Friday, May 28
Avery Enters Tagless Label Business
The Avery Dennison Corp.’s Westlake Village, Calif.–based retail information services division has entered the tagless label business with the introduction of ComfortTag, a he...
Cristi Conaway Los Angeles
It all started with a knit scarf. Cristi Conaway spent years slugging it out as a young actress in Hollywood, knitting scarves behind the camera for her girlfriends, before she was discovered for her ...
Sea to Open Showroom at FIG Dallas
Los Angeles–based sales agency Sea will open a showroom next month at the new Fashion Industry Gallery in Dallas....
New Reality Show Seeks Fashion Designers
Reality television will turn to the fashion industry this fall. Miramax Television, the company behind “Project Greenlight,” is teaming up with the Bravo netwo...
Tee Party: C&C Designers Drop In at FBI
For more than a year, C&C California designers Claire Stansfield and Cheyann Benedict have enticed buyers and consumers with ultra-soft and colorful basic T-shirts designed to be layered ...
OPS-NY Off
The Milwaukee-based Off-Price Specialist Show has canceled its 5-year-old New York event, explaining that the company will focus its efforts on developing new products for the industry—including the po...
Dress For Success Impresses With New Retail Store
Dress For Success Los Angeles exists to help homeless women find a new start by giving them office suits for job interviews. When the nonprofit organization’s grant funding dropped by 50 percent this ...
Film & Fashion
The Beverly Hills Film Festival showcased Los Angeles–based line Szulika on May 6 at Joya. Szulika designer Monica Osorio showed her Spring 2004 line, as well as a preview of her Fall/Winter 2004 colle...
Zara Opens Two Stores in Southern California
Spanish fashion giant Zara has set its sights on California....
Grand Avenue Redevelopment Narrowed to Two Finalists
The job of developing more than 3.2 million square feet of real estate neighboring the Walt Disney Concert Hall into apartments, retail spaces, offices and a 16-acre public park may...
The Philosophy of Peter Cohen
Subtle details, lush fabrics and a well-heeled clientele have kept Los Angeles–based Cohen designing locally for 20 years...
Comic-Book Couture
Kitson owner Fraser Ross (right) celebrated the debut of Betty & Veronica clothing and accessories on May 24 with buyer Christina Minasian (middle) and sales associate Mimi Kang ...
Retailer Makes Short Fashionable
Men come in all shapes and sizes, but the same cannot be said about suits....
Europe's Increasing Tariffs Challenge U.S. Apparel Makers
Shortly after Randa Allen began her contemporary sportswear line, Notice Inc., the Los Angeles designer started exporting to Europe....
Online Sales Exceed $100 Billion
E-tailers garnered more than $100 billion in sales in 2003, according to a joint study between the National Retail Federation’s Shop.org division and Forrester Research Inc. The annual report, titled...
Summer Slowdown? Truck Strikes, Shortages Could Derail U.S. Shipping
This summer is shaping up to be the season of discontent for getting goods in and out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif....
NGC Gaining Ground on West Coast
Miami Lakes, Fla.–based software company New Generation Computing Inc. is setting its sights on the West Coast market....
Madison on Santee Court
Notable Los Angeles City Hall denizens— including Mayor James Hahn, city council members Jan Perry and Antonio Villaraigosa, and representatives from U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard’s office—rub...
FedEx Raises Rate
The Memphis, Tenn.–based FedEx Corp. announced a general rate increase of 5.9 percent on interstate and intrastate shipments and on some shipments between the United States, Mexico and Canada. The comp...
Juicy Couture Debuts First Store
Juicy Couture will open its first retail store in October, according to Paul R. Charron, chairman and chief executive of Liz Claiborne Inc., which owns the Arleta, Calif.–bas...
Macy's West Settlement
San Francisco–based Macy’s West Inc., the West Coast division of the Federated Department Store chain, announced it has reached a settlement with the district attorneys’ offices in Los Angeles, Marin, Shasta and Sonoma ...
Wet Seal Tries Reality Marketing
Reality television stars regularly appear on the covers of celebrity magazines, and The Wet Seal Inc. hopes its new reality marketing campaign will capture the attention of America’s teenagers...
Regional Sourcing, Technology Draw Interest at SPESA
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Fabric companies and apparel manufacturers that congregated at the Miami Beach Convention Center for the May 18–20 run of Material...
