Stories for September 2017

Subscribe

Thursday, September 28

Tease photo

Coterie’s Wide-Ranging Mix of Apparel and Accessories

Trade Shows

More than 1,000 apparel brands came to the Coterie trade show, which took place Sept. 17–19 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York.

Tease photo

D&A NY: Focused on Specialty Brands and Independent Boutiques

Trade Shows

Though the news is rife with stories about internet retailers hammering bricks-and-mortar stores, at the Designers and Agents trade show, which took place Sept. 16–18, independent fashion boutiques—and the specialty brands they carry—were alive and well.

NetSuite Networks at NY Trade Shows

Technology

Designers weren’t the only ones showing their wares during New York’s September trade shows.

Tease photo

Fiber & Fabric Textile Trends

Fiber & Fabric

Textile Trends

Tease photo

Shop.org Gages Power of Digital Commerce

Shop.org

With the star power of Tyra Banks and Kobe Bryant making speeches, National Retail Federation’s Shop.org convention made the case that digital commerce was on a course to grow even more prominent with the help of burgeoning technologies such as voice technology, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

Tease photo

A New Fred Segal Takes a Bow

Fred Segal

A Fred Segal boutique emporium opened for business Sept. 26 at the edge of the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, Calif.

PacSun’s Schoenfeld, Macerich’s Coppola Talk Retail’s Fall and Possible Rise

Retail

Headlines say that fashion retail is being pummeled. Others believe a bright future is coming into focus.

How the Factoring Industry Has Adapted to a Changing Retail World

Finance

As the retail industry has changed into a split personality of online and offline shopping, so too has the factoring industry that finances manufacturers’ production and sales to clients.

Tease photo

Skingraft Goes For Wearable, Yet Extreme with Arrowhead

After a decade of working in the once blighted, now gentrifying downtown Los Angeles, Jonny Cota, creative director of the Skingraft label, was ready to talk about extremes.

Tease photo

Elyse Walker Spotlights Fall Trends

Elyse Walker

After more than 18 years of running an influential boutique on Los Angeles’ Westside, and dressing Los Angeles’ women in designers such as Balenciaga, Balmain and Bottega Veneta, among other labels, Elyse Walker produced her first presentation of Fall looks on Sept. 21.

Tease photo

Charney Teams With Tukatech

Technology

At American Apparel, founder Dov Charney worked with software and equipment from Los Angeles–based technology company Tukatech. For his latest manufacturing venture, Los Angeles Apparel, Charney is returning to Tukatech solutions.

Tease photo

Annual Urban Dinner Party in LA Fashion District Coming in October

Event

The annual Urban Dinner organized by the Los Angeles Fashion District BID coming to Rossoblu next month.

Wednesday, September 27

Tease photo

Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring 2018 Calendar

Los Angeles Fashion Week begins on Oct. 4 and runs through Oct. 15

UCLA Anderson Forecast Shines a Light on the Troubled Retail Industry

Finance

In one year, retail employment declined by 29,000 jobs. What had been the second largest private-sector employer in the United States has dropped to the fourth largest, according to the recently released UCLA Anderson Forecast.

Tuesday, September 26

Tease photo

Fred Segal’s West Hollywood Shop Opens

Fred Segal opened a 13,000-square-foot emporium in West Hollywood on Sept. 26.

Tease photo

Vitamin A Partners With Beek for Sandal Collection

Fashion

Swimwear label Vitamin A designs a sandal collection with SoCal Beek.

Monday, September 25

Tease photo

Queen Victoria: On Screen and IRL

“Victoria & Abdul” Designer Consolata Boyle

“Victoria & Abdul” costume designer Consolata Boyle recently dropped by the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and the FIDM Museum & Galleries to discuss her work.

Tease photo

Handcrafted LA Takes A Bow

Indie designers and labels get a platform at Handcrafted LA, it held a grand opening party Sept. 22 at The Bloc.

