Friday, February 24
New Sales Manager for Mac & Jac
Liz Claiborne Inc. has made some quick changes for its latest acquisition and has named former Sigrid Olsen executive Michelle Sachs sales manager for Mac & Jac....
White Was the Prevailing Color at N.Y. Apparel Shows
NEW YORK—Undaunted by the curveball thrown by Mother Nature, buyers turned out for Fashion Coterie, Designers & Agents and The Train despite a blizzard that dumped 2 feet of snow ...
Falling Prices
Gasoline prices continued to decrease in the state. The average cost of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline dropped 4.9 cents during the week of Feb. 13 to $2.473 a gallon. Nationwide, the average...
Under the Spotlight
Nominees put their costumes in a starring role for Oscar night ...
Pumpled-Up Port
Container traffic is up at the Port of Long Beach. The port saw an 18 percent increase in cargo traffic in January compared with the same period last year....
Hail to the Fashion Chief
The Fashion Industries Guild of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center will bestow the “Man of the Year” award later this year on Kenneth Weinbaum, FIG’s president for the past 15 ...
Memorial for CMC Exec
A memorial service for Sidney Morse, a longtime managing general partner of the CaliforniaMart, now called the California Market Center, will be held March 1....
Lizalde
Before Ricky Lizalde designed lingerie, his artistic outlet was as a dancer performing with modern dance companies such as Complexions in New York and the Los Angeles Chamber Ballet....
The View From Vegas
Las Vegas apparel shows provide an indication of things to come ...
Denim Technology Gets the Spotlight at MAGIC
LAS VEGAS—Automated denim finishing, Web-based product development and 3-D design led a new wave of technology offerings at the MAGIC Marketplace show, which was held Feb. 21-24 at the Las Veg...
SIMA Adopts Liquid Nation Ball
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association’s new Humanitarian Fund now has a party to call its very own....
Fashion District Gets Beautification Grant
The Los Angeles Fashion District’s Business Improvement District received a $10,000 grant from the city of Los Angeles to make improvements for a small median at Eighth and San Pedro ...
New Generation Signs on Blair
Warren, Pa.–based catalog house Blair is the latest company that has enlisted Miami Lakes, Fla.–based New Generation Computing’s e-SPS sourcing management system....
Eagle Exit
American Eagle Outfitters Inc., based in Warrendale, Penn., announced that Michael Leedy, the company’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, has resigned to pursue new opportunities. L...
Plus-Size Brides
Lane Bryant, a retailer for plus-size women, is offering a new bridal collection for women sizes 14-28, which is available at the company’s Web site. The retailer offers three gown silhouettes that ret...
State Mealtime Rules Continue to Stir Controversy
The controversy surrounding California’s meal and break periods has gotten more heated with recent conflicting court rulings. An inconsistency between the state’s labor code and wage order are at the cr...
Brand Building
Federated Department Stores Inc., which last year acquired all the department stores operated by The May Department Stores Inc., has named Anne MacDonald chief marketing officer and president of the Macy’s corporate marketing...
Milano Unica Combines the Force of Five Shows
Fifth Italian Textile Show Joins Lineup in Milan ...
Detox Design
SEXY SKIVVIES: During the day, Ginger McCabe works as a free-lance wardrobe stylist for commercials. In her spare time, McCabe burns the midnight oil designing and sewing one-of-a kind camisoles and...
Modern Goddess
When it comes to retail therapy and delicious indulgences, Malinda Williams, the founder of Modern Goddess lingerie, has a sweet spot for pretty lingerie....
MAGIC Marketplace Vision for Fall '06
The MAGIC Marketplace presented its Fall ’06 looks on the runway during the Feb. 21-24 run of the trade show at the Las Vegas Convention Center....
Formalwear Retailer Takes Pacoima Space
Officials at Norcross, Ga.–based After Hours Formalwear, the nation’s largest chain of company-owned tuxedo and men’s formalwear stores, have signed a 10-year lease to occupy a 70,000-square-foo...
U.S. Apparel Sales Increase With Men Leading the Way
U.S. consumers were busy shopping last year....
Friday, February 17
True Religion Tries New Fabrics on Classic Looks
Fleece might be a fabric for every season. It’s been used for hoodies favored by gym rats and for tops worn by the fashion forward. ...
