California Apparel News

Five seasons a year, buyers from around the globe flock to the California Market Center (CMC) for Los Angeles Fashion Market, the West Coast’s premier destination for thousands of apparel, gift and lifestyle collections displayed in hundreds of the CMC’s showrooms and featured trade shows. Our array of resources includes SELECT Contemporary Tradeshow, FOCUS Apparel & Accessories Show, TRANSIT LA Shoe Show, LA Kids Market, and the Gift & Home Market. L.A. Fashion Market at the CMC now offers visiting retailers and brands more show options then ever to exhibit in and shop from. Upcoming market dates areMarch 12–15, June 11–14,Aug. 6–9, and Oct. 15–18. Visit www.californiamarketcenter.com/latextile or call (213) 630-3600 for more information.

Having launched in 2008, Darling has grown to become an award-winning and exciting independent global women’s clothing brand in just four years. The Darling range is the vision of Nadia Moraes, the London-based designer and entrepreneur who created the label. As an independent boutique owner, Nadia spent many years sourcing pieces for her shops and was inspired to launch her own collection by the lack of affordable, beautiful, and stylish clothing available. Ultra-feminine, vintage-inspired, and quintessentially “English,” Darling’s unique brand identity is behind the success and popularity. But it’s not all about the English vintage looks. Subtle design details in the clothing highlight an independent edge that is valued by the Darling retail network and worn with personal passion by the women who eagerly await each season’s new approach and exciting range. Darling offers affordable luxury product with an emphasis on quality and attention to detail. Contact David Perlman, USA brand manager, at (800) 216-8427 or david@perlmanrep.com. www.perlmanrep.com

Designers and Agents (D&A) is excited to announce the launch of D&A MAN. The premiere D&A MAN event will take place July 22–24 in Manhattan, coinciding with Men’s Fashion Week in New York, and will feature 40 hand-selected menswear brands. D&A MAN marks the long-awaited expansion of Designers & Agents into the menswear market. Founded by Barbara Kramer and Ed Mandelbaum, Designers and Agents is renowned for its groundbreaking fashion trade events in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris, which have been instrumental to the growth of the contemporary marketplace in womenswear over the past decade. Now, with D&A MAN, they are establishing a new, stimulating trade platform for men’s apparel and accessories. www.designersandagents.com

Dittos—the beloved ’70s vintage line known for its great fits, colors, and details—is back! Keeping in the tradition of the brand, Dittos offers an amazing range of 20 colors that’s available in twills, cords, and bull denim. For Dittos’ Fall 2012 collection, we are very excited to present a range of prints, from our bold multi-animal print to our tonal psychedelic crocodile to our subtle sexy lace print. We are also showcasing a range of coated techniques from shiny to matte leather looks in our Fall color palette. Don’t forget our full range of denim washes from dark inky indigos to vintage-inspired blues. All of these are available in an array of styles, including skinny, jegging, flares, shorts, and jackets. See you there at MAGIC in Las Vegas and Coterie in New York. For more information, call (646) 383-8241 or visit www.facebook.com/Dittos.Brand.

Eucalan’s unique no-rinse soak-and-spin formula makes laundering your finest delicates effortless, helping extend their life. Infused with beneficial essential oils, Eucalan is non-toxic and biodegradable as well as bleach- and phosphate-free. The delicate wash is perfect for laundering cashmere, wool, cotton, silk, and more! Just soak and spin your swimwear, lingerie, yoga wear, knits, and baby items. Choose from four refreshing scents of either eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, or a natural unscented version. Trusted for over 20 years. Call (800) 561-9731 or visit www.eucalan.com.

The Evans Group is a fashion development and production house for independent and emerging designers.Services range from making patterns and samples for the runway and showroom, to filling small production orders without minimums.In vertically integrated studios in Los Angeles and San Francisco, designers from throughout the U.S. and abroad work directly with the group’s team of highly skilled craftsmen, from the development of the collections and samples to photoshoots and small-volume production. The Evans Group is recognized locally and nationally for restoring the humanity and quality behind manufacturing clothes domestically and promoting independent design. Visit www.evansgroupinternational.com or call (877) 531-5225.

