Stories for January 2012

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Tuesday, January 31

Apparel News Daily Reader

The Look of Houndstooth (The New York Times)Inside the Directors Guild Awards(T magazine, New York Times) Michael Vick: I Wouldn't Waste My Time at NY Fashion Week...

Alternative Hearts Peach Kings and Glitter n'Glue

Alternative Apparel will kick off Valentine’s Day a little early with a Valentine’s Day-themed party at their flagship store on Abbot Kinney in Venice. The Feb. 11 event will be hosted by Glitter N’ Glue blogger Kristen Turner and will feature a performance by...

S.F. Designers in Residence Named

Drum roll please....The first batch of designers headed for the new "Designers in Residence" program housed inside the Macy's at Union Square have been named.The six designers, who all live in San Francisco...

Dari Parties With Cusack, Driver and O'Keefe

John Cusack with Jodi Lyn O'Keefe at Dari.It’s awards season, and members of the the Cusack acting clan showed up at Dari one of our favorite L.A. area boutiques. The reason for the shindig was the debut last week of the “Q” jewelry collection....

Monday, January 30

Apparel News Daily Reader

Paris Couture Spring 2012 — the week in review (The Toronto Star)Picking up the threads (The Hindu)The FUG Girls: the best and the worst dressed at the SAG Awards...

Friday, January 27

CSC, Infovisionix Partner for Retail Analytics Suite

NEW YORK—Global technology-based business solutions and services firm CSC announced it is expanding its Retail Enterprise Intelligence (CREI) suite with a new partnership with business intelligence...

JCPenney Announces New Price and Merchandising Policy

In November, JCPenney named former Apple and Target executive Ron Johnson its new chief executive officer. Two months later, Johnson unveiled the Plano, Texas–based department-store company’s radical new “transformation” initiative t...

Hong Kong Fashion Week Features a Range of Worldwide Designers

While couture fashion shows were taking place in Europe, Hong Kong was staging its own parade of designers at Hong Kong Fashion Week for Autumn/Winter.

TradeStone Launches Marketplace for Retail Buyers

NEW YORK—TradeStone Software unveiled Bamboo Rose, an invitation-only marketplace meant to aid retail buyers with their buying trips, at the National Retail Federation’s recent 1...

Technology Resource Guide

FDM4 America Inc.

LA’s Indie Boutiques Strive to Thrive

It’s been a long, tough slog for independent boutique retail....

Ace Hotel to Open in LA Fashion District

Portland, Ore.–based boutique hotel chain Ace Hotel will open a new location in the heart of the Los Angeles Fashion District in a historic movie theater on Bro...

Color Pervades ISS

The buzz in the T-shirt community this year is all about color.

Nike Joins Retailers Embracing Taggable Video Technology

Nike is the latest retailer to embrace “taggable” videos, where a viewer can click on image tags embedded in the video to learn more about a product....

Denim Resource Guide

Denim Tech

Sears Plays Real Estate Card at ICSC Forum

An International Council of Shopping Centers forum Jan. 25 provided a snapshot of an industry in transition, and Peter Framson, a Sears Holdings regional vice president of leasing and development, said his company is playing a r...

Wilde, Awad Win Los Angeles Fashion Council Contest

Victor Wilde displaying parachute dress from his Fall 2012 season.There was a big editorial kerfuffle when the British Fashion Council produced the LONDON show ROOMS designer showcase in L.A. in October.But L.A. designers will return the favor by decamping to...

You're a Funny One, JCP

JCPenney has been a lot of things in its 110-year history: Western merchant, discount retailer, purveyor of trendy fashion and catchy jingles, lone department store in my Grandma’s town in Colorado (“See if they’ve got it at Penney’s,” she used to say.) Now we can add one more: Funny. The...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Fashion Statement: weekly style digest (The Guardian)Amy Winehouse’s Dad Attacks Gauthier’s Couture Tribute (The Cut)Duchess of Cambridge Dubbed Hat Person of the Year...