Footwear On Fire
National footwear sales climbed 9 percent to $42 billion in 2005, according to an NPD Group report. That equates to more than 1.4 billion pairs of shoes sold, with women’s footwear leading the way with...
From Reality Show to the Real Runway
NEW YORK—“Project Runway,” the fashion industry’s answer to TV’s “American Idol,” hit the real-life runway on Feb. 10 in Bryant Park during Olympus Fashion Week....
China Exports
Exports from China outpaced economists’ estimates last month by as much as $3 billion. January’s surplus of $9.5 billion trumped estimates of $6.3 billion. January exports rose 28 percent from a year ea...
Apparel Companies Fishing for Financing Get Few Nibbles
Gaining access to capital has been a perpetual challenge for start-ups and young apparel companies, but some investors are beginning to warm up to the industry as the West Coast fashion scene remains ...
Project Juggles Growth While Keeping Unique Culture
Fresh from being purchased by a giant New York firm, the Project Global Trade Show is enjoying some of the greatest successes in its three-year history. But now that it is under a co...
Counterfeiters Go for the Blue
The runaway success of the premium-denim category has reaped great financial rewards for many blue-jean labels....
Perry Ellis Acquires Gotcha
Miami-based Perry Ellis International, Inc. has completed its acquisition of Irvine, Calif.–based swim and surfwear label Gotcha Internat...
Poketo Has Art, Will Travel
Los Angeles–based company Poketo (pronounced POH-ket-oh) started mixing the artsy with the functional in 2003 when founders Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung offered wallets adorned with graphics de...
H&M to Hollywood
The next step for Swedish-based retailer Hennes & Mauritz will be building a 10,000-square-foot store at 6914 Hollywood Blvd., across the street from the Hollywood & Highland shopping center. ...
California Designers Show at New York Fashion Week
Select local designers and their lines, including Monique Lhuillier, Max Azria Collection, Trovata, Jenni Kayne, Jasmin Shokrian...
Sweatshop Watch
Duke University’s Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III said the school is trimming the number of factories it uses to produce its licensed apparel to keep a closer eye on working conditions. About 25 percent of ...
Lily McNeal: Luxe Summer Knits
Launched in 2002 by Anna Barthelme and Stephen Elkind, Los Angeles–based Lily McNeal is known for luxurious knits exuding style with a casual chic quality....
Innovo Sells HQ
Innovo Group Inc., based in Commerce, said it is wrapping up the sale of its former headquarters in Springfield, Tenn. The company has sold off the last of three properties for its discontinued operations in ...
Hemptown Names Barker to Board
Vancouver, Canada–based apparel maker Hemptown Clothing Inc., an eco-friendly company, named Kenneth Barker to its board of directors....
Fabric Mills Important to Sourcing Decisions
The next three years for U.S. clothing manufacturers will be a challenge as they try to balance the pros and cons of producing in various countries around the world....
Carpet Maker's Recycling Program Turns 10
Commercial carpet and modular tile maker C&A Floorcoverings announced it hit the 100 million mark—100 million pounds, that is....
OptiTex Names European Rep
CAD firm OptiTex Ltd. has appointed Kuris Spezialmaschinen GmbH of Germany to represent OptiTex in Germany, Austria and Switzerland....
Quiksilver Gets New Marketing VP
Natas Kaupas, a former pro skater and artist, has been named the new vice president of marketing of the Quiksilver division of Quiksilver Inc. Kaupas joined the Huntington Beach, Calif.–based ...
New York Fashion Week Fall #039;06: Trovata
The Orange County, Calif.–based wonder boys of
Actress Shows New Spring Line
Mandy Moore debuted the new Spring 2006 collection of her label Mblem at the Sue Goodman Showroom in The New Mart on Feb. 7. The line was launched in 2004 and is designed and manuf...
Burlington Expands Tech Fabric Line
Burlington WorldWide Apparel will offer a new line of activewear fabrics designed to dry quickly, resist odor and protect the body from ultraviolet rays....
New York Fashion Week Fall '06: Max Azria Collection
Previously known as BCBG Max Azria Collection, the newly renamed
RFID Moves Closer to Retail Sales Floors
Radio frequency identification (RFID) may be coming to the selling floor sooner than expected....
Veteran Retailer of Short Men's Suits Moves to Beverly Hills
Jimmy Au’s for Men 5'8quot; and Under is going upscale....
