Friday, July 27
ExchangeFrame: Trade Shows Made Easier
Tapping into the B2B marketplace via online wholesaling has been a promising concept but a tall order to fill. A few have attempted it, and a few have failed. Now the produc...
Yves Castaldi: New Looks for a Denim Pioneer
Yves Castaldi designed some of the most memorable looks for fashion denim brands such as Buffalo and Tag Plus. But Castaldi said that he will be seeking new inspiration for his upcom...
Cia.Mariacute;tima by Benny Rosset
For Spring 2008, Cia.Mariacute;tima took inspiration from the jet-set chic style of the 1960s and ’70s. The Brazilian brand, which debuted on July 11 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim, was designed this season for the girl who trav...
Badgley Mischka Swim Spring '08
Designing swimwear is something the eveningwear design duo Badgley Mischka has always wanted to do. The New York–based designers debuted their first swimwear collection on July 11 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miam...
Red Carter Swim Spring '08
Red Carter, Miami’s poster boy for swimwear, showed his
True Religion Swim Spring '08
All that was missing from
DE et DR Don Eduardo et Donna Rosalia Swim Spring '08
London-based swim and resortwear designer Deborah Martinelli Bonavia made her stateside
Premium Denim
Major brands forecast their upcoming innovations. Since the inception of the category, premium denim has experienced tremendous growth in the marketplace. “The market has grown from $150 million in 2000 to a $700 million mark...
Jessica Simpson Swim Spring '08
Singer and starlet Jessica Simpson caused quite the commotion at the July 14 debut of her new namesake juniors swim line at The Raleigh hotel for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim in Miami Beac...
Parke & Ronen Swim Spring '08
The New York–based menswear line Parke & Ronen offered an uuml;ber-stylish option for
Strategic Move
Everybody wants a piece of the lucrative L.A. premium-jeans market, and that includes $100-million fabric supplier Italdenim. Founded in 1973, the company opened its first U.S. office in October 2006 in Marina Del Rey, Calif...
Becca by Rebecca Virtue Swim Spring '08
Becca designer Rebecca Virtue brought easy glamour to the runway during her July 13 runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim at The Raleigh hotel in Miami Beach on July ...
Miss Bikini Swim Spring '08
Milan-based Miss Bikini joined the line-up of international designers to debut at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim. Although the collection has been introduced to the U.S. market in pr...
Jacquelyne Love Bella Mar Swim Spring '08
Jacquelyne Love made a splash in Miami with the debut of her Bella Mar Swim and E Label collections. The ready-to-wear–turned–swim designer opened Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami S...
Zimmermann Swim Spring '08
“Hippe Luxe”—that’s the look of the
OptiTex Updates 3-D Suite
New York–based OptiTex USA Inc. has released a new version of its OptiTex 3-D Runway software....
Blitzer Joins Charlotte
San Diego– based retail chain Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. named Michael J. Blitzer to its board of directors. Blitzer is a principal of Portsmouth Partners LLC, a consultancy to private equity groups that focus on retail, wh...
Trina Turk L.A. Store Hosts Aug. 9 Benefit
The Trina Turk boutique in Los Angeles will host a fund-raising event on Aug. 9 to benefit the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST)....
Jones Shuffle
There are changes afoot in the women’s sportswear division of New York–based manufacturing giant Jones Apparel Group Inc. Susan Metzger was promoted from president of sales and marketing of better sportswear to chief executive officer...
Burma Ban
The Washington D.C.–based trade group American Apparel & Footwear Association is recommending President Bush renew the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, set to expire on July 26, which restricts i...
Zafu.com Launches Bra Finder
Zafu.com (
A New Approach to Fashion 101
Beginning fashion students may find the design game rather intimidating with all the complex garment constructions to learn as well as the constant pressure to create something fantastic. Pasadena, Calif...
Directives West: Seeking New Labels
Directives West will host an open-to-look day for a wide range of categories from young designer to sportswear and accessories....
For Farmer Fans
Glendale, Calif.–based Farmer Jeans opened its first branded boutique on July 14 at 4648 Hollywood Blvd., which is just a short walk from the stylish streetwear stores of Sunset Junction. So far, the boutique offers onl...
Gerber Names Marketing Exec; Debuts Spreader
Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology has named Cynthia Mahlstedt to the newly created position of director of marketing communications....
