Friday, May 30
New Staff at Centric, Retail Equation
Campbell, Calif.–based PLM provider Centric Software has named David Guercio executive vice president of sales and client services....
Store Founder Dies
Stuart Moldaw, who launched the Ross Dress for Less stores in 1982, died on May 24 after a short illness. He was 81. Moldaw was active with the Pleasanton-based discount-store chain, serving most rece...
Business Group Aims for a Smaller Fashion District
A group of business owners in the Los Angeles Fashion District Business Improvement District (BID) is attempting to form a new Fashion District BID that would be half the size of the...
Eyeshadow: Launching First Jeans Line
For the past 12 years, Los Angeles–based Stony Apparel has manufactured tops for juniors, but in the first week of June it will jump into the crowded jeans market and debut its first denim line at the...
Yoga Line Omgirl Launches Lifestyle Collection
Yoga-based line Omgirl is taking lifestyle dressing a step further in the design direction with the launch of sportswear line Roam by Omgirl...
Doors Shutter
Department-store chain Dillard’s Inc. said it plans to close six department stores this year after closing three outlets in early 2008. The company, based in Little Rock, Ark., plans to open only four ...
Designers Look to Lectra for New Ways to Create
A few dozen apparel designers got a glimpse into the future of design when representatives of technology company Lectra debuted the company’s new Kaledo design software durin...
Designers Killed in Traffic Accident
Seven7 designers Miguel Rocha and Lisa Santee were killed May 16 in a hit-and-run accident outside of the denim-maker’s Vernon, Calif., headquarters on East Washington Boulevard....
South Coast Plaza Gets a Flurry of New High-End Stores
Luxury shopping center South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif., announced that Spanish design house Balenciaga and diamond jeweler De Beers will open new stores at the mall ...
Hannah Jo: Cosmopolitan Chic
Launched for the Holiday 2007 season, luxe contemporary label Hannah Jo is the work of three industry veterans who share an eye for European fashion sensibilities. Los Angeles–based founder Phillipe Teman ser...
Death to Argyle: Golfers Gone Wild
A moment of sisterly teasing gave twins Cassie and Willow Wayne the idea for Death to Argyle, a line of golf attire that turns golf’s stodgy classic style on its head....
Gottschalks Reports First-Quarter Loss
Department-store chain Gottschalks Inc. reported a 10.3 percent decline in its same-store sales for its first quarter of 2008. The results were reported during a May 29 conference call with r...
Decision Due on Caruso Mall
Developer Rick Caruso might have to wait until the end of the summer before he can get a green light to build The Shops at Santa Anita, a luxury retail mall in Arcadia, Calif., locat...
Primo Purchase
Luca Luca, a women’s luxury clothing brand launched in 1992 in New York, has been purchased by The Equitium Group, a Miami-based investment firm. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Luca Orlandi, the founder...
Hippie Ink: New Green Tees
Santa Monica, Calif.–based Hippie Ink has rolled out a new series of green-themed T-shirts made with organic cotton and organic blends and featuring environmental messages such as “Hug...
Buy-Back Plan
Six months after becoming a publicly traded company, American Apparel Inc. announced it would buy back some of its stock in a $25 million share-repurchase program. The repurchase program is expected to continue over ...
Fashion Group Spotlights Licensing Dos and Don'ts
The world of licensing, its benefits and pitfalls, was the topic discussed recently by a panel organized by Fashion Group International, the nonprofit network and education group for the fash...
FIDM Student Gets Gerber Award
Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber Technology presented its “WebPDM Achievement Award” to Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising student Tal...
New L.A. Textile Show Plans to Expand With Global Vendors
Officials from the Dallas Market Center were in Los Angeles recently to flesh out the details of a twice-a-year textile show they are planning for the Los Angeles Convention Center n...
RFID: Ready for Prime Time?
RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology, which tracks merchandise via wireless readers and tags, has been used handily behind the scenes on cargo trucks and warehouses to track incoming shipm...