More Hotel Space for ASR Visitors
Organizers of the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo are looking forward to having more lodging space for the approximately 20,000 visitors it receives twice a year....
Boutique Takes Designer Back to School
Carlo Gholami has spent years as a designer of contemporary young menswear, but in his new life as a retailer he has undertaken a unique way of understanding his customer....
New York Fashion Week Fall #039;06: Chaiken
San Francisco–based
Warner Bros. Adds to Its Apparel Line
Burbank, Calif.–based Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered with New York–based manufacturer Priorities to create a line of heavily distressed and embellished T-shirts,...
Top Retailers to Discuss e-Commerce Trends
Leading retail executives from Guess, Liz Claiborne, The Wet Seal, Patagonia, Bloomingdale’s and Victoria’s Secret Direct will dis...
Optimer Expands Spinning Resources
Optimer Performance Fibers, maker of branded Dri-release with FreshGuard fibers, has licensed three new spinning facilities in Europe and Asia....
New Balance Goes Nano
New Balance Performance Outerwear, a new licensee of New Balance Athletic Shoe Co., is using nanotechnology in its Circa V outerwear line....
Concept III Launches Fabric Library Online
Red Bank, N.J.- based textile resource and garment production service Concept III Textiles has opened an online fabric library on its Web site....
Nilit and Invista Strike Deal for European Nylon Business
Israel-based Nilit, maker of Sensil-branded polyamide fibers, has struck an agreement with fiber maker Invista to acquire Invista’s nylon apparel plant in Oestringen, Germany...
BCBG Buys Bankrupt New York Retailer
BCBG Max Azria Group, Inc. and Guggenheim Corporate Funding LLC bought bankrupt G+G Retail Inc. for $35 million....
LAPD Recovers Stolen Blue Jeans
The Los Angeles Police Department arrested two suspects involved in a dramatic denim burglary in which thieves drove a van through a storefront in the Los Angeles Fashion District and made off with ab...
New York Fashion Week Fall ’06: Trovata
The Orange County, Calif.–based wonder boys of
New York Fashion Week Fall ’06: Chaiken
San Francisco–based
Friday, February 10
Sun Buys DBA
Boca Raton, Fla.–based Sun European Partners LLP has acquired the European intimates business of Sara Lee Corp. The intimate apparel division will be now known as Dim Branded Apparel and will be based in Paris. Among ...
Knitted Sweaters Unraveling in Red Tape
The headaches have already begun when it comes to importing apparel from China....
Apparel and Textile Imports Top Priority for Customs Officials
Quotas on apparel and textiles will probably disappear at the end of 2008, but importers should be prepared for Congress to impose anti-dumping duties in 2009 if low-priced, Chinese-made clothing star...
From Cutter & Buck to Gap
San Francisco–based Gap Inc. hired John T. (Tom) Wyatt as president of its GapBody division. Wyatt was previously president and CEO of Cutter & Buck Inc. Before joining the Seattle-based upscale ap...
Satellite Radio Available for Retailers
Gardena, Calif.–based Antex Electronics has introduced what it calls the first satellite radio receiver for the commercial music market....
LAEDC Predicts Dip in Apparel Employment This Year
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. has been reading the tea leaves in 2006 for Southern California in its latest forecast....
Apparel Makers Size Up 3-D Dress Forms
Making the perfect dress form is coming down to an exact science. Manufacturers and retailers are doing away with traditional forms and opting for ones that are based on data captured by 3-D scanners ...
Blue Marlin Corp. Trademark Infringement Case Settled
Blue Marlin Corp. announced the settlement of its trademark infringement case against Donna Karan International on Jan. 30. The case was filed in Federal District Court of San Francisco in June 2005. Severa...
Bebe Taps Cardona, Phillips for High-Fashion Line
Bebe Stores Inc. is best known for earning double-digit same-store sales from its 228 mall-based stores, but the Brisbane, Calif.–based retailer also aspires to high fashion....
Halsea: Style on the Go
TRAVEL: Many women travel for work more than for play, but designer Sally Bartz said she hopes that her festively printed luggage will “make you feel like you’re going on vacation...
American Apparel, Patagonia Go Solar
Environmentally conscious apparel companies Patagonia, based in Ventura, Calif., and American Apparel, based in Los Angeles, have recently installed solar-energy systems within their...
