Stories for September 2015

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Wednesday, September 30

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The Piece Collective: Store #2 Takes A Bow

For Marine Azria Hadar and Leran Hadar, business and love always mix. When they were dating in 2014, they opened The Piece Collective boutique in Los Angeles' high profile Abbot Kinney Boulevard. As newlyweds, they opened a second location for The Piece Collective.

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Good Denim Co.: Keep It Simple

Manufacturing

When consumers ask for a pair of good denim, Rob Goshen hopes they will find his new brand, called Good Denim Co. The Los Angeles–headquartered and manufactured brand will take a bow at the upcoming LA Men’s Market, scheduled for Oct. 12–13 at the California Market Center.

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Axis Trade Show Announces New Location

The Los Angeles-headquartered Axis trade show ran in New York City from Sept. 17 to 19 on Pier 94 where it did business located next to the Capsule trade show. Axis is on the move. It recently announced that it will maintain a standalone venue for its next run, scheduled for Feb. 21-23, 2016.

Monday, September 28

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Filene's Shifts from Bricks to Clicks

e-tail launch

Discount retailer Filene’s Basement shuttered is doors in 2011, but now the retailer is relaunching as an online-only site.

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JCP Plus Bohbot

Collection Launch

Designer Michele Bohbot recently unveiled the new plus-size collection for Bisou Bisou by Michele Bohbot, which is sold exclusively at JCPenney stores.

Friday, September 25

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In Heroes We Trust; Anniversary # 1

In Heroes We Trust has been serving street art and emerging fashion in the area of Los Angeles’ stylish Abbot Kinney Boulevard for about a year. On Sept. 24, the boutique celebrated its first anniversary with a soiree at the shop located at 300 Westminster Ave. Take a look.

Thursday, September 24

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Mens Folio: A First at South Coast Plaza

Pundits say that men’s fashion is becoming more important, and here’s some proof. South Coast Plaza, one of California’s most high end retail centers, is publishing Men's Folio, a lookbook devoted solely to men’s styles

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Fly to Miami with Mikoh’s Miller Sisters – Save The World

The sun gets rather oppressive during Miami Swim Week, but Surfrider Foundation believes that there are ways to make you forget about the humidity in Miami Beach during July. How about a trip to the swim week with the Miller sisters who design the label Mikoh? Surfrider auctioned such a trip off in its first annual fundraiser last week.

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Best Vested

Fashion Collab

Torrance. Calif.–based AS by DF created an exclusive style for Calypso St. Barth.

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Please Do Not Enter boutique Now Says “Come In”

Come In

The boutique Please Do Not Enter has finally set a welcome mat for the general public in downtown Los Angeles.

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Busy Booths and New Developments at Surf Expo

Surf Expo

The September run of the Surf Expo trade show has always been smaller than the show’s January edition, but for exhibitors and attendees of the recent Sept. 10–12 show, the fall edition is a good indicator of what’s to come.

Coeur Tradeshow Moves to New Location in October

Trade Shows

Coeur, the bicoastal accessories and lifestyle show, is moving its Los Angeles show to the Alexandria Ballrooms in downtown LA for its Oct. 12–14 run.

Shibata Wins WWDMAGIC’s Crème de la Crème

Manufacturing

Japanese-born designer Ayumi Shibata put her angle on Americana and bohemian styles with her label / éis / Los Angeles, and with help from the WWDMAGIC trade show this Los Angeles–based designer is going to Paris.

Online Auction Set for Assets of Sublimation Printer Avid Ink

Textiles

A live online auction for the assets of Southern California garment and fabric printer Avid Ink will be held on Sept. 29.

Fashion Meet Tech at Melange Live Event at The New Mart

Technology

The worlds of fashion and technology merged at the launch of Melange Live, a conference that explored new developments in e-commerce, mobile/digital payments, brand building using social media and new innovations in wearable technology.

Retailer Q&A: With Abundant Consumer Choices, Boutique Retail Blazes New Paths

Retail

Boutique retail has traditionally been a tough, creative and potentially lucrative venture, but over the past years it has been uniquely tough.

Fiber & Fabric Textile Trends

Textiles

Fiber & Fabric Textile Trends

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Japanese Whole Garment Knit Technology Company Opens L.A. Showroom

Shima Seiki

Knitwear designers and manufacturers looking for insight and inspiration have a new destination in the Los Angeles Fashion District with the recent opening of a permanent showroom and design center for Japanese knitting machine and software maker Shima Seiki at the California Market Center.

Nanotex: Putting the Function in Fabric

Textiles

Performance characteristics such as moisture management, water repellency and odor control are familiar territory for consumers of activewear while enhanced performance features are relatively new for casual apparel and ready-to-wear.