Tease photo

Michael Kors Outfits Artists for Trauma

Artists for Trauma helps people recovering from traumatic injuries. On Sept. 17, the group produced a runway show at Macy’s department store at Westfield Topanga,

Thursday, September 21

Merged Mojix and CXignited Hope to Digitize Stores

Technology

Bricks-and-mortar stores can gain the same technology advantages as e-commerce. They just have to use more RFID, or radio frequency identification technology, said Dan Doles, president and chief executive of Los Angeles–headquartered tech company Mojix.

Tease photo

Top Fashion Student Grads Walk Down the Runway at Supima Design Competition

Supima Design Competition

The idea behind the fashion show was this: Recent graduates from seven fashion design schools across the United States were given the assignment to take Supima cotton fabric and whip up capsule collections of women’s eveningwear for Supima’s 10th annual design competition, seen on the runway in New York on Sept. 7.

Tease photo

California Vibe at Art Hearts Fashion Week in New York

Art Hearts Fashion Week

There were plenty of West Coast designers on the runway during the Arts Heart Fashion shows, held Sept. 7–11 at the Angel Orensanz Center, housed inside a Gothic Revival synagogue in New York.

Tease photo

Students from the Academy of Art University Hit the Runway

AAU @ NYFW

For some 12 years now, the recent graduates from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco have displayed their designs on the runway during New York Fashion Week.

Lenzing’s Adds Traceability to its Sustainability Message With EcoVero Viscose

Textiles

Fiber maker Lenzing has launched a new line of viscose fibers that are both environmentally friendly and traceable.

Archroma Takes Another Stake in M. Dohmen SA

Textiles

Swiss color and specialty chemical company Archroma has taken an additional stake in M. Dohmen SA, a maker of textile dyes and chemicals for the automotive, carpet and apparel industries.

Tease photo

Fiber & Fabric: Textile Trends

Textile Trends

Military green and olive shades give florals, laces and abstract patterns—not to mention textured knits and solids—a fresh, sophisticated look.

Karmaloop’s Selkoe Unveils Wanderset

Retail

In 2015, entrepreneur Greg Selkoe left the Boston-headquartered Karmaloop, the online emporium for streetwear he founded in 2000. Relocated to the Los Angeles area, Selkoe announced Sept. 21 that he was going to unveil the e-commerce and content site Wanderset.

Mayor, NJAL Host Meeting With Apparel, Creative Community at City Hall

Retail

Mayor Eric Garcetti and Not Just a Label, the organization that represents independent designers, hosted a meeting featuring members of Los Angeles’ creative community.

Tease photo

Surf Expo Dodges Hurricane to Showcase Summer 2018 Collections

Trade Shows

There were no registration lines at 9 a.m. on the opening day of Surf Expo and few vehicles in the massive parking lots at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center.

Kandy Kiss Alleges a Former Executive Stole Its Business With Target

Legal

The clothing business can be a cutthroat industry, especially in these times of retail challenges and shifting consumer shopping habits.

Tease photo

Los Angeles Boutique Streets Undergo Change to Survive

Boutique Streets Seek Change

The shopping mall—once considered mini–town centers that attracted after-school teens and early-morning exercising seniors—has struggled to stay competitive after consumers did an about-face and altered their shopping habits.

Wednesday, September 20

Tease photo

Taking Style to the Street

Street style art lovers flood the streets and galleries of the CCAD

Tease photo

South Coast Plaza's Exclusive 50th Anniversary Collection

South Coast Plaza has been celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with events that require invites. But throughout the 50th anniversary year, the luxe Costa Mesa, Calif.-retail center is offering ways to celebrate its golden anniversary open to anyone with a comfortable credit card account.

Uniqlo to Open Denim Concept Shop in DTLA

Retail

Fast Retailing Co. LTD opened a Uniqlo emporium at Westfield Santa Anita, about 30 minutes east of downtown Los Angeles Sept. 9, but the Japanese fast-fashion company announced it was going to open another unique store in Los Angeles.

Tuesday, September 19

Tease photo

Fronteer Takes A Hike at Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co.

Back to the nature means neutral colors, right? Not according to Fronteer's Jon Tang.

Tease photo

Fabletics Strides for More Business With Shoes

After four years of online sales, Fabletics adding shoes to activewear.