EBay Being Sued by Tiffany
EBay Inc. might have to change its way of doing business if it loses a precedent-setting lawsuit by Tiffany & Co., which charges that the online marketplace is not taking adequat...
California's Job Growth to Weaken in First Quarter
It might take job seekers a little longer to find that perfect job in the upcoming months....
Liz Goes (Middle) East
New York–based manufacturing giant Liz Claiborne Inc. struck an exclusive distribution agreement with MAF Fashion LLC, which will distribute some of the Liz Claiborne brands in the Middle East region, certain ...
Lectra Updates Cutters, Printers
Paris-based Lectra has upgraded products within its cutting and printing systems lines aimed at apparel manufacturers....
Pool Trade Show Grows Up
Since it launched in 2001, Pool Trade Show has gained a reputation as the business venue where the counter-culture designer could have it all—a place to discover new art as well as a platform to do se...
CaliforniaMart Exec Sidney Morse, 71
Sidney L. Morse, a longtime apparel industry executive and philanthropist, died Feb. 1 after battling leukemia. He was 71....
Talbots Buys J. Jill
Hingman, Mass.–based retailer Talbots Inc. will acquire the outstanding shares of Quincy, Mass.–based retailer J. Jill Group Inc. for $24.05 per share, for total equity consideration of approximately $517 million. Talb...
You Wear What You Ate
Food-related apparel licenses keep the retro trend alive...
Executive Turmoil at Innovo
Innovo Group Inc., the maker of Joe’s Jeans and Indie apparel, may be delisted from the NASDAQ if it doesn’t get its board of directors in order....
G+G Retail Inc. Sale May Be Completed on Feb. 14
A Manhattan bankruptcy court may rule on the sale of New York–based juniors chain G+G Retail Inc. as soon as Feb. 14, according sources from the bidding companies....
Lemon Twist Pleads San Francisco's Fashion Case
Danette Scheib is out to disprove the notion that San Francisco is not a fashion hub and she hopes her boutique, Lemon Twist, which opened in November, can help state the case for Bay Area fa...
Gerber, Lectra to Bow at MAGIC
The MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas has not traditionally been a strong trade show venue for technology vendors, but that’s starting to change....
Tukatech Adds Hindi-Language Training Materials
Los Angeles–based CAD (computer-aided design) marketer Tukatech Inc. has released CAD video and training materials produced in the Hindi language for its customers in India and South Asia as w...
Colorful Boutique Ynop 3 to Close
Claudette Inc. co-owner Anamyn Turowski announced her Los Angeles–based label would move operations to a bigger warehouse in Burbank, Calif., by the end of the month, but the label’s c...
Outdoor Retail Centers Take a Cue from Bigger Brothers
The symbol of urban sprawl—the strip mall—is getting a makeover....
Citizens of Humanity Partners With Buyout Firm
Huntington Park, Calif.–based Citizens of Humanity announced Feb. 2 a partnership with Boston-based buyout firm Berkshire Partners. The deal, which gives Berkshire 62.5 percent owners...
Manufacturer Earns Accolades
Kayo of California, a Los Angeles–based manufacturer of casual women’s apparel, was named one of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s Suppliers of the Year on Feb. 2. The ...
Strong Start for 2006
But economists say January’s skyrocketing sales may not impact rest of 2006 ...
Lagerfeld Techs Up N.Y. Fashion Week
Karl Lagerfeld is employing the latest cutting-edge audio-visual technology to spice up his Feb. 10 runway show during New York Fashion Week....
Nia
Los Angeles–based T-shirt lines are manifold, but designer Nia Nguyen trusts that the fabric quality of her line, Nia’s cotton tees with seam finishing details, will keep the customers coming b...
Friday, February 3
Columbia Buys Montrail
Portland, Ore.–based Columbia Sportswear Company purchased Seattlebased outdoor footwear label Montrail Inc. for $15 million in cash, plus the assumption of certain liabilities. Columbia’s vice presiden...
Wal-Mart, Santa Clarita
Arkansas-based mega-retailer Wal-Mart opened a 216,168-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter in Santa Clarita. The 24-hour store features 36 departments, including apparel and accessories, jewelry, lawn and garden...
Alan's Last Rate Hike
The Federal Reserve raised a key interest rate to its highest level in five years at the final meeting chaired by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. The bank raised the federal funds rate a quarter poin...