Just OnePlace Teams With Holt
Australian PLM provider Just OnePlace Pty Ltd. has selected Chatham, N.J.–based Holt Consulting to oversee implementations, training and consulting in the U.S. market....
'Sex and the City' Purse Scores With Buyers
Beverly Hills accessories designer Timmy Woods is already reaping the benefits of the new “Sex and the City” movie, which opened in theaters May 30....
Europe a Growing Focus for California Brands
This summer, buyers walking Barcelona’s Bread & Butter—a leading international trade show produced by German show producer B&B for progressive, contemporary clothing—will find n...
Eco-Friendly Line Bgreen Launches Yoga Collection
Bgreen’s simple, classic organic-cotton activewear isn’t breaking any new ground i n fashion but instead aims to comprise those favorite everyday pieces that the wearer will keep in the closet ...
New Hire
Italian luxury lingerie brand La Perla announced it has a new chief executive officer for La Perla North America. Suzy Biszantz has been named the new head of North American operations and will report to Jeff...
New Seminars at Fall II/Holiday Market Week
Retail education will be one of the new features at the Fall II/Holiday Fashion Market, scheduled June 6–10 at the California Market Center. Nonprofit Fashion Business Inc. will prod...
CIT Looks Ahead With Its Apparel Business in Mind
At the beginning of the year, most financial professionals agreed 2008 was going to be a challenging year. For those working in the apparel sector, the prevailing advice was to rein in costs; concentr...
Vegan Fashion Store Builds New Location in Los Angeles
Vegans, who observe a strict diet that contains no animal products, have the same rigorous demands for their fashion choices....
Friday, May 23
Uncertain Future for Loudermilk Boutique
The future of Los Angeles–based designer Linda Loudermilk’s highly anticipated luxury eco store is in question. The company owning the property, 8320 Melrose Avenue LLC, filed for Chapter 11 ba...
Morphine Generation, Erik Hart Partner with Urgent Gear
Los Angeles–based designer Erik Hart has partnered with Los Angeles manufacturer Urgent Gear. Hart—who designs the contemporary-cool Morphine Generation and Erik Hart, his new high-end collection—is k...
Last Call in Livermore
Northern California is getting a new Neiman Marcus Last Call outlet in 2010, when the Dallas-based luxury retailer opens a 28,000-square-foot location. Located in Livermore, the new store is part of t...
Frederick's Linda LoRe Honored
Frederick’s of Hollywood’s Linda LoRe received the first “Visionary Award” from the Youth Mentoring Connection nonprofit group at The Beverly Hills Hotel on May ...
Emmy Exhibition Returns to FIDM Museum
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising will open its third annual “Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design” exhibition on July 29 at...
JCP's Alcorn Retires
Plano, Texas–based J.C. Penney Co. Inc. announced the retirement of longtime executive William Alcorn, the company’s senior vice president, controller and chief procurement officer for non-resale goods and services. Al...
Port Wants to Get Rid of Independent Truckers by 2013
By the year 2013, only drivers employed by trucking companies will be allowed to bring cargo in and out of the Port of Los Angeles....
REI's Solar Retrofit
Seattle-based outdoor gear and clothing co-op Recreational Equipment Inc. announced plans to retrofit more than 10 percent of its stores with solar electric technology this year. In all, 11 stores will receive the so...
Central America's Apparel Industry Hopes to Open New Markets Beyond the U.S.
Under a canopy of bright fluorescent lights that illuminate a giant factory the size of a football field, 1,000 workers put the finishing touches on an array of colorful knit shirts headed mo...
All-In-One Solutions Attracting Apparel Cos.
It appears demand is rising for end-to-end software systems that can manage business from concept to delivery. Among the latest to develop such a system is Chadds Ford, Pa.–based Frog...
Material World West Includes More Groups
The new Material World West show to be held next year in Los Angeles is bulking up....
Caruso, Westfield May Be Gearing Up for a Fight in Arcadia, Calif.
