Tuesday, February 28
BCBGMaxAzria Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
Manufacturing
BCBGMaxAzriaGroup, the decades-old Los Angeles apparel company that was one of the first on the contemporary fashion scene, will keep stores open during bankruptcy proceedings.
Thursday, February 23
CottonlinksCA: Luxury Blanks Produced Close-to-Home
Manufacturing
Robby Khalek has been producing apparel—domestically and overseas—for well-known brands for nearly 20 years. Recently, he saw a void in the market for a well-made blank T-shirt and launched CottonlinksCA.
Coach…In Virtual Reality
The runway show for Coach 1941 made fashion headlines during New York Fashion Week earlier this month, the brand unveiled a virtual reality experience of the show available at some of its stores.
Invista’s Cordura Introduces Ultra-Strong Nylon-6.6 Staple Fiber
Textiles
Invista, the Wichita, Kan.–based maker of Lycra and Cordura fibers, has introduced a new high-strength Cordura, made with the company’s T420HT fiber technology.
A&E Launches Reflective Thread
Textiles
American & Efird, the Mount Holly, N.C.–based industrial sewing thread maker, has introduced Anefil Reflector reflective thread.
Lenzing Launched Tencel Brand Shop at ShopStyle
Textiles
Lenzing, the Austrian company that makes Tencel fibers, has partnered with fashion search engine ShopStyle to open The Tencel Denim Shop.
Fabiana Milazzo to Melrose Place
Fabiana Milazzo’s styles have graced red carpets and glamorous salons in her native Brazil since 2000. On Feb. 22, she officially bought her brand to America.
Herbert Fink, Rodeo Drive Founding Father, 93
Retail
Herbert Fink, one of the founding fathers of Rodeo Drive’s designer and high-end retail scene, died Feb. 18 at his home in Los Angeles’ Bel-Air neighborhood. He was 93.
AAFA Names Recipients of its American Image Awards
Events
The American Apparel & Footwear Association will be presenting its 2017 American Image Awards on April 24 in New York, benefiting the Council of Fashion Designers of America Foundation’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative.
Brooks Joins Element
Manufacturing
David Brooks was named global general manager of Irvine, Calif.–headquartered brand Element, a division of Billabong International Ltd.
Change Is Good for Las Vegas Trade Shows
Change Is Good
Attendees returning to the Las Vegas apparel and textile trade shows found the landscape changed again.
Apparel Manufacturers, Textile Makers Take on Administration’s Hot-Button Issues
Import/Export
Julie Hughes, president of the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, and Augustine Tantillo, president and chief executive officer of the National Council of Textile Organizations, discussed their group members’ view on everything from a proposed border tax on goods coming from Mexico to the fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership at a recent live webcast.
What’s Checking: Beverly Hills Boutiques Thriving
What’s Checking
Peppered around the corporate juggernauts on Rodeo Drive and department stores lining Wilshire, the boutiques of Beverly Hills take advantage of their intimate settings to thrive.
Wednesday, February 22
U.S. Economic Engine Expected to Chug Along at a Moderate Pace
Finance
In its latest forecast for 2017-2018 released on Feb. 22, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. predicted that the nation’s gross domestic product—the country’s measurement of economic growth—will inch up by 2.2 percent this year and increase to 2.7 percent in 2018.
Tuesday, February 21
Celine Dion's New Gig
Singer Celine Dion introduced her self-named Celine Dion Collection accessories line at the Project Womens show on Feb.21.
Monday, February 20
Backpack Maker Hex Partners with Streetwear Designer for New Looks
Fashion
Southern California technology accessories maker Hex works with streetwear fashion icon Alyasha Owerka-Moore to design a travel duffel bag and travel backpack with a vintage look.
Ivan Bitton Style House’s Runway Show
Ivan Bitton Style House keeps a focus on emerging fashion. On Feb. 13, it produced a runway show for International Condom Day.
Sunday, February 19
Finding Vintage Inspiration in DTLA
Inspiration 2017 was held at The Reef in downtown LA on Feb. 10 and 11. The two-day show featured American and Japanese companies offering vintage to contemporary fashions and accessories for sale and exhibit.
