<![CDATA[Apparel News Blog]]>

<![CDATA[Apparel News Blog]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog en-us <![CDATA[ Vera Wang May Save Melrose Avenue by Andrew Asch]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=760 Vera Wang on 8445 Melrose. The boutique's sales clerks said a store sign would be installed soon. A once high-flying section of West Hollywood’s Melrose Avenue might get another chance to become a thriving retail street now that a fashion star opened a boutique there recently.   On March 4, Vera Wang opened a self-named store at 8445 Melrose Ave. It is reportedly her first store on the West Coast and is located a block or so west of the influential Marc Jacobs boutique. However reminders of the Great Recession loom large in this place. Wang’s neighbors include more than five vacant storefronts. The street’s landlords and real estate brokers hope Wang can attract more fashion stars to this neighborhood. CB Richard Ellis broker Jay Luchs said this stretch of Melrose is a go-to place for fashion since it claims a Diane von Furstenberg boutique. Luxury labels Marni and Alexander McQueen maintain stores around this block too. “Vacancy...

]]> 2010-03-12 10:55:01 <![CDATA[Save the Economy, Visit a Sale by Erin Barajas]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=758 So, you've been good. There's a recession and you're trying to shop your closet, as they say. You don't even go bonkers at Target, which is an act akin to... I don't know, something nearly impossible. Treat yourself and score some amazing goodies at great prices this weekend at the Society for Rational Dress sale or at the Grey Ant moving sale. Both are going to be amazing. First up: Society for Rational Dress Date: Sat., March 13 Time: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Where: 255 S. Santa Fe in the Arts District What: T-shirts from $30 to $50; leather skirts from $75 to $140; shoes from $50 to $97 and silk dresses from $45 to $150. Bonus: Designer Corinne Grassini is a doll and super talented. Cash and credit cards accepted. Look, I just made a perfect outfit for you. Go buy it. Next Up: Grey Ant Moving Sale It's raining deals at Grey Ant. Date: Sat., March 13 Time: 12–5 p.m. Where: 1061 W. Sunset Blvd. at Beaudry Ave. in Echo Park What: Current and past...

]]> 2010-03-11 16:07:55 <![CDATA[Neoprene Dream by Rhea Cortado]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=756 Jill Anjuli Hansen in her own California Candy wetsuit. Photo by Gina Sinotte Though a blonde by nature, surfer Jill Anjuli Hansen wanted to crush the stereotype of the quintessential blue-eyed and golden-tressed surfer chick. “I’ve always loved tattoos, and a lot of surf companies don’t want to sponsor a punk-rock surfer,” Hansen said. “‘We need her to be sweet, cute and blonde like this.’" Hansen said potential sponsors would tell her. "That’s not me. I’m sweet, but I’m real.” During the time that she was unsatisfied with the current wetsuit offerings in the market, Hansen met a Japanese wetsuit manufacturer through a friend and had custom suits of her own design made. “I wanted a sexy wetsuit for myself. Most brands have men designing women’s suits. They don’t get where we need the cuts and where we need the curves. I wanted the hottest wetsuit in the water,” Hansen said....

]]> 2010-03-10 14:12:33 <![CDATA[Nordstrom Racking Up Off-Price Stores by Deborah Belgum]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=754 The retail world is taking note that the American shopper is in search of bargain-basement prices. With that in mind, Nordstrom Rack is on a buying spree of its own, shopping for several new locations in Southern California. The off-price chain has several new spots planned for the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, where, for many, shopping is a favorite pastime.The off-price store will be joining several full-price Nordstrom stores in the area. Nordstrom is opening a emporium next month at the ritzy Fashion Island in Newport Beach, Calif., followed by a location at the new Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, Calif., in August. In October it plans to open a Nordstrom Rack in the Lakewood Center. And it just announced it will be expanding to the Burbank Empire Center in Burbank, Calif., with a 35,351-square-foot Nordstrom Rack that debuts Oct. 21. Next year, plans are to unveil a new Nordstrom Rack at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach, Calif., giving shoppers...

]]> 2010-03-09 13:28:58 <![CDATA[Glitzy Golden Girls Glam Up the Academy Awards by Connie Cho]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=752 (From left: Photo by Photo Agency; Photos by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Yesterday afternoon’s threatening rain clouds hanging over L.A. parted because Mother Nature wouldn’t dare rain down on Hollywood’s equivalent of the Super Bowl—the 82nd Academy Awards, held at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood and Highland complex. While many were in anticipation to find out the recipients of the accolades to be handed inside the Kodak Theatre, our chief concern was which celebrities would dazzle and delight out on the red carpet. The Oscar red carpet is one of the most heightened stages for glamour, and many of the looks emulated Tinseltown’s bygone eras as sweeping hemlines, sculpted silhouettes and endless sparkles shined. Here are a few standouts of the red-carpet trends. Going for the Gold: Metallic shades seemed to be the hue of choice on the red carpet and ran the gamut from body-hugging and statuesque to overflowing and...

