Friday, January 31
Cherokee/Mossimo Settlement
An arbitration panel found in favor of Cherokee in the dispute between the Van Nuysbased licensing firm and Mossimo Inc. The dispute was over certain fees involved in a deal that Cherokee brokered between Mossimo and Minneso...
Tukatech Starts Online Marker, Data Services
Tukatech Inc.’s TukaWeb division, based in Los Angeles, is offering pattern making, grading and marker making over the Internet along with data conversion and 3-D draping services....
Costume Guild Names Honorees for 2002
The Costume Designers Guild (CDG) announced the nominations for their Excellence in Costume Design Awards, set for Mar. 16 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Cali...
Goldberg Dies at 81
Independent sales representative Walter Goldberg died on Jan. 8, following a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 81....
Mickey and J. Crew
Former Gap chief executive officer Millard S. “Mickey” Drexler has been named chairman and chief executive of New York-based J. Crew Group Inc. Drexler is replacing current chairman Emily Woods,...
Swim Story
Look for a bevy of bathing beauties in the February issue of National Geographic. The venerable publication is publishing a newsstand-only swimsuit edition that looks at the history ...
Mercedes-Benz Sets L.A. Shows' Format, Rules
More than 100 designers, show producers and publicists crowded into Hollywood nightclub Vine on Jan. 27 to hear the latest plans for Mercedes-Benz Shows L.A., the ...
Trussardi Dies
The president of Italian design firm Trussardi, Francesco Trussardi, died in an auto accident on Jan. 26. He was 29 years old. Francesco Trussardi assumed control of the company following the 1999 dea...
Kashou, Lucero Signed for Smashbox Fashion Week
Rising star designers Rami Kashou, Eduardo Lucero, David Park and Juniper & Jasper are among the early entries for the inaugural edition of ...
Local Buyers Scout for Key Trends at San Francisco Market
SAN FRANCISCO—Immediate deliveries for spring and all things fashion were at the top of buyers’ must-do lists for the Summer 2003 edition of Golden Gate Apparel Association’s (GGAA) Fa...
Fallen Confidence
The Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 79.0 in January from 80.7 the month before, according to the Conference Board. The drop reflects a continued weak economy and indicates that consumers remain c...
Lectra Systems Opens El Salvador Service Center
Atlanta-based technology provider Lectra Systems has opened a new service center in El Salvador to expand its Central American technical-support offerings....
Crossover Appeal Keeps Gift Show Busy
Gift and home-accessory retailers visiting the California Gift Show Jan. 14–21 at the California Market Center (CMC) and Los Angeles Convention Center saw a...
DMG Takes Larger Stake in CMC
United Kingdom-based Daily Mail Group (DMG), which operates the California Gift Show conducted at the California Market Center (CMC), said it has purchased a “significant shar...
Alternative Crowd Gathers at Agenda
T-shirts—and plenty of them—were the main bill of fare for the inaugural edition of Agenda, an independent music, art and apparel trade show. Agenda ran concurrent with the Action Sports Reta...
Action TV
Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver is teaming with Fox Sports Net to launch a daily news program about actions sports called “54321.” The 30- minute show, which bowed on the cable channel...
Dallas Apparel Mart Sets Closure, Move to WTC
The recently announced closure of the Dallas International Apparel Mart and impending 2004 relocation to the Dallas World Trade Center (WTC) was received with mixed opinion...
Appointments Key at Long Beach ASR
The Jan. 23–25 run of the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo (ASR) at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif., carried the theme: “Where Leaders Take Ord...
Nautica Moves Earl Jean East
Earl Jean Inc. is moving its denim business East....
Friday, January 24
Military Chic Booms at On Beverly Boulevard
For work, for play, it’s the season of the cargo pant, and several reinterpretations of the look are selling at On Beverly Boulevard, ranging in price from $115 to $240....
Key Trends and Immediates Lead Summer '03 Market
The sound of pencil to paper was fast and furious at Los Angeles Market Week Summer 2003, as hungry buyers sought fresh, casual styles—as well as the almighty cargo pant—to fill their bare-to-t...
AAFA's Image
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) will honor Saks Department Store Group president and chief executive officer George L. Jones, designer Diane von Furstenberg, Fashion Institute of Techno...
Brighter Future for Gerber-Thanks to West Coast Growth
Last year was a difficult one for Gerber Technology, but recent changes—including some local efforts—have the company in a bright position....
Smith & Wesson Wear
Scottsdale, Ariz-based handgun maker Smith & Wesson Corp. has struck a licensing deal with Japanese conglomerate Nissho Iwai General Merchandise Corp. for a line of men’s and women’s apparel under the Smith...