Tuesday, September 22

PacSun Sued For Alleged Wage Theft

Retail

Prominent mall retailer Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. was sued in Los Angeles Superior Court by a former employee for on-call scheduling, which the plaintiff contends resulted in lost wages and haywire scheduling.

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Obituary: Designer Carole Little, 79

Manufacturing

Designer Carole Little passed away on Sept. 19 at her home in San Diego following a long illness. She was 79.

Monday, September 21

Combating Employee Misclassification Under the FLSA

INDUSTRY VOICES

Correctly classifying a worker as an employee or an independent contractor is critical. Misclassification of employees as independent contractors has been occurring in an increasing number of workplaces, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is responding by bringing enforcement actions against employers who misclassify their workers.

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Hail Mary Debuts Denim Bar

Just a little after its first anniversary , the Hail Mary boutique in Santa Monica, Calif. unveiled a big addition. It’s the Hail Mary Denim Bar.

Friday, September 18

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Hustler Hollywood: Cover Up!

We’ve read some alarming headlines in the past couple of years. They basically read like this; the fashion biz is not as robust as it was before the Great Recession. Well, here’s one retailer who is increasing its bid for fashion. It’s Hustler Hollywood.

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The Grove Pops With Giant Men’s Market

Get ready for Pop Up Flea. The New York-headquartered pop-up market will take over the 8th level of the parking structure at The Grove this weekend. On display, new styles from emerging menswear designers at the market.

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Jeremy Scott: Designer, Documentary Subject

Fashion on Film

Fashion followers can take a peek into the world of Jeremy Scott in the documentary “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer,” which bows in theaters today.

Thursday, September 17

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Industry Of All Nations Comes To Venice

Industry of All Nations, a Los Angeles-headquartered label which makes sustainable goods, recently opened at 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd. It’s the label’s first company boutique.

ASICS America Hires Footwear Veteran to Replace Retiring CEO

Manufacturing

ASICS America, the Irvine, Calif.–based U.S. arm of Japanese footwear brand ASICS, hired Gene McCarthy to replace ASICS America Group President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Wulff, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Del Amo Announces New Retailers During Major Remodel

Retail

Del Amo Fashion Center will introduce a new look this fall, and when construction is completed, the 2.7 million-square-foot mall will be the largest in the Western United States, according to its owner, Simon Property Group.

SixHundred: Streetwear in Front, Manufacturing in Back

Retail

Since 2009, the boutique SixHundred has been selling streetwear and fashion to the loft dwellers of downtown Los Angeles.

Cargo Container Volumes Show Healthy Increases at the Ports

Import & Export

Southern California’s two major ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach have seen a revival of activity this summer as shippers return to the West Coast after a major port congestion problem earlier this year.

Tim Gunn to Keynote Gerber Ideation2015

Technology

Attendees at Gerber Technology's upcoming Ideation2015 technology conference will get a chance to hear from “Project Runway” star Tim Gunn, who will give the keynote address at the Oct. 29–30 software conference for the fashion, apparel, accessories and footwear industries in Las Vegas.

Designer Rosie Assoulin Joins Alvanon Mentorship Program

Technology

New York designer Rosie Assoulin has joined the Mentorship Program at Alvanon, the software and sizing solutions company.

YogaWorks Has Eye on California for Retail Rollout

Retail

Santa Monica, Calif.–based yoga studio and retailer YogaWorks recently added to its portfolio with the purchase of three studios in San Francisco; Palo Alto, Calif.; and Boston.

Yogasmoga Opening Stores in Northern California, East Coast Locations

Retail

New York–based yoga lifestyle brand and retailer Yogasmoga is continuing its retail rollout with new stores opening in the Northern California cities of Corte Madera and Walnut Creek.

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Eve Denim: Inspired by Vintage, Made in L.A.

Designer Profiles

Native New Yorker Adelaide Bourbon moved to Los Angeles in 2008 and had the good fortune to meet and work for Joie co-founder Serge Azria just as he was launching his Equipment label.

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Clade Introduces Rock Looks for Women

Manufacturing

Maya Reynolds, downtown Los Angeles designer for CLADEman, used her line, worn by male rock stars such as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Perry Farrell and Chris Martin from Coldplay, as an inspiration for her new line, CLADEwoman

The Village At Westfield Topanga Aims to be Alternative For Everyone

Retail

When The Village at Westfield Topanga takes a bow on Sept. 18, the $350 million project, adjacent to the luxe Westfield Topanga mall, will seek to be the artsy, dog-friendly, gourmet downtown area that Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley never had, said Larry Green, Westfield’s senior vice president for U.S. development.

Wednesday, September 16

Swim Textiles: Glitterati

Swim/Surf

Sequins, foil prints and gold and silver metallic accents add luxe sophistication and fun to animal prints, abstract designs, florals and stripes.

Swim Textiles: Mod World

Swim/Surf

Day-glo colors and psychedelic swirl prints have textile designers seeing Mod with ’60s-inspired abstract prints.