Tease photo

Eating Hall Opens in LA Fashion District

Fashion Foodies

A hip new food hall opens on the edge of the Los Angeles Fashion District.

Monday, September 18

Tease photo

Skid Row Denim & Apparel's Debut Party

Call it stylish activism. Skid Row Denim & Apparel is a clothing line and a project of the Skid Row Housing Trust, which has been building housing for homeless people in Los Angeles County since 1989. On Sept. 14, Skid Row Denim & Apparel made an official introduction of its premium denim line.

Friday, September 15

LA Textile Preview: Trim Spotlight

Textiles

Findings & Trimmings

LA Textile Preview Textile Trends

Textiles

Textile Trends

Twin Dragon Introduces New Denim With Performance, Sustainability Qualities

Gardena, Calif.–based Twin Dragon Marketing is rolling out new denim made with Unifi’s Sorbtek wicking fiber as well as with Unifi’s recycled Repreve fiber.

Need for Speed in PredictSpring New App for PacSun

In the fast-moving world of mobile apps, San Francisco Bay area–headquartered PredictSpring is betting on speed.

Mojix and CXignited Announce Merger

Los Angeles–based Mojix, a provider of RFID systems and IoT platform solutions, has merged with CXignited, a European company that is a leader in delivering real-time product and consumer data to retailers.

Thursday, September 14

Tease photo

Christian Audigier Documentary Coming Next Year

Fashion

Next year, a documentary about Christian Audigier, founder of Ed Hardy, will be available to watch on video-on-demand platforms.

Tease photo

Techday at The Reef

The third annual Techday LA ran on Sept. 14 at The Reef showroom and exhibition building near downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Apparel Manufacturers Fined for Labor Violations

Manufacturing

The California Labor Commissioner’s Office cited 14 Los Angeles garment manufacturers and contractors for labor law and garment registration violations following inspections last month in the Los Angeles area.

Style Fashion Week Sees Three Days of Runway Shows During NYFW

Fashion

Style Fashion Week opened its three-day event on Sept. 7 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid at Pier 86 in New York.

Tease photo

LA Designer Tadashi Shoji Unveils Spring/Summer ’18 at NYFW

Spring Is In The Air

Los Angeles designer Tadashi Shoji went with a more informal vibe for his Spring/Summer ’18 collection, which was seen on the runway during New York Fashion Week.

Liverpool Jeans Debuts Higher-Priced Women’s Line

Manufacturing

Los Angeles–headquartered Liverpool Jeans Company is on the move.

Tease photo

Dunyah Takes the Runway at NYFW

Dunyah

Mustafa Wafa produced his second runway show for New York Fashion Week, unveiling his Spring/Summer 2018 collection for his Los Angeles–headquartered brand called Dunyah.

Tease photo

LA Manufacturer Launches Nonprofit Mobile Laundry to Aid City’s Homeless

Manufacturing

A chance encounter with a homeless woman sent apparel manufacturer Jodie Dolan on a path to connecting her 13-year-old manufacturing business with doing social good.

Tease photo

Nordstrom to Open Omnichannel Concept on Melrose Place

Nordstrom Gets Compact

For the past decade, Melrose Place has been an exclusive Los Angeles address for high-end designer boutiques. Now Nordstrom plans to join the crowd.

Tease photo

Snoopy’s Fashion Tour

The world knows about last week’s New York Fashion Week for stylish people. But what about a fashion event for the discerning cartoon character?!

Tuesday, September 12

Tease photo

MS.RPRSNTD: A Different View of Skateboarding

Adrienne D. Williams wants to show the world that skateboarding is not just for men.

Monday, September 11

Tease photo

Local Boogeyman Slips into Echo Park

It may be a little early to think about Halloween, but not for Local Boogeyman House of Horror, which recently opened in Los Angeles' Echo Park section.

Tease photo

Swaggy P’s Most Hated at American Rag

You could accuse the Most Hated label with false advertising. Scores of people demonstrated that they, in fact, liked the Los Angeles-headquartered label, when they lined up Sept. 9 at Los Angeles’ American Rag to buy the brand's new looks.

Friday, September 8

Containerized Imports Headed for a Record in the United States

Import/Export

Consumer confidence keeps shoppers buying as the economy chugs along.

Tease photo

'Fearless Genius' at Leica

On Sept. 6, Leica Gallery in West Hollywood, Calif., hosted an opening reception for an exhibition featuring American Photographer Doug Menuez’s latest body of work titled “Fearless Genius: The Next Generation.”

Thursday, September 7

Tease photo

Sof for Lolli Debuts

Sof for Lolli, a capsule collection from swimwear brand Lolli takes a bow.

Tease photo

Rosie HW X Paige – Style for the “On-Duty” Model

Rosie HW X Paige

For their Fall/Winter ’17 collection, Paige Adams-Geller and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley let their imaginations roam wild for their Rosie HW X Paige collection.

CIT Group Names New Chief Strategy Officer

Finance

Commercial lender CIT Group has named Kenneth McPhail as executive vice president and chief strategy officer, effective immediately.

Athletic Wear Maker Prana Names New President

Manufacturing

Prana has named a replacement for its longtime president, Scott Kerslake, who left last month to become the chief executive of Nixon watches.

Taiwanese Citizen Held in San Francisco on Charges of Bringing in Millions of Counterfeit Footwear and Apparel

Import/Export

A former Taiwanese national living in New York was charged with smuggling and conspiracy to traffic counterfeit goods that ranged from high-priced Nike shoes and Ugg boots to True Religion blue jeans after he tried to board an international flight in San Francisco.

August Business Mixed

Retail

The U.S. economy was good in August, but retail sales ranged from solid to soft.

Vecchiarelli’s Fashion Supplies Inc. Closing After 85 Years, Four Generations

Retail

For 85 years, four generations of the Vecchiarelli family have been selling apparel supplies to manufacturers in Los Angeles. But in December, owner Joe Vecchiarelli is closing the family’s retail operations.

After Tough Times, Gap Announces New Stores

Retail

After a long period of restructuring, Gap Inc., often described as the world’s largest specialty retailer, is charting a course for growth.

Getting Back Into the Apparel Business After a 20-Year Hiatus

Fashion

Step into Trishia Grace’s compact atelier in West Hollywood and you will see her world of fashion influenced by delicate fabrics and femininity.

How Many More Laps Are Left for the Athleisure Trend?

Fashion

Financial gurus around the United States have started to ask whether the prosperous athleisure trend is on its last run around the track.

Everystore Packages Universe of E-Retail

Technology

For many, shopping online feels like navigating a tsunami of choices and information.

Tease photo

J!nx’s Clothes for the Nerd Goes Pro-Sports

J!nx’s Clothes

The competition is just beginning.

More Than 200 Brands to Show at Centrestage in Hong Kong

Events

The Sept. 6-9 run of Centrestage at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was expected to feature more than 200 international fashion brands and a lineup of events that includes runway shows, designer Q&As, B2B seminars and networking events.

Tease photo

OCFW: OC Opener

OCFW

OC FASHION WEEK: Gigi Hunter gained notoriety for her knits and glamorous crochet pieces that were seen on celebrities such as Halle Berry, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jasmine Guy.

Tease photo

Taking Screen Printing to the Streets

An artists’ collective in Berlin has found a way to put the “street” in streetwear graphics.

Wednesday, September 6

Tease photo

Pantone Reveals Its Spring 2018 Colors

Fashion

Spring pops with new colors.

Tuesday, September 5

Tease photo

Michaud Opens Thread + Seed

In 2012, Melanie Michaud opened indie fashion shop Graffiti Beach in San Diego. Over the recent Labor Day weekend, Michaud opened Thread + Seed.

Friday, September 1

Tease photo

FBI Says Farewell with a Party

Since 1999, Fashion Business Inc has been an educational source for fashion entrepreneurs that also produced runway shows and events. It announced that it was shuttering in July. On Aug. 31, a farewell party was produced at the Fathom Gallery in California Market Center.