Caruso Affiliated, the developer of The Grove and The Americana at Brand upscale lifestyle centers, could be facing another fight over its latest project in Arcadia...
Meeting Pakistan Manufacturers
The Trade Division of the Consulate General of Pakistan hosted a luncheon on May 12 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club to introduce Pakistani manufacturers to California designers and apparel e...
Zenker Joins On Sunset
After spending less than a decade running the Horn boutique on Los Angeles’ high-profile fashion street Robertson Boulevard, Susanne Zenker announced May 21 that she took a j...
Cotton Inc., Goes to H.K.
Cotton Inc. opened a regional office in Hong Kong in The Gateway, Harbour City, Tsimshatsui. With a staff of 10, the office will offer technical assistance to mills and manufacturers in the r...
Lindquist Debuts Eco-Atelier in NoHo
Tucked into the concrete-covered neighborhood of Toluca Woods in North Hollywood, Calif., eco designer Deborah Lindquist is seeing green. ...
American Apparel CFO Out, Interim CFO In
American Apparel announced the departure of Chief Financial Officer Ken Cieply and the arrival of William Gochnauer as his interim replacement, effective immediately. Gochna...
Wednesday, May 21
Dallas Group Plans New L.A. Textile Show
Los Angeles is becoming the hot spot for textile shows....
Friday, May 16
Contemporary Boom Tightens Showroom Space in Dallas
The contemporary marketplace in Dallas is growing. In fact, it’s busting at the seams. That has put the pressure on the city’s real estate options for wholesalers, many of whom are from the West Coast. ...
Stop Staring!, Jefe Nominated for American Latino Awards
Los Angeles–based Stop Staring!, a line of vintage-inspired dresses, and San Diego–based streetwear line Le Jefe Clothing, have been nominated for an American Latino ...
Dimepiece: Streetwear With a Feminine Touch
Dimepiece’s irreverent graphic T-shirts blend a feminine tone with loud streetwear style. The brand, now in its third season, has added cut-and-sew tops and leggings to its offerings, which previously...
Von Dutch, Operation U.S.A. Host Myanmar Fund-raiser
Von Dutch Originals will host a private event on May 16 with humanitarian relief agency Operation U.S.A. to raise awareness about the ongoing relief effort for victims of Cyclone Nar...
West Coast-Focused Trade Event to Debut in N.Y.
Matt Meyerson, the former senior vice president of product placement at BWR Public Relations, is leveraging his industry contacts to launch Expose NY, a fashion showcase of West Coast desig...
More Macy's in L.V., Phoenix
Cincinnati-based Macy’s Inc. will open a new Macy’s store in Las Vegas in late 2009. The new store will be located at General Growth Properties’ new open-air shopping center, The Shops at Summerlin Centre. The 180,000-s...
American Apparel Completes Purchase of Subcontractor
Los Angeles–based American Apparel completed the purchaseof U.S. Dyeing & Finishing Inc., a Garden Grove, Calif.–based dyeing and finishing facility that has done work for the appa...
Nia Kinh: Vintage and Casual
Nia Nguyen got her start in T-shirts by working on Ron Herman’s basic knits line, More, and in the knits division of 7 For All Mankind. Last year, Nguyen launched h...
Fiore Acquired
Los Angeles–based luxury handbag label Isabella Fiore was purchased by New York–based FAB/Starpoint, a manufacturer of licensed and private-label merchandise. Debbie Coleman, president and chief executi...
Swell Launches Private-Label Collection
Shoppers will find a new brand in Swell’s summer 2008 catalog....
On the Town
A buyer’s guide to the best boutiques and bistros in the nation’s trade show capitals ...
Fluxus: Art Meets Fashion
Last August, 2-year-old women’s knits line Flux Nouveau relaunched with a new name and a new direction. Chief Executive Officer Martin Paquette still specializes in knits, this time in more-va...
Green Acres
Chicago’s Merchandise Mart takes the LEED in environmental consciousness ...
