Thursday, February 26
Capsule Sees Good International Response
Trade Show
The Feb. 16–18 run of Capsule at The Venetian in Las Vegas got off to a good start with exhibitors reporting a strong turnout from domestic and international retailers shopping the men’s and women’s contemporary apparel and accessories collections at the show.
Consistently Busy at WWIN
Trade Shows
At the WWIN (Women’s Wear in Nevada) show, tables were filled with buyers perusing collections and taking notes or writing orders.
Pool: New Brands
Trade Show
For more than a decade, Pooltradeshow has considered itself as the first place where new brands exhibit and experiment until they are assured enough to exhibit at a larger trade show.
Tents Covers Luxe Men’s Looks
Trade Show
Designer trade event The Tents ran Feb. 17–19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center with a theme of “elevation.”
Liberty Fairs: To the Moon and Global
Trade Show
Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs, a high-end contemporary menswear show, used the theme “To The Moon” for its fourth run in Las Vegas.
Agenda: Showtime for Emerging Street Labels
Trade Show
Agenda made its fourth run in Las Vegas Feb. 16–18 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, and for Alfredo Izaguirre, general manager and buyer for LASC boutique in West Hollywood, Calif.
Stitch, Accessories the Show, MRKT VG
Trade Shows
Just about everybody was happy at the trio of shows organized by Business Journals Inc., except for the Canadian buyers wandering the Sands Expo at Venetian/Palazzo, where the shows were held.
Good Traffic at Offprice
Trade Show
Business was good for the exhibitors at the Offprice show, held Feb. 15–18 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
ENKVegas Displays Its Conscious Side
Trade Show
ENKVegas—a show devoted to women’s contemporary fashions, denim and accessories—unveiled its Conscious Collections section during its most recent run, Feb. 17–19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Project: Big Show Might Get Bigger
Trade Show
Project proved itself to be one of the big players in the fashion trade show business when it ran Feb. 17–19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Around the World at Sourcing at MAGIC
Trade Shows | Import/Export
The South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center turned into the United Nations for the semiannual Sourcing at MAGIC show, which ran Feb. 16–19.
Booths Buzzing at WWDMAGIC
Trade Show
Once again, the young contemporary section of WWDMAGIC was a buzzing hive of activity during the show’s Feb. 17–19 run at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
New Exhibitors and Returning Brands at CurveNV
Trade Show
The Feb. 15–17 run of CurveNV saw a mix of new exhibitors and returning brands showing at the upscale lingerie and swimwear show at The Venetian in Las Vegas.
CIT’s Steinberg Charts New Post-Retirement Path
Finance
Since announcing plans to retire, Steinberg has been asked to consult for the industry, which she said she is considering, but she’s keeping her options open for now.
Tom Ford in L.A.
A-List Crowd
FORD IN LA: Designer Tom Ford drew a high-profile crowd to his Autumn/Winter 2015 Womenswear runway show, held Feb. 20 at Milk Studios in Los Angeles. Many attendees, such as Jennifer Lopez, wore pieces from the designer’s recent collections.
A Solar-Powered Factory Helps Maintain Domestic Production
Bella + Canvas
Bella+Canvas started out as a company dedicated to making T-shirts in the United States—a business model that hasn’t changed much even as other manufacturers have headed overseas.
Nordstrom Leaving Westside Pavilion for Century City
Retail
Nordstrom saying adios to the Westside Pavilion
Textile Preview
Textile Trends
Modern Art, Orange Crush, Check Mate, Full Bloom, Key Lime, Stripes & Thermals, Silver & Gold.
Asa from Shahs of Sunset: Time for Caftans & Turbans
Asa Soltan Rahmati not only wants to bring back the turban, she wants more women to wear caftans. The star of Shahs of Sunset show talks about her recently introduced line Asa Kaftans, and what brings mystery to a woman.