We at Funky Soul are denim junkies who love to create statement items with carefully selected fabrics and washes, combined with the use of innovative and the latest know-how, to give our products special finishes and great performance to enhance the natural curves of your body. Our latest creation, “The FS Enhancers,” provides the perfect fit for every shape by combining clever science, a love of style, and unique insight into the shopping experience to make the perfect fit, beautifully enhancing the individual’s body type. Call (212) 730-5213 or beagalliano@shopfunkysoul.com. Visit us at Booth #YC74517 at MAGIC in Las Vegas.

Teresa and Amanda Becker are a mother-daughter team that found their niche in the vintage-inspired fashion market through what was initially a home-based business in 2005 but now employs its owners full-time and 21 others. They call it Heartbreaker Fashion, and it is making its own history. From serving two local Los Angeles–area shops in 2005 to over 400 now in the U.S. and internationally, Heartbreaker provides efficiency in shipping its products, which are mostly cut to order. The quality of fabrics and workmanship prove to be appreciated by its customers, as reorders for the products are remarkable. In addition, the beautifully crafted dresses, tops, and skirts are all made in the USA, now cut to order in four rented business suites in the San Dimas Business Center, and assembled by three contract sewing shops in the Los Angeles area. By manufacturing quality products in the USA and creating local jobs, Heartbreaker Fashion is proud to have been honored with the “Businesswomen of the Year” award from the San Dimas Chamber of Commerce in 2009. We are in Booth #226 at the February Pool Trade Show in Las Vegas and will also be exhibiting at Fashion Market Northern California in San Mateo, Calif., April 15–17. For inquiries, email Sales@heartbreakerfashion.com.

Henry Hanger is a manufacturer of garment hangers and has specialized in providing tailored solutions based on a customer’s individual needs for over 80 years. Product lines include custom and stock woods, acrylic plastic, and fabric-padded and metal hangers. New lines include several types of non-slip wood hangers and a variety of new wood and metal styles. The company has two showrooms in New York and Los Angeles, as well as domestic production and overseas operations. Call 1-877-HenryLA or (213) 747-6141 or visit www.henryhanger.com.

A company doesn’t become the world’s largest denim manufacturer by chance. This achievement is backed by an international vision that can adapt to different trends and markets, an ongoing strategy based on becoming brand partners and a source of inspiration for designers, and integrated production from yarn to finishing processes, with the flexibility needed to create made-to-measure products. And this is what iSKO™ does.It’s the supreme denim specialist, with quality skills and expertise in super-stretch and more complex fabrics, right up to tailored solutions for special aesthetic requirements and technical performance. www.denimfriends.com

No matter what it is that you’re looking for, you’ll find it at the OFFPRICE Show in Las Vegas. OFFPRICE serves the retail industry as a dynamic order-writing show that connects apparel retail buyers of all sizes with the leading off-price specialists in 20 percent to 70 percent below wholesale clothing, accessories, and footwear. Taking place at the Sands Expo and Convention Center Feb. 10–13, with nearly 500 vendors and 1,200 booths and attracting more than 12,000 buyers, it is the largest off-price show in the country. Many national and regional retailers—such as Conway, Citi Trends, Beall’s, and RH Reny, Inc.—actively shop each and every OFFPRICE Show. No matter what kind of the latest fashions you’re seeking—men’s, women’s, children’s, accessories, or footwear—you’ll find it all at the OFFPRICE Show! Other dates include May 6–8 in New York. For more information, check out the recently redesigned OffPriceShow.com.

Like many men, Mike Schwarz of RibbedTee.com was in search of that perfect undershirt for years. He couldn’t find what he wanted, so he decided to design it himself. His staple product, the Classic Fit undershirt, addressed the major fit issues of untucking, bunching, and sagging collars. The product was a hit, and RibbedTee was cash-flow positive within 10 months. In 2010, he launched his MicroModal undershirt and tank top lines, which made wearing luxury undershirts affordable. Last year he introduced his new “Retro Fit” undershirt line, which is an updated reproduction of the favorite Towncraft undershirt from the ’70s to ’90s. RibbedTee’s focus is designing solution products that look, fit, and feel better than any others in their class. Taking a utility product and making it into something you want to wear. http://ribbedtee.com

Premium denim is what we do at RNT23 Jeans. We bring the freshest denim trends to upscale boutique shelves coast to coast. We believe in the finer things in life, and that’s what we deliver. RNT23 Jeans is strictly European; the collection consists of crafted denim, an innovative blazer collection, 80s thread count fine cotton shirts, cool “world-famous Turkish leather” jackets, and more. Showing at Project #16008. Find us online at www.RNT23.com or call (310) 795-8077.