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New York Fashion Week: Spring ‘16

Spring Beginning

California brands and designers were among the lineup showing Spring 2016 collections at New York Fashion Week.

Tuesday, September 15

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Better Look Sharp, L.A.

Student Contest

Victorinox, the maker of the iconic Swiss Army knife, today kicked off a student contest to redesign the Swiss Army knife handle with inspiration from New York or Los Angeles.

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Melrose is Hosting a Sidewalk Sale

Retailers along Los Angeles’ Melrose Avenue—on the stretch between Fairfax and Highland—will participate in a sidewalk sale on Sept. 26.

Monday, September 14

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Hoop Dreams

Uniform Style

Designers looking for vintage sports inspiration would be wise to make a trip to Springfield, Mass., where they will find a huge collection of vintage (and contemporary) uniforms at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Friday, September 11

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Fashion Week Humor

Fashion

To survive Fashion Week, you need a sense of humor.

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Polkadots & Moonbeams Party on a Hot Night

Temperatures and humidity climbed in Los Angeles on Sept. 10. Time for a party at Polkadots & Moonbeams. On that hot night, the veteran boutique held a trunk show on that sweltering night for brands Trunk LTD., Level 99, Love + Leather, and / éis / Los Angeles.

Thursday, September 10

Jesse Curlee to Retire from Supima

Manufacturing

Jesse Curlee, who has had a career in the cotton industry for more than 35 years, announced he will retire as president and chief executive of Supima, a premium American cotton brand, at the end of this year.

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Paige To The Grove

The Paige premium denim brand opened another flagship store. This one is located at The Grove retail center.

Los Angeles International Textile Show Adds More Global Mills

Trade Shows

The Los Angeles International Textile Show is adding a number of international resources for its Fall/Winter 2016/2017 edition, which takes place in the penthouse of the California Market Center Sept. 28–30.

Macy’s to Shutter 35 to 40 Stores Next Year

Retail

In the ever-changing world of retail, Macy’s Inc. is tweaking its store lineup with plans to cut 35 to 40 stores from its fleet of 770 Macy’s outlets early next year.

Shopping Malls Fight Drought With Tech And Common Sense

Retail

California’s harsh drought has called for emergency conservation measures to save water, and some of the state’s leading retail centers have been doing their part to look for innovative ways.

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Oscar Utierrè: Post LAFW, He Takes New York Fashion Week Bow With WantMyLook

The Look

Oscar Utierrè made his Los Angeles debut with his mysterious, theatrical Ophelia line from his self-named emerging designer label, Oscar Utierrè, earlier this year.

Missteps in Seasonal Items Drag on PacSun’s Second-Quarter Sales

Retailing

Pacific Sunwear of California a decades-old retail chain that specializes in action sportswear and fashion items, had a tough second quarter.

California Relaxes Requirements for “Made in USA’ Labels

Manufacturing

One of the smallest items on a piece of clothing is the inside tag noting where the garment was made. Yet it is one of the biggest headaches in apparel manufacturing.

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Jake Wall of ‘Project Runway’ Shows His Line in San Francisco With a Surprise Guest

Fashion Friends

A Sept. 4 fashion show marked an end to a month-long series of talks and events held by Jake Wall, a San Francisco fashion designer who this year appeared on the reality TV series “Project Runway.”

Nike Opens Emporium at The Grove

Retail

Nike Inc. opened one of the biggest shops in its fleet of stores, stretching out over 31,000 square feet at The Grove retail center in Los Angeles.

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Salvatore Ferragamo Unveils Rodeo Drive Remodel

Italian Vibe

The Salvatore Ferragamo fashion house reopened its Rodeo Drive boutique with a gala party attended by movie stars, athletes and other members of the glitterati.

Under Armour Taps Centric for PLM

Technology

Baltimore-based athletic-apparel company Under Armour Inc.> has selected Los Gatos, Calif.–based Centric Software Inc.’s product lifecycle management (PLM) solution Centric 8 PLM.

Gerber, COMESA Launch Technical Training Program in Mauritius

Technology

Gerber Technologies, the Tolland, Conn.–based equipment and software solutions company, teamed up with the COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) free-trade area to establish a new program for technical assistance and training in the African nation of Mauritius.

Textile Preview: Textile Trends

Textiles

Textile Trends

California’s Drought has Buhler Considering Wider Cotton Possibilities

Manufacturing

California is known for its high-quality Pima cotton, but the state’s ongoing drought has had an impact on cotton yields and prices.

Wednesday, September 9

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Hollister Launches Anti-Bullying Campaign With Echosmith

Retail

Getting the message out about bullying

Quiksilver Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Retailing

The surfwear maker hit the financial waves and wipes out.

