Tuesday, June 30
Hi-Tec Venture Series’ Hoodie With Built-in Mask
MANUFACTURING
The hoodie has served as part of uniform for youth in the past decade, a billboard for brand slogans and art, and, with the new Hi-Tec Venture Series of performance apparel, the hoodie is fashion that features a built-in mask.
LAPD Continues Investigations of Looting and Other Crimes During Recent Unrest
RETAIL
Following the unrest that spread across downtown Los Angeles and high-end retail streets around other city neighborhoods at the end of May and earlier this month, the Los Angeles Police Department and its law enforcement partners on June 29 gave updates on investigations and prosecutions of crimes committed during rioting.
Pantone Colors for the Shelter-in-Place Set
MANUFACTURING
The COVID-19 pandemic has had such a far-reaching impact that it even changed the way that Pantone delivers its statements on colors to use in fashion.
Monday, June 29
DTLA Independent Boutiques Start To Reopen
RETAIL
Retail has been slowly opening after the COVID-19 shutdown. A wave of reopening includes downtown Los Angeles fashion boutiques which were looted a month ago.
Friday, June 26
State Senate Bill Seeks To End Garment-Industry Standard of Piece-Rate Pay
LEGAL
On June 25, SB 1399: Garment Worker Protection Act passed the California Senate in a 25 -11 vote.
Gap Inc. Partners with Kanye West on Yeezy Gap Collection
FASHION
Gap Inc. announced that it has partnered with entertainer Kanye West on a Yeezy Gap collection that will debut in 2021.
Serious Buyers Head to L.A. Market, Order Comfort and Easy Clothing
TRADE SHOWS
With trade-show calendars stunted and events canceled during the second quarter of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, apparel-business owners had time to strategize before L.A. Market Week, which ran June 14–18 in the Los Angeles Fashion District.
Thursday, June 25
H&M Must Rehire Worker Who Pressed for Store Improvements
LEGAL
A judge for the National Labor Relations Board ruled June 22 that retailer Hennes & Mauritz had violated labor laws when it fired a worker, Nick Gallant, from an H&M store in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Emeryville, Calif.
Vans Throws Virtual 2020 Grad Night
Since the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled crowd gatherings including high school graduations, the Costa Mesa, Calif. - brand decided to get into the virtual grad night business.
Levi’s Jen Sey Produces Documentary 'Athlete A'
EVENTS
Jen Sey, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Levi Strauss & Co., achieved prominence through her work with the San Francisco-headquartered denim giant. She also recently added the distinction of documentary producer to her resume.
Designer Maya Reynolds’s Next Project: Designing Uniforms for Aeon Botanika
FASHION
Rock stars such as Steven Tyler and Lenny Kravitz have worn the dramatic styles of downtown Los Angeles brand Clade.
Wednesday, June 24
Odain Watson Makes Fashion That Tells a Story
FASHION
The Odaingerous brand started in 2014 with a group of highly detailed motorcycle jackets that featured studs, spikes and bold colors.
SwimShow to Launch Digital Edition
TRADE SHOWS
After announcing in May that its July edition of the annual SwimShow would not take place in Miami, due to the threat from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swimwear Association of Florida has announced the swim-surf event brand would go digital.
Fashion Week San Diego Announces Diversity Fund
FASHION
During the last month, organizations and companies all over the United States have sought out meaningful ways to support creatives in the Black community and other underrepresented groups. Recently, Fashion Week San Diego announced its own initiative to support these fashion creatives.
Tuesday, June 23
Sourcing at MAGIC and Footwear Sourcing to Launch Digital Trade Event
TRADE SHOWS
With the trade-show model shifting, Informa Markets Fashion announced on June 22 the launch of a new concept in sourcing-and-supply chain trade events to complement its existing onsite show Sourcing at MAGIC.
Amazon Produces Fashion-Focused Big Style Sale
RETAIL
Amazon postponed its highly anticipated annual Prime Day summer event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to media reports. However, the retail giant produced its Big Style Sale during the week of June 22. Its focus is fashion.
Monday, June 22
Saks Fifth Avenue to Use NuOrder Tech
TECHNOLOGY
Luxury department store Saks Fifth Avenue recently announced that it will employ technology produced by NuOrder, a Los Angeles-headquartered business-to-business e-commerce platform.
The Digital Material Show to Launch in July
TRADE SHOWS
Following the cancellation of its NW Materials Show and NE Materials Show, American Events Inc. has partnered with Première Vision Sport and Material Exchange to develop The Digital Material Show.
Canvas Malibu Talks on Race and Retail
RETAIL
The George Floyd protests have opened a wide-ranging public discussion, and the conversation has reached into retail and fashion.
