Mykita Eyewear Opening Soon in DTLA
Retail
German eyewear company has a sing out front of its soon-to-open location.
Aussie Store Opens Doors in LA to First U.S. Store
Retail
The Local.132 by General Pants Co. opens an outpost on La Brea Avenue.
Showroom Profile: Salt & Pepper Sales
New Lines
Moving to a new showroom has been an energizing experience for Emmalena Bland and Bea Gorman, who make up the Salt & Pepper Sales showroom.
Showroom Profile: Mattson Showroom
New Lines
For three years, Mattson Global has had a large showroom at the Academy Awards Clothing building at 817 S. Los Angeles St. But when more room was needed to show its collections, the company turned to the California Market Center to set up a secondary showroom.
China Brand Show Coming to Los Angeles
Trade Shows
For the first time in more than a decade, the China Brand Show will be exhibiting at semiannual gift and home show LAMKT, which will be held July 22–25 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Cherokee Signs Deal to Create Footwear for Everyday California Brand
Manufacturing
Cherokee Global Brands—whose labels include Cherokee, Carole Little, Tony Hawk and Sideout—has signed a deal with Saliluz to create a collection of men’s and women’s casual footwear and flip-flops under Cherokee’s Everyday California label.
Speedo USA Introducing New Line Designed with Olympian Missy Franklin
Fashion
Five-time Olympic medalist Missy Franklin helps design new line of performance swimwear for Speedo USA.
Oak Opens Outlet Store in DTLA
Retail
Oak converts one-half of its downtown LA store into an outlet.
WithMe: Meet the Store of the Future
Store of the Future
On May 26, WithMe took the wraps off its first permanent mall-based store, housed inside Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, Calif., where an arsenal of high-tech gadgets is used to make shopping easier for customers and retailing more efficient.
Footwear Brand EMU Australia Moving Back to California
Manufacturing
After five years in the Midwest, Emu Australia has decided to bring its U.S. headquarters back to California.
Study Finds Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Have Little Effect on Apparel Imports and Export
Import/Export
The U.S. International Trade Commission recently published an independent study of the free-trade accord and found that U.S. apparel imports would inch up 1.4 percent with a $1.9 billion increase by the year 2032 while exports would barely budge, seeing a 0.3 percent rise, or a $10 million increase.
ModCloth Names New Chief Technology Officer
Retail
ModCloth—the San Francisco–based online purveyor of its own clothing brand as well as an e-commerce site that offers an assortment of fashion, accessories, shoes and home décor from independent designers—has named Nicolas Genest as its chief technology officer.
Sports Authority Holds Going-Out-of-Business Sale
Retail
All 450 Sports Authority stores are holding a going-out-of-business sale.
Designer Monique Lhuillier Expands Into Stationery
Fashion
Bridal and fashion designer Monique Lhuillier launches stationery brand.
Gap Closing All Old Navy Stores in Japan, Plus Select Banana Republic Stores
After reporting dismal sales for its first quarter, Gap Inc. announced it is closing all 53 of its Old Navy stores in Japan and 75 Banana Republic stores in mostly overseas locations as it concentrates on other geographies.
Store of the Future Opening at Santa Monica Place
Retail
WithMe debuts its first mall location with shopping lineup that changes all the time.
AAFA Names Joseph Abboud ‘Person of the Year’
Fashion
The American Apparel & Footwear Association has named Abboud the 2016 “Person of the Year.” The award is being presented to the designer at the AAFA’s 38th annual American Images Awards in New York on May 24.
Retailers Relying More on Promotions This Year to Clinch a Sale
Retail
Statistics show that during the first three months of this year, retailers were putting up more signs for special promotions than during the same period last year.
Jovani Celebrates First U.S. Store Now on Robertson Blvd.
Retal
The evening gown label has never had a stand-alone store until it opened on Robertson Boulevard.
Aussie Retailer Opening First U.S. Store in Los Angeles
Retail
General Pants Co. coming up from down under.
Topshop/Topman Opening Next Week in Glendale
Retail
Topshop/Topman soon opening second Los Angeles-area store.
Trade Show: Shop & Dine
Trade Shows
Here are a few suggestions on some of the newer restaurants and fashionable boutiques found in the major cities on the trade-show circuit.
