Major Apparel and Retail Trade Groups Condemn Forced Labor in Chinese Supply Chains
Manufacturing
Leading American retail and manufacturing trade groups, the American Apparel & Footwear Association, National Retail Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association, United States Fashion Industry Association and Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America, issued a strong statement condemning forced labor.
L.A. Sneaker Resale Grows Bigger With The Laboratory
RETAIL
Los Angeles is a hub for the skyrocketing market of high-end sneaker consignment shops, and the market recently got bigger.
Robust Crowds at LA Textile
Trade Shows
Coronavirus did not put a big dent in robust crowds for the LA Textile trade show, which ran March 4–6 at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Oublier Collective Stands Up for Big and Tall
Manufacturing
When people saw the 6-foot, 6-inch Jamaal Carroll walk into a room, they generally assumed he was a jock. While Carroll played football in high school in Huntsville, Ala., he felt that he had more to offer by making clothes for the big-and-tall category, which includes men taller than 6’1” and weighing more than 200 pounds.
Richer Poorer Tries On A Full Collection
MANUFACTURING
About a decade ago, Richer Poorer was known as a company that made comfortable socks with interesting designs. Fast forward to its Spring/Summer 2020 season, Richer Poorer, based in the action sports hub of Orange County, Calif., will be rolling out its first full collection.
Will James Perse Design a Robertson Revival?
Retail
The James Perse brand is scheduled to open its highly anticipated furniture and home flagship and café this month within an 11,000-square-foot emporium on 141 N. Robertson Blvd. in West Hollywood, Calif.
Koio’s Footwear Collaboration With L.A. Sculptor
MANUFACTURING
A lot of sneaker collaborations match the efforts of a fashion brand with a footwear brand or a pop-culture star with a shoe brand. Italian-made leather brand Koio recently collaborated with Bradley Duncan, a Los Angeles sculptor.
Sustainable Progress and Next Steps on the Table at Artisan Cloth’s Innovation Celebration
Manufacturing
Sustainable fashion is on the rise, with brands increasingly describing their products as sustainable and market research stating that consumer interest is developing for sustainability. The Artisan Cloth Inc. showroom recently organized an event, Innovation Celebration 2020, where speakers discussed what was happening in sustainability behind the buzzwords and the hype.
Levi’s Unveils Balloon Fit Line
MANUFACTURING
The Levi’s brand released a new collection, called Balloon Fit, on March 2. Levi’s new women’s line features an exaggerated curve leg with a mix of fashion and Levi’s classic looks said Jill Guenza, Levi’s vice president of global women’s design.
Melissa Mercedes Debuts Satori
FASHION
Designer Melissa Mercedes produced her first solo fashion presentation at Blnk East art gallery in Los Angeles’ hip Echo Park section on Feb. 29.
New Group to Map Where Millions of Tons of Textile Waste Goes
MANUFACTURING
A new sustainability initiative, Accelerating Circularity, announced that it is working with major apparel companies such as Gap Inc., Target Corp. and VF Corp. to chart ways to eliminate textile-industry waste and recycle it into new fibers and materials, according to a Feb. 25 announcement.
Misa Los Angeles Produces First Pop-up
RETAIL
After years of manufacturing contemporary dresses, skirts and tops in Los Angeles, the Misa Los Angeles label, produced its first pop-up shop in its hometown.
Guess? Goes for Another Round with J Balvin
FASHION
Guess? has been working with Latin Grammy winner and music star J Balvin for a couple of years. In March, the vocalist and the fashion company will be releasing something new.
Skechers Teams Up With Goodyear Tires
MANUFACTURING
This might be a new angle on the saying “where the rubber meets the road.”
H&M’s Daniel Kulle to Lead Forever 21
Retail
Just a few days after the bankrupt retailer Forever 21 was acquired by a new ownership group, Daniel Kulle, a veteran fast-fashion executive, was tapped to lead the Los Angeles–headquartered company as its chief executive officer.