Rodarte on Buffy via Tavi

Perfect thing to stumble across right before the weekend. Tavi Gevison’s online magazine Rookie has a feature written by Rodarte designers, Laura and Kate Mulleavy, in which the two designing sisters discuss their favorite episodes...

Thursday, January 26

Angel Investor Program Targets Fashion Technology Start-ups

Two Bay Area investment groups have teamed up to launch a program to help technology start-ups focusing on the consumer, retail and fashion industries.

New Equipment Revs Up Denim Mill’s Production Capability

The Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, a farmer-owned cotton marketing organization in Lubbock, Texas, is undertaking a major project to improve the production capability of its denim mill in Littlefield, Te...

Virtual Reality, Data Analytics and Big Crowds Reign at NRF

NEW YORK—Despite the turbulent global economy, the 101st National Retail Federation Annual Convention and Expo—also known as “Retail’s Big Show”

Apparel News Daily Reader

Roberto Cavalli is now blogging prodigiously (The Cut)Cameron Diaz pops by Paris fashion shows (USA Today)Which Actresses Do Designers Want to dress for Oscar (The...

Fashion Girls Say the Darndest Things

Apparently, there’s no end to the “sh*t” meme. We stumbled across this one today. And I have to admit, it's pretty spot-on. And funny even with the sound off. It plays a bit like the drag performance of ’Ab Fab,” which, come to think of it, is something...

Poshmark Goes Hollywood Glam

Mobile fashion company Poshmark is hosting its first live Posh Party next Thursday, at The Crescent Hotel in Beverly Hills. The shopping event is open to the public and will feature “a young, hip mix of LA's most fashionable folks, bloggers...

Wednesday, January 25

Apparel News Daily Reader

Chanel takes off with blue-sky thinking (Atlantic Journal-Constitution)Givenchy’s Deco Punk (The New York Times)Pastel Performance at Elie Saab Couture...

The Way We Wore Store in Expansion Mode

Doris Raymond finds it hard to believe she has been in the vintage clothing business for 30 years now.But sales have been so successful that she is looking for another store location to complement her...

Tuesday, January 24

Trina Turk, Banana Republic to Launch Capsule Collection

Banana Republic is getting a dose of Palm Springs, Calif., style thanks to Los Angeles designer Trina Turk, who will launch a limited-edition capsule collection at the Gap-owned reta...

Walmart Contest Puts Product on Shelves

Walmart is opening its shelves to aspiring manufacturers, designers and inventors.

Sleep Like Stars--in the LA Fashion District

The Los Angeles Fashion District is getting a new hotel—one with a perfect blend of hipster credibility and old Hollywood provenance. Ace Hotel, the indie boutique chain based in Portland, Ore., will open in the historic United Artist Theater on Broadway near 9th Street.The 12-story office...

Outdoor Retailer: Makin' It Work

Outdoor Retailer named the winner of their Project Runway spin-off competition, Project OR, on Monday. Margaret Mussman, a junior at the University of...

Apolis vs. Depravity

Marc Koska at Apolis:Common Gallery. Of course he's wearing the Apolis brand.Once a flashpoint for punk rock depravity, the corner of East 3rd Street and the aptly named Traction Avenue in downtown Los Angeles made a shocking turn to boho gentrification. Think theater...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Dior: Holding Style to a Different Light (The New York Times)Back to The Hood For Men at the Paris Shows (On the Runway)d’artiste Fashion Design Book Review...

Spotted: Bella Dahl

If you’ve driven along Olympic Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles recently, you may have spotted the giant Bella Dahl billboard above the entrance to the Packard Lofts building across from the Fashion...

Monday, January 23

Cocktails by the Pool, Anyone?

Trina TurkBanana Republic is getting a dose of PalmSprings style thanks to Los Angeles designer Trina Turk, who will launch a limited-edition capsule collection at the Gap-owned retail chain beginning in June. The Banana Republic Trina Turk Collection of summer essentials will be sold...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Forty years of dressing Washington (The Washington Post)Photos from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin (Houston Chronicle)Saudi Women Are finally Allowed To sell Bras (The...