Sole Tech to Move to Web-based Transactions
Orange County, Calif.–based Sole Technology, known for its Etnies and Es footwear brands, is moving its sales transactions to the Web, using a new remote software ap...
Dispute Continues Over Roxy Label
Call this round three in the 5-year-old court battle over the Roxy label....
7 For All Mankind, Lucy Sold to VF
The number seven now adds up to $775 million....
Embargos This Fall on Some Chinese Apparel
U.S. apparel importers are hoping they don’t get caught with their pants down as the quota on Chinese-made cotton trousers is swiftly filling up....
Strike Averted as Port Clerks Settle Contract Dispute
It’s clear sailing ahead at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach after talks to negotiate a new three-year contract for the ports’ office clerks were successfully concluded July 26....
New, Luxe Office for Barbara Fields
Trend forecaster Barbara Fields has witnessed the fashion business change and grow from many different vantage points in the California Market Center. During her mo...
L.A. Designers Among Finalists for CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
Two Los Angeles designers are among the finalists for the fourth annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award, sponsored by the Council of...
L.A. Fashion Awards Nominees Announced
The ramp up to the L.A. Fashion Awards has begun. The third annual awards are set for Oct. 26 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles....
Have Shop, Will Travel
This may be the next wave of convenience shopping.Los Angeles–based Hitch Couture can transport a physical boutique to places such as a sidewalk next to an art gallery, the grou...
New CEO for Blue Holdings
Commerce, Calif.–based Blue Holdings Inc. named Glenn S. Palmer chief executive officer and president. Palmer is taking over the positions formerly held by Paul Guez, who is ...
Charlotte Russe Announces Expansion
Charlotte Russe Holdings Inc. trimmed its size when it sold its Rampage division in 2006, but on July 25, the San Diego–based retailer announced it was going on another growth spurt....
New Line Draws Inspiration From Comic Art
Atomic Madhouse has debuted a line of T-shirts and tops that draws inspiration from the Silver Age of animation and comic-book art during the 1950s and 1960s....
Kid Dangerous: Fashion With Attitude
Los Angeles–based streetwear line Kid Dangerous debuted on July 11 at Hollywood’s King King nightclub, and the 12-piece line already has been picked up by highprofile menswear shops, includin...
The Buckle Gets a Blue Martini
Kearney, Neb.–based retailer The Buckle Inc. has upgraded its e-commerce platform with new software from San Diego–based Escalate Retail....
Art & Commerce
Fashion students should be able to juggle a sense of good design and a knack for business, according to the non-profit educational group Fashion ...
Active Ride Sets Moving Day
Active Wallace Group, which operates about 20 Active Ride skate/surf shops across Southern California, is moving its Inland Empire headquarters from Ontario, Calif., to Mira Loma, Ca...
Gap Names CEO
San Francisco–based retail giant Gap Inc. named Glenn Murphy chairman and chief executive officer of the company, filling a position left vacant by Paul Pressler, who left the company in January. Robert J. Fi...
Tag-It Now Talon
Woodland Hills–based Tag-It Pacific Inc. has changed its name to Talon International Inc., in recognition of its efforts to capitalize on its zipper business with its Talon zipper brand. The company has been manufacturing zip...
Color on GraffitiPink.com's Catwalk
Rainbow-bright fashion filled the candle-lit, rose petal–littered runway at GraffitiPink.com’s “Ladies Night” party on July 11. Mor...
Ashley Paige for Girls Gone Wild Spring '08
Los Angeles-based designer Ashley Paige made the jump into Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim at The Raleigh hotel in Miami Beach on July 13 with the...
Xtra Life Lyca Swim Spring '08
Lycra showcased its Xtra Life fabric on the runway July 11 at
Swim Association of Florida Spring '08
Celebrating its 25th year, the Swimwear Association of Florida went all out for its
ANK by Mirla Sabino Swim Spring '08
Subtly chic is the best way to describe Mirla Sabino’s swimwear. The designer was inspired by nature in her native Brazil to design her...
Rosa Chaacute; Swim Spring '08
Rosa Chaacute; designer Amir Slama took a unique approach to presenting his collection of sexy swimwear and resortwear July 11 at The Raleigh hotel for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim in Miami Beach, Fla. Rath...