VF Corp. Recognized as a Top Ethical Company
Manufacturing
VF Corp., the Denver-headquartered parent company of Vans, The North Face, Dickies and Timberland, was named one of the world’s most ethical companies by Ethisphere.
PacSun Opens Landmark Store in DTLA, NYC to Follow
Retail
Once one of the leading mall retailers, Pacific Sunwear of California is opening two standalone landmark stores, it was announced on Feb. 25.
FIDM Designers Make "Frozen 2" Styles
FASHION
The Disney feature "Frozen 2" is still playing in theaters and it is also coming to a store window in the Westfield Field Century City retail center.
Tilly’s Names New Chief Digital Officer
RETAIL
Tilly’s Inc., a multibrand, casual-clothing retailer, named Jon Kosoff as its chief digital officer on Feb. 24. He will direct the Irvine, Calif.–based company’s e-commerce business.
Greenpeace Names Lithuanian Mill As A Sustainability Standard Bearer
Manufacturing
The influential environmental group Greenpeace challenged the apparel industry in 2011 to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its manufacturing and supply chain by 2020, and on Feb. 24 Greenpeace formally recognized a Lithuanian company as the only mill in the world that adheres entirely to Greenpeace’s textile-procurement rules.
No Sesso Makes An Artful Return to L.A.
FASHION
The Los Angeles-based No Sesso has emerged as a critical favorite when it produced a triumphant fashion show at New York Fashion Week in September.
Vans Opens L.A. Fashion District Flagship for Locals and Global Visitors
Retail
The cradle of the sport and lifestyle of skateboarding is located in Los Angeles’ Venice section, Santa Monica, Calif., and parts of Orange County, Calif. But Vans, the Costa Mesa, Calif.-based brand credited for making the first skateboarding shoe, chose downtown Los Angeles’ fashion district as the location for its new flagship concept store.
Byer California Acquires KWDZ
Manufacturing
Byer California, a major supplier of juniors and misses clothing to major department stores, recently announced its acquisition of KWDZ Manufacturing, LLC, which is based in downtown Los Angeles.
L.A. and California Economy Strong, But Might Take Small Hit from Coronavirus
L.A. Economic Forecast
California and Los Angeles County are forecasted to enjoy moderate yet sustained growth throughout the next two years, according to a Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation forecast released on Feb. 19.
Zadig & Voltaire Sunset Unveils Remodel
RETAIL
On Feb. 22, the French brand will unveil a remodel of its Sunset Boulevard store.
Stadium Goods’ Run at Fred Segal Keeps Going…and Going…This Time with Travis Scott
RETAIL
Earlier this month, Stadium Goods produced a section devoted to Travis Scott. The hip-hop musician will be headlining the second night of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year.
Forever 21 Acquired by ABG, Simon and Brookfield
Retail
Forever 21 is now owned by the Authentic Brands Group, the Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners, it was announced on Feb. 19.
Carl's Atelier Makes Art Splash With Susan Kleinberg
Susan Kleinberg exhibited some of her sculpture at the Frieze Art Fair recently. Kleinberg also took her art out of a gallery format.
MAGIC Mens Aims to Complete Every Man’s Wardrobe
Trade Shows
Spanning 55,000 square feet of vendor booths, the MAGIC Mens trade show ran Feb. 5 –7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Lizette Chin, president of men’s fashion for the show’s owner, Informa, said that MAGIC Men’s aimed to fulfill every facet of menswear.
Liberty Works With New Schedule and Other Changes
Trade Shows
The 14th season of the Liberty Fairs trade show was shaped by change when it ran Feb. 4–6 at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Pooltradeshow Features Debuts From Established and Emerging Brands
Trade Shows
Pooltradeshow was conceived as a forum for emerging and art-inspired brands, but the trade show, which ran Feb. 5–7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, also serves as a forum to unveil new lines.