Thursday, June 18
Roberts Tapped to Chair NCTO
TEXTILES
It was recently announced that David Roberts, chief executive officer of Cap Yarns, a specialty yarn manufacturer headquartered in Clover, S.C., was elected to be chairman of the National Council of Textile Organizations, a Washington, D.C.– headquartered trade association, which represents domestic textile manufacturers.
GUESS? Incorporates Colores with J Balvin Collaboration
MANUFACTURING
Complementing the March 19 release of J Balvin's album "Colores," Guess recently unveiled its Guess x J Balvin Colores collection.
Amazon Responsible for 3rd-Party Goods Sold on Its Site, Court Says
RETAIL
There was a recent ruling on the contentious issue of whether e-retailers are liable for goods sold on their platforms.
#BringBackRetail Initiative Started by Anaheim, Calif., Company
RETAIL
On June 17, Direct Edge Media Inc. announced its own aid program for its friends and partners in the action-sports world that are beginning to emerge from COVID-19 shutdowns.
International T-shirt Day on June 21
EVENTS
International T-Shirt Day will be celebrated on June 21, as the 13th observance of the versatile and ubiquitous wardrobe staple.
Geoff Duran Updates Men's Luxury Shirting with M5K Tailored Sport Shirt All-White Series II
FASHION
Blending inspiration from classic luxury-menswear design and hip-hop, Geoff Duran founder Geoffrey D. Starks released his new collection of the M5K Sport Shirt All-White Series II to introduce new takes on the tailored shirt.
Tuesday, June 16
Influential Retailer Lisa Kline Back in Game With Shoplisakline.com
RETAIL
It’s been almost a decade since Lisa Kline, one of the giants of Los Angeles boutique retail, closed her influential bricks-and-mortar Lisa Kline stores, which did business on Robertson Boulevard, as well as in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Malibu, Calif.
Monday, June 15
Nathalie Seaver To Close Los Angeles Boutique and Focus on Digital Channel
RETAIL
Nathalie Seaver has been selling her Paris-inspired, but made-in-Los Angeles, styles on Los Angeles’ West Third Street for 22 years.
Summer 2020 Swim Collective and Active Collective Events Canceled
TRADE SHOWS
In an email sent during the afternoon of June 15, Emerald Expositions' Collective Shows group announced that the Southern California and New York summer editions of its Swim Collective and Active Collective events had been canceled.
Business—and Some Lines of Customers—Return To Fairfax Avenue
RETAIL
Commerce came to a halt on Fairfax Avenue, one of Los Angeles’ popular retail streets, on May 30. Looters took advantage of the opportunity to commit crimes during peaceful George Floyd protests. They broke into the thoroughfare’s high-end streetwear shops and sneaker emporiums to steal products and vandalize the stores.
Friday, June 12
LRG Launches Collaboration with The Future Kingz
MANUFACTURING
As a tribute to entertainers The Future Kings, Lifted Research Group released a streetwear-inspired collection that celebrates the group's work.
Thursday, June 11
ADNAS Commits to Developing Authentication for PPE
Technology
To combat counterfeiting in the apparel industry—most notably within the luxury-goods segment—Applied DNA Sciences has been known for its technology that uses DNA-specific markers to identify authentic goods.
What’s Checking: Retailing During the Pandemic
What’s Checking
Upon the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, the crisis forced retailers around the state to change the way they did business. Retailers who emphasized bricks-and-mortar operations had to become digital retailers if they weren’t already.
Amid Unrest and Uncertainty, California Retail Still Looks to Reopen
Retail
The killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers set off weeks of protests across America and the world. With cities still in flux due to the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers and fashion brands that were set to reopen suffered a setback.
Within a Shelter-in-Place Environment, Otis Students Complete Mentorship Program
With Design Honors
The future looks bright for Otis College of Art and Design graduating seniors who unveiled works from their mentorship experiences as they make the grade with a new vision.
MII Launch Affords a Central Unifier for Greener Materials Development, Sourcing
Sustainability
Transitioning into a mainstream rather than a specialty segment, ecologically sound approaches to apparel manufacturing can be found in brands that claim full sustainability and others that launch capsule collections based in greener practices. With each of these important steps toward manufacturing clothing that leads toward a healthier planet, advancements in producing materials that contribute to a sustainable supply chain are crucial.
A Time for Real Change—Not Just an Instagram Post
A Time for Change
“Momma” ... this is one of the final words that George Floyd uttered as life was crushed out of him by a white police officer who held his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes, 46 seconds. When we are young, our mothers mean everything to us. They hold us when we scrape our knees, rub our heads when we are racked with fever and teach us our bedtime prayers.