Shay Todd Swim Spring '08
Shay Todd, best known for designing the sexy swimsuits worn in the oh, so sexy television appearances of Paris Hilton and Eva Longoria, went 1960s glam for her collection. Todd, who recently opened her epo...
Friday, July 20
West Third Street Story
Rents have been increasing on Los Angeles’ premier retail streets, such as Robertson Boulevard, but less than one mile away from this thoroughfare, West Third Street remains a place where rent...
Texas True
Vernon-based premium- denim brand and lifestyle label True Religion Apparel Inc. opened a 1,508-square-foot store at The Galleria in Houston. The Houston store is True Religion’s seventh boutique carrying the ...
Pool Now With Thread
The Pooltradeshow has teamed up with San Diego–based independent shopping event Thread, which has moved its headquarters to Los Angeles, where it will share space at Pool’s offices in the city...
Buxbaum Group Relocates
The Buxbaum Group, an investment group specializing in turnarounds and liquidations, has relocated its headquarters to Agoura Hills, Calif....
Verreos and Paul to Debut Nikolaki Spring '08 in San Diego
Next month designers Nick Verreos and David Paul will head to San Diego to debut their Resort/Spring ’08 Nikolaki collection at a party at the W San Diego hotel....
Newness Keeps SwimShow Cool
The glamour and business of swim collided this month when the Swimwear Association of Florida’s SwimShow 2008 and the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim fashion shows, orc...
Retail After Ralphs: More Reasons to Come Downtown
An upscale Ralphs supermarket will debut on July 20 in downtown Los Angeles at 645 W. Ninth St., a place that until recently was practically a no man’s land for retailers. Popular org...
Economy Shifts Into Third Gear
The falling value of the U.S. dollar doesn’t bode well for tourists wishing to visit exotic lands overseas....
Saving the Center
A coalition of business owners in New York’s fashion district has formed a campaign to preserve the area as a garment center in reaction to several landlords’ recent shift to converting traditional garment buildings to...
Armstrong, Nike Team Up
Beaverton, Ore.–based Nike Inc. and cyclist Lance Armstrong launched the Livestrong Collection, which will raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer-survivor programs. All of the profits from the sale ...
People's Fashion Deal
Los Angeles– based People’s Liberation has signed a two-year distribution agreement with Fashion Deal BVBA for its William Rast label in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Fashion Deal BVBA is an ...
Miami Brings International Beach Flavor to the Runway
The Beach Boys, John Stamos and Jessica Simpson—Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim beefed up its show lineup this season with more celebrities, more shows and s...
Fashion Holds a Premium Place on La Brea
The massive sprawl of La Brea Avenue should make the street just another one of Los Angeles’ hard-to-define thoroughfares. But Michelle Dalton Tyree was sure that her stretch of La Brea would increasin...
Skinny'z by Bordeaux: Technological Shapewear
Ardy Raminfar’s Skinny’z by Bordeaux shapewear line was inspired by the simple method that women have been using for centuries to obtain a cinched waist: the corset....
Loungewear Goes Eco
Socially conscious shoppers that have organic food in their refrigerators and eco-friendly clothes in their closets will soon be able to add organic cotton lingerie and sleepwear to their wardrobes....
Honeydew Sleepwear
Benny Zafrani, founder and creative director of Honeydew Intimates, flips through Honeydew’s “black book” of prints for the season, which are compiled in a 2-inch-thick binder. T...
Letters of Marque
For actress Stacey Dash, the epitome of sexy comfort is a vintage dressing gown in her closet. ...
Westfield Discloses Plans for Valley Lifestyle Center
Shopping-center developer The Westfield Group disclosed plans to connect its Topanga and Promenade malls in California’s San Fernando Valley with a third yet-to-be-constructed center to establ...
L.A. Fashion Awards Add Denim Category
Supima, maker of fine cotton, is partnering with the L.A. Fashion Awards to create the “Denim Designer of the Year” award. The third annual awards program, which highl...
Menswear Resources Set for Westcoast Exclusive
Upscale menswear brands, including Nick Hilton, Jack Victor Ltd. and Bod & Christensen, will show what’s new for Spring ’08 collections at the Westcoast ...