WWDMAGIC Mixes Sizzle and Business
Trade Shows
WWDMAGIC flexed its entertainment muscles when the sprawling show focusing on juniors and young contemporary styles ran Feb. 5–7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Daniel Patrick Hits the Court with New Adidas-James Harden Collaboration
FASHION
The Los Angeles-headquartered Daniel Patrick brand has worked with street, military and fashion inspirations. For his next collection, Daniel Patrick is trying basketball with the Houston Rockets star James Harden.
Project Rolls Out Denim Room
Trade Shows
Project rolled out the 12,000-square-foot Denim Room section at the Feb. 5–7 run of the contemporary trade show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Baja East Unveils Fall 2020 Show; Midnight at the Mojave
FASHION
Baja East unveiled its Fall 2020 show, inspired by disco and the desert, in addition to lace, French terry and Swarovski crystals.
Mall Giant Simon Acquires Taubman for $3.6 Billion
RETAIL
Simon Property Group and Taubman Centers Inc., two titans of the American mall market, will join forces in a deal where Simon acquires Taubman for $3.6 billion or $52.50 per share, it was announced Feb. 10.
Surf Industry Manufacturers Association Announces SIMA Awards Finalists
EVENTS
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association recently announced finalists for its 16th Annual SIMA Awards Feb. 11. It’s the only awards show where people in the surf biz get to honor surf-shop operators and those who design boardshorts, surfwear, and, yes, surfboards.
Tom Ford Makes Los Angeles Statement With Autumn/Winter 2020 Runway Show
FASHION
Rules were broken when Tom Ford produced his Autumn/Winter 2020 runway show in Los Angeles Feb. 7.
The Webster Makes A Hollywood Party for New Beverly Center Store
RETAIL
On Feb. 6, the independent, multibrand retailer The Webster threw itself a party for the debut of its sprawling 11,000-square-foot space at Los Angeles’ Beverly Center.
Oonana To Develop New E-Platform for DTLA Manufacturers
Technology
Amazon.com has made billions of dollars in revenue by offering a direct-to-consumer marketplace for vendors and manufacturers.
Buyers Return to Las Vegas with Serious Intent, Vendors From China Sidelined by Virus
Las Vegas Shows
Trade-show season is in full swing, with exhibitors reporting good traffic and buyers taking their time but remaining optimistic. With a travel ban implemented on citizens coming to the United States from China due to the coronavirus outbreak, some shows experienced a fewer number of exhibitors from that country.
Kindom Plans To Expand By Making Less
Kindom Closes Loop
For its second collection, the Los Angeles–headquartered brand Kindom decided against buying more fabric to produce the line yet adding more categories to the label.
Trinidad3 Plans to Serve Wounded Warriors With Fashion and Function
American Pride
Former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant and founder of the denim brand Trinidad3, Trinidad Garcia III, recently expanded his collection with a fresh take on jeans that are beautiful to wear but also ease daily life for leg amputees such as Marine veteran—and the campaign’s latest model—Josue Barron.
Wildfox Acquired By Fam Brands
Manufacturing
Wildfox Couture was acquired by Fam Brands, it was announced on Feb. 3, just a few days before the bankrupt Wildfox was scheduled to be auctioned off.
Forever 21 Bankruptcy Names Stalking Horse Bidders
Retail
The Simon Property Group and Brookfield Properties have joined forces to acquire the assets of their bankrupt tenant Forever 21 Inc.
Macy’s Plan Calls for New Direction and Closing 125 Stores
Retail
Macy’s Inc. outlined sweeping changes on Feb. 4 that called for the elimination of 2,000 jobs and the closure of 125 stores over the next three years, said Jeff Gennette, the giant retailer’s chairman and chief executive officer.
Missoni’s Big Fashion Show at Pink's Hot Dogs Stand
Just a few days before Tom Ford’s highly anticipated Los Angeles fashion show, the Missoni fashion house drove scores of models on a double decker bus to Los Angeles landmark Pink’s Hot Dog on Feb. 4.
Parley For The Oceans & Fashion Make A Run Against Plastics
German designer Cyrill Gutsch made it his job to turn plastics into a fashion fabric. He also recruits brands in a campaign to stop choking the world’s oceans with plastics.