Friday, January 20

Steady Business at Texworld, Attendance Up 22 Percent

NEW YORK—Steady signs of the recovery were evident at the Jan. 16–18 run of Texworld USA, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in midtown Manhattan.

Surf Expo Increases Buyers

ORLANDO, Fla.—Exhibitors at the Jan. 12–14 run of Surf Expo said they were keeping their heads above water and moving forward wi...

Richard Bruno: Award-Winning Costume Designer

Costume designer Richard Bruno, who worked on a wide range of films—including “Goodfellas,” “The Untouchables” and “Raging Bull”—died Jan. 11 in Port Townsend, ...

Lisa Kline’s Online Store: Vaniti

For years, Lisa Kline was known as the queen of the high-end specialty-store scene in Los Angeles....

Quiksilver Introduces Mountain-Division Apparel

Quiksilver Inc. is best known for boardshorts. But the company, based in Huntington Beach, Calif., also makes clothes for skateboarding, snowboarding and women’s contemporary fashions....

LAEDC Names New Chief Economist

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. named Robert Kleinhenz its new chief economist of the Kyser Center for Economic Research. ...

Tears of Bleu: A Lifestyle Brand

British designer Caius Olowu wants to reinvent the way consumers relate to denim by offering a refined approach to design, tailored details and a range of novel finishes. ...

Nadja Lingerie: Luxurious Silk

In her previous lifetime, Nadja Bandelier studied to be an opera singer, but her personality wasn’t suited for the spotlight. “When you sing, your body is your instrument. It was ve...

Gas Prices Could Be the Speed Bump That Slows the Economy

Many apparel makers are hoping that 2012 will be their turnaround year. They may have to wait....

American Apparel Sales Up in December

Los Angeles–based retailer and manufacturer American Apparel saw its total net sales for December rise 15 percent to $56.3 million.

Moods' Damien Hirst Art Party

Moods of Norway's Stefan Dahlkqvist with art deal Paul Stolper.Damien Hirst did not shock at the Moods of Norway shop on Robertson Boulevard. Rather renowned art dealer Paul Stolper dropped by the shop Jan. 18 to display two pieces from...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Gawker Dedicates Column to Zooey Deschanel’s Rabbit-Shaped Purse (Gawker)Paris Men's: Lean and Still Hungry (The New York Times)Fashion’s Night Out Confirmed For Sept....

Golden Designers

Several Los Angeles designers had their creations represented on the red carpet at the Golden Globes Awards, held Jan. 15 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Here, Octavia Spencer, who won the “Bes...

D&G Leaves Robertson Boulevard

The D&G flagship store on Los Angeles’ high-profile shopping street Robertson Boulevard quietly shuttered in early January....

George Whalin, Retail Expert

Veteran retail consultant George Whalin died Jan. 10 at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., due to complications from cancer. He was 68....

Thursday, January 19

Apparel News Daily Reader

Why Not Wear Pajamas All Day? (Wall Street Journal)Elle Fanning Glitters in Rodarte (The Cut)Germany Fashion Week begins with Austrian collection (Fibre2fashion)Chinese deal...

Rodarte on Art as Inspiration for Fashion

LACMA Director Michael Govan interviewed Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte as part of LACMA's Director's Series...

Big Surf Expo

photo by Sharif Hassan PhotographyThe numbers are officially in.

Wednesday, January 18

Apparel News Daily Reader

A Zoo Roams Large on Milan Runways (The New York Times)Cindy Crawford’s Daughter Models for Young Versace (The Telegraph)Men’s Designers Get Their Pelts (The New York...

Richard Bruno: Award-Winning Costume Designer

Costume designer Richard Bruno, who worked on a wide range of films—including “Goodfellas,” “The Untouchables” and “Raging Bull”—died Jan. 11 in Port Townsend, ...