Friday, February 17
Outdoor Retailer to Leave Salt Lake City Over Utah Gov's Stance on Public Land
Trade Shows
The Outdoor Retailer show is saying goodbye to Salt Lake City after exhibiting there for more than 20 years, the major trade show is shopping around for new venues in other cities.
Orange County Fashion Week Starts on March 6
Fashion
The four-day event will be held in four different locations around Orange County.
Thursday, February 16
Gap Inc. Cuts 216 Jobs
Retail
Gap Inc. recently reported that it laid off 216 people at its corporate office in San Francisco.
Liberty’s Art Fashion Fundraiser For Africa
If you are going to Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs trade show in Las Vegas from Feb 20 -22, get ready for some fashion art.
Hong Kong Designers at NYFW
Fashion
Three Hong Kong designers show off their talent at New York Fashion Week.
Emi-G Knitting: Domestic Sock Maker Finds Fresh Opportunities in Organic Market
Manufacturing
Gina Locklear had wanted to join her family’s sock-manufacturing business in Fort Payne, Ala., since she was in college. That was in the early 2000s, when the U.S. industry’s decline was in full swing. Momentum toward cheap imported socks was robbing the northeastern Alabama town of its revered reputation as the “Sock Capital of the World.”
Fashion Bookstore in the CMC Hosts Biannual Sale
Retail
The Fashion Bookstore<, located in the lobby of the California Market Center, will host its biannual sale Feb. 27–March 1 during the Los Angeles International Textile Show.
Althouse Closes Store, Rejoins American Rag
Retail
Jennifer Althouse rejoined prominent retailer American Rag Cie shortly after closing her self-named Althouse boutique in downtown Los Angeles in January. She will serve the retailer as an executive vice president.
Source British Trade Show to Take a Bow
Trade Shows
London trade-show producer Upper Street Events will take new trade show Source British to the California Market Center showroom building for the LA Fashion Market. It is scheduled to run March 13–16.
Epson Panel Explores Tech’s Impact on Fashion
Technology
Whether you’re a small startup designer or a long-established global brand, digital technology is becoming an ever more essential part of the fashion supply chain, industry experts agree.
Epson Returns to the Runway at NYFW With Annual Digital Couture Event
Digital Couture
Epson< hosted its third annual “Digital Couture” New York Fashion Week event on Feb. 7 at Chelsea’s IAC building, showcasing 13 design teams from North and Latin America.
What Stumbling Blocks Are in Store This Year for Apparel Makers and Retailers?
Finance
The California Apparel News recently spoke with several finance-industry executives about what challenges and bumps in the road apparel manufacturers and retailers are facing this year now that the uncertainty of the presidential election is over, but another set of uncertainties have cropped up under a new administration.
Airport Retail Next Big Step for M.Fredric
Retail
For one store in the Los Angeles–headquartered M.Fredric chain, some of the busiest and most lucrative hours are between 6 and 9 a.m., long before most bricks-and-mortar retail stores are thinking about opening their doors.
AAPN Conference: Speed to Market Is More Important Than Ever
Manufacturing
Maybe everybody should look to Zara—the highly successful Spanish retail chain that can churn out clothing collections in a few weeks—to survive these uncertain fashion times.
Verdad Fall/Winter 2017 on the Runway in New York
Verdad
Last season, Los Angeles designer Louis Verdad showed his new Verdad label in an installation setting during New York Fashion Week. For his Fall/Winter 2017 collection, the designer returned to the runway, showing on Feb. 12 at Pier 59 Studios in Chelsea.
Z Supply's First Icons of Culture Collections Includes Ocean Pacific and Gotcha
Icons of Culture
For the launch of Z Supply’s new Icons of Culture brand, Greg Garrett went back to his roots.
Wednesday, February 15
Meet Sebastien of Merakai Imperial Garments
For the next generation of Los Angeles design talent, you sometimes do not have to scout farther than the people working in the metropolis’s boutiques. Meet Sebastien Amisial.
Tuesday, February 14
Winners in Hollywood
Photography
The Morrison Hotel Gallery in the legendary Sunset Marquis in Hollywood was the scene for the opening night of the photo exhibit titled “Winners” celebrating Grammy and Oscar stars.
Monday, February 13
Ten Years for The Hundreds
A decade is an eternity in the boutique business, and Los Angeles’ streetwear brand The Hundreds is taking the month to celebrate its big shop.