]]> 2010-03-08 14:23:10 <![CDATA[Behind the Scenes for Oscar's Kanye Moment by Alison A. Nieder]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=751 "Music By Prudence" director Roger Ross Williams and producer Elinor Burkett Okay, so the buzz around the Sparkletts at Apparel News this morning was as much about the fashions at last night’s Academy Awards as it was about the “Kanye moment” during the acceptance speech for the Oscar-winning short documentary, “Music By Prudence.” Salon.com got the scoop from producer—and former Salon contributor—Elinor Burkett (Kanye, in this scenario) and contacted the film’s director, Roger Ross Williams (Taylor Swift, for the purposes of metaphorical continuity). But Los Angeles magazine Style Editor Laurie Pike takes us behind the scenes with her anecdote about dressing the director for his moment of Oscar infamy on her blog the Chic Leak.

]]> 2010-03-08 14:22:50 <![CDATA[Living La Vida Lycra by Alison A. Nieder]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=749 An image of a Zentai suit enthusiast from The Daily Beast When I first saw the images in a recent Daily Beast story about men who lounge around in their brightly colored and printed head-to-toe Lycra suits, I figured it had to be a joke. After all, I’ve been around, I live in L.A., I’ve got some crazy friends, but this was the first I’d heard of Zentai suits. But a quick Google search confirms it. Zentai is for real. According to Wikipedia (therefore it must be true), the word Zentai is derived from a Japanese term for “full-body tights” and there are retailers around the world selling the catsuits, which are typically made of a nylon/spandex blend but sometimes come in cotton or wool. More googling turned up an e-tailer called Milanoo, which offers free shipping, prices below $50 and a few Super Hero-themed Zentai suits. “So affordable, how could you not get one?” the site declares. The Daily Beast story has a slide...

]]> 2010-03-06 17:38:11 <![CDATA[California Apparel Manufacturing Employment Rate Announced March 10. Don't Expect A Big Recovery, Economist Says by Andrew Asch]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=748 The February unemployment rate for California’s apparel manufacturing businesses is scheduled to be released on March 10, but if you read the tea leaves on the wider employment picture across the state and the nation, no major recovery is expected for California's schmatte business. The American unemployment rate remained unchanged from January to February. Unemployment rates for both months hovered around 9.7 percent, according to a March 5 statement from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unfortunately for California, its unemployment rate was higher than the national average. It was 12.3 percent, according to a March 5 statement from the California Employment Development Department. If employment numbers hold steady for California apparel manufacturing, it would be good news for an industry that lost 5,900 jobs in 2009, said Jack Kyser, founding economist of the Kyser Center for Economic Research at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp....

]]> 2010-03-05 14:50:41 <![CDATA[Karmaloop Founder Reconnects With L.A., Makes New Plans by Connie Cho]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=745 Karmaloop chief Greg Selkoe (left) and Leandrew Robinson, manager of Karmaloop’s forthcoming site PLNDR.com Boston–based streetwear and contemporary fashion e-tailer Karmaloop.com has moved beyond simply selling clothes to become a community-oriented, globally conscious lifestyle brand. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Greg Selkoe recently escaped the cold back East and made his way to Los Angeles to get face time with some of the California labels Karmaloop carries. Karmaloop has grown to become a multi-platform lifestyle web destination—with the launch of an online entertainment channel, KarmaloopTV, in 2007 and its auction site, KarmaSwap, last year. The majority of the brands carried on Karmaloop hail from the Golden State. West Coast brands represented among the more than 200 labels on site include a who’s who of streetwear and contemporary lines such as LRG, Joyrich, Comune, tokidoki, Hellz, Crooks and Castles, BB Dakota,...

]]> 2010-03-04 11:50:02 <![CDATA[Designer Groupies by Rhea Cortado]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=743 photos via Brachfeld Gallery Paris We all know its poor form to wear a band’s T-shirt to their concert. But it’s encouraged to wear a designer’s clothing at his or her runway show. Enter a hybrid of both worlds: the concert-style designer tee. Found on the What the Hellz blog, The Brachfeld Gallery and Dorothy Perret in Paris present tour tees created by SANDBERG&TIMONEN, paying homage to the frontwomen and frontmen of fashion. Set to the backdrop of heavy metal–style lettering, the designers featured include Karl Lagerfeld, Alber Elbaz, Phoebe Philo, Miuccia Prada, Sonia Rykiel, Martin Margiela (shown faceless), Christopher Kane (shown topless) and Raf Simons (shown pixelated). All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will benefit Medecins Sans Frontiéres and their efforts in Haiti.