Tuesday, January 17

The Council for Textile Recycling Launches Initiative to Achieve Zero Waste by 2037

When a customer buys a sweater, top, pair of pants, or skirt, she generally has big plans for it. She knows why she needs it, what it goes with, and when she might wear it. What most consumers do not ...

Clinton Pushes Globally Shared Responsibilities as the Future

NEW YORK — Former President Bill Clinton, who was the keynote speaker at the 101st annual National Retail Federation Conference and Expo, noted that we live in a turbulent economy right now but stressed that busi...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Rihanna Shows Her Softer Side for Armani (The Telegraph)Prada already is dissatisfied with her Met costume exhibit (The Cut)Fashion Week Cat Clash Resolved (The Telegraph)U.S....

L.L. Bean Introduces Wacky Bootmobile

Is it something to do with the weather up there in Maine?Maybe, because the executives at L.L. Bean seem to be suffering from not enough sun or too much time indoors thinking of crazy ways to promote their...

Monday, January 16

Apparel News Daily Reader

Gucci Fall 2012 Men’s Collection (New York Times)Ten Animal Sweaters to Start Your Own Zoo (Refinery29)The Michelle Obama Look Book 2012 (The Cut New...

Wheelmen & Co. Bikes + Mustaches

Two things that are inexplicably hip and guys are into right now: bikes and mustaches. Based in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, Wheelmen Co has both. Owner Bradford Ryan Riedell (what else could be done with a handsome name like...

Friday, January 13

Kingpins Denim Show Continues to Grow With New Lines

With 118 companies attending and 10 more exhibitors than last year, the Kingpins denim show moved into the 11th-floor penthouse of the Cooper Design Space in Los Angeles,...

Groceries: Making Organic Basics the Standard

Groceries Apparel co-founders Matthew Boelk and Rob Lohman, both 29, have high aspirations for their label, hoping it will become a leading branded basics supplier and private-label supplier of organic knits for specialty retailers.

New Textile Show to Focus on Low Minimums

A frequent refrain at textile shows is "What is your minimum?" It is often repeated by small design companies struggling to find textile resources that sell fabrics in small quantities....

Big Strike Announces New Creative Team

After a major investment last year by a private-equity fund, juniorswear maker Big Strike is on the move.

Fashion Resource Guide

Fashion students at The Art Institute of California–Los Angeles work toward becoming tomorrow’s newest professionals, the next generation of skilled fashion employees. Our fashion design and fashion management programs and courses help you understand the global trends and how to apply them to your own target market. The Art Institute of California–Los Angeles recently r...

Upbeat Mood at Première Vision Preview New York

NEW YORK—The aisles were crowded and the mood was upbeat at the Jan. 10–11 run of Première Vision Preview at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building in New York’s C...

Nike Factory in Indonesia to Pay Workers $1 Million in Unpaid Overtime

Nearly 4,500 workers working at a Nike contract factory in Indonesia will receive a little more than $1 million in unpaid overtime compensation from the Nike supplier....

Kohl’s to Open Design Studio in Santa Monica, Calif.

Kohl’s Corp. is ready to hit the beach.

Finance Resource Guide

Building on a tradition of excellence in community banking that stretches back to 1872, BB&T continues to offer clients a complete range of financial services including ...

George Whalin, You'll Be Missed

George WhalinGeorge Whalin was a California retail classic.He passed away Jan. 10 due to complications from cancer. He was 68 and he kept working almost to the end; writing on retail, advising with his Carlsbad, Calif.-company...

Designers and Agents to Launch Menswear Show

Designers and Agents is launching a menswear show, called D&A Man, in New York this summer to coincide with Men’s Fashion Week. ...

Thursday, January 12

Apparel News Daily Reader

Baby Collections Are So Hot Right Now (Elle)Collaborations We Didn’t See Coming: Jean Paul Gaultier’s Gold Bar (Wall Street Journal) Digital Dressing Room (On The...

