For Love & Business
Leran Hadar and Marine Azria are partners in love and in business, and they recently opened a new boutique, The Piece Collective, on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which has become one of Los Angeles’ most sought-after places to open a shop.
PJ Salvage and Beach Riot Form Joint Venture
P.J. Salvage, the Irvine, Calif.–based sleepwear, intimates and lifestyle brand, formed a joint venture with Costa Mesa, Calif.–based swimwear brand Beach Riot and named former RVCA executive Mark Tinkess as Beach Riot president.
Southern California Man Sentenced for Importing Counterfeit Goods
Kevin Wang, a 54-year-old resident of Rosemead, Calif., was sentenced on May 8 to 31 months in federal prison for bringing in 11 containers filled with counterfeit apparel and other goods from China.
Ross Names Barbara Rentler as New CEO
Ross Stores Inc., one of America’s dominant off-price apparel and home-fashion chains, announced a succession plan May 7 to replace Michael Balmuth, the Dublin, Calif.–based retailer’s vice chairman and chief executive officer, who has led the company since 1996.
April Sales Fueled by Easter & Pent-up Demand
April retail sales increased 6 percent, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, a New York–headquartered trade group for retail centers.
Industry Voices: Design and Technology: An Idea You Can Take to the Bank
A brand’s worst nightmare is to become a commodity. Unfortunately, we’ve seen an aggressively promotional retail environment in the United States, driven by increased competition and the economic downturn. New business models and supply chain–management approaches are allowing lower-priced competitors to enter the market and thrive.
Billabong Names New COO
Jeff Streader was recently named global chief operating officer for surf giant Billabong. Streader will be based in the Irvine, Calif., offices of the Australia-headquartered surf giant.
Volcom Names New Global Creative Director
Volcom, one of the surf/skate and lifestyle world’s most prominent labels, recently named Mike Aho, a veteran graphic designer and filmmaker for Volcom, its new global creative director.
Boutiques Ordered to Vacate Fred Segal Santa Monica
The 500 Broadway building of landmark retailer Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Calif., is closing to make way for the construction of a new structure, and the 500 Broadway boutique owners in the building were recently notified that they must vacate by the end of May.
New Mall With a Civic Angle Hopes to Lift Economy in South Gate, Calif.
One of Los Angeles County’s new retail hot spots is South Gate, a blue-collar, predominantly Latino city with a high unemployment rate.
Brand Building on Made in America Foundation
When Gala Inc. founders Galina and Michael Sobolev began shifting their production for their contemporary line, Single, back to the United States about six years ago, there were several compelling reasons to bring manufacturing home.
Labels Don’t Just Grow on Trees
The Rainforest Alliance just got a $200,000 grant from Avery Dennison, the labeling giant based in Glendale, Calif.
Leather Sandals Get the Made in California Look
Footwear designer Ocean Minded in San Clemente takes its sandals to a local specialist to be made.
Boutiques Ordered to Vacate Fred Segal Santa Monica
Boutique owners of the 500 Broadway building of landmark retailer Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Calif., were recently notified that they must vacate by the end of May to make way for the construction of a new building.
Unique LA’s Local Fashions
Unique LA is a market/fair/meeting of creative minds is to celebrate local and Made in America fashions. Here's what we saw when it ran on May 4-5.
