Good International Turnout and Strong Interest in Immediates
Vegas Trade Shows
International buyers and retailers looking to restock diminished inventories circulated around the more than 20 apparel, accessories and sourcing trade shows in Las Vegas
Hudson Jeans Founder Fights to Get His Company Back
Denim Report
Sometimes breaking up is hard to do. But Hudson Jeans founder Peter Kim is trying to do just that.
California Economy on a Sound Footing for the Next Two Years
Economic Forecast
All signs point to the U.S. and California economy picking up speed in 2015 and 2016 and leaving the Great Recession in the dust.
Port Cargo Container Volumes Drop as Longshore Contract Negotiations Continue
Import & Export
Work slowdowns, idling ships and closed weekend gates all contributed to cargo volumes at California’s ports dropping precipitously in January compared with the same month last year.
Industry Focus: Factoring in the Age of Start-Up Apparel Companies and E-commerce
Finance
California Apparel News recently spoke with some finance-industry executives to find out how their companies approach financing new businesses and how selling to e-tailers differs from selling to a bricks-and-mortar retailer.
Pantone Reveals Top Ten Colors for Fall 2015
Fashion
Pantone, one of the top authorities for predicting trendy colors for the design industry, has another nine colors that are making the Top 10. The designator of future colors unveiled its Top 10 list just in time for New York Fashion Week.
Veteran Designer Barbara Lesser Launches New Line of Tops
Manufacturing | Designer Profile
Last fall, the Los Angeles label decided to pull back and revamp. The result is a new brand called Love Barbara, a line of tops that launches with a Fall 2015 collection that will be shown at the Stitch trade show Feb. 23–25 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
Troubles Pile Up at West Coast Ports
Import & Export
Labor Secretary Tom Perez being called in to help the two sides conclude longshore contract negotiations while West Coast port operations are bogged down in cargo containers.
California Market Center Changes Fashion Market Dates
Trade Show
The California Market Center has realigned the dates it will be holding the next four editions of Los Angeles Fashion Market so they will begin on Mondays and end on Thursdays.
Kingpins Show to Discuss Denim Sustainability in New Conference Concept
Textiles | Trade Show
To address that issue, denim sustainability will be one of the main topics at the next Kingpins Show, the international denim sourcing show whose next edition will be April 16–18 in Amsterdam.
BCBG Max Azria Group Gets Infusion of Cash
Manufacturing | Retail
The ailing BCBG Max Azria Group, which has a mountain of debt, received a $135 million infusion of cash from Guggenheim Partners and other affiliated investors.
Forever 21 Arrives on Fifth Avenue
Retail
Forever 21 opens a new store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Hot Topic to Launch Cinderella Limited-Edition Collection
Retail
Hot Topic partners with Walt Disney for a limited-edition clothing collection based on the "Cinderella" movie coming out March 13.
New President at the Helm of Michael Stars
Retail | Manufacturing
After 30 years as president of contemporary clothing label Michael Stars, Michael Cohen has stepped down as the head of the company, turning the job over to his wife, Suzanne Lerner. His title is now chairman of the board.
More Chassis May Not Solve Peak Port Congestion Problem
Traffic Jam
This month, four companies are starting a “gray,” or neutral, chassis pool at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, which should be fully operational by March.
Lockout Nears for West Coast Ports With No New Longshore Worker Contract
Import & Export
Vessel operations are suspended for Feb. 12, Lincoln's Birthday; the weekend of Feb. 14-15; and on Feb. 15, President's Day.
Hong Kong Fashion Week Fills the Runway With Dozens of Shows
Fashion Extravaganza
For the first time ever, a U.S. designer was included in the opening night of the Hong Kong Fashion Extravaganza. Several other parts of the world were also represented on the stage.
Something for Everyone
Hong Kong Fashion Week
As China’s apparel and textile industries compete to maintain their global dominance, similar challenges confront Hong Kong Fashion Week, established more than 40 years ago at a time when many people outside of Asia knew nothing about making clothes in this part of the world.
The Wild Side of Fashion
Fashion
Hong Kong designer Andy Ho goes all out during Hong Kong Fashion Week.
Major Progress Made in Longshore Contract Negotiations
West Coast Port Crisis
After a federal mediator was called in earlier this year to speed things along, West Coast longshore workers and their employers said they have resolved the sticky issue of how the chassis fleet is maintained and by whom.
Prana Names New Director of International Sales
Manufacturing
Prana, the lifestyle and yoga line headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., is going more global with the appointment of Pacho Bedoya as its new director of international sales. He begins his new job on Feb. 2.
Container Volumes Rise with the Business Tide at Local Ports
Import & Export
The Port of Los Angeles reported that in 2014, cargo-container volumes were up 6 percent over the previous year. Total volumes reached 8.34 million 20-foot containers, which is the third busiest year for the port.