Friday, May 21
Bat's Daughter
Angela Batinovich is a self-described “daddy’s girl.”...
Nike Expands at the Airport
Beaverton, Ore.–based footwear giant Nike Inc. announced plans to move its store at the Portland, Ore., airport from an 828-square-foot space in the “Oregon Market” area near the food cou...
Italian Event to Feature Rogiani
Elisabetta Rogiani couture and swimwear will be on the runway at The Grove in Los Angeles, as part of “Lazio Night: Roman Summer,” an event sponsored by the Co...
Trade Concerns Don't Slow Buying Trends at Tech Show
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Despite continued concerns about radio frequency identification technology mandates and the impending World Trade Association members quota lift, ...
The Grove CEO Invests $1 Billion in Luxury Retail
Rick Caruso chose The Grove, the Italianate open-air shopping center he developed in Los Angeles’ Fairfax district, as the venue to announce his plans to build six new luxury retail shopping c...
Labuda Fields Customs Questions at CFA Meeting
In late March, U.S. customs officials working at the Port of Newark in New Jersey confiscated $1 million worth of Chinese-made knit sweaters packaged in boxes marked as toys....
Holy Growth
El Segundo–based contemporary denim label True Religion saw its sales double during the first quarter of 2004. The company’s sales climbed from $1.34 million in the fourth quarter of 2003 to $2.69 in the quarter that ended Mar...
Clothing Donations Sought for Silverlake School
Apparel donations are being sought for a benefit organized by parents of preschool students attending the Silver Lake Independent Jewish Community Center (SIJCC) in the Silverlake di...
Surf Summit Covers Industry's Rush to Retail
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico—Cacti, palm trees and a crystal-blue ocean served as a stunning backdrop to the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association’s (SIMA) seventh annual Surf Summit, held May 1...
Truck Strikes Ends
California truckers have ended a week-long strike over escalating fuel prices. Business slowed at the Port of Oakland, California’s fourth-largest port, when the truckers staged their protest....
Popped Off
Portland, Maine–based retailer L.L. Bean filed a lawsuit against Nordstrom, J.C. Penney, Atkins and Gevalia, charging the companies with infringing on its trademark rights by linking pop-up ads to the L.L. Bean Web si...
Cohen Joins l.e.i.
New York–based Jones Apparel Group has promoted Andy Cohen to group president of the company’s l.e.i. and Energie divisions. Previously, Cohen was president of Energie. Peter Caminiti has been named pre...
Sigrid Olsen in Texas
New York–based designer Sigrid Olsen has opened her first Texas store at The Galleria in Houston. Olsen has 12 retail stores nationwide, and her 19-year-old line is carried by department and specialty ...
Outlook Brightens, Particularly for Retail, in Q2
The second quarter of 2004 showed continued signs of recovery for the general California economy while the textile industry saw slight gains and the apparel industry benefited from steady retail sales...
Jzmo
Manhattan Beach, Calif.–based Jzmo is making a $100,000 leap into business accessories by launching a sleek and chic line of computer cases for female execs....
Financial Company Targets Surf-and-Skate Market
Scott William Bass is a curious combination of surfer, journalist and financial executive. Bass is the editorial director of Primedia Inc...
Bohemian, Independent Long Beach Boutiques at Crossroads
Construction of luxury high-rise condominium buildings dominates the skyline of Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, Calif. Retailers across the street, in the East Village Arts District, are trying to fore...
California's Road to Recovery
California’s economic future is getting brighter....
Tyler Looks to Beverly Hills
Los Angeles designer Richard Tyler is on the move....
Tuesday, May 18
April Showers Hope on 2001 Retail Sales
April retail sales exceeded expectations, providing encouragement for the remainder of the year after a slow 2000 opening and dismal sales last month. Most improved from the mo...
Friday, May 14
AAU's New Beginnings
Graduating fashion students at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco will compete for internships with top fashion designers and the opportunity to display designs in the w...
Top Designers Revive Rodeo Drive
There’s a land rush on Rodeo Drive....
Cotton Goes Back to Basics
Cotton Inc. has added an interactive educational program to its CD-ROM series. “The Basics of Yarn Manufacturing” is geared toward sourcing professionals and includes a demonstration of yarn pro...
Dockers for Sale?