Beranek Launches New Line, deb-el-yuuml;, at D&A Annex
Los Angeles designer William Beranek, founder of the William B. label, launched a new collection, deb-el-yuuml;, for Summer at the Designers & Agents’ A...
Rojas Splits with Private
After a year of designing for Private clothing, designer Freddie Rojas is going solo. Rojas and the Los Angeles-based manufacturer parted ways on friendly terms recently and are both planning...
Fashion Week Calendar Entries Sought
Preparations for Los Angeles Fashion Week got underway as the Los Angeles Fashion Week Committee met to discuss Fashion Week Calendar deadlines for the Fall 2003 fashion we...
An Evening With Bob Mackie
If a designer’s success is measured by the amount of laughter he has evoked through his work, then Bob Mackie has earned his legendary status. But laughter definitely comes second to the glamour and creative vision that Macki...
Keeping the Indie Spirit Going
Orange County is home to more than a dozen action-sports companies that distribute their logo’d apparel around the globe. Because of its sunny locale, nestled between Southern California’s coastline and...
ISS Shows Growth in Long Beach for 2003
The 25th annual Imprinted Sportswear Show (ISS) ran Jan. 17–19 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif., showing marked exhibitor growth among companies and ...
Quiksilver on Expansion Track
Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Quiksilver Inc. is expanding its West Coast headquarters. The surfwear resource is adding 200,000 square feet of industrial space to its Orange County ...
Downtown Fire
Floor-to-ceiling stacks of fabric made it particularly difficult to contain a fire that broke out after hours on Jan. 22 at Tia International textile firm downtown. The fire began around 7:30 p.m. and...
Media City Center Buy
Irvine-based developer Crown Realty & Development is in negotiations to purchase the Burbank Media City Center mall from San Diego-based Pan Pacific Retail Properties in a reported deal for $110 million. Pan Paci...
Four Star Takes the Technology Route
San Clemente, Calif.-based Four Star Distribution, which markets snowboards, skateboards and apparel for the actionsports market, is relying on the latest in software technology to g...
Gottschalks to Present at EDI Seminar
Chris Noble, EDI administrator for Fresno, Calif.-based department-store chain Gottschalks will be the guest speaker at a Fashion Business, Inc. seminar. The seminar is set...
Red Carpet to Reality
Los Angeles designer Eletra Casadei took up the challenge once again to reinterpret some of the gowns seen on the red carpet at the Golden Globe awards—and unveil her creations in three days....
Friday, January 17
Fashion Museum Gains Housing Group Support
The Los Angeles Housing and Community Development Committee took a step toward facilitating a deal to build a fashion museum in downtown Los Angeles....
Levi's Fourth-Quarter and Fiscal 2002 Results
Levi Straus & Company is beginning to come out of the fog—a bit....
Designer Helga Oppenheimer Dies
Helga K. Oppenheimer, who designed high-end suits and eveningwear for her namesake company Helga Inc. for 40 years, died on Jan. 6 at her Los Angeles home....
Macy's D.C.
Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores announced plans for a new Macy’s store outside Washington, D.C., at the Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton, in Wheaton, Md. The two-story, 180,000-square-foot s...
Zelda
California Market Center, Suite A298 (213) 498-0516 ...
Camper Bows in Los Angeles
Quirky shoe manufacturer Camper has signed a deal to open its first Los Angeles unit, on Robertson Boulevard. The 1,800- square-foot location at 103 S. Rob...
Kmart Closures
Troy, Mich.-based retailer Kmart announced plans to lay off 37,000 workers and close 326 stores and a distribution center in its efforts to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by April. The r...
Tarrant's Twill Mill
Los Angeles-based private label manufacturer Tarrant Apparel Group completed its acquisition of a twill mill in Tlaxcala, Mexico, from Trans Textil International SA de C.V. The deal was completed for ...
Film Costumes at FIDM Gallery
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles will kick off its 11th exhibition saluting “The Art of Motion Picture Costume Desi...
AB633 Regulations at Heart of Wet Seal Labor Dispute
Wet Steal, Inc. has landed in the middle of a labor dispute that exemplifies the confusion over who is liable for labor law violations under Assembly Bill 633....
Cherokee Strikes Deal for Chorus Line Brands
Van Nuys, Calif.-based Cherokee Inc. has signed a 5-year brand licensing agreement with Gilrichco Brands LLC to produce several brands under the CL Fashions trademark....
CMC Breaks Out Its New Apparel/Gift Image
With newly painted interiors and tag lines that read “style starts here,” the California Market Center in Los Angeles officially unveiled its new look during the overla...
Retailers Sweat Out Tough December '02
It was a blue, blue Christmas holiday sales season for a number of retailers, with some pockets of strength for teen specialty retailers who ...
Retailers Anticipate a Shift Back to Careerwear
The sartorial pendulum may be starting to swing back toward professional dress....