Bangladesh Blank T-shirt Maker Serves the U.S. Market Though Southeast Operation
Manufacturing
Keya, a Bangladesh-based producer of 100-percent cotton T-shirts and other knit apparel,is finding success in the U.S. market by using a North Carolina beachhead as its distribution point.
Lingerie Brand Regina Miracle Adds Centric PLM
Technology
Regina Miracle International Ltd., a Hong Kong–based lingerie and shapewear maker, is adding Centric 8 product lifecycle management software to help coordinate collaboration between the lingerie company’s sample-development team and its customers and its internal sample-development team.
Florida Apparel Brand Lord Daniel Taps NGC for ERP
Technology
Lord Daniel Sportswear selected NGC’s fashion enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to help the Florida company manage its growing specialty apparel business.
Roberto Cavalli Uses Optitex CAD to Coordinate Hand-Crafted Details and Tight Turn Times
Technology
Italian luxury brand Roberto Cavalli added the Optitex 2-D Pattern Making and Optitex 3-D Virtual Prototyping CAD Suites.
Macbeth Introduces Apparel
Manufacturing
Saban Brands announced this month that its Macbeth property, which is headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., has struck two new licensing deals.
Wednesday, February 25
Ports Still Clogged With Waiting Ships
West Coast Ports
Hammering out a tentative contract with longshore workers took nine months of negotiations. Now importers are hoping it doesn’t take as long to clear thebacklog of merchandising floating on the water outside the country’s largest ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
RVCA Pops in Manhattan
Women’s contemporary show Axis wrapped up in New York City on Feb. 24, and RVCA, the Orange County, Calif. headquartered label, celebrated by opening a pop-up shop in Manhattan.
Moto Goes Haute
Ortiz Industries' Empowered event with Ducati
Ortiz Industries' Empowered event with Ducati at New York Fashion Week
Tuesday, February 24
Original Paperbacks: Custom Dyed in So Cal Facility
Manufacturing
Original Paperbacks has program to offer retailers unique colors and quick-turn deliveries.
Monday, February 23
Lisa Kline Back – On TV
Lisa Kline is back. On Feb. 23, she introduced an 11-piece line which bears her name Lisa Kline. The line is loungewear, and it is exclusive to HSN, the Home Shopping Network.
American Apparel Fires Creative Director and Adds Two New Executives
Executive Shift
Nearly two months after Paula Schneider took over as the new head of American Apparel, she has fired the company’s long-time creativedirector, Iris Alonzo.
Kith Pops on Abbot Kinney
New York sneakerhead boutique Kith took its high-end shoes and streetwear looks out west on Feb. 20. It opened a pop-up shop at Venice Beach’s stylish Abbot Kinney Boulevard with a party, which was attended by the chiefs of the Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs trade show, which wrapped up its big Las Vegas show only a few days before.
The Day After the Oscars
Fashion & Entertainment
The party is over as crews start to dismantle the arrival area outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Moods of Norway's Oscar Night
It was Oscar night at the Moods of Norway boutique at 7964 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles. Norwegian expats gathered to cheer for Norwegian director Morten Tyldum, who helmed The Imitation Game, and Me and My Moulton, a Canadian-Norwegian production nominated for best short animated film.
Friday, February 20
Longshore Workers Reach Tentative Agreement With Employers
Import/Export
After nine months of talks, longshore workers reach a tentative agreement with their employers.
Henry T. Segerstrom, Founder of South Coast Plaza, 91
Obituary
Henry T. Segerstrom, developer of South Coast Plaza, the retail center which brought Rodeo Drive luxury to Orange County, Calif., died Feb. 20 at his home in Newport Beach, Calif. after a brief illness.
Almost Entirely Made in LA
Hand-made accessories
Nicholas Duong makes all his Leather Cottage bags and accessories by hand in his studio in Alhambra, Calif.
Calling Dr. Scholl’s
Iconic shoe x street iconography
The iconic Dr. Scholl’s Original Exercise Sandal got even more original at a recent party at the Sportie LA boutique on Los Angeles Melrose Avenue location.