LA Design Student Shows in Hong Kong
Fashion
Woodbury University graduate shows her student collection at Hong Kong Fashion Week.
Wildfox Swim Shows Off Cruise '15 Collection
Fashion
Wildfox Swim goes from the runway to the retailer with Cruise '15 collection.
Ships Stack Up as Port Terminals Try to Clear Back-Logged Containers
Import & Export
As of Jan. 15, there were 13 cargo-container ships anchored beyond the breakwater that protects the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles.
Full Steam Ahead for 2015 as Economy Accelerates and Gas Prices Drop
Finance
Just about everyone agrees that 2015 is shaping up to be a good year for the U.S. economy.
H&M Teams Up With Coachella Festival for Collection
Fashion
H&M joins forces with the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival to create an H&M Loves Coachella collection.
Showroom Profile: Necessitees
Showroom Profiles
When her CMC lease expired last year, Hallie Shano decided to move across the street to the seventh floor of The New Mart, opening a 1,200-square-foot space that is even brighter than her old space—if that is possible.
Showroom Profile: Tivoli Paris Collections
Showroom Profile
For her very first independent showroom, Smadar Elkayam chose to be in the Gerry Building, where other showrooms carrying European lines are located.
Pac-Man Comes to the Fashion District
Media
Budweiser Light shows up in LA Fashion District, creating a real-life Pac-Man set.
Nordstrom Rack to New LA County Location
Retail
Nordstrom Rack is opening a new store in Long Beach, Calif.
Will Port Congestion Fees Be Imposed?
West Coast Port Crisis
The worst Los Angeles/Long Beach port congestion problem in a decade still has cargo stacked high on the docks. Goods continue to take two to three weeks to get off out of the ports and onto trucks and rail cars.
Who Will Be Making More Clothes in LA?
Manufacturing
A deal between Coastal Living magazine and Fresh Produce means more apparel production will take place in Southern California.
Feds Send in Mediator to Help With Longshore Contract Talks
Port Negotiations
The U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service said it plans to send in Scot Beckenbaugh, a skilled mediator and the service’s deputy director, to get West Coast longshore workers and their employers back to the bargaining table.
Victoria's Secret Unveils 2015 Swimwear Collection
Fashion
Victoria's Secret reveals trends for its 2015 swimwear collection.
Frederick’s of Hollywood Losing Lease on Flagship Store
Real Estate
Since 2005, Frederick’s of Hollywood has had its flagship store sitting appropriately enough at 6751 Hollywood Blvd., one block away from the Hollywood & Highland retail center and in the heart of the well-trafficked tourist district. But the lingerie store with a beautiful chandelier in the middle of the shop has lost its lease and has to move out by April 27, store staffers said.
A.P.C. Moves Opening Dates for LA Stores
Retail
French brand A.P.C. pushes back opening dates in downtown LA and Silver Lake.
Longshore Union Wants to See More Shipping Line Honchos at the Negotiating Table
Talks between longshore workers and their employers have been slogging along since last May with no end in sight for a new contract that would replace the last contract that expired July 1.
Buyout Firm Lion Capital Urges American Apparel Sale
The pressure keeps mounting for American Apparel to put itself on the auction block.
Frederick's of Hollywood Losing Lease on Flagship Store
Retail
Frederick's of Hollywood losing lease on Hollywood Boulevard store.
2014 in Review: More Apparel Production Returns to the United States
Everyone talks about making their clothes in the United States, but is it all talk and no action? Apparently not. According to a study by a Chicago management consulting firm
New California Laws Will Change Some Workplace Rules in 2015
A new year means a flurry of new workplace laws that go into effect.
Forever 21 Opens for 14 Hours on Xmas Day
Retail
Forever 21 is one of the few clothing stores open Christmas Day.
Halston Sells Two Diffusion Brands
Manufacturing
House of Halston sells two brand names for $27.7 million.
Longshore Employers Call for Federal Mediators to Help Push for a New Contract With Dockworkers
For seven months, longshore workers have been head to head at the negotiating table to hammer out a new six-year labor agreement with their port bosses.
American Apparel Receives Bid to Buy the Company
On Dec. 22, American Apparel's board of directors said that it received a bid to acquire the Los Angeles clothing company for $1.30 to $1.40 a share. As of early morning on Dec. 22, the stock was trading at around $1.15 a share, almost double what it was trading for last week.
2014 Retrospective: Import/Export: Vietnam Makes Great Inroads in Apparel Exports to U.S. Stores
Import/Export
Even though the Southeast Asian nation has a population of 93.4 million people, not even 10 percent of the Chinese population, it is becoming an increasingly popular place for apparel manufacturing. The country’s wages are about one-third to half as much as those in China, and its workers are known for their fine, detailed work.
