Jack’s Surfboards Takes Bigger