Thursday, February 19
Hang Ten Headwear Introduces New Fall Collection
Manufacturing
Iconic surf brand Hang Ten introduced a new hat collection at the MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas.
Insight’s Fall ’15 Shows New Way for Brand
Manufacturing
The surf and street brand, founded in Australia in 1999, introduced its Fall ’15 line at the Agenda trade show in Las Vegas Feb. 16–18 and at Axis.
Good International Turnout and Strong Interest in Immediates
Vegas Trade Shows
International buyers and retailers looking to restock diminished inventories circulated around the more than 20 apparel, accessories and sourcing trade shows in Las Vegas
Chip & Pepper: Smile Now, Twisted Sister Later
Chip and Pepper Foster, twin designers reported doing great business at Project with the brand Monkey Apparel. But then Dee Snider of rock band Twisted Sister (remember their hit “We’re Not Gonna Take It?) showed up. Check out what it looked like
Werewolves of Whittier: Wolf & Man Introduces Java
They never said that coffee puts hair on your chest. But menswear brand Wolf & Man introduced its lines of coffees at the Feb. 16 to 18 run of Capsule trade show in Las Vegas, said Brian Chan, founder of Wolf & Man. “It’s a menswear thing,” Chan said. “It’s like having a beer, but it’s more acceptable.”
Hudson Jeans Founder Fights to Get His Company Back
Denim Report
Sometimes breaking up is hard to do. But Hudson Jeans founder Peter Kim is trying to do just that.
California Economy on a Sound Footing for the Next Two Years
Economic Forecast
All signs point to the U.S. and California economy picking up speed in 2015 and 2016 and leaving the Great Recession in the dust.
Port Cargo Container Volumes Drop as Longshore Contract Negotiations Continue
Import & Export
Work slowdowns, idling ships and closed weekend gates all contributed to cargo volumes at California’s ports dropping precipitously in January compared with the same month last year.
Core Surf Shops Honored
SIMA Image Awards
The SIMA Image Awards honor achievements in the surf business, and the big winner for the SIMA Image Awards was the core surf shop.
In Heroes We Trust
First Retail, then Tees
Shearer recently introduced the T-shirt line In Heroes We Trust, which shares a name with the boutique she opened in July 2014, just off of Los Angeles’ high-profile Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
After Decades as a Shirt Maker, Kennington Tries on Pants
Manufacturing
In January, at the Agenda trade show in Long Beach, Calif., Kennington introduced a line of men’s pants.
Vapor Apparel Opening New Cut-and-Sew Facility to Meet Made-in-America Demand
Manufacturing
South Carolina–based Vapor Apparel, a provider of digital print-on-demand services and performance apparel manufacturing, saw sales rise by 30 percent in 2014 and company management projects another 20 percent in 2015.
Wednesday, February 18
Tuesday, February 17
MAGIC Strikes Deal With Eurovet for New CurveNV@MAGIC Show in August
strategic alliance
UBM Advanstar, producer of the MAGIC, Project and ENKVegas shows, has formed a strategic alliance with Eurovet, producer of the Curvexpo lingerie and swimwear shows in Las Vegas and New York, to launch a jointly owned new swimwear and lingerie show in Las Vegas called CurveNV@MAGIC.
Friday, February 13
January Sales Considered Strong Start for 2015
Retail Sales
ame-store sales were projected to increase 3.1 percent, according to an index maintained by Retail Metrics, a Boston-area market research company. Wall Street analysts and economists, such as Jack Kleinhenz of the National Retail Federation, believed that January’s sales performance was proof that 2015 was starting on a strong note.
Hang Ten Headwear Heads to Vegas
Surf Report
Iconic surf brand Hang Ten will unveil a new hat collection at the upcoming MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas.
Dov Story
American Apparel
For all his detractors, American Apparel founder Dov Charney still has plenty of supporters. Friends, former coworkers and colleagues have been posting messages of support on a website, called Team Dov.