Marquise: Rock-Inspired and Ready for Tour
Designers Jeanell Suggs and Gladys Tamez are shedding their sweet side. The duo recently closed their line of baby-doll and trapeze dresses, Franny, which soldin Ron Herman...
Speed-to-Market
What are the keys to success for the fastest-growing apparel-related trade shows? ...
Ecko and the Jets
Marc Ecko Enterprises has struck an agreement with the New York Jets to design uniforms for the 2008 New York Jets Flight Crew, a team of dancers, flag runners and athletes who perform at New York Jets events...
Studio City, Calif.: Retailers Juggle Hollywood Flash and Casual Life
With graceful suburban houses and Hollywood studios sharing real estate, Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood is a mashup of two opposing California dreams....
Tova Celine: All About Prints
After nearly a decade-long hiatus, Tova Celine has resurrected her line of printed silk dresses. Celine was known in the late 1980s and 1990s for refashioning traditional prints, for instance, renderi...
True Religion Expands Its Vision for Growth
True Religion is known for its top-end denim jeans and their distinctive pocket stitching and seams, which set them apart from other premium-denim lines....
Samsung Looks West
South Korean giant is California dreamin’ about introducing new labels...
Store Closures Add Another Stake to Economic Downturn
California’s retail landscape is being pelted by a spate of store closures by national retailers. That could spell trouble for many real estate investors, but, at the same time, the news may open up op...
Kohl's Sees the Light
Menomonee Falls, Wis.–based Kohl’s Department Stores announced plans to convert more than 50 stores in New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland to solar power. Once completed, the solar stores will represent nearly...
L.A's Crocker Street Emerges as a Wholesale Destination
Crocker Street, a narrow two-lane road that runs down the eastern boundary of the Los Angeles Fashion District, is becoming the new wholesaling hot spot for discount juniors fashion and acces...
Arturo Rios Hats
ACCIDENTALHATTER: Arturo Rios never dreamed that a part-time job packing boxes in the shipping department of hat manufacturer Fashion Matrix Inc. would eventually lead to becoming a hat designer. The owner...
Friday, May 9
Boneparth, Jones Join Kohl’s
Menomonee Falls, Wis.–based department store Kohl’s Corp. named former Jones executive Peter Boneparth and consultin...
People's Liberation Abroad
Los Angeles–based People’s Liberation Inc., makers of People’s Liberation and William Rast apparel, have inked an exclusivedistribution deal with London-based Subranded/The Cle...
True Religion Heads to Americana
Vernon, Calif.–based denim lifestyle brand True Religion opened a 1,425-square-foot boutique at the new lifestyle mall The Americana at Brand, located in Glendale, Calif....
Hannah Bean: Staking a Sophisticated Spot in Santa Ana, Calif.
With its real estate covered by freeways, regional malls and tract housing, the north end of Santa Ana, Calif., looks like classic California suburbia to Christina Harrison. At first glance, she thoug...
Apparel From Vietnam Gets Green Light
After one year of monitoring the price of apparel imported from Vietnam, the Bush administration has decided not to take any antidumping action against that country....
Iconix in China
New York–based Iconix Brand Group Inc. formed a joint venture with Hong Kong–based Novel Fashion Holdings Ltd. The joint venture, called Iconix China, will look for an Asian partner to help market one of Iconix’s brands—...
Peter Alexander Opens in California
Peter Alexander built a fleet of self-named stores offering his fashion sleepwear and a cheeky sense of humor in his native Australia. He recently expanded to California, his first step toward opening...
Executives Move Forward to Make Tarrant Private
After two Tarrant Apparel executives announced they want to take the publicly traded company private, a special committee of board members has been formed to consider the proposal....
X Marks the Suit
This suit is brought to you by the letter “X.”...
Antik Denim Veteran Goes Solo
Alex Caugant, half of the design team behind the Antik Denim label, launched AC Collection, his own premium denim line, for Fall 2008....
REI Sets Its Social Priorities
Seattle-based outdoor apparel and equipment retailer Recreational Equipment Inc., better known as REI, released its second annual ...
