports by LA Company Challenge Labeling Requirements
In 2010, JBlu Inc., a longtime Los Angeles clothing company, imported some 500,000 pairs of blue jeans from China in 11 shipments through the Port of Long Beach—all headed for retail stores around the country.
Can Discount Prices Get Retailers Into Trouble?
California shoppers are filing a flurry of class-action lawsuits against big-name department stores over markdowns allegedly made on “false” original prices.