Thursday, February 12
Designers Showcase the Power of Print
Epson’s Digital Couture Event
Printing technology company Epson kicked off New York Fashion Week on Feb. 10 with Digital Couture, a fashion event featuring an international mix of designers and the original creations made with Epson’s dye sublimation printers.
Security Sourcing: Made in LA and Under the Radar
Manufacturing | Made in America
Los Angeles–based STC-QST supplies products that provide the foundation of a garment, such as interlining, pocketing, shoulder pads and zippers. When STC-QST Chief Executive Officer Brian Weitman quietly launched a sourcing division 15 years ago, he began providing support for growing apparel makers and brands.
Free Movement Finds Bespoke Tailoring in Tees
Manufacturing
Years ago, blue jeans made the unlikely leap from work pants to the realm of contemporary fashion. For Free Movement’s Andrew Suttner, it’s time for plain T-shirts to make the same leap.
Mr. Brainwash and House of T-shirts
Wearable Street Art
Street artist Thierry Guetta was thrust into the spotlight in 2010 which kicked off a street-art career that led to Guetta’s own art exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York and London.
Industry Focus: Factoring in the Age of Start-Up Apparel Companies and E-commerce
Finance
California Apparel News recently spoke with some finance-industry executives to find out how their companies approach financing new businesses and how selling to e-tailers differs from selling to a bricks-and-mortar retailer.
From Venice With Love
Electric & Rose
With roots in yoga and surfing, Electric & Rose is a lifestyle collection that draws its name from Los Angeles’ Venice neighborhood, which is home to company founders Eric Balfour and Erin Chiamulon.
What’s Next for Elyse Walker
Designer Looks
Retailers do business in a world where every sale counts, but since Elyse Walker started her self-named boutique more than 15 years ago, she tried to take a different sales angle.
Milano Unica Celebrates 10 Years, Turns Its Eye to New York
Trade Show
Milano Unica, the European textile trade show formed when several well-established Italian trade shows—including IdeaBiella, Moda In and Shirt Avenue—joined forces 10 years ago, is preparing to launch its first New York show in July.
Bungalow Clothing Gets Funding by Mixing E-commerce With Old-School Retail
Retail | Technology
The executives of online shopping site Bungalow Clothing believe there is a new way of building an e-commerce business, and it means taking a page from one of the oldest playbooks in retail.
Swim Collective Sets Dates, Plans NY Launch for Active Collective
Trade Show
Swim Collective, the Southern California–based swimwear trade show organized by Shannon Leggett, has set its dates for new activewear show Active Collective, including a new edition in New York.
Pantone Reveals Top Ten Colors for Fall 2015
Fashion
Pantone, one of the top authorities for predicting trendy colors for the design industry, has another nine colors that are making the Top 10. The designator of future colors unveiled its Top 10 list just in time for New York Fashion Week.
Veteran Designer Barbara Lesser Launches New Line of Tops
Manufacturing | Designer Profile
Last fall, the Los Angeles label decided to pull back and revamp. The result is a new brand called Love Barbara, a line of tops that launches with a Fall 2015 collection that will be shown at the Stitch trade show Feb. 23–25 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
US Blanks: The Recycled T-shirt
Manufacturing | Made in America
The apparel industry has been criticized for wasteful manufacturing practices and fouling the environment with dyes to color clothes. This year US Blanks, a basics manufacturer headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, believes that it can offer an alternative.
Freedom of Expression
Denim Trends
From classic denim blues to activewear inspirations and the return of the ’70s, there is something for everyone for Fall '15.
Troubles Pile Up at West Coast Ports
Import & Export
Labor Secretary Tom Perez being called in to help the two sides conclude longshore contract negotiations while West Coast port operations are bogged down in cargo containers.
California Market Center Changes Fashion Market Dates
Trade Show
The California Market Center has realigned the dates it will be holding the next four editions of Los Angeles Fashion Market so they will begin on Mondays and end on Thursdays.