Joe Bush Finds the Latest Wrinkle in Old Jeans
In his colorful career, Joe Bush has worked as everything from a rodeo rider in Montana to a stockbroker in Colorado. For his latest act, the 64-year-old cowboy has become a denim mogul....
Sharagano Bows Fall With Monah Li
For Fall 2006, Sharagano is all Monah Li. ...
Colombia Relying on Free Trade Agreement for Competitive Edge in Textiles
MEDELLIacute;N, Colombia—Inside a brick and corrugated-tinroof building near the center of this textile capital, 900 workers are shaping blue jeans destined to be sold under the Naut...
Cartwright Joins Lucas
Los Angeles–based jewelry maker Lucas Design International, which holds licenses for Rocawear, Playboy and Disney Couture jewelry, hired Paul Cartwright as director of marketing. Cartwright’s career inc...
More Than Marco Marco in Store
Designing custom clothes gained Marco Morante critical notice and a steady stream of clients to his Hollywood-based boutique Marco Marco. But it didn’t leave him time for much else....
Taiwan Looks to Central America for Business Opportunities
The Central American Free Trade Agreement hasn’t been implemented yet, but Taiwan already has its sights on the region....
Buyers Get a Jump on Fall Lines at Westcoast Exclusive
Regional menswear buyers got a jump on Fall at the Jan. 29–30 run of the Westcoast Exclusive menswear show, held just weeks before the MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas later this month....
Tyte Hires l.e.i. Exec
Los Angeles–based manufacturer 4 Whatitsworth Inc., manufacturer of Tyte Jeans, Duplex, Beau Dawson and World Academy, has hired Peter Caminiti as president...
Tech Execs Court West Coast Apparel Companies
At the millennium, corporate America was scampering to get its computer systems in shape for fear of the notorious Y2K bug....
L.A. Factory Opens
Los Angeles–based manufacturer Sugar Moods Ltd. has opened up about 14,000 square feet of incubator space to start-up and small apparel companies at rates as low as $1.50 per square foot....
More Lofts for Downtown L.A. Urbanites
The loft craze in downtown Los Angeles continues to lure young urban professionals from the fashion industry and beyond. The latest development comes from apparel industry business owners involved in ...
New Board, New Goals for FGI
Jen Uner, co-creator of the L.A. Fashion Awards, and Margaret Schell, co-owner of fashion public relations firm SPR, were named regional director and regional director elect of the F...
Denim Makers Expand Offerings
Despite rumblings of a denim bubble, two local denim makers are poised to launch new brands for Fall 2006. From jeans for women who buy men’s jeans, to denim for vintage purists and rock stars, to a brand for ...
Michel Berandi: Luxury With a Conceptual Edge
Couture with an edge—that’s the look of Michel Berandi....
Buy Now: Men's Resources Build Inventory for Immediate Delivery
Despite nearly two decades experience selling high-end women’s fashion, retailer Fred Levine waited until the last minute to begin placing orders for his new contemporary menswear store....
Queen of the Meadow Claims S.F.'s Indie Style
If tourists visiting San Francisco want to track down remnants of the Summer of Love era, they visit the city’s Haight-Ashbury district. The epicenter of this influential 1960s scene was located in th...
Two Longtime Fashion District Retailers Shutter
Two retail landmarks have bid farewell to shoppers in the Los Angeles Fashion District....
Windsor Plans More Stores
Prom season starts in a few months, but high school girls are already shopping for sophisticated dresses at Windsor Fashions Inc., said Ike Zekaria, vice president and co-owner of the Vernon, Calif...
Online Retailers Face Their Toughest Competition: Their Own Vendors
When Don Daszkowski scouted the Internet for potential competition to his fashion e-commerce Web site,
Lawsuit Filed Against Hale Bob
Stylist Angelika Bolliger has filed a lawsuit against apparel manufacturer Hale Bob, as well as Elle magazine, Marie Claire magazine and photographer TC Reiner, alleging that Vernon, Calif....
Material World to Emphasize Logistics and Sourcing
The upcoming Material World trade show, to be held April 4–6 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla., will kick off the three-day event with a panel discussing appar...
Importer of Counterfeit Designer Handbags Faces Two Years in Prison
A man under investigation for nearly four years pleaded guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court to selling thousands of counterfeit designer bags in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles....