Boneparth, Jones Join Kohl#039;s
Menomonee Falls, Wis.–based department store Kohl’s Corp. named former Jones executive Peter Boneparth and consultin...
Sustainable-Concept Store Nau Closes
After a little more than a year after opening its first store, Portland, Ore.–based outdoor-apparel maker Nau is closing....
International Denim Partnership Lands in Los Angeles
In a classic “East-meets-West” move, Los Angeles designer Adrian Nyman has partnered with Hong Kong denim maven Philip Law to create a high-end capsule collection for Indigo Farm, Law...
Hohl Joins Blue
Commerce-based Blue Holdings Inc.—owners of the Antik Denim, Yanuk and Taverniti So Jeans brands—named Eric R. Hohl chief financial officer, succeeding Larry Jacobs, who has left the company. H...
Material World Coming to the West Coast in '09
After years of eyeing the West Coast market, the organizers of the Material World textile, technology and sourcing trade show are planning to set up a three-day Los Angeles show in 2009, acco...
Hot Topic Gives Perez Hilton Celebrity Fashion Line a Whirl
Reality-show stars Heidi Montag and Lauren Conrad have lent their names to fashion lines. On May 7, gossip blogger Perez Hilton, 30, announced he will develop a fashion line for retailer Hot ...
April '08 Sales Strong
April was the strongest sales month in more than one year, according to the New York–based International Council of Shopping Centers. Retail sales increased by 3.6 percent compared with sales ...
New Technology, Real Estate Prices Drive Retailers Online
Thanks to improved technologies and new concepts, online retailing is looking more attractive to some than traditional retailers, and going Web-only is becoming a more attractive option, said several e-commerce resources.
Agave Partners With Electric Sportscar Co. Tesla
When executives for the San Carlos, Calif.–based electric-car company Tesla Motors were planning the look for their salespeople, they wanted their staff to be dressed similarly to their prosp...
A Parallel Fashion Universe Down Under
An L.A. Take on Australian Fashion Week...
Ports Get Security-Card Extension to Next Year
Thousands of workers and truckers who will need a security card to get inside port facilities have been given some good news....
Executives: V.I.P. Plan Might Revive Gottschalks
Department-store chain Gottschalks Inc. reported a 3.9 percent drop in same-store sales in April. The decline was the latest bad news in more than 31 consecutive months of negative same-stor...
Friday, May 2
The Challenging World of Sourcing: A Q&A With Liz Claiborne's Fritz Winans
Manufacturers are constantly revising their sourcing strategies, taking the temperature of economic and political conditions around the world to see how it affects their apparel and textile production...
Logistics and Customs Essentials for Central American Garment Sourcing
Sourcing apparel from Central America can be daunting without a basic understanding of the rules of the Dominican Republic–Central American Free Trade Agreement, also known as DR-CAFTA or CAFTA. CAFTA ...
Paige: Green and Premium
Launched in 2004, Paige Premium Denim quickly climbed the premiumdenim ranks. The label has grown to include men’s, kids’, maternity and a petite collection, as well as a collection of contemp...
Intimate Apparel Council, FIT Launch Professional Program
The Intimate Apparel Council and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York have teamed up to launch an education program to help intimate-apparel executives gain a leg up in th...
Lessons to Be Learned to Source Wisely
Although the North American Free Trade Agreement, between the United States, Mexico and Canada, is the granddaddy of most of our free-trade agreements (FTAs), the textile portion of these treaties are different. Ther...
Weinbaum Leaves QST, Joins Creative Sourcing
Immediately after finalizing a deal for its West Coast business, Chicago-based QST Industries has parted ways with Los Angeles–based Vice President and board member Kenneth Weinbaum....
American Apparel Workers March for Immigration Reform
About 1,000 American Apparel workers participated in May Day marches in Los Angeles, joining thousands of others in a mostly peaceful demonstration for immigration reform and less policing by...