Asher Fabric Names Jolie Fierro VP Sales for New Athletic Concept Division
Textiles
Los Angeles–based knitter Asher Fabric Concepts has hired Jolie Fierro as vice president of sales for its newly launched Asher Active Athletic Concepts division of performance knits for the fitness, yoga and athletic markets.
Kingpins Show to Discuss Denim Sustainability in New Conference Concept
Textiles | Trade Show
To address that issue, denim sustainability will be one of the main topics at the next Kingpins Show, the international denim sourcing show whose next edition will be April 16–18 in Amsterdam.
NRF Forecasts A Strong 2015, But January Results Mixed
Retail
Retail sales will increase by 4.1 percent for the 2015 year, according to a forecast released on Feb. 12 by National Retail Federation, the Washington, D.C.–based retail trade group.
BCBG Max Azria Group Gets Infusion of Cash
Manufacturing | Retail
The ailing BCBG Max Azria Group, which has a mountain of debt, received a $135 million infusion of cash from Guggenheim Partners and other affiliated investors.
Harlem’s Fashion Row Comes West
Fashion Row
Fashion Row, a group that advocates for fashion designers of color, came west to make its Los Angeles debut on Feb. 6. The show was in town just in time for the Grammy Awards and the NAACP Image Awards, which took place the same weekend.
FIDM Displays Oscar-Nominated Costumes for This Year’s Academy Awards
Fashion | Events
Showcasing Hollywood characters and their garb, the Costume Designers Guild curated 100 costumes from more than 20 Hollywood films, including five Academy Award nominees, for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising’s 23rd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition.
What’s Checking: Eagle Rock Caters to the Local Crowd
Retail
Nestled between Glendale and Pasadena, Calif., Eagle Rock’s retail scene is slowly but surely growing around the junction of Eagle Rock Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard. The community counts families and college students as the majority of its local residents, and retailers have found success in offering niche merchandising through artisan products, sourcing locally and maintaining a strong point of view.
MAGIC U Gets Ready For Class
Las Vegas is all about partying and making deals, right? Well, as MAGIC gets ready for its February run from Feb. 17-19 in Las Vegas, the sprawling trade show also introducing MAGIC University, a free, online educational resource on retail, social media, trend forecasting, consumer demographics and sustainability.
Wednesday, February 11
Multi-Brand Store, Gregory’s, Shutters on Robertson
Gregory's, a high-end, multi-brand boutique, closed up shop on Los Angeles’ Robertson Boulevard recently. It was one of the last independent , multi-brand boutiques on a street which was famous for them a decade ago.
Tuesday, February 10
A Look at Louis Vuitton's Rodeo Flagship
Louis Vuitton is taking a spotlight in Los Angeles. The heritage brand’s Series 2 exhibition took a bow at 1135 N. Highland Ave. in Los Angeles’ Hollywood section, and the highly anticipated Louis Vuitton emporium on Rodeo Drive made its debut this month. We just liked the guitar case on display at the Vuitton flagship.
Monday, February 9
Forever 21 Arrives on Fifth Avenue
Retail
Forever 21 opens a new store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Friday, February 6
Hot Topic to Launch Cinderella Limited-Edition Collection
Retail
Hot Topic partners with Walt Disney for a limited-edition clothing collection based on the "Cinderella" movie coming out March 13.
Alex Matthews: From Fashion To Juice & Back
Almost everyone in L.A. fashion in the past eight to nine years crossed paths with Alex Matthews. He served as the national retail director for denim line G-Star, he was a man about town, but in 2008, he wanted to do something different. In fact, it was a far leap from denim. He opened a Juice Served Here location at 833 S. Spring St., a half block away from the Fashion District.
Thursday, February 5
Designers Go Outward Bound
The Great Escape
The great outdoors inspires Fall’s essential denim-based looks. Whether camping in the woods or trekking the city streets, flannels, joggers and the season’s best jackets are the requisite attire.