Cult Industries USA on Pause
Australian surf brand Cult Industries has temporarily ceased operations at its Huntington Beach, Calif.–based American headquarters....
Lim, Neimans to Be Feted in Dallas
Designer Phillip Lim and retailer Neiman Marcus will be honored at the 32nd Dallas Fashion Awards on Oct. 21 at the Dallas Market Center in Dallas....
Coping With Quotas at H.K. Fashion Week
HONG KONG—Inside the cavernous halls packed with crisp cotton shirts, faded denim blue jeans and brightly decorated skirts, one simple piece of clothing captured just about every buyer’s attent...
Friday, July 13
DDL's New Women's Collection-for quot;Denim Aficionadosquot;
After breaking into the denim game with a kit that let denimheads customize their premium denim, San Clemente, Calif.–based Denim Design Lab is continuing its push as a denim manufacturer....
The View From Hong Kong
The opening day of Hong Kong Fashion Week brought a slate of runway shows that demonstrated the breadth of offerings at the semiannual event, held July 10 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhi...
The Evans Group: Global Initiative, Local Results
Contractor finds growth among L.A.’s designers—and workers from the international community. ...
Lectra Names Marketing Chief
Gilles Albaredes has been named chief marketing officer for the Lectra Group....
United States and S. Korea Sign Free-Trade Agreement
A free-trade agreement signed June 30 between the United States and South Korea still must be approved by the U.S. Congress before it takes effect....
Fashion Illustrator Fernando R. Flores, 66
Fashion illustrator Fernando R. Flores died of cancer on June 26 at the age of 66....
Limited Sells Limited, Express
Columbus, Ohio–based retail giant Limited Brands Inc. inked a definitive agreement to transfer a 75 percent ownership interest in its Limited Stores business to affiliates of Sun Capital Partners, which will inject $50 million in equ...
Boneparth Out, Card and McClain in at Jones
New York–based Jones Apparel Group announced the appointment of Wesley R. Card as president and chief executive officer of the manufacturing giant following the resi...
Dollar General Sold for $7.3 Billion
Goodlettsville, Tenn.–based discount retail chain Dollar General Corp. has merged with affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts & Co. L.P.; GS Capital Partners, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs; Citi Private Equit...
Blue Cult Update: Showroom Settlement Reached
The dispute between Blue Cult and its former sales and showroom staff has been settled....
Marketing Eco-Fashion Presents a Whole New Ballgame
The growing popularity of eco-friendly fashion is spawning a new wave of “eco-marketing,” which has some fashion companies heading into the unfamiliar areas of environmental activism and...
Brands Up for Review at Liz
New York–based Liz Claiborne Inc. announced more structural changes for the company, including reviewing and considering strategic alternatives of its 16 apparel brands and a layoff of up to 9...
Matchmaking at Material World N.Y.
Material World New York, set for Sept. 25–27, will feature a new matchmaking service aimed at bringing retailers and brands together with domestic and international manufacturers and suppliers...
L.A. Label Hopes to Be 'American Idol' Star
The Fox TV show “American Idol” took the singing talents of vocalists Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood to a mass audience. Premium-denim brand Lyric Jeans Inc. plans...
DBLA's Cyber Life After Relaunch
DBLA, the Los Angeles–based manufacturer formerly known as Double A, just launched its new Web site (
Holly Morgan: Timeless Contemporary
After launching juniors brand XOXO with her then-husband, Gregg Fiene, and later heading up Rampage’s design and merchandising, designer Holly Fiene has had her fill of trend-chasing and fast fashion...
Animation May Be the Next Big Thing in Apparel Design
In “Ratatouille,” Disney/Pixar’s latest computergenerated feature film, about rodents in Paris, the animation technology used reached a new plateau, bringing characters—and their costumes...
Appeals Court Reviews Festive Apparel Case
A case before a federal appeals court could decide whether holiday apparel imported into the United States in 2006 could retroactively qualify for duty-free status....
Taking a Fashionable Look at Compensation
CFA and 24Seven Release 2007 Salary Survey ...
Guess Gets Sourcing Software
Guess? Inc. is investing in emerging sourcing software from New York–based TradeCard Inc. ...
DBLA Raises the Roof in Hollywood
You could call it a house party. When photographer and event producer David C. Lee landed a last-minute gig to produce a runway show for Los Angeles–based label DBLA at Hollywood nightclub an...