San Francisco–based Levi Strauss & Co. announced it has retained Citigroup Inc. to explore the possibility of selling its Dockers brand. Dockers launched in 1986 and generated approximately $1.4 bi...
Global Challenges Face Material World/SPESA Buyers
More than 12,000 buyers will be on the lookout for the latest in fabric, technology and machinery during the May 18–20 run of the Material World trade show ...
Beyonceacute;'s Deal
Musician and actress Beyonceacute; Knowles has formed a joint venture with Arthur and Jason Rabin to create a line of apparel under the Beyonceacute; label. The Rabins are founders of Wear Me Apparel/Kids Hea...
New Cooper Space Opens Doors to Electronic Gamers
E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, took over part of the Los Angeles Fashion District May 11–14 to showcase the latest in video games...
Barrymoore
Maggie Barry and Lee Moore know some secrets about rock stars—but they’re not telling what they are. The two recently joined forces, pooled their “secret” information about fit and launch...
Pluck
Colorful, lightweight and ultra-hip, Pluck is a unique line of earrings made from organic and rare feathers....
Ecko and Atari
Marc Ecko, founder of urban lifestyle brand Ecko Unlimited and publisher of Complex men’s magazine, has struck a deal with New York–based video game pioneer Atari Inc. to create “Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: ...
Gerber Hires Marketing Exec
Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology Inc. has hired Bob Rivera as its new executive director of global marketing and key accounts. Rivera is responsible for strategic marketing and ...
Urban Outfitters Links With Gerber PDM
Philadelphia-based specialty chain Urban Outfitters Inc. has aligned with Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology Inc. to use the company’s WebPDM software....
Ron Simms
Longtime industry executive Bill McFarlane has partnered with custom motorcycle maker Ron Simms to create an upscale line of men’s and women’s apparel that captures the allure of the biker lifestyle....
Development Group Eyes California Retail Projects
San Francisco–based real estate company Rawson, Blum & Leon (RBL) has joined forces with three veteran retail developers to build shopping centers throughout California and the West....
New Owners, Price Hikes
Invista, the newly formed fiber division of Koch Industries Inc., is raising prices. Koch, having just completed its acquisition of Invista from DuPont, has merged its branded polyester business with ...
Band of Outsiders
Sexy and preppy aren’t words you hear together too often. But listening to designer Scott Sternberg describe his new collection, you picture Ryan O’Neal in “Love Story.” Or, depending on y...
Kaci Bacher
Kaci Bacher may have created the perfect wardrobe solution for the young fashionista moms of the world with her eponymous line of semi-tailored separates. The sportswear line, which launched in April ...
The Mouse That Roars; a Site That Zooms
Online retail sales soared to $1.24 billion for the week ending April 11—up 57 percent from the $789 million reported for the corresponding week one year ago, according to Co...
FIDM Takes on Costume Research, Conservation and History
The Hollywood costume—from conception to restoration—was the topic of “Hollywood Master Designers of the Golden Age,” a panel discussion held April 24 at the Museum &...
Morphine Generation
Los Angeles rock musician Erick Hart and photographer/music video director Elliot Hans joined forces to make the ultimate punkrock T-shirt collection. The result is Morphine Generation, a 30-...
Store Stocks Clothes From Past Masters
Most vintage-clothing stores specialize in denims from the 1970s or jackets from the 1950s. Doris Raymond’s shop will specialize in mint-condition formal, casual and ethnic apparel from the late 19th c...
Cool April '04 Slows Sales
April showers dampened last month’s sales—or at least slowed down the previously healthy growth rate....
Mossimo Looks to Luxe
Mossimo Inc. is heading away from the beach and going upscale through its Modern Amusement division....
Guatemala Prepares for 2005
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala—Central American apparel manufacturers are ramping up their production and full-package capabilities to meet anticipated demand even though it is uncertain whether the Central...
Madison Fashion Show to Highlight Santee Court Opening
Specialty retailer Madison will host a fashion show on May 21 to highlight the opening of Los Angeles loft development Santee Court. The grand opening party will take place from 5:30...
Ben & Jerry's-Funded Apparel Maker Closes
Los Angeles–based SweatX, the casual clothing company that promoted itself as a socially conscious business by paying its workers a “living wage” and benefits, has closed....
Friday, May 7
Levi's New Tax Man
San Francisco–based Levi Strauss & Co. has appointed Paul Smith as vice president of the denim giant’s global tax department. Smith joins the company from Ernst & Young LLP, where he served as the direc...