Las Vegas Roundtable: What to Expect at the Upcoming Trade Shows
Trade Show
With more than 20 fashion trade shows showcasing a huge selection of products and styles, MAGIC and its satellite shows will give retailers an opportunity to view the latest collections from brands across the country and around the world.
New Exhibitors and Diverse Mix at Fashion Market Northern California
Trade Show
There were several new exhibitors and a range of products from made-in-America apparel and accessories to European collections and moderately priced lines at the Jan. 25–27 run of Fashion Market Northern California at the San Mateo Event Center.
Popkiller Shutters First Shop Started in Retail Chain
This Man Goes Pop
Ricky Takizawa is starting up a new division called Popfactory, which he forecasts will serve as the back office and the business support for a creative community of artists who can upload their designs to the website.
Men’s Gets Its Own New York Fashion Week
Fashion
After many years of womenswear getting its place on the runway, menswear is now getting its own chance to walk down the catwalk.
New President at the Helm of Michael Stars
Retail | Manufacturing
After 30 years as president of contemporary clothing label Michael Stars, Michael Cohen has stepped down as the head of the company, turning the job over to his wife, Suzanne Lerner. His title is now chairman of the board.
More Chassis May Not Solve Peak Port Congestion Problem
Traffic Jam
This month, four companies are starting a “gray,” or neutral, chassis pool at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, which should be fully operational by March.
Denim Technology and Innovation on Display at Kingpins New York
Trade Show
With representatives from retailers and brands such as Levi Strauss & Co., Target, Urban Outfitters, VF Corp., Express, Marc Jacobs, Bonobos, Gap, Citizens for Humanity and Tommy Hilfiger, the Jan. 20–21 run of the Kingpins denim trade show put the focus on denim innovation and technology.
Spanish Brand Encuentro Moda Centralizes Operations with YuniquePLM
Technology
Barcelona-based fashion label Encuentro Moda is using YuniquePLM to streamline its product lifecycle management and provide a centralized platform for its operations in retail, design and manufacturing.
BM Merchandising Selects Simparel Enterprise Solution
Technology
BM Merchandising Co. Ltd., maker of the Royal Blue brand of men’s and juniors denim and knit apparel brands and a private-label producer, is replacing its legacy business system and software tools with Simparel Enterprise Solution.
Petit Bateau Selects Lectra Fashion PLM
Technology
To help streamline product development and improve speed-to-market, French label Petit Bateau selected Lectra Fashion PLM.
Chinese New Year Starts at Malls
Here’s more proof of the growing importance of dollars from Chinese tourists, as well as Americans of Chinese heritage. Some of Southern California’s big malls are holding major events to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Wednesday, February 4
Lockout Nears for West Coast Ports With No New Longshore Worker Contract
Import & Export
Vessel operations are suspended for Feb. 12, Lincoln's Birthday; the weekend of Feb. 14-15; and on Feb. 15, President's Day.
Sex Tape – The Fragrance
For the past decade or so, Bohemian Society label concerned itself with dressing stylish outsiders, now the downtown Los Angeles label is jumping into a game that is often the domain of mature lifestyle collections; fragrance.
‘Old’ is New at Selfridges
fashion exhibition
British department store Selfridges typically kicks off the year with it’s Bright Young Things exhibition of new design talent. But this year, the retailer is turning the concept on its head with the launch of Bright Old Things, a showcase of works created by “mature” designers ranging in age from mid-40s to 80s.
Tuesday, February 3
A List Sample Sales’ New Home
After more than a decade of doing pop-up shops and fashion events in backyards, Caroline Bray’s A List Sample Sale has found a permanent home.
Monday, February 2
Bringing Back Broadway’s Boutique Connection
Crowds of people took to downtown Los Angeles’ Broadway thoroughfare Jan. 31, all to watch acrobats, magic shows and short films at the up-and-coming thoroughfare’s ornate 1920s movie palaces during the Bringing Back Broadway street fair. For the boutiques on the formerly blighted street, it was a chance to show their stuff.