RAW: natural born artists Starts National Arts Drive
EVENTS
One of the many casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic is live performances, art shows and the creatives who make their livings by performing or creating a piece of fine art.
Vans Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community with Love Letters to Skateboarding
MANUFACTURING
The LGBTQ+ community is celebrated during Pride Month in June. Vans' YouTube series "Love Letters to Skateboarding" will air segments on LGBTQ+ skateboarders and their lives.
FWSD Announces Virtual “Art and Beauty Behind Fashion” with Sotheby's and ARC
FASHION
As part of its virtual approach to fashion exhibition, Fashion Week San Diego officially announced that it will host “Art and Beauty Behind Fashion” in July through a partnership with Sotheby's and the Art Renewal Center.
Wednesday, June 10
Elyse Kroll Brings From Fashion With Love to L.A.
Fashion biz veterans probably remember Elyse Kroll.
Inherent Clothier Aims To Stake A Claim For Suiting
FASHION
In a fashion world increasingly governed by casual clothing, Taylor Draper found inspiration in the suiting styles best represented by Cary Grant, the 20th-century Hollywood icon who mixed an effortless cool with tailored suits.
Reformation, Dolls Kill and Other Fashion Companies Apologize for Insensitivity
FASHION
Public discussion during the protests over racial disparity and murders of African American citizens in the United States has been raw and emotional, which has created upheaval at prominent retailers and brands that serve a Millennial and Generation Z audience.
Nina Fuhrman Named Chief Merchant for JustFab and ShoeDazzle
MANUFACTURING
TechStyle Fashion Group announced the appointment of Nina Fuhrman to Chief Merchant of its digital membership-based brands JustFab and ShoeDazzle.
Tuesday, June 9
Muralist Brightens Up Little Tokyo Retail Street After Looting
Downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood was hit by looters who took advantage of peaceful George Floyd protests last week. Artist Kent Yoshimura painted murals over plywood on boarded-up shops.
Monday, June 8
IMC To Reopen Trade Show Buildings To Public
TRADE SHOWS
International Market Centers, an operator of prominent showroom buildings for the furniture, gift, home décor, rug and apparel businesses, announced that it reopened its exhibition spaces AmericasMart Atlanta and Atlanta Decorative Arts Center on June 8.
Retailers Announce Sales Results During Pandemic
RETAIL
Some of the fiscal toll from the COVID-19 pandemic was detailed in earnings reports from prominent retailers last week.
Friday, June 5
Diplomacy to Donate All Proceeds From SS20 Peaceful Protest Capsule to The Bail Project
MANUFACTURING
Expanding its commitment to social causes, Diplomacy Worldwide announced that 100 percent of proceeds from its SS20 Peaceful Protest capsule collection will be donated to The Bail Project.
Thursday, June 4
CFDA Announces Plans to Make Fashion More Inclusive
FASHION
On June 2, the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced that would work to make fashion a more inclusive business.
Remembering Mindy Lubell, Veteran Showroom Owner
OBITUARY
Mindy Lubell, a veteran Los Angeles showroom owner, passed away at her home in Los Angeles May 14 after a bout with cancer.
Pol’ Atteu Beverly Hills Plans to Clean Up Following Looting Damage
RETAIL
Pol’ Atteu Beverly Hills was one of the scores of boutiques that were looted in Beverly Hills, Calif.’s luxury Golden Triangle retail district last week.
Select Tommy Bahama Stores Announce June 7 Reopening
Some retailers have announced reopening of bricks-and-mortar operations after a few months of remaining closed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Tommy Bahama announced that it would open select stores on June 7.
Yarn Movement and Nicholas Mayfield Collaborate to Empower Girls
FASHION
Blending their distinctive fashion backgrounds, designer Nicholas Mayfield and Yarn Movement founder Shantelle Brumfield, who designs under the name S. Ladybug, dig back into their own childhoods to release a collection of T-shirts and beanies that afford the comfort of grandma's house, while sending a strong message that leads girls to succeed.
Eva Franco Seeks to Create Style for Pandemic Fashion
FASHION
When the economic freeze from the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Eva Franco brand had to figure out what to do with the estimated 4,000-square feet of high-end fabrics in its warehouse and offices in downtown Los Angeles.
Tuesday, June 2
Fashion Companies Show Support for Recent Protests
FASHION
Many fashion brands and retailers have made shows of support to groups such as Black Lives Matter and have encouraged a national conversation on race and police brutality recently.
Monday, June 1
Vans Custom Culture Competition Goes Digital
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people live, and it also changed the way that Vans brand has run its Custom Culture High School competition.