City of Hope to Honor Kapor and Cohen
Duarte, Calif.–based City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute will present its Spirit of Life Award to attorney Jeffrey...
Urban Marvel
New York–based urban apparel company AST Sportswear has inked a deal with New York–based Marvel Enterprises Inc., owner of Marvel Comics and its stable of characters, including Spider-Man, Punisher, X-M...
Gap Gets Ethical
San Francisco–based retail chain Gap Inc. has been accepted into the Ethical Trading Initiative, a British organization that works to promote corporate codes regarding supply-chain labor conditions. Th...
Charlotte Names Director of Stores
San Diego retail chain Charlotte Russe has named Beatrice Vicente senior vice president, director of stores, for the 335 Charlotte Russe and Rampage stores. Vicente was previously with the Banana Repu...
Malls Assess Terror Threats
The specter of terror against shopping centers was raised recently following news that authorities had received a threat on malls in West Los Angeles....
Capital Factors Appoints Dundish to EVP
Harold I. Dundish has been named executive vice president/Western regional manager for Capital Factors....
U.S. Apparel and Textile Forces Take On China
They may be down, but they’re not out....
Bluetorch Names East Coast Rep
Los Angeles–based extreme-sports company Bluetorch Inc. has named Jeff Kelly territory sales representative for New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Kelly, who ...
New at Neuburger
San Rafael–based sleepwear and loungewear maker Karen Neuburger/KN Inc. has hired Michael Penn as vice president of brand licensing. Penn, whose experience includes stints at Levi Strauss & Co., th...
FIG to Honor Marine and Charney
The Fashion Industries Guild will honor JEM Sportswear President Jeff Marine and American Apparel Senior Partner Dov Charney at...
San Francisco Designers Take Advantage of Local Opportunities to Shine
San Francisco’s rough-and-tumble industrial section took a hit in the late 1990s, when skyrocketing real estate prices sent many apparel companies to more affordable Bay Area cities. But the district i...
MJW Planning for Downtown L.A. Development
Los Angeles real estate company MJW Investments is gathering input from local businesses and residents concerning a proposed mixed-use project the company plans to build just east of the city’...
Showroom Space Evolving in L.A. Fashion District
Showroom space is taking an edgier turn in the Los Angeles Fashion District. As more youthful contemporary and alternative brands make their way into The Intersec...
Changes Afoot at Maxine Swim Group
Allan Colvin has replaced Vincent E. Rojas as president and chief operating officer of the Maxine Swim Group Inc. His appointment was effective as of April 12....
The Body of Fashion
After 12 years retailing high-end fashion in Encino, Calif., Galit Rich and Teddy Zach opened their second store, Body, in Beverly Hills in November 2003. Some might say Rich and Zach have ju...
Tukatech Launches Alliance With FedEx, Kinko's
Tukatech Inc.'s TukaWeb division has formed a strategic alliance with the Memphis, Tenn.–based FedEx Corp. to set up a pattern and marker-making service in Asia....
Fashion Competition Seeks Designers
Organizers of the first annual Golden Needle Awards are looking for up-and-coming designers to participate in an awards program ...
High-Flying Fashion
Song Airlines, the new airline company owned by Delta, unveiled its new uniforms from Kate Spade and menswear label Jack Spade. More than 800 flight attendants and customer service employees will wear...
U.S. Customs Exec Labuda to Speak at CFA Meeting
Janet Labuda, director of the Textile Enforcement and Operations Division of the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in Washington, D.C., will speak at the California Fashion Association...
Vecchiarelli Bros. to Host City of Hope Fund-raiser
Vecchiarelli Bros. Inc. has sent out more than 4,000 invitations and is expecting at least half of the invited guests to attend its May 15 fund-raiser for the City ...
Red Engine E-Auction to Benefit Children's Charity
Kids have always taken jeans to camp, but this summer, jeans will be taking kids to camp. Beginning Aug. 1, Los Angeles–based denim manufacturer Red Engine will launch...
New Deals, Fibers and Finishes; Playday Turns 60
Eastman’s Latest Puts Performance in Non-wovens...
Neiman Marcus' Martens Speaks at LACMA
Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and Vice President and General Manager John Martens was instrumental in making the legendary store the jewel in the ...