]]> 2010-03-03 10:35:10 <![CDATA['Project Runway' Goes Wii! by Deborah Belgum]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=742 Heidi Klum is one of the hosts of “Project Runway.” For those who are dying to be on “Project Runway” but never made it to the finals, there's hope. Like everything in life, “Project Runway” has now become a video game that can be played on a Nintendo Wii or your personal computer. For only $39.99, you too can be cutting patterns, dressing models, watching them strut down the catwalk and showing how your imagination is something to be reckoned with. Similar to the show, participants are presented with a number of theme challenges as they select models and style their hair, makeup and accessories. The game features “Project Runway” hosts Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia as well as eight contestants from Season Six, including reigning “Project Runway” winner Irina Shabayeva. This is perfect for those who can’t get enough of the show. Let the competition begin.

]]> 2010-03-02 15:57:51 <![CDATA[Directives West to Present FIRST.LA Designer Showcase by Connie Cho]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=740 Looks from the Jeffrey Sebelia-designed Fluxus line (Photo courtesy Fluxus) Los Angeles-based fashion merchandising and trend-forecasting consulting firm Directives West will introduce FIRST.LA—a runway presentation to highlight local L.A. design talent. FIRST.LA will be held at the Cooper Design Space in downtown Los Angeles. The handpicked designer showcase will kick off on March 19, also the start of the Los Angeles Fashion Market. The runway presentation will feature lines such as Fluxus—which is now designed under the direction of “Project Runway” winner Jeffrey Sebelia—and Jonesy, Dolan, Collective Concepts, Vintage Revolution and Easy Money, among others. “Clients look to Directives West for key design direction, influential resources and a well-edited perspective on the West Coast lifestyle,” said Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Directives West Janine Blain in a statement. “FIRST.LA will showcase...

]]> 2010-03-01 14:16:38 <![CDATA[ The All-Black Royal Arrival by Azature ]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=738 The Globe Restaurant, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia After a 24-hour plane ride from Los Angeles to Paris—and a few private appointments in Paris—I boarded a private jet, made a quick stop to Barcelona, then finally arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the latest stop in my world tour. There are many perspectives on the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, but I never knew such a religious and conservative place would become one of my most magical experiences on my Black Glove World Tour. The minute I landed in the private airport in Riyadh, I was greeted with hospitality, love and compassion. I was told multiple times how the people of Saudi Arabia were so humbled that I had chosen to stop in Riyadh for my Black Glove World Tour. The appreciation, love and warm welcome was beyond anything I had experienced. I was invited to Saudi Arabia by a very special individual, who is one of the most kindest, loving and sophisticated individuals I have ever met. She...

]]> 2010-02-28 16:12:35 <![CDATA[Livity Flagship Blossoms in Santa Monica by Andrew Asch]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=737 Isaac Nichelson of Livity Outernational Livity Outernational has been a pioneer in eco-fashion for the past seven years. Before Livity, much of the apparel constructed out of sustainable fabrics, such as hemp and organic cotton, looked like clothes that would not make it out of a Grateful Dead show. However Livity’s Isaac Nichelson used sustainable fabrics to make fashions inspired in part by current skate, snow and surf lifestyles. The trend-right design helped the effort to spread eco-styles from the Al Gore crowd to the wider fashion public. Nichelson is going to raise the ante for his burgeoning label on March 5, the date scheduled for the soft opening of the first Livity Outernational flagship store, located at 2401 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica, Calif. The retail space will offer more than 200 styles of Livity’s hats, T-shirts and even rainproof outerwear for men, women and kids. The store also will offer a café of sustainable eats and...

]]> 2010-02-26 14:37:30 <![CDATA[Three for Robertson - 1969, Odd Molly and Armani Exchange Debut on Glitzy St. by Andrew Asch]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=736 Gap's 1969 debuts shop on Robertson After a glum period on Los Angeles’ glitzy Robertson Boulevard, business might be rolling again. This week, three stores will debut on one of Los Angeles’ most high-profile shopping districts. On Feb. 25, Gap debuted a boutique for its 1969 Premium Denim Jeans line at 109 S. Robertson Blvd. It will be a permanent shop compared with the 1969 pop-up shop that did business at 108 N. Robertson for a few months last year, according to a statement from Gap Inc. Some chatter from real estate sources said that the new 1969 shop is scheduled to stay open only one year, however. A Gap representative said by the time 2011 rolls around, Gap's place on Robertson will still be doing business. There also was some talk on whether this new tenant would fit in its new home. The core prices for Gap’s 1969 jeans are modest by Robertson standards. They range from $54.50 to $85.50. Labels known for higher-priced...