ALDO Says Talent Will Rise

Photo: aldoshoes.comOnly two days left to win a spot on ALDO!Accessories and footwear label ALDO launched a competition for bloggers and fashionistas to win a spot on the brand’s Tumblr, which ends January 15.The lucky winner earns a consultation with a design team,...

Surf's Up on Fifth Avenue

I’m in New York this week and spotted a little window to Southern California on a rainy day. The entire front facade of the Hollister store on Fifth Avenue features a live video feed from Huntington Beach, Calif. I bet it’s great on a...

FIDM Set to Debut 20th Anniversary Edition of Costume Design Exhibition

"Alice in Wonderland" costumes by Colleen Atwood won the Oscar in 2011, photos courtesy of FIDMAward season is in full swing, which means it’s not long before the Academy Awards. And, of course, the nominations for Best Costume Design are always a highlight for...

Wednesday, January 11

Guez New President at Dickies Girl Licensee

Paul Guez, sometimes referred to as the godfather of premium denim, has been named the new president of Apparel Limited, the Los Angeles company that has the license to make Dickies ...

Belle Gray Closes Its Doors

Belle Gray, one of the San Fernando Valley’s leading boutiques, is shuttering its doors on Jan. 14....

Apparel News Daily Reader

New York Street Style with a Preppy Flair (Refinery29)Oscar de la Renta Teams up with Dr. Dre for Ultra Luxe Headphones (Huffington Post)One Item, Six...

QSW: Don't Fear the Beard

John MooreJohn Moore’s beard looks vintage. We’re talking Amish, or Andrew Jackson era mountain man here. So it makes sense that the designer went for some vintage looks for the Spring 12 line of QSW, a contemporary line made by Huntington Beach surf giant Quiksilver....

Tuesday, January 10

New Lines and Showrooms: Academy Awards Building

Academy Awards Building

New Lines and Showrooms: The New Mart

The New Mart

New Lines and Showrooms: California Market Center

California Market Center

New Lines and Showrooms: Cooper Design Space

Cooper Design Space

New Lines and Showrooms: Gerry Building

Gerry Building

Dressed by the Dr

Photo from the Dr Pepper MuseumDr Pepper has a new ad campaign that comes with a customizable tee. According to MediaBistro’s Agency Spy blog, the soda company kicked off its “One of a Kind” campaign with a TV commercial that aired last night during the national championship game....

Apparel News Daily Reader

Stella McCartney Lights Up New York (The Telegraph)Where to Shop in 2012 (The New York Times)Jewelry Designer Jade Jagger (The...

Kingpins Opens in Downtown L.A. Fashion District

An overview of the Kingpins Show at the Cooper Design SpaceThe vibe at the Kingpins Show was as casual as the apparel being displayed at the two-day event that opened today (Jan. 10) on the top floor of the Cooper Design...

Monday, January 9

Swim Shorts 2012

Anne Cole is always inspired and driven to color. And nothing reflects this more than Anne Cole Signature Cruise and Spring/Summer c...

Becca Etc: Expanding to Plus Sizes

When California swimwear maker Lunada Bay—known for such labels as Becca by Rebecca Virtue, Betsey Johnson, Lucky Brand and Mossimo—was looking for expansion opportun...

6 Shore Road: Around the World in Swimwear

California holds a dominant influence on swimwear styles, but Pooja Kharbanda hopes to represent a bit of Panama and New York beach culture with her 
6 Shore Road label....

Apparel News Daily Reader

Street Style: Leather Skirts (The New York Times)"Fashion Star's" Jessica Simpson Not Wearing Maternity Clothes During Pregnancy (Access Hollywood)Designers...

Sunday, January 8

All Grown Up at Agenda Long Beach

Overheard in the aisles, Agenda is like the new ASR. The newest edition at the Long Beach Convention Center on January 5-6 showed the breadth of categories that were merchandised roughly by skate, streetwear and surf brands in the cavernous cement floored space. With more space to stretch its limbs, Chris Overholser of Vans said that it was the first time the brand...