Lifestyle Clothiers
California Market Center Suite A-259 (213) 488-1562 ...
Michael Stars on the Expansion Trail
T-shirt specialist Michael Stars Inc., which makes apparel for sale at Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and other major retail chains, is expanding into a new 42,...
New Law Targets Workplace Injuries
The California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has implemented a new law that penalizes employers who fail to report workplace injuries....
Sales Tax Hike?
California sales tax may increase by 1 percent this year if Governor Gray Davis’ proposed budget is approved. And the California Department of Finance is recommending an additional sales tax hike of 1....
EM Productions Showroom
3942 W. Sunset Blvd., #3Los Angeles(323) 644-2684...
Studio West
New Mart, Suite 1100 (213) 622-3736 ...
Jesta Acquires Essentus
Montreal-based real estate conglomerate Jesta Capital Group has acquired all of the intellectual property and assets of fellow Montreal firm Essentus Inc. ...
Textile Dyers to Merge With CFA
The Association of Textile Dyers Printers & Finishers (ATDPF), still reeling from the spike in energy prices from two years ago, has decided to pool its resources and be...
Joe's at 903
Joe’s Jeans is heading West. The label will now be sold at New Mart Showroom 903, according to Los Angeles-based Innovo Group, parent company of the men’s and contemporary denim label, in an effort to boost West Coast sales of...
Mood Mixed at Source International
The first installment of the Source International trade show held, Jan. 12–14 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, didn’t exactly hit the ground running—drawing a mixed respons...
Wal-Mart Opens at Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Plaza
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will open its first Central Los Angeles store Jan. 22 at Baldwin Hills–Crenshaw Plaza. The world’s No. 1 discount retailer will occupy the center’s Art Deco 150,...
Kyser to Speak at CFA Membership Meeting
Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., will speak on economic trends going forward during the California Fashi...
Technology Is Key At NRF Annual Convention
With a modest projection of 3 percent growth in the economy this year, retail executives have little choice but to dive into their own pocketbooks for technology investments that will grab market shar...
Size USA Coming To FIDM Campus
Cary, N.C.-based TC2, which produces 3- D sizing scanners for the sewn products industry, is bringing its national sizing survey, Size USA, to the Fashion ...
Global Sourcing Seminar Planned at ASAP
Global trade advisors Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg (ST&R) will present a seminar addressing international trade in a quota-free market Feb. 18 at th...
Island Pacific Software Inks Deal With Bridal Salon
Carlsbad, Calif.-based Island Pacific (IP), which markets operations management software, has a license and services agreement with Ontario, Calif.-based retailer Group USA, which will use IP...
Los Angeles Design Via Berkeley and New York
Two new contemporary labels—Rachel Pally and Lanya—have arrived on the Los Angeles fashion scene by way of New York and Berkeley....
Friday, January 10
LAEDC to Reinforce Campaign: quot;Stay in L.A.quot;
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) is preparing to step up its county-wide campaign to assist business owners—particularly those in the apparel sector— and the orga...
Textile Action Plan
The American Textile Manufacturers Institute is urging Congress and the Bush administration to support its eight-point plan, which calls for the opening of international markets, the creation of bilateral tra...
ISI Develops Compliance Tools for AB633
Glendale, Calif.-based ISI Systems, which markets payroll software for the apparel industry, has customized its Barcode-Plus program to help employers comply with new regulations imp...
Ford and Lane Davis Stage Fashions at Auto Show
Revving up its image, Ford Motor Co. hosted a fashion show by North Hollywood, Calif.-based designer...
Li & Fung Signs on Justwin Software Package
Li & Fung USA, the North American division of Hong Kong-based Li & Fung Group, has teamed with New Yorkbased Justwin Technologies Inc. and its Justwin Apparel colla...
AAFA to Host Sourcing Conference in Long Beach
Executives from United States Customs, Reebok International Ltd., SAP, Russell Corp. and Maersk Logistics will be among the pan...
Retail Developer Donahue Dies
Daniel W. Donahue, chairman and cofounder of the Costa Mesa, Calif.-based real estate firm Donahue Schriber, died on Dec. 31 at the age of 60 due to complications from recent heart surgery....
GCA Names New Board, Sets Scholarship Deadline
Los Angeles-based Garment Contractors Association of Southern California (GCA) has announced the names of its elected board and officers, said Joe Rodriquez, GCA executive director....
Holiday Online: Short Shopping Season Boosts Web Sales
Despite weak spending overall this holiday season, the brightest spot for retailers was online sales. They topped $74 billion, with apparel and consumer electronics leading the growth segments and exceeded nearly all...
Younger Shoppers a Boost to Most Belmont Shore Stores
Long Beach often plays second fiddle to its bigger competitor to the north, Los Angeles, but when it comes to shopping, many say it holds its own....