Innovo, Beyond Blue Settle Legal Issues
Commerce, Calif.–based Innovo Group Inc. and Los Angeles–based Beyond Blue Inc. have reached a settlement relating to litigation and arbitration claims filed against each other in May....
MyShape Gets New Round of Funding
Pasadena, Calif.–based MyShape (
Slow and Steady Wins the Day for Retailers in June '07
Analysts were expecting June to be a sluggish month for sales, yet many forecasts were beaten when retailers reported their monthly sales results on July 11. However, they did not beat the forecasts b...
Pay on the Go
San Jose–based PayPal has launched a Mobile Checkout service that allows Internet shoppers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to pay for purchases from their cell phones. The Mobile Checkout f...
Costa Rica to Vote on DR-CAFTA
Costa Ricans will go to the polls on Oct. 7 to vote on whether the country should join DRCAFTA, the free-trade agreement between the United States and Central America....
Friday, July 6
New Bid for Barneys
New York–based apparel manufacturing giant Jones Apparel Group has received an unsolicited bid for its Barneys New York upscale retail chain for $900 million in cash from Japan-based Fast Retailing Co....
Fashion's First Online-But What's Next for E-tail?
Every month 700,000 to 1 million people visit Greg Selkoe’s e-commerce business,
Reversing the Trade Route
Want to find out how to export your brand to Hong Kong?...
Retailer Survives quot;The Waitquot;
Do all good things come to those who wait? Los Angeles retailer Johnny Alper will soon find out....
Blue Cult Shakeup Continues
Sources close to embattled denim maker Blue Cult are reporting yet another changing of the guard....
Sullivan in at The Talbots
Former Liz Claiborne President Trudy F. Sullivan was named president and chief executive officer of The Talbots Inc. and has joined the board of directors of the Hingman, Mass.–based company. Sullivan ...
Catching Up With the Fashion Industries Guild's Man of the Year
On Oct. 6, the Fashion Industries Guild of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center will honor George Rudes, FIG’s 2007 “Man of the Year,” at their annual fund-rais...
NRF Supports Retail Bill
The National Retail Federation announced its support of H.R. 2936, a new piece of legislation introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Richard Neal (D–Mass.). If passed, the law would shorten ...
American Rag Founder Sues Tarrant, Guez
There appears to be dissension in the union between American Rag Cie LLC founder Mark Werts and Gerard Guez, chairman of the board and interim chief executive officer of Tarrant Appa...
DMC on a Brand-Building Binge
Dallas Market Center executives next month will launch a new marketing campaign aimed at strengthening the DMC’s brand across the apparel and home-furnishings trades....
Port Security Card Delayed
A much-touted security card that requires port workers and truckers to prove they are not illegal immigrants, terrorists or criminals was supposed to be in place by the end of last year. But a number of techn...
FBI Sets Dates for Gerber WebPDM Workshop
Fashion Business Inc. will conduct a four-week workshop on Gerber Technology WebPDM Aug. 4–25 at the FBI Resource Center in The New Mart building in Los Ang...
Have Boutique-Will Travel
In a crowded market for specialty boutiques, retailers are always scouting for a new niche that will make them stand out. Maggie Wachsberger is gambling that her travel bug will give jaded Los Angeles...
Port Traffic Up But Under Control
August is expected to be smooth sailing for container traffic at the nation’s ports. However, retailers are keeping a close watch on a possible longshore workers’ strike at the ports of Los Angeles and ...
Port Celebrates Centennial With L.A. by Design Event
A fashion show featuring Los Angeles designs modeled by city council members Eric Garcetti and Richard Alarcon will be the centerpiece of “L.A. by Design,” an event celebrating...
Fergie & Candie's
Single-named pop star Fergie, a singer with the Black Eyed Peas, has struck a deal with New York–based Iconix and Menomonee Falls, Wis.–based Kohl’s Department Stores to promote Candie’s brand apparel.(Iconix, owners of the Candie’s brand, struck an exclusive licensing deal wi...
Keeping Up With China
The annual Apparel Conference of the Americas is being held July 31–Aug. 2 in Antigua, Guatemala. The theme is “one market, one region, one source.”...