MAGIC Goes Green
Tradeshow giant MAGIC International will host a green section called Ecollection@MAGIC at the Aug. 25–27 run of the MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas....
Cone Denim Opens in Nicaragua
International Textile Group, the Greensboro, N.C.–based parent company of Cone Denim, opened a new facility near Managua, Nicaragua....
Playing the Waiting Game on Mexican Fabric
Maybe the odds makers in Las Vegas should start taking bets on when Mexico and Canada can start sending fabric to Central America to make clothing that returns to the United States duty-free....
Modify: Surrealist Streetwear
After April 24, the Los Angeles–based artist Sonik Mercury put his mark on the Coachella Arts & Music Festival when he painted his science fiction–style graffiti look on t...
New Hires at Howe
Menswear brand Hause of Howe has grown its executive ranks with the addition of a new national sales manager and director of marketing. Effective immediately, Keith Cokes and Ken Blaustein wi...
American Apparel Invests in Sustainable Cotton
American Apparel Inc. has joined the sustainable-cotton movement. ...
Akiko: Luxe Look
Southern California native and Otis College of Art + Design grad Akiko Yasuda designed for Poleci before launching her eponymous label in 2003. With a notably laid-back design aesthe...
Fed Lowers Rates
The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee lowered the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 2 percent. The Fed hopes to spur spending, citing weak economic activity and “subdued” spe...
Iraq Protest Shuts Down West Coast Ports
Longshore workers protesting the war in Iraq shuttered 29 West Coast ports when they didn’t show up for work on May 1....
PVH Acquires Mulberry Thai
New York–based Phillips–Van Heusen Corp., owner of the Calvin Klein and Izod brands, acquired certain assets of tie maker Mulberry Thai Silks Inc. for approximately $10 millio...
Furrow Joins Cygne
New York–based private-label denim maker Cygne Designs Inc. named former Innovo executive Jay Furrow the company’s president and chief executive officer. Furrow will also join Cygne’s board of directors. Bernard Manuel—...
Ueberroth Leaves Quiksilver
Huntington Beach–based Quiksilver Inc. announced the resignation of board member Heidi Ueberroth. A board member since December 2006, Ueberroth leaves the surf giant to devote more time to the National...
Kitson to Debut Its Biggest Store at Americana
High-profile specialty retailer Kitson will open its first store outside of Los Angeles’ stylish Robertson Boulevard in late 2008 when it debuts at The Americana at Brand retail cente...
Eva Varro's in the Swim With Retailers
Los Angeles designer Eva Varro of Eva Varro California Style started her career almost 20 years ago, styling swimwear in Budapest, Hungary. Though it’s been many years since she has picked up ...
Nela:A 1940s Feel
Newcomer Nela, a division of Panglobal Brand Inc., has reputable fashion roots. Taipei-born fashion designer Hellen Yuan- Edralin designed for notable labels Rozae Nichols...
ecoSkin: Chic and Green
Fashion-forward and environmentally friendly, newcomer ecoSkin is designed by industry veteran Sandy Skinner and produced in Los Angeles. Formerly, Skinne...
Alphanumeric Relaunches With Original Crew
When Alphanumeric first made the scene in 1998, the brand quickly established itself on the leading edge of the streetwear movement with its crisp styling and broad appeal. Helmed by Alyasha Owerka-Moore, Mi...
New Online Sourcing Resource for Small Companies
Apparel and textile companies now have an online sourcing resource designed especially for small- to mid-size companies....
Microsoft Wants a Bigger Stake in California Apparel Industry
The world’s biggest software company has its eye on the California apparel industry. ...
CAST Sale Nets $13k
All the proceeds from a sample sale organized by California Apparel News and the Cooper Design Space will be donated to the Coalition Against Slavery and Trafficking, a nonp...
Thursday, May 1
Security Textile Merges With QST-L.A.
Two of Los Angeles’ major interlining and pocketing suppliers are joining forces. Security Textile is merging with QST Industries’ Los Angeles office, and the two will form a ...
