Simparel Hires John Robinson as SVP Sales and Marketing
Technology
New York–based business solutions provider Simparel Inc. named fashion-industry veteran John Robinson as senior vice president of sales and marketing.
German Denim Brand Mustang Taps Centric for PLM
Technology
German denim brand Mustang Jeans has selected Los Gatos, Calif.–based Centric Software Inc. for its new product lifecycle management system.
Lectra Names Macquin to Executive Committee
Technology
French technology solutions and equipment provider Lectra named Edouard Macquin to its executive committee.
Gap Closes 1969 Design Studio in Los Angeles
Downtown LA
Gap Inc. closed its denim design studio in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, where designers worked on the company’s 1969 brand, named for the year the company was founded.
Lighting: Rules of Attraction
Retail is theater, or so the old adage goes, but the adage is more than conventional wisdom, said Joanna Brace of San Jose, Calif.-lighting firm Xicato.
Giugliano To Eva Franco
The Eva Franco label has been making dresses with a whimsical elegance and a tailored style since 2003, on Feb. 4, Eva Franco announced that Debbie Giugliano was named as the label’s salesperson serving the West Coast and Dallas regions.
‘Shark Tank’ Coming to Vegas
“Shark Tank,” the reality show competition that pairs entrepreneurs with investors (a.k.a. “the sharks”) is heading to the WWDMAGIC show in Las Vegas later this month.
Chinese New Year: Retail Centers Celebrate In A Big Way
Chinese New Year has always been a big deal in California, but now retail centers are celebrating in a big way.
Kingpins Puts LA Show on Hiatus Until July
Trade Show
Kingpins—the boutique denim trade show with editions in New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong—is putting its Los Angeles show on hiatus while it concentrates on launching its newest show in Amsterdam.
Venue Finds New Home at the Cooper Design Space
Trade Show
There was a new venue and high energy for the second edition of the Venue trade show, which ran Jan. 29–30 on the 11th floor of the Cooper Design Space in downtown Los Angeles.
Industry Voices: Mediation or Arbitration: What’s The Difference?
Legal
When people disagree, they have choices on how to resolve their dispute. They can lawyer-up, file a lawsuit, and let a judge or jury decide who wins. They can also try to resolve the matter between themselves, they can engage in arbitration or they can go through mediation.
Chico’s Soma Intimates Enlists Customers in Charitable Bra Donation Effort
Retail
Soma Intimates, the intimate-apparel retailer owned by Fort Myers, Fla.–based Chico’s FAS, is collecting new and “gently worn” bras for the latest edition of its “Giving Is Beautiful” campaign, which will benefit the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV).
D&A to Open L.A. Show on Sunday Beginning in March
Trade Show
For the upcoming Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall ’14 season, Designers and Agents will open its show on Sunday, March 16.
New AAFA App Provides Industry Insight and Avenue to Share Industry Issues
Manufacturing
Members of the apparel industry are on the front line of many industry issues, such as proposed trade agreements and pending legislation, but often they have limited access to elected officials to voice concerns or share their insight. Now there’s an app for that.
Tukatech Launches 'Tip of the Week' Contest with Prizes Up to $5,000
Technology
Los Angeles–based technology solution provider Tukatech has introduced a new contest to encourage Tukatech users to visit the company’s Tip of the Week page.
P.J. Salvage Founder and Creative Apparel Director, Mickey Sills, 55
Mickey Sills, 55
Seven months after being diagnosed with cancer, the apparel veteran passed away on Jan. 28.
Customs Expert Tom Gould Joins ST&R Law Firm
Import & Export
After more than a decade running his own customs consulting business in Los Angeles, Tom Gould is joining Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, a law firm that regularly advises apparel and textile companies in California.
NRF Says No to Obama’s Call for Minimum Wage Increase
News
In the 2014 State of the Union address, which was given Jan. 28, President Barack Obama issued a call to business leaders and politicians at the state and local level to boost the minimum wage in order to strengthen the economy.
