Friday, June 25
Charney Prepares for FIG Event in October
American Apparel Senior Partner Dov Charney toured the pediatrics wing of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on June 22 as part of his preparations for the Fashion Industries Guild...
Gerber Open House Set for June 30
Gerber Technology Inc. will conduct an open house at its new Western regional facility in Cerritos, Calif., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 30....
Reza Joins Milberg Factors
New York–based Milberg Factors Inc. has hired David M. Reza to be senior vice president of the Western region. Reza will be based in the privately held company’s office in Glendale, Calif....
CDG's Historic Archive
The Costume Designers Guild has donated its collection of historic costume sketches to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library. The CDG has been compiling the collection of more than 600 sketches since the organization’s beginnings ...
Rich Town, Selective Boutiques
Brentwood is a luxury retailer’s dream. The median price for a home in the Los Angeles Westside neighborhood is $1.1 million, and area’s well-known residents include Cindy Crawford and former Los Angele...
Wal-Mart Discrimination Suit
A group of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. employees have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company, charging the Bentonville, Ark.–based retail giant used discriminatory practices in paying and promoting ...
FGI Panel Looks at L.A.'s Fashion Future
Is Los Angeles on the global fashion map? That was the question posed to Los Angeles designers David Cardona, Louis Verdad and Nony Tochterman of Petro Zillia at a June 14 p...
Patternmakers, Merchandisers Look to the Future of 3-D
Three-dimensional technology for the apparel industry is getting a push from the entertainment industry....
Preparing for 2005: Apparel Makers Face Changes as U.S. Quotas Disappear
The world order of apparel and textile manufacturing will shift drastically on Jan. 1, 2005, when quotas on these goods are eliminated for World Trade Organization members....
New at Hot Topic
Kathleen Mason has joined the board of directors for City of Industry retailer Hot Topic. Mason is president, chief executive officer and director of discount home accessories and gift retailer Tuesday Morning Corp. Her care...
Dyers, Finishers Explore Ozone Technology
Commerce, Calif.–based Jantex Inks & Beyond Inc. has brought ozone finishing to the West Coast market....
Marciano Brothers Selling Shares in Guess
Paul and Maurice Marciano, majority shareholders of their family-founded apparel and retail company Guess? Inc., announced on June 21 they would each sell up to 1 million shares of company st...
TALA Celebrates 60th
The Textile Association of Los Angeles is turning 60, and to celebrate, the industry organization is hosting a dinner dance on July 22 at the California Market Center’s fashion theate...
Neuburger Goes to Asia
Sleepwear and loungewear designer Karen Neuburger has struck a deal with Japanese retailer Isetan for distribution in the company’s Singapore-based department stores, Isetan Parkway and Isetan Scotts. This is the San Rafael...
New Players Dive Into the Action-Sports Market
When visiting a foreign country, it is often customary for travelers to partake in the culture and rituals of the region. The same could be said for those new to the action-sports industry, where credibility ...
Bridalwear Manufacturer Moves West
Rani Totman’s phones were jammed with calls from reporters after her lilac-colored wedding dress was featured on the 2004 finale of hit television sitcom “Friends.”...
FIDM's Textile Designs on Display
Future textile and graphic designers from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising exhibited their work on June 8 at the school’s Museum & Galleries in downtown Los Ang...
New Designers Learn Art of Public Relations
Many people believe good public relations for up-and-coming fashion designers entails nothing more than getting the right celebrities to wear designers’ clothes. However, veteran fashion publ...
Karl at H&M
First Mossimo at Target, now Karl at H&M. Designer Karl Lagerfeld and Swedish discount retailer H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB announced plans for a 30-piece collection called Karl Lagerfeld for ...
Gerber Names Marketing Director for Asia
Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology Inc. has named Rachel Ho as its marketing director for Asia. Ho will be responsible for directing marketing activities and strategies for the region fro...
NRF Opens RFID Resource Center
The National Retail Federation (NRF) has opened a Web-based radio frequency identification resource center, at
FIDM Eyes Student Housing Project
Students at the Los Angeles–based Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) may soon have their first-ever student-housing complex....
Poolside Kors
Michael Kors and The Warnaco Group Inc. have inked a deal to produce a collection of Michael Kors swimwear, coverups and accessories. The collection will debut for Cruise 2006....
Friday, June 18
Police Drama Briefly Upstages Market
A touch of drama right out of a Keystone Kops caper punctuated Los Angeles Market Week when calls about a possible bank robbery in progress sent a passel of police officers to the Fa...
