Seated in Style
Recent design school grad Lucy Jones took her Parsons instructor's challenge to “design a project that could change the world” to heart.
Downtown LA Retail Holds Promise, But No Guarantees for Success
Retail
Almost every night, bars and restaurants are hopping in downtown Los Angeles, a once-blighted area that is going through an unparalleled boom, but boutique retailers don’t feel like they entirely share in the city’s new prosperity.
Bigger Brands, Bigger Venue
Venue
Venue, a trade show that started as a platform for emerging streetwear brands, went on a growth spurt for its May 19–20 run.
UPDATE: Port Contract Ratified by Shippers and Longshore Workers
Import & Export
Members of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents shipping lines and terminal operators, and International Longshore & Warehouse Union, which represents Longshore workers, voted to ratify a new five-year contract.
Salon Allure to Expand and Rename Itself Hammock, Runway Shows Planned for Miami
Trade Show
After five years producing the boutique swim trade event Salon Allure, Rick Fatzinger, the event’s managing partner, announced that his team will double the size of the event and rename it Hammock.
American Apparel Files Lawsuit Against Charney for Alleged Breach of ‘Standstill Agreement’
Manufacturing | Retail
The fight between American Apparel and its founder, Dov Charney, continued with a lawsuit the manufacturer filed on May 15 in the Delaware Court Of Chancery against the ousted chief executive officer, alleging Charney violated a “standstill agreement” he had with American Apparel.
Historic Building to Be New WSS Flagship
Footwear Flagship
The new flagship for WSS was a real fixer-upper, but the end result is a historic showplace for the Los Angeles–headquartered footwear retailer.
Cherokee Acquires Everyday California
Manufacturing | Retail
Sherman Oaks, Calif.–based Cherokee Global Brands has acquired San Diego–based casual lifestyle brand Everyday California.
American Rag’s Chinese Fashion Diplomacy
Retail
This summer, American Rag Cie is scheduled to open its first shop in China, and it will be stocked with many of the brands currently sold in American Rag’s high-profile shops in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, Calif.
Academy of Art Honors CFDA, Ryan Roche at Annual Graduation Fashion Show
International Inspiration
The Council of Fashion Designers of America was honored and designer Ryan Roche received the Distinguished Alumna award on May 14 at the annual Academy of Art University graduation fashion show in San Francisco.
Apparel Sourcing Show Opens in Guatemala
Import/Export
Guatemala hoping to capture more U.S. apparel production.
Salon Allure Trade Show to Expand and Rename Itself Hammock
After five years producing the boutique swim trade event Salon Allure, Rick Fatzinger, the event’s managing partner, announced that his team will double the size of the event and rename it Hammock.
LA City Council Votes to Raise Minimum Wage
Los Angeles City Council members voted in favor of a minimum wage hike from its current $9 per hour to $15 per hour by 2020.
Engineered Cool
Brrr! scarves and wraps are made with BrrrX, a proprietary fabric technology designed to keep the material permanently cool. The moisture wicking fabric also offers UV/SPF protection.
Planet Blue To Pop in East Hampton
A mention of the town of East Hampton brings to mind images of playgrounds of Wall Street titans and artist colonies. It’s also going to be the first East Coast address for Planet Blue; a boutique which outfits California’s beach women in contemporary and boho-chic clothes. Planet Blue announced that it will open a pop-up boutique, called PB Guest House, in East Hampton on May 21.
From Shanghai With Love: American Rag’s Chinese Designers
China became the manufacturer to the world this century, but the country also produces many innovative fashion designers. But Americans know nothing about them, This situation may be changing. On May 14, American Rag unveiled a shop-in-shop of Chinese fashion designers at its Los Angeles emporium.
Jewel Toned: Taking It On the Road
What do you do when you are a hot, new shapewear brand that recently received some venture seed funding? If you are the folks at Jewel Toned, a West Hollywood, Calif.-based brand which fits the previous description, you take your act on the road. On May 19, they will take it the beaches of Los Angeles’s Venice district to show the lovely women of the area their new brand, and perhaps make a few sales.
TyLynn Nguyen: "Inspired by All Things Minimal and Womanly"
Lingerie has become a bigger fashion obsession over the past decade or so, and designer TyLynn Nguyen threw her proverbial hat in the ring May 14. It’s when she held a trunk show for her TyLynn Nguyen Intimates line.
Never mind the rain storm; Here’s Chase on Abbot Kinney
Never mind a giant rain storm on May 15, Abbot Kinney’s World Wide Mind Gallery was packed that night for a reception for street artist Chase.
Woodbury Hosts 51st Annual Runway Event in Downtown
Identity and Inspiration
Woodbury University returned to downtown Los Angeles for its annual runway show, held May 3 at a new venue: The Majestic Downtown, a 1921 architectural gem of a building that once housed the Los Angeles Bank of America.