Container Cargo Imports Not as Robust as Last Year
Import/Export
Slow growth in consumer spending and high inventory levels at stores across the country are affecting import cargo volumes at the nation’s ports.
U.S. Thread Maker to Buy Second Largest Thread Maker in India
Manufacturing
American & Efird—the largest U.S. manufacturer of industrial and consumer thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles—is acquiring a majority ownership of Vardhman Yarns and Threads Ltd. from its joint-venture partner, Vardhman Textiles Ltd.
Contempo Inc USA Controller Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud
Legal
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.
Negotiations for New Port Clerks Contract Nearing Deadline
Import/Export
600 full-time port clerks and 300 temporary clerks at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach have made great strides in this year’s negotiations for a contract that expires June 30.
French Eco-Friendly Brand Opens First Store in SF
Retail
Les Lunes, which champions the slow-fashion movement, established its first outpost in Cow Hollow.
Gap Inc. Posts Dismal April Sales in All Categories
Retail
All of Gap Inc.'s retail chains showing negative same-store sales for April.
BNKR Celebrates Grand Opening for DTLA Store
Retail
Two big events celebrate opening of BNKR's new U.S. flagship store.
Scoop NYC Closing All Stores, Including LA
Retail
Scoop NYC has already shut down its SoHo store and plans to shutter LA stores.
Sales in April Disappoint with Lackluster Performance
Retail
With Easter falling in March this year, retailers reported that April same-store sales dipped at many big clothing store chains that depend on the holiday to bring customers through the doors.
Levi’s Names New President of Americas Division
Manufacturing
Levi Strauss & Co. has promoted Roy Bagattini to the role of executive vice president and president of Levi Strauss Americas.
Creativity Walks Down the Runway at Woodbury University Student Show
Creativity Walks
A fresh look at fashion was seen on the runway when the students at Woodbury University displayed their design skills at the 52nd annual Envision Fashion Show at The Reef in downtown Los Angeles.
U.S. Trade Rep Hopes to Have New Free-Trade Agreement Signed, Sealed and Delivered Before Obama Leaves Office
Import/Export
The Obama administration has been talking about the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement ever since the president arrived in office in 2009.
Big Sale at ABS by Allen Schwartz Headquarters
Manufacturing
ABS by Allen Schwartz holds big sale at headquarters near DTLA.
Warehouse Sale for Goods from India
Retail
Raj Imports Has a Big Warehouse Sale in Downtown Los Angeles
NW Materials Show Changes Fall Dates
Trade Shows
Because of a holiday in Asia, the NW Materials Show is pushing up the dates of its fall trade show by two weeks.
Deckers Names New President of Fashion Lifestyle
Manufacturing
Deckers Brands—the footwear and apparel company in Goleta, Calif., known for its Ugg boots, Teva and Sanuk footwear, and other labels—has appointed Andrea O’Donnell as president of fashion lifestyle.
Garment Factory Manager Found Guilty of Offering Bribe to Labor Inspector
Legal
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.
Marcianos Jump Back Into the Clothing Business
GM Studio
Georges and Armand Marciano have joined forces with designer Cinzia Simone to create a new upscale clothing brand called GM Studio that will partially launch in July with the full launch scheduled for September in time for the Fall 2016 season.
Chan Luu Opens First U.S. Store
Retail
Los Angeles-based designer Chan Luu sets her first U.S. shop near the ocean.
Customs Officials Step Up Apprehension of Counterfeit items at the Border
Import/Export
Customs officials said they saw a 25 percent increase in the number of counterfeit goods they confiscated last year at the nation’s ports and at the border.
Lord & Taylor Cited for Not Disclosing Payments to Fashion Bloggers
Legal
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.
Teva Partners With Artists for Spring Collection
Fashion
Teva has a launch party in downtown Los Angeles for new collection.
Denim Day Coming Soon
Social Causes
Guess partners with Peace Over Violence as fashion sponsor of Denim Day.
Sport Chalet Closing
Retail
After 57 years in business, Southern California sporting goods retail chain Sport Chalet is closing all stores and shuttering its online business.
Frame's First Store Lands in LA
Retail
Frame, started by two Swedes, is a hot label that chose its first retail location to be in Los Angeles.