Political Style
Retailer and “Sex and the City” designer Patricia Field is working with Phat Farm creator Russell Simmons to launch a campaign encouraging voter participation with a line of T-shirts featuring ...
CMC Celebrates Sue Wong
Los Angeles designer Sue Wong and her designs were center stage at a party for select buyers hosted by the California Market Center. The event took place June 11 in the CMC Buyers’ Cl...
Innovo Launching New Denim Line
Just weeks after losing hip-hop star Eve and her urban line, Fetish by Eve, Innovo Group Inc. is launching a mid-tier womenswear denim line called Indie....
Ben in the U.S.
British label Ben Sherman named Maria Cella Kosky vice president of sales for the company’s North American women’s division. Cella Kosky is a longtime industry executive whose reacute;sumeacute; include...
Mervyn's Hopes for K.O. With Oscar De La Hoya Collection
Although Mervyn’s has been put up for sale by its parent company, the Minneapolisbased Target Corp., the Hayward, Calif.–based emporium is not ready to be knocked out of the retail scene. Merv...
Eastern Exposure
The turquoise art deco landmark Eastern Columbia Building, located at Ninth Street and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, is slated for a condo conversion. The Kor Group, the potential new owner of the...
California to Add Jobs
California is expected to add 172,000 jobs this year, a 1.2 percent increase over last year. The news prompted Chapman University’s economic research wing to announce the state is “turning the c...
WCE Expands at Mandalay
The Westcoast Exclusive has sold out its original space at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center and will increase the number of booths at the Aug. 29–31 show in Las Vegas, according to organizers of...
Tukatech Enters Dress Form Market
Los Angeles–based Tukatech Inc. is entering the dress form business. The company has rolled out a new line of 3-D dress forms called TukaForms....
Putting Fashion Back on the Bay Area Map
San Francisco is hoping to jumpstart its apparel industry by staging its first-ever fashion week in August at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre....
California Labels Up for Dallas Fashion Awards
A number of West Coast brands are among 45 companies named as finalists for the 29th annual Dallas Fashion Awards....
Taking Interest
The Federal Reserve announced plans to stave off inflation by raising interest rates in the coming year. Analysts anticipate the Fed will institute a rate hike at the next policy meeting, which will t...
Ron's Fine Furs
R&B singer Ronald Isley, of Isley Brothers fame, is launching a line of men’s furs called Mr. Biggs Fur Collection, due to launch for Fall 2004. The line of sable, chinchilla, minx, fox and rex rabbit furs will be...
Optimism High at Fall II/Holiday Market in L.A.
Buyers were upbeat and ready to open their wallets for trendy items for Holiday at the Fall II/Holiday 2004 Los Angeles Market Week, which ran Ju...
Hot Topic Gets New Warehouse
City of Industry, Calif.–based specialty retailer Hot Topic Inc. chose a site near Nashville, Tenn., for its national distribution center, which will be completed in about a year. The...
Friday, June 11
The Company Z
California Market CenterSuite A534(213) 627-7401 ...
The Bank
The Bank135 E. 9th St....
Sabrina Showroom
Cooper Design SpaceLobby D(213) 670-0044 ...
Dior's New Look
The inspiration for Christian Dior’s new line, D’Trick, is glamorous actress Marlene Dietrich. With Dietrich and Dior in mind, scores of celebrities and fashionistas turned out to celeb...
Textile Converter Declares Bankruptcy
H. Greenblatt & Co., a textile converter that was once listed by “Entrepreneur” magazine as one of the country’s hottest small businesses, declared bankrupt...
Wet Seal Goes Paperless
Foothill Ranch, Calif.–based specialty retailer The Wet Seal, Inc. is investing in new software technology, which will outsource all of its internal and external transactions....
Lectra to Acquire Lacent Technologies
Paris-based technology supplier Lectra has reached an agreement to acquire Canadian cutting equipment manufacturer Lacent Technologies for an undisclosed sum....
Sheri Bodell President Leejay Launches Iron Collection
Wearit, which means “we are art” or “we wear art,” is the design philosophy of Leejay, the single-named designer and creator of new contemporary women’s line Iron....
Quota Fight
Four textile trade organizations have joined forces with politicians to urge the White House to convene an emergency World Trade Organization meeting to discuss the expiration of textile and apparel q...
Fashion Focus Slated for Hollywood & Highland's Renewal
The new owners of the beleaguered Hollywood & Highland shopping center are planning more punch to their retail mix this fall by adding some trendy stores to draw local shoppers....
