Sunday, May 31
Los Angeles Retailers Clean Up As Looting and Vandalism Continue
RETAIL
Shopkeepers cleaned up vandalized stores May 31 after a weekend of rioting and looting on high-end retail streets in downtown Los Angeles, the city’s Fairfax District, Hollywood neighborhood and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Saturday, May 30
As Demonstrations Continue, Some L.A. Fashion District Businesses Address Damage
RETAIL
Following the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, protests have sprung up across the country in major cities including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. During the night of May 29 and early morning of May 30, businesses in downtown Los Angeles were looted as violence followed protests in several major American cities.
Friday, May 29
Happy Socks x The Phluid Project Launch Pride Collection
MANUFACTURING
Through their second-annual Pride Month collaboration, Happy Socks and The Phluid Project are celebrating and fighting for LGBTQIA rights.
Thursday, May 28
New Designs for Astronaut Suits in Space X Launch
MANUFACTURING
On May 30, there’s going to be a first for the endeavor of commercial space travel…and for space suits.
Fidelity Denim Founder Develops a Jean for the Modern American
Mission-minded Denim
Denim maker Jason Trotzuk sought to create a product that would reflect the voice of a new generation of customer that he had not yet reached. Through examining the issues that concern his new audience, he has focused on creating a better denim brand for those who embody the Modern American.
U.S. Apparel Industry Relies on Collaborative Efforts to Remain Competitive
Making it in America
The movement to support domestic manufacturing in the United States was growing prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 at a slow yet steady pace. With supply chains disrupted and early shortages of personal protective equipment, apparel makers were faced with difficult decisions. One option was to become essential businesses by making the supplies necessary for essential workers and, eventually, the public.
Businesses Navigate PPP Loans and Other Disaster Relief Sources
Finance
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Payment Protection Program distributed billions of dollars in loans in the past months to companies with less than 500 employees that were hurt by the COVID-19 economic shutdown. According to Tom Waldman, a shareholder in the law firm of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, opportunities remain to get SBA loans.
Informa to Ramp Up Virtual Trade Show With NuOrder
Informa Fashion x NuOrder
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trade shows have been postponing physical events, but that has presented opportunities for business in a virtual-trade-show setting.
L.A. Mayor Gives Green Light To Reopen Retail
Retail
After weeks of being required to shut down operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic, boutiques and independent shops were given the green light on May 27 by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to reopen.
Consumers Buy Summer Clothes Despite Pandemic Freeze
Retail
Purchasing summer clothing is creating some bright spots in the economic gloom caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data released by The NPD Group on May 28.
For Love & Lemons Ramps Up Sustainability with New Collection
It recently introduced Sustainability is Beautiful, a summer collection is designed with 100 percent recycled materials.
Rogiani Designs Activewear Through Couture POV
FASHION
After working as an image maker for Lancôme where she collaborated with Isabella Rossellini, and serving as the inaugural designer for BCBGMAXAZRIA, Los Angeles-headquartered Elisabetta Rogiani focused on designing her self-named Elisabetta Rogiani collection of women’s clothing, which could range from leather pants to beaded skirts.
Wednesday, May 27
HBO Max Launch Includes Underground Ballroom Competition ‘Legendary’
FASHION
Along with the launch of its HBO Max streaming bundle, Warner Media Group also unveiled television program “Legendary,” a reality competition based on the fantastic world of underground ballroom culture.
Cult Gaia Boosts Art By Telling Fans To Create
The Cult Gaia fashion house recently wrapped up social media campaign #CultGaiaLetsCreate.
Tuesday, May 26
L.A. Mayor Gives Green Light To Reopen Retail
RETAIL
After more than six weeks of being required to shut down operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic, boutiques and independent shops were given the green light to reopen on May 27, announced Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
GabiFresh Launches New Collection with Swimsuits for All
SWIM/SURF
For Summer 2020, designer and fashion blogger Gabi Gregg—also known as GabiFresh—teamed up with Swimsuits For All on a new collection that celebrates Gregg's style evolution.