Friday, February 10
The Wet Seal Goes on the Auction Block
Retail
Another California clothing venture is selling its brand after declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Thursday, February 9
You Can’t Spell Apparel Without an App
Google recently announced new fashion/tech partnership with Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M that really focuses on the “app” in apparel.
Rebecca Minkoff Hosts ‘See Now, Buy Now’ Show at The Grove
See Now, Buy Now
A well-dressed crowd of fashion influencers and fans turned out to see the Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2017 runway show at The Grove lifestyle center in Los Angeles.
Streetwear Farewell to Obama
We've seen the laudatory memes and Thank You notes to Barack Obama, but what about the streetwear T-shirt?
Startup World Cup Lands a Shark
Daymond John, the FUBU co-founder and one of the “sharks” on TV’s “Shark Tank,” will deliver the keynote address at the Startup World Cup 2017, set for March 24 in San Francisco.
Los Angeles’ Metro/Mall Bridge Opens
There’s a new connection between public transportation and shopping.
Nasty Gal Shuttering Los Angeles Operations With Sale to BooHoo
Retail
Online clothing vendor Nasty Gal will be spending the next two to three months winding down its Los Angeles operations after British-based fashion online retailer BooHoo won a $20 million bid to buy the company’s intellectual-property assets, trademarks and customer lists.
Tommy Hilfiger’s Carnivalesque Tommyland Show
Tommy Hilfiger
Veteran designer Tommy Hilfiger showed his Tommy Hilfiger Women’s Spring ’17 line and the Tommy X Gigi capsule at Tommyland, a carnival-esque installation that took over Windward Plaza Park.
Coco Cooper: Taking a New Look at Size and Fit in Premium Denim
Coco Cooper
Jillian Nelson’s career as a model and fit model—in Hong Kong, at the Columbus, Ohio–headquartered Limited Inc., and in New York—has made her a fit expert.
C-Print’s FabFad Wants to Bring Tech to Print Buying
Textiles
The discussion of technology and textiles tends to focus on new fiber developments or automation within a fabric mill. Los Angeles–based printer and full-package production house C-Print has introduced FabFad, a new way to bring tech into the textile-buying process.
Yarns and Viscose Rayon Fibers Get Tangled in EU-U.S. Tariff Fight
Textiles
A trade war over Europe limiting U.S. beef imports led the Obama administration last year to propose a set of retaliatory tariffs on mostly food-related goods coming from Europe.
FIDM Costume Exhibition Includes Oscar-Nominated Designs
Oscar-Nominated Costumes
To celebrate the opening of the 25th annual “Art of Motion Picture Costume Design” exhibition at the FIDM Museum at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, the Los Angeles design college hosted a grand-opening party on Feb. 4 at its downtown Los Angeles campus.
Young Contemporary and Temporary Exhibitors Section Bustling at Atlanta Apparel
Trade Shows
Young contemporary and fashion accessories segments drew the biggest crowds during the Feb. 1–5 run of the Atlanta Apparel market.
Business as Usual is Good at CALA
Trade Shows
The last time the contemporary trade show produced its San Francisco event, Nov. 8–9, it opened on the day of the hotly contested presidential election. News of Donald Trump’s win dominated the trade show, said Lauren Butler, a sales representative for the Focus Showroom.
BCBGMaxAzria Outlines Store Closing Plan
Retail
Los Angeles–based brand BCBGMaxAzriaGroup, which has been weathering some tough financial times lately, has outlined its strategy for closing nearly 400 stores in its retail chain of 570 outposts.
Wednesday, February 8
Retail Sales Forecast To Increase in 2017, NRF Says
Retail
Business will be good in 2017, according to a forecast released Feb. 8 by National Retail Federation, the Washington D.C. trade group.
Allen Schwartz Revamps His Company With a New Name and New Business Model
Manufacturing
Los Angeles apparel guru Allen Schwartz is back at it, changing his business model.
Tuesday, February 7
ROW DTLA's Spring Collective Blossoms
ROW DTLA, Los Angeles' newish retail enclave, recently debuted a set of new shops and creative spaces called The Spring Collective.