Beware Spyware
If you’ve ever happened upon a Web site where you’ve downloaded a free game, type font, screensaver or other type of cyber-goody—even taken a survey—chances are your computer now has a nasty little softwa...
Apparel Firms Look Far and Beyond for New Talent
Finding the right people to run apparel companies in the new economy has forced the apparel industry to adopt a new paradigm....
Retail Grant
The U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao and the National Retail Federation have partnered to implement a $2.25 million grant to train nearly 44,000 retail workers in anticipation of the retail industry...
The Wrap on Industry (212)
NEW YORK—Fashion trade show Industry (212) decided to go solo for its latest run, moving the dates to be the only fashion trade show in town....
Hot Kiss Coats
Juniors apparel maker Hot Kiss is expanding its licensing with the launch of a line of outerwear for Holiday 2004, set to bow at the August edition of MAGIC International in Las Vega...
Better Jobs Market Boosts May '04 Sales
Economists worried rising gas prices would take a large bite out of retail sales in May. While gas prices show no sign of coming down—for the week ending May 31 they averaged $2.05 per gallon...
Levi's Closures
San Francisco–based Levi Strauss & Co. announced plans to close two sewing factories in Spain as part of the company’s efforts to save money by shifting from companyowned production facilities to outside co...
DigiFab Breaks Out New Heat Press
Los Angeles–based printing systems provider DigiFab Systems has rolled out a new line of heat presses for transferring sublimation prints to polyester and poly-blend fabrics. Called D...
ENK-LV
ENK-LV. New York–based trade show producer ENK will join the crowded lineup of trade shows in Las Vegas in August when it launches an upscale men’s and women’s booth show, called Brighte Las Vegas, at the Veneti...
Marshall Fields Sale
Minneapolis-based discounter Target announced plans to sell department store Marshall Fields and nine Midwestern Mervyn’s stores to St. Louis–based May Company for $3.24 billion in cash. The sale adds 62 Marsha...
Tarrant Snaps Up Another Brand
Tarrant Apparel Group, which has recently been on a buying spree, has bought up another brand to break into the world of urban streetwear....
Rising Sum: Anime-Inspired Graphics Fuel Specialty Lines
“Character driven” is a term usually bandied about in Hollywood, but at Cosmic Debris it also describes a growing apparel line. Emily the S...
Target Buys Into Markdown Optimizer
Target Corp. is jumping into the merchandise optimization arena. The nation’s second largest general merchandise retailer is implementing artificial intelligence software that helps it with it...
CFDA Fetes Latest Honorees
Carolina Herrera was named womenswear designer of the year and Sean Combs’ Sean Jean label landed the menswear award at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion ...
Extra Credit: Boutiques Begin Issuing Store Credit Cards
Consumers pack their wallets with credit cards offered by major department stores and national chain retailers, but a handful of boutique owners bet shoppers will make extra space for cards for high-e...
Lingerie Makers Forego Wires, Straps and Traditional Silhouettes
Strapless, backless, seamless and wireless, NuBrais a patented self-adhesive silicone bra launched two years ago and is carried in boutiques such as Fred Segal Santa Monica, as well ...
Hank
Gerry BuildingSuite 405(213) 629-0164 ...
Ex-Gerber Exec Moves to OptiTex
Veteran technology executive Steve Fineman has joined New York–based CAD/CAM firm OptiTex USA, Inc. as its new senior account executive....
Friday, June 4
Barbie Pairing Up With Paul Frank
Barbie has a new man in her life. Since splitting from Ken earlier this year, Barbie has hooked up with designer Paul Frank of Paul Frank Industries Inc. (PFI), which, throu...
So Fresh, So Minimal
The aesthetic of Douglas Fir is decidedly Spartan. No art, posters or ads adorn the off-white walls of the 900-square-foot shop. Naturally, the best-selling clothes at this men’s boutique on Los Angeles...
Blue Tattoo to Bow Men's Line
Blue Tatoo is entering the menswear market with a line of tattoo-inspired sportswear and denim that will debut for Holiday 2004....
Op Sponsors Emerging Musicians
The Ocean Pacific Apparel Corp. and Fender Records are giving Disneyland’s Grad Nite entertainment an edge....
California Companies Go Organic in Chicago
Los Angeles–based T-shirt maker American Apparel was among a group of California manufacturers participating in the second annual...
Off-Price Buying Was His Specialty
Barry Fogel, a longtime industry veteran and the owner of a Los Angeles–based off-price buying company, died on May 15. He was 70....