Shanghai Association Recruiting International Labels, Designers
Members of the Shanghai Garment Trade Association (SGTA) were in Los Angeles recently as part of a whirlwind U.S. tour to promote several Shanghai events, as well as to drum up support for th...
SmashBox Proposes Alternative Fashion Week
As an alternative to the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Shows L.A. shows and other events planned for Los Angeles Fashion Week, noted fashion photographer Davis F...
Ebbing Confidence
The Consumer Confidence Index fell four points to 80.3 in December after a November rally, according to the Conference Board, a New York-based research firm that tracks economic indicators....
Total Enterprises to Debut at MAGIC
Los Angeles-based screen printer Total Enterprises Inc. will debut at MAGIC International Feb. 18–21, where it will be giving screen-printing demonstrations at its b...
Shopping Center Sale
There are a few Southern California malls on the market. Los Angeles-based Trident Group is in negotiations to sell its Beverly Connection property to Apollo Real Estate Advisors, which is currently developin...
Organic Apparel Part of New Trade Show
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) will stage All Things Organic, its annual organic products trade show, May 14–17 at the Austin Convention Center in Texas....
Babystyle and Reebok Launch Maternity Activewear
Los Angeles-based maternity and baby brand Babystyle has signed a licensing agreement with Reebok International Ltd. to sell its newly launched activewear collection for moms-to-be ...
Hollywood Looks With Contemporary Style
Shelly Komarov may be best known as a five-time Emmy Award–winning costume designer for the likes of Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry, but her current passion is her two contemporary spo...
New Focus for Clothestime Could Include New Owner
Clothestime is in the works to restructure the company and its merchandising mix—again....
Ace Ross Studios Looking for Buyer
Ace Ross Studios is for sale....
North Face N.Y.
San Leandro-based outdoor manufacturer the North Face is heading to New York City. The company announced plans to open a store on the city’s Upper West Side. The two-story boutique, in the historic ear...
Friday, January 3
Plans Proceed for Ralphs Market and Fashion Museum
Living and working in the Los Angeles Fashion District may soon become more appealing as the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) on Dec. 19 approved a ...
Temper Tantrum
What’s next after sexy sweats? According to the designer of Los Angeles T-shirt line Temper Tantrum, it’s contemporary-styled novelty tees....
Rusty Taps Price
Irvine-based surf maker Rusty Apparel has hired Dan Price as designer for the company’s bottoms division. Price was previously with DC Apparel....
Did You Get a Bike for Christmas?
The term “Christmas bonus” took on new meaning for employees of Newport Beach, Calif.-based Paul Frank Industries. The sportswear, accessories, furniture—and now bicycle—manufacturer gav...
U.S. Report
Textile trends, products and government initiatives will be the topic of an upcoming seminar set for Jan. 8 at Heimtextil 2003 in Germany. James C. Leonard III, deputy assistant secretary of commerce ...
Jordache Buildings
The Nakash Brothers, who launched Jordache jeans and other apparel brands, purchased two landmark buildings in Chicago and New York for an estimated $258 million. The brothers—Joe, Ralph and Avi Nakash—...
Renee Bardot Plans Beverly Hills Store
Renee Bardot is hanging her hat in Beverly Hills. The German fashion designer, who opened her La Brea Avenue store 4 years ago, will open a second location at 9411 Brighton Way later this month. “People are looki...
Avenues Picks Up Stella and Halston
The low-profile Avenues of Art & Design shopping district in West Hollywood has just attracted high-profile tenants Stella McCartney, designer and daughter of ex-Beatle Paul McCa...
TALA Names New Board
The new board of directors of the Textile Association of Los Angeles (TALA) will be installed on Jan. 29 at the group’s annual luncheon in the California Market Cent...
Can Bebe Stores Fashion a Comeback?
Just a few years ago, Bebe Stores Inc. churned out figure-hugging fashions that had people—including financial observers—turning their heads in admiration....
Photographer Ritts Dies
Fashion photographer Herb Ritts died on Dec. 26 from complications of pneumonia. He was 50. Ritts is best known for his photos for fashion magazines including Vogue and his portraits of celeb...
Jobless Drop
New unemployment claims dropped in mid-December, according to the Department of Labor, which noted that this was the steepest drop in more than one year. The number of new claims decreased by a season...
Richline Textile Relocates to Pico Rivera
Richline Textile Co. has acquired a 115,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Pico Rivera, Calif., and will relocate its operations, currently based in Vernon, to the new...
Sunset Millennium Begins Attracting Boutique Retailers
After much debate for the past three years, the doors at Sunset Millennium, a $300 million multi-use project in West Hollywood, Calif., have begun to swing open....