]]> 2010-02-26 13:59:56 <![CDATA[HBO Does Denim by Erin Barajas]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=734 Would-be denim maven, Ben. (Image courtesy of HBO) Denim is full of intrigue. There are lawsuits and rivalries and feuds that often outlast the brands that spark all the drama. And there's the talent and magic it takes to turn bolts of rough blue fabric into sexy/cool status symbols for in-the-know guys and girls. So, really, it should be no surprise that HBO has created a new series about two guys trying to launch a denim line with nothing but a bolt of stolen selvage and absolutely no clue what they're doing. "How to Make it in America," starring Bryan Greenberg as Ben, a Barney's worker bee malcontent, and Victor Rasuk as Cam, a born hustler, follows the two as they decide to make it big. In denim. In America. That's the whole plot. Except they are Lower East Side hipsters that buy their denim, Japanese selvage from a vintage left-handed loom (or something like that), from a guy who stole it. And they are funded by Cam's ex-con loan-shark cousin. And people...

]]> 2010-02-25 15:32:10 <![CDATA[According to Fast Company, Technology Companies are Most Innovative. Obviously. by Rhea Cortado]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=732 CEO Susan Lyne of Gilt Groupe, the highest-ranked fashion company in Fast Company's "Most Innovative" list. photo by Chris Shipman courtesy FastCompany.com We get it, the Internet and technology are the future. Business magazine Fast Company published its latest “World’s Most Innovative Companies” list. Topping the list is Facebook, followed by Amazon, Apple and Google. In the Fashion category, flash sample-sale website Gilt Groupe earns the highest ranking at No. 21. Buzzy themes of sustainability, a diverse market portfolio and having an interactive consumer component got these companies on Fast Company's good side. While no California-based companies made the cut, Stella McCartney's collaboration with San Francisco-based Gap was notably recognized, and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's line, Elizabeth & James, is manufactured by Los Angeles-based L'Koral Industries. Here’s how the rest of the list stacks up. 2. Fast...

]]> 2010-02-24 18:32:04 <![CDATA[Getting Wild With Spirit Hoods by N. Jayne Seward]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=730 It’s no secret that fashion is hearing the call of the wild.... WILD AT HEART: Spirit Hoods are the latest hipster take on animal-inspired accessories, photo courtesy of Spirit Hoods Just take a look at Topshop Unique’s Fall 2010 runway presentation. The thought conjures up images of the great outdoors in a “Where the Wild Things Are” sort of way. And for Spirit Hoods, it’s all about creating a product that expresses your inner “wild nature.” Founded by best friends Alexander Mendeluk, Marley Marotta and Chase Hamilton, the collection launched at the Pooltradeshow in Las Vegas last week. Mendeluk said creating the collection was a natural evolution from experimenting with some faux fur. One thing led to another, and after crafting them for friends and family, Spirit Hoods took on a life of its own. “We are expressing our inner sense of fun, and we hope that people will respond,” Mendeluk said. The line has...

]]> 2010-02-23 19:15:37 <![CDATA[Playing Dress Up as a Virtual Stylist by Connie Cho]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=729 My virtual self likes to pile on the accessories but I kept her from going overboard. Visual search engine site Like.com recently launched Couturious, a site where users get to play stylist and dress up virtual avatars. Couturious operates much like similar dress-up site Looklet.com, which launched last year. Couturious offers outfit resources from nearly 300 brands, including featured designers Alice + Olivia, Charlotte Ronson, Cynthia Rowley, Tibi and Yigal Azrouel. I noticed a well-represented West Coast contingent of L.A. labels such as Sue Wong, Kill City, Fremont, Grai and Mike & Chris. Users can select from a variety of model types, shapes and sizes. Not only can users create a look for their avatar but even go as far as piling on the layers, tucking in each shirt or unbuttoning top buttons on a shirt. Most pieces can then be shopped for directly from the designer’s e-tail site or a partnered site such as Zappos.com. User can also share finished...

]]> 2010-02-23 15:07:26 <![CDATA[Lingerie Design Contest by Deborah Belgum]]> http://www.apparelnews.net/blog/detail?id=728 Calling all wanna-be lingerie designers. For the third year in a row, German lingerie maker Triumph International is holding a lingerie design contest that can launch a student's career. The company is inviting students from fashion schools to enter their creations to be judged in a final competition in London during September's London Fashion Week after national competitions produce finalists. The judging panel has had a host of prestigious fashion icons scrutinize the designs. Some of those were Dutch design duo Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf and Italian Vogue Editor-in-Chief Franca Sozzani. Students have to interpret the design theme "Shape Sensation" by entering a two-piece bra-and-panty set or a one-piece silhouette. First prize is $20,400. The winner also will have help from the Triumph design team in Hong Kong to turn the winning student design into a commercial product, available as a limited edition at Triumph's own...

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