Friday, January 6

SLVDR Launches Women’s

The designer of men’s line SLVDR, Rob Myers, does not claim to know about women’s fashion trends and silhouettes. That’s part of the appeal of his new women’s division, launching for Fall 2012. The mascu...

Lenzing, Smartfiber AG Expand Production for SeaCell and Smartcel

Austrian fiber maker Lenzing AG—maker of Tencel, Modal and Viloft fibers—will be the exclusive producer of Smartcel and SeaCell, two specialty fibers made from lyocell.

Ugg Australia

Ugg Australia

Retail Forecast Mixed but Stronger for 2012

Prepare for 2012 to be a year of opportunity, tough competition and sluggish but moderate growth, said analysts and retailers.

New Lines and Showrooms

A listing of new tenants and lines at the major showroom buildings in the Fashion District of Los Angeles

N.Y. Textile Preview: Textile Trends

A preview of several of recent textiles trends:

Melt Management

Melt Management

California Businesses Embrace New Benefit Corporation Law

Ventura, Calif.–based Patagonia was the first of 12 companies to register for the state’s new “benefit corporation” status on Jan. 3. Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard led a group of business...

Cash Mobs Spend for Small Businesses

While many people are familiar with flash mobs—the choreographed but seemingly spontaneous dance performances put on by organized crowds—“cash mobs” are just catching on....

The Globe Showroom

The Globe Showroom

Textiles, Fashion and Tech to Meet at 8th Annual Smart Fabrics Conference

With an agenda that includes presentations by Nike, Adidas and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the eighth annual ...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Rihanna Wears It Well (The Telegraph)The Tyranny of the Belt (Wall Street Journal)Chanel’s Sporty Spring Campaign (Elle)High Cotton winners express love, respect for the land...

929 Showroom

929 Showroom

Ellie Frank Showroom

Ellie Frank Showroom

Lycra at the Core of Speedo’s Fastskin Suits

Speedo’s latest Fastskin collection features three “tiers of technology” designed to meet swimmers’ needs—and all three feature Invista’s Lycra fiber. ...

Quiksilver Announces Departure of Pioneering Marketing Exec.

Randy Hild has been credited with building the success of women’s brands such as Roxy at Quiksilver Inc., and on Jan. 3, the surf giant announced that Hild had left full-time employment at th...

Thursday, January 5

New York Textile Resource Guide

Asher Fabric Concepts makes sophisticated fabrics from luxurious fibers in California for the contemporary market. The company can accommodate both small- and big-lot orders and offe...

What The Boys Will Wear in 2012

Check out the color, man! A Dolce Gabbana jacket at Traffic.For years men’s fashions were reliably gray and black as a winter sky. But that won’t be the story for 2012 said Cassidy Burton, men’s fashion director and buyer for e-commerce emporium Revolve...

Apparel News Daily Reader

Dior Signs Mila Kunis (Elle) US: Macy’s in series of store openings, closures (Just-Style)Kanye’s Fashion Twitter Rant (Elle)2012: the Year of Google +?...

Wednesday, January 4

Apparel News Daily Reader

Duct Tape Goes From Fix-It to Runway (The New York Times)David Beckham Reveals His HM Underwear Collection (The Telegraph)2012’s Rising Fashion Stars...

Dodger Dogs Now At The Grove

Rick CarusoIf running The Grove and The Americana at Brand malls wasn’t enough, developer Rick Caruso is making a serious bid for the Dodgers baseball team, said a Los Angeles Times article.Caruso is joining forces with former Dodger...

Tuesday, January 3

Apparel News Daily Reader

Topping Up With a Top Hat (Wall Street Journal)Stella McCartney’s Collection for Adidas (The Telegraph)Jason Wu’s Collection for Target...

EM & Co. Store Moving to New Locale

Sure there are plenty of post-holiday super sales going on, but don't miss the one at EM Co., the stylish boutique on Third Street.Owner Eveline Morel said she is moving to a new location, closing her doors this...