Dallas Market Center Announces New Dates for Men’s Market
TRADE SHOWS
Following the announcement earlier this month that its June Apparel & Accessories Market would be hosted June 23–26, the Dallas Market Center revealed today that its Men’s Market would be held Aug. 14–17.
Target Corp. Joins Instagram’s Checkout Shopping App
TECHNOLOGY
Facebook Inc. introduced a shopping feature for Instagram last week.
Friday, May 22
Pol’ Atteu Shifts from Glamorous Gown Design to Mask Donations Benefiting Homeless
FASHION
After non-essential businesses closed in Los Angeles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Beverly Hills couture designer Pol’ Atteu and his partner, Patrik Simpson, have shifted from selling out of the designer's boutique to make masks from their home, but also contribute to the community by protecting the homeless population.
Rodeo Drive Podcast Will Spotlight Glam Past and What is Next for Luxe District
RETAIL
A new digital site for Rodeo Drive is going to go audio.
Thursday, May 21
Informa Markets Fashion Postpones August Trade Shows, Announces Provisional Fall Dates
TRADE SHOWS
Apparel-industry trade-show organizer Informa Markets Fashion announced that it would postpone the August edition of its biannual Las Vegas events.
Mossimo Giannulli Pleads Guilty in College Bribery Scam
LEGAL
Designer Mossimo Giannulli and his actor wife, Lori Loughlin, best known for playing Aunt Becky on the sitcom “Full House,” which ran from 1987 to 1992, agreed to plead guilty for their involvement in the Operation Varsity Blues college-admissions bribery scandal that dominated national news in 2019.
Cotton Heritage Distributes Masks and Groceries To Hundreds
Cotton Heritage, a manufacturer of blank T-shirts and fleece located in Commerce, Calif., produced an event May 17 where it donated its masks, as well as groceries, to hundreds of people at its headquarters.
LAFD Fights Fire at Fabric Building
MANUFACTURING
The Los Angeles Fire Department fought a fire at a downtown Los Angeles building owned by textile wholesale Lavitex earlier this week.
BDC Launches COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund to Aid Underrepresented Designers
FASHION
Founded to cultivate design talent in the industry by elevating black designers and apparel makers, the Black Design Collective announced last week the launch of its COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund.
Reynaldo Aquino Strives for Simplicity With Hoodie Scarves
FASHION
Reynaldo Aquino started his Fortis Orbis Atelier menswear brand by making outerwear; mostly jackets and vests, with the inspiration of dystopian worlds from science fiction.
Wednesday, May 20
JustFab’s Recipe To Serve Shelter-in-Place Styles
Los Angeles-headquartered direct-to-consumer brand JustFab has made a business out of reading consumers’ moods and serving styles that hopefully will reflect the season.
Tuesday, May 19
Centric Brands Files For Bankruptcy, Marquee Retakes BCBG License
MANUFACTURING
The latest company to be forced into bankruptcy due to the COVID-19 crisis is Centric Brands Inc., which owns labels such as Robert Graham, Hudson and Zac Posen. It also makes and sells products for more than 100 licensed brands such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica and Under Armour.
Levi’s Celebrates 501 Day With a Virtual Concert and Exclusive Collabs
MANUFACTURING
May 20 is 501 Day, or the 147th anniversary of a patent that started the denim world as we know it.
Monday, May 18
State Senate Committee Approves New Garment-Worker Wage-Theft Bill
LEGAL
Labor leaders received a boost on May 14 when SB 1399, the Garment Worker Protection Act, was approved by four out of five members of the California State Senate’s Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement. Now, SB 1399 moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee, no hearing on the bill has been scheduled.