Tuesday, September 8

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Labor Day Party: Byrd’s the Word

The long Labor Day Weekend is a fading memory. But Byrd,a L.A. area company, which makes pomades and goods by surfers for surfers, threw a Hollywood pool party. Check it out.

Joe’s Jeans Reaches Deal for Major Transformation

After months of negotiations, Joe's Jeans finishes up deal to sell the Joe's brand and form a new company.

Friday, September 4

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Seafolly To Manhattan Beach

Australian brand Seafolly is upping the ante in its bid for the U.S. market. Earlier this year, it opened a shop in La Jolla, Calif. On Sept. 5, it is scheduled to open a shop in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Thursday, September 3

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Sole Society Opens First Store

Retail

After four years of online sales only, Sole Society heads out to the mall.

Vince Shows Softness in Second-Quarter Sales

Manufacturing

Vince, the contemporary womenswear company born in Los Angeles and now headquartered in New York, reported some disappointing financial results for its second quarter.

August Sales Show Slowness

Retail

Many retailers missed their forecasts for their August comp-store sales. Sales for U.S. retailers were down 0.9 percent in an index compiled by Retail Metrics, a Boston-area market-research company.

Banana Republic and CFDA Supporting Emerging Designers Who Produce in the U.S.

Fashion

Banana Republic and the Council of Fashion Designers of America are ramping up a program that supports emerging designers in the United States who create and manufacture their collections in their local cities.

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Mara Hoffman Launches Activewear

Getting Active

Known for her colorful, signature prints and mystical aesthetic, Mara Hoffman has added activewear to her evolving lifestyle brand.

British Company Acquires Majority of Urban Expositions

Trade Shows

Urban Expositions, the trade-show organizer that recently acquired the WomensWear in Nevada event, revealed that a majority share of its venture was acquired by Clarion Events, a nearly 70-year-old enterprise based in London.

Re/Done: Denim Repurposed

Manufacturing

Last July, founders Sean Barron and Jamie Mazur spearheaded Re/Done vintage denim.

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Spring/Summer Trends for 2016 Pop With Newness

Fashion Trends

The 1980s are already nudging their way onto the runways for Spring/Summer 2016, said Jaclyn Jones, the womenswear editor for WGSN, also known as Worth Global Style Network, the British trend-forecasting firm.

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Bridal Trade Show Makes Second Appearance in Los Angeles

Wedding Belles

Los Angeles has had a scarcity of big bridal shows for store owners until last year when New York–based The Knot launched its Couture: Los Angeles Bridal Market with scores of exhibitors showing everything frilly and lacy.

Eco-Friendly Activewear: Wear It to Heart

Manufacturing

The opportunity to interact directly with the activewear community provided Los Angeles–based activewear brand Wear It to Heart valuable customer feedback, which helped the company launch its wholesale business.

Is Quiksilver Shopping for a Buyer?

Manufacturing

Over the last few years, the beleaguered California surfwear company Quiksilver has been bleeding massive amounts of money.

Say Goodbye to Magnetic Stripe Credit Cards in October

Retail

Going out of style soon: credit cards with magnetic stripes.

Threads 4 Thought: Activewear Made Out of Plastic Bottles

Manufacturing

The market for clothes made for yoga, running and the gym grew 21 percent to become an $18.5 billion business in the 12-month period ending in June 2015, according to market-research company The NPD Group

Mélange Fashion Tech Trade Show Takes a Bow at The New Mart

Trade Shows

With e-commerce, m-commerce and a new trend in wearable technology, fashion has embraced business models invested in the digital world.

Street Style: O.C. Swim Style

Swim/Surf

This summer, Southern California saw two swimwear trade shows touch down in beachside cities: the longstanding Swim Collective and newcomer Cabana.

Venice Rani: Outfitting Independent Venice & L.A. Woman

Swim/Surf

Venice Rani: Outfitting independent Venice and LA women

Swim Like a Mermaid: For Souls of the Sea

Swim/Surf

Swim Like a Mermaid: For souls of the sea

2016 Swim Shorts Resources

2016 Waterwear

Caribbean Joe, Dara inc., Hyosung, Penbrooke and more waterwear resources.

2016 Swim Textiles

2016 Waterwear

Swim Textiles

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Bloggers Face Off For $1,000 Sprees at Beverly Center

Beverly Center produced its Third Annual Show Us Your Style Challenge. Competing bloggers assembled outfits and fall looks for $1,000 shopping sprees at the luxe shopping center.

Wednesday, September 2

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Surfwear Stoked On Bowling

Last month Surf Industry Manufacturers Association raised funds for non-profits with its Waterman's Ball. On Sept. 15, SIMA will produce another fundraiser - this one is called StokesMe Bowl-a-Rama.

Tuesday, September 1

Agenda Moves East Coast Show to Miami in January

Trade Shows

Agenda trade show announced Sept. 1 that it will move the location for its Winter East Coast show from New York to Miami, Fl.