Monday, February 6
Gap Reports Gains
Retail
Gap Inc. reported gains after posting sales results for its fourth quarter for its 2016 fiscal year and in January.
Night on Broadway: Spectators and Sights!
“Night on Broadway” hosted its 3rd annual event on Jan. 29 with around 70,000 attendees. The event was founded to bring back the excitement and celebrate the history of LA’s famous thoroughfare. The free arts and music event takes over Broadway from 3rd Street to Olympic Boulevard. There were musical performances, art exhibits, food vendors and food trucks, clothing and craft vendors and an assortment of unique performances.
South Coast Plaza Kicks off 50th Anniversary with a Gala
South Coast Plaza kicked off its 50th anniversary set of celebrations with a gala dinner in Malibu.
Monrow Opens Store in Venice
Retail
Los Angeles-centric Monrow decides to hit the retail road with a new store.
Thursday, February 2
designLAb: Where Art Meets Design
designLAb, located on the 2nd floor of the Big Blue Building at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif., recently celebrated the new year with a public reception for new galleries with art and design exhibits.
January Retail Sales Soar for Some, Plummet for Others
Retail
Zumiez Inc., the Lynwood, Wash.–based action-sports apparel and equipment retailer, continued its winning streak with strong retail sales last month. In contrast, Kearney, Neb.–based chain The Buckle Inc. continued to struggle in January. The company reported a 17.2 percent decrease in net sales to $43.9 million in January and a same-store-sales decrease of 17.6 percent.
Dov Charney: From American Apparel to Los Angeles Apparel
Manufacturing
If the business plan sounds the same, it is. Dov Charney is more determined than ever to make his second stab at apparel manufacturing more successful than the first.
Ron Robinson’s Valentine’s Day Treat
Los Angeles retail boutique Ron Robinson will host a pair of sweet events for the launch of Sugar + Ron Robinson, a retro T-shirt collection that blends “pop-rock colors” and “cotton candy fabrics.”
Hauste & Harte’s Trek for California Sophistication
Hauste & Harte
Nathan Rostro spent a lifetime at the beach and once worked for surfwear brand O’Neill, but he wants to tell the world that stereotypes of California fashion should be tossed in a dustbin.
Economic Uncertainty Rings Loud at 11th Annual Texworld USA
Trade Shows
The uncertainty of the U.S. economy was a common theme at the 11th edition of the fabric sourcing trade show Texworld USA Jan. 23–25 at New York’s Javits Center, taking place just three days after the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Fashion Market Northern California Buzzes With Activity
Trade Shows
Buyers attending Fashion Market Northern California were lined up one hour before the doors opened at the San Mateo County Event Center on the first day of the show, exhibitors said.
Vera Bradley Dives into Swim with Mainstream
Vera Bradley
Vera Bradley—the lifestyle brand known for its allover-print handbags, totes and luggage—will launch a swimwear collection with Mainstream Swimwear Inc.
Online Sales are Driving Retail Investment, Survey Says
Retail
Online sales were expected to capture 11.6 percent —or $394 billion—of all U.S. retail sales in 2016, according to a projection by Forrester research firm, but instead “digital touchpoints” commanded an estimated 49 percent of U.S. sales.
New CFO Named to Hudson Jeans Parent Company
Manufacturing
Differential Brands Group has named Bob Ross its new chief financial officer, effective Jan. 30.
Texollini’s Latest $2 Million Investment Includes New Knitting, Dyeing and Finishing Machines
Textiles
There are five reasons for a textile mill to invest in new technology, according to Amit Bracha, president and chief operating officer with the Long Beach, Calif.–based vertical textile mill Texollini.
Surf Industry—and More—Turn Out for Surf Expo
Trade Shows
Exhibitors were “stoked” and buyers were busy at the Jan. 26–28 run of Surf Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
Autumn in N.Y.
NY Fashion Week
Menswear brands got the New York Fashion Week party started with a series of runway shows and presentations held around the city.
Wednesday, February 1
Designers from the 1950s at FIDM Museum in Orange County
Fashion
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Orange County has an exhibit showing the works of five designers who influenced California's 1950s-era fashion.
Fit and Fair
Athleta, the fitness apparel division of San Francisco–based Gap Inc. is adding fair trade-certified styles to its collection of activewear.