July Edition of Miami’s SwimShow Canceled
TRADE SHOWS
Amid the planning of cities and states reopening for business across the United States, only plans for interaction on a small scale, such as curbside pickup at retailers, crowd-size control and socially distanced dining, have been considered during this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friday, May 15
April Retail Sales Drop 16.4 Percent Due to COVID-19 Shutdowns
RETAIL
Retail sales in the United States for April dropped 16.4 percent compared to March. April sales declined 21.6 percent in a year-over-year comparison, according to numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
South Coast Plaza Unveils Curbside Shopping Program
RETAIL
California retailers got the green light to offer curbside service last week, where shoppers can park in front of a store and pick up goods. South Coast Plaza recently unveiled a curbside-shopping operation for its 2.8 million-square-foot center in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Fashion Superstar Virgil Abloh Helps with A Hip-Hop Merch Project
FASHION
Need to add some oomph to a music-merchandise project? Just add a fashion superstar who is associated with a music-merchandise project.
Thursday, May 14
Venturing Into the Virtual-Trade-Show Space
Trade Shows
Since the onset of the COVID-19 shutdowns, much of the globe’s businesses deemed nonessential have strategized to conduct meetings, engage in commerce and reach consumers in ways executives could never have imagined. While trade shows across industries have increased their digital platforms over the last few years to ease attendee navigation of event layouts and facilitate meetings between exhibitors and visitors, new event strategies have led the apparel segment to go virtual.
Are digital trade-show tools and virtual events here to stay?
Trade Shows
Since late last year, COVID-19 has been causing widespread turmoil around the globe. As many apparel companies attempt to keep their clients and customers safe—while trying to remain in business—they are looking to their trusted partners for new paths to buying and selling.
Ace Rivington Steps Between Big Brands and Indie Denim Styles
A New World
Amid a new apparel landscape, Ace Rivington remains steadfast in its mission to deliver expertly crafted, made–in–Los Angeles denim, as it moves closer to launching new product that is just on the horizon for Fall.
Stevi Goetz Leaves a Legacy of Elegance, Kindness in the Apparel Industry
Trade Shows
Known for her genuine, welcoming personality, apparel-industry veteran Stevi Goetz passed away April 28 at the age of 83. Following the escalation of a long illness, Goetz left the world peacefully surrounded by family at her home in Los Angeles’ Century City neighborhood.
Post-COVID-19 Market Will Have Place For Indie Retail, Experts Say
Indie Retail Reign
The COVID-19 crisis is forecasted to make major changes in the retail business, and, when the dust from the crisis settles, some of the entrepreneurs best positioned to start over and make a connection with consumers will be independent retailers, according to a handful of industry watchers.
California’s Face Mask Biz Becomes More Sophisticated
Safety and Style
A generation of California manufacturers and designers completed a crash course on making nonmedical face masks in the past two months, and they are currently striving to go beyond the basics.
RCGD Returns to Its Roots With Sustainable-Design Competition
FASHION
While the Suzy Amis Cameron-founded Red Carpet Green Dress has been committed to supporting responsible garment design at the luxury level since its launch in 2009, there has been an important part missing from its mission for the last four years.
‘Ethical Fashion Talks’ Launches to Maintain Momentum of Vegan Fashion Week
FASHION
After postponing her April edition of Vegan Fashion Week that was planned for Los Angeles, founder and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuelle Rienda brainstormed regarding how she could spread a message of cruelty-free fashion, as stay-at-home orders in the city continued to be extended due to COVID-19.
Wednesday, May 13
Simon G. Jewelry Adopts DTC Offering to Benefit Retailers
RETAIL
As bricks-and-mortar retailers continue to struggle due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders that are keeping consumers out of stores, other fashion-industry players are examining methods to help these retail partners.
Fashion Week San Diego Goes Virtual
FASHION
Fashion Week San Diego announced that it is getting back into the runway game. It will start webcasting runway shows on May 15.
Tuesday, May 12
S.F. Retailer Sues Insurer For Denying COVID-19 Claim
LEGAL
San Francisco children's boutique Mudpie recently filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of California’s retail stores, alleging that small businesses have been wrongfully denied insurance coverage for losses resulting from following rules and closing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
John Varvatos Files for Bankruptcy
RETAIL
The COVID-19 crisis has pushed prominent apparel-industry names such as Neiman Marcus and J. Crew Group, Inc. into bankruptcy and, recently, another big brand fell victim to the crush of the coronavirus. The John Varvatos menswear brand filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in District of Delaware.