Low Scores for Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. got an “F” on its report card from consumer watchdog group Co-op America, which scored eight major retailers on sweatshop practices. Wal-Mart’s low mark was attributed to its documented business transactions with s...
Charron Brings West Coast Lifestyle to Claiborne
Paul Charron is on a winning streak, and West Coast apparel brands are driving his success....
Carbon Denim to Introduce Juniors Sportswear
Jeans manufacturer 88 International is aiming to build its branded-apparel business with a better juniors apparel line called Carbon Denim, which is set to bow for Back-to-S...
Aaron's Raw Steel Fixtures
Call the star performer of Acme Display Fixture & Packaging by the name of “Aaron.”...
Tianello Moves Into New HQ
Los Angeles–based manufacturer Tianello has moved into a new headquarters and manufacturing facility near the Los Angeles Fashion District....
FCC to Celebrate San Diego Fashion at Charity Benefit
Wishes will come true at the 18th annual Golden Hanger Fashion Awards Gala to benefit The Make-A-Wish Foundation. On July 30, the Fashion Careers ...
Manufacturing Up
While the apparel industry continued to struggle with domestic manufacturing, other industries experienced a surge in local production as U.S. factories cranked up output in May, supporting reports th...
Conference Tries to Make New Technology Work for Retailers
As Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the Target Corp. prepare to implement radio frequency identification technology (RFID) into their back-office operations, the governing bodies se...
Golden Needle Awards to Honor L.A. Designers
The Golden NeedleAwards will host a luncheon and runway show for Los Angeles’ burgeoning design scene on June 5 at The Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills....
Textile Pirates
Executives and trade groups within the textile industry are lobbying Washington lawmakers to get tougher on copyright infringement. Ripoffs of U.S.-based textile designs cost the industry more than $100 milli...
Free Training Turned Into Sales Career
Stephen McClelland, a staple in the clothing manufacturing industry, died on June 1 after an eight-month fight with esophageal cancer. He was 59....
More Shoppers Head for the Web
Move over music. Clothes are emerging as one of the hottest markets on the Internet....
Laundry Footwear
Laundry by Shelli Segal is adding shoes to its collection. The Los Angeles company, which operates under the Liz Claiborne umbrella, has licensed Titan Industries Ltd. of Huntington Beach, Calif., to design, ...
Green Party: Golf Gets Fashionable
Johan Lindeberg is a revolutionary, but his grass-roots campaign is more about verdant fairways than underground hideouts....
CFA to Host Seminar on Labor Law
The California Fashion Association, a nonprofit organization that provides business opportunities to Southern California’s apparel and textile manufacturers, is hosting “Business- to-Bu...
Anne Cole's Summer Tour
Anne Cole hit the road this spring. The petite swimwear designer with a big personality recently returned from a public appearance tour to promote her Spring and Summer 2004 swimwear line....
Irvine Co. Takes Retail Business In-House
The Irvine Co.-which owns Fashion Island and the Irvine Spectrum Center, among other key Orange County retail properties— will assume management of all its retail re...
Innovo to Regroup After Losing Fetish Brand
The recent loss of the Fetish by Eve label may help more than hurt the Los Angeles– based Innovo Group Inc., which acquired the label last year....
Tukatech Names New Product Development Chief
Yvonne Franko has been named director of product development for Tukatech Inc.’s TukaWeb division. Franco will be in charge of product development and sample-making facilities for Commerce, C...
Tyte to Unveil Tops
Southern California–based juniors denim manufacturer Tyte has partnered with the New York–based A and J Apparel Group to produce a line of knit tops and bottoms. The company will launc...
Pioneer Designer Incorporated High Fashion and Practical Prices
Veteran fashion designer Sandra Chrysler, who started Sandy Chrysler Collections in the late 1990s, passed away on May 29 after a long battle with cancer. She was 69....
Apparel Veteran Passes Away
Marc Wizman, partner and vice president at Los Angeles contemporary apparel company Love Amour, passed away on May 21 at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after struggling wit...
New Boutique Aims to Outfit the L.A. Man's Lifestyle
This fall, Los Angeles will have a new men’s lifestyle boutique offering a mix of apparel, accessories, personal electronics, grooming products, baby items, books and gifts, as well as wardrobe consult...
Shopping Center Owners Think Hot Topic Is Hot
An International Council of Shopping Centers survey shows that most shopping mall owners would be thrilled to sign leases with...
Textile Mill Files for Bankruptcy Protection
Kronfli Spundale Mills Inc., a 27-year-old knitting mill, announced it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles....