Specialty Trade Shows is a small boutique-type company that specializes in trade shows for unique segments of the apparel industry. For 30 years, we have successfully satisfied the needs of buyers and vendors who were really not welcomed or could not properly work, specialty accounts, and special sizes at mass-market events. It has been sold out for six years running. Buyers from around the world come to see over 2,000 vendors selling misses, plus, tall, and petite, plus accessories and more accessories. KIDShow at Bally’s in Las Vegas Feb. 13–15 and Aug. 20–22 and WWIN (WomensWear in Nevada) at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino Feb. 13–15. The Las Vegas International Lingerie Show runs March 26–28 and Sept. 10–12 at the Rio Hotel. www.spectrade.com

In 1998, Alicia Estrada officially founded Stop Staring!, a contemporary-dress company inspired by the timeless styles offilm noir and the glamour of the 1940s and 1950s.Alicia realized that most vintage items were lacking in one particular area—they did not fit the curves of the modern woman—and set outto create vintage-inspired outfits that emphasize a woman’s best features.Like most women,Alicia is not a size 0, and she made it the mission of Stop Staring! to create beautiful dresses that not only enhance a woman’s features but also empower women with confidence by providing a timeless and classic look.Stop Staring! is available in plus sizes, up to size 18; the dresses are made to enhance all shapes and sizes.Stop Staring! has been worn by countless number of celebrities, including Paris Hilton and Eva Mendes. The dresses have been recently featured on the popular TV series Pan Am. Today, the popular dress collection is sold in 100s of boutiques worldwide and in over 45 countries.You can view the Stop Staring! Collection at www.stopstaringclothing.com or call toll-free at (877) 627-1480.

Selected by WWD/Magic to debut at Launch Pad in the Las Vegas Convention Center, UnSpoken Lingerie is a designer ofon-trend, daring, and luxurious lingerie, sleepwear, and lounge wear. UnSpoken empowers women to feel confident, sexy, flirty, and fun. The hallmark of the brand is the refined fabrics, coupled with sculpted designs to accentuate the female form. Using only the finest silks, satins, chiffons, cottons, modals, and laces, the collection is designed for modern women who have a keen sense of spirit and a love for elegance. Creative directors Caron Block and Sydney Holland find inspiration from playful romance, old-Hollywood glamour, and the virtue of femininity. www.unspokenlingerie.com or (310) 451-2099.

Located in the style capital of the world, Ya Los Angeles works with a professional and eclectic team of designers who create a wide variety of styles that complement every woman. Ya is a renowned and respected name on the market, specializing in current and cutting-edge trends. Our mission is to address the different needs, desires, and moods for every woman, so that not only the clothes, but the woman, shines. We strive to provide for the ever-changing styles we all need and want: casual, creative, playful, professional, sexy, sophisticated, trendy, and unique. Our extensive selection includes tops, pants, skirts, dresses, outerwear, and other specialty items. Here at Ya, we make sure to only select the best and most stylish pieces from each of our collections to sell on our site. The extensive array of truly unique styles available here will be immediately apparent to our customers. We feature new, striking styles constantly. We are focused on establishing strong and long-lasting relationships with our clients. We look forward to serving you. www.yalosangeles.com

Zen Mechanics is a Los Angeles–based casual luxury brand designed for men who are fashion savvy and appreciate comfort, unique styling, and high-quality fabric and workmanship. Our apparel is made in Los Angeles. Our designs represent our understanding that individuality is derived from the details that are often overlooked. For our West Coast representation at The Park Showroom in Los Angeles, call (213) 250-6200 or email sales@theparkshowroom.com. For the East Coast, call The Park Showroom’s New York office at (646) 504-5028. For more information, visit www.zenmechanics.com or email info@zenmechanics.com. Visit us at Project in Las Vegas at Booth #17140.

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