Ace Rivington Wades Back Into Retail With Front Porch Fittings
RETAIL
Like other California retailers, the flagship for the Ace Rivington brand in Santa Barbara, Calif., took a small step to reopening for business May 11.
Monday, May 11
ATS Announces Addition of Apparel Textile Sourcing Virtual to Trade-Show Calendar
TRADE SHOWS
As part of its 2020 trade-show calendar, Apparel Textile Sourcing Trade Shows announced a new offering with its Apparel Textile Sourcing Virtual edition.
Friday, May 8
Neiman Marcus Declares Chapter 11, Gap Plans Store Reopenings
RETAIL
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, more prominent retailers continue to be hit by the pandemic’s economic freeze. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, more prominent retailers continue to be hit by the pandemic’s economic freeze.
Betsey Johnson Forecasts Post-COVID-19 Fashion
On a tour promoting her book, Betsey. A Memoir, Betsey Johnson made a forecast on post-COVID-19 fashions.
School Project Becomes COVID-19 Memorial Mission for 13-year-old Student
EVENTS
Taking inspiration from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, 13-year-old Madeleine Fugate of Studio City, Calif., is determined to remember those who have passed away due to COVID-19 by creating a quilt that honors victims of the coronavirus.
Thursday, May 7
Rodeo Drive Wants To Give The World A Pandemic Break
Pandemic culture has pushed everything online; meetings, shopping, there’s even been digital happy hours. To keep the world digitally engaged with Rodeo Drive, the luxe Beverly Hills, Calif.- shopping district, a new digital site Rodeo Drive Recommends was unveiled.
Childhood Dreams Lead Merlin Castell to Remain Ahead of Fashion Curve
FASHION
Before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down designers' studios and fashion weeks, Merlin Castell unveiled his latest collection in New York during February's Art Hearts Fashion. His work included fantastic elements, which are now common staples for living stylishly, yet safely.
Wednesday, May 6
Mindfulness is at the Center of Onzie's Mask Mission
MANUFACTURING
Through its Mindful Masks initiative, Los Angeles-made fitness-clothing brand Onzie is creating non-medical, reusable face masks for adults and children, while donating proceeds to benefit healthcare workers in the United States.
Maggie Barry’s COVID Couture
FASHION
Pundits have been trying to figure what a Post-COVID-19 world will look like, and Los Angeles designer Maggie Barry has spent the past six weeks figuring out how the crisis will change fashion.
Catching Up With Sub_Urban Riot’s Mom Of The Year
MANUFACTURING
Mother’s Day will be celebrated Sunday and downtown Los Angeles brand Sub_Urban Riot will be selling sweatshirts with the holiday-friendly slogan "Mom of the Year."
Tuesday, May 5
L.A. County Retailers Weigh Whether or Not To Reopen
RETAIL
Retailers are navigating between seemingly conflicting messages from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on when they can reopen.
Functional Fabric Fair and Other Trade Shows Postponed, Ramp Up Virtual Events
TRADE SHOWS
Functional Fabric Fair recently announced that it would it postpone the third edition of its New York City event, which was scheduled to run July 20-21, according to a show statement.
Monday, May 4
J.Crew Group Declares Chapter 11
RETAIL
Fashion brands and retailers have closed stores, furloughed staff and made SOS calls during the past six weeks, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 4, J. Crew Group, Inc. became the first United States-based retailer to file for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the effects of the coronavirus on retailers.
Friday, May 1
Jack Martinez To Unveil New Eyewear Line
MANUFACTURING
When Jack Martinez designed eyewear for The Black Flys label in the 1990s, he provided inspiration and UV protection to the action sports scene. He recently gave a preview of his newest eyewear project.
First Matching Mother-Daughter Active Capsule Released by Fabletics
MANUFACTURING
Ahead of Mother's Day, Fabletics unveiled its first coordinating mother-daughter activewear collection, which was built on the theme that "girls can do anything."
