Federal and local officials raided several locations in Los Angeles and surrounding communities during a week of sweeps that resulted in 30 arrests and uncovered everything from counterfeit iPhones to fake Ed Hardy T-shirts. At a press conference on Aug. 31, law enforcement officers unveiled some of the more»

Tough times are making it harder for surf’s indie brands to break in. For the once-freewheeling surf and skate fashion market, it has become increasingly tough for new and independent brands to find a way into the industry; the current economic situation might squeeze out new brands’ fresh more»

Thousands of counterfeit blue jeans shipped to the Port of Los Angeles were seized on Aug. 17 by law enforcement officials working in conjunction with federal investigators. Customs officials inspecting a 40-foot container that had arrived from China uncovered a scheme to pass off 21,024 pairs of fake more»

American Apparel, which warned on Aug. 16 that there was “substantial doubt that the company will be able to continue as a going concern,” is working to increase factory efficiency, cut costs, improve training for its retail personnel, beef up Internet sales and pump up its profitable more»

Frederick’s of Hollywood Group announced it completed plans to fully outsource its manufacturing and is nearing its goal of consolidating its U.S. distribution facilities, which is expected to result in $2 million in annual savings. The company, which has been gradually outsourcing its more»

Los Angeles–based denim maker David Kahn is ready to take his business to the next level. Known for his eponymous line of premium core basics that sells in majors as well as specialty stores, Kahn is reinventing his collection with the Fall 2011 season. Jill Perilman, the denim designer and more»

Julius the monkey is getting a new lease on life. Los Angeles–based Saban Brands acquired Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Paul Frank Industries on Aug. 17 for an undisclosed price. The acquisition includes all of Paul Frank’s assets and intellectual property, including Julius the monkey and more more»

Starting in mid-August, Matson Navigator Co. adds a second string of cargo ships carrying containers from China to Long Beach, Calif. The new service calls on ports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai and then sails across the Pacific Ocean to the Port of Long Beach. Each ship carries about 3,500 20-foot more»

Quiksilver has made a bold move by exchanging $140 million in debt with a New York–based lender for a large share of the clothing maker. On Aug. 9, Quiksilver announced that the debt swap with Rhone Group LLC now makes Rhone the owner of nearly one-third of the company. Rhone was given 31.1 million more»

Importing things such as rayon staple fibers just got cheaper after President Obama signed the Manufacturing Enforcement Act of 2010 on Aug. 11. The bill, also known as the Miscellaneous Trade Bill (H.R. 4380), is good until Dec. 31, 2012, and replaces a similar bill that expired on Dec. 31, 2009. The more»

Los Angeles manufacturer Rhapsody Clothing Inc. is putting a young contemporary spin on some familiar cartoon characters. The company’s Rhapsody Couture by Rhapsody Studio division unveils three new licensed collections—featuring Betty Boop, House of Snoopy and Olivia—at the MAGIC Marketplace more»

For Elvis Presley it was his pompadour and sideburns. For Michael Jackson it was a single, sparkly glove. For iconic pop singer Frank Sinatra, his trademark look was his fedora hat, and Dorfman Pacific, one of the world’s largest headwear companies, has a fedora line inspired by Sinatra’s more»

Body-scanning technology inspires Levi’s to find the perfect curve. Levi’s is embracing the technology of fit with a new line of custom-fit jeans designed to hug the curves of a woman’s body. Rather than focus on size, Levi’s Curve ID’s fit system focuses on shape. The more»

The economic outlook for California should be brighter by the end of the year as hiring begins to pick up. That was the word from the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research at Chapman University, which released a report on Aug. 4 showing that the employment scenario is improving. One gray area, more»

Pure Blue Jeans, a new juniors denim line launching for Spring 2011, comes to market with a line that reaches tweens through plus-size juniors and young contemporary. Based in Pasadena, Calif., and created in conjunction with a vertically integrated Chinese denim and private-label company, the brand more»

San Francisco–based Levi Strauss & Co. has announced yet another collaboration, this time with Filson, the Seattle-based maker of rough-and-tumble garments for outdoorsmen. Together, Levi’s and Filson have created Levi’s Workwear by Filson, a collection of men’s apparel and more»

Gardena, Calif.–based juniors brand Heart N Soul has reached a licensing agreement with City of Industry, Calif.–based footwear maker East Lion Corp. to create moderately priced, trend-focused shoes. Founded in 1996, Heart N Soul retails at mid-tier department and specialty chains, including more»

Glendale, Calif.–based Disney Consumer Products is collaborating with Philadelphia-based Motherhood Maternity on a collection of maternity apparel and accessories that will feature iconic Disney characters. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Winnie the Pooh will appear on knit tees, sleepwear, plush more»

The Obama administration is making it easier to protect intellectual-property rights, which includes apprehending counterfeit items and protecting trademarks. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently announced that trademark and copyright holders can now provide the agency product-identification more»

Alternative Apparel, the Los Angeles maker of fashion basics, continues to reach into new markets with its latest collaboration with New York–based designer Mara Hoffman. Hoffman’s Cruise 2011 Mara Hoffman Swim collection featured a psychedelic take on tribal prints (think batik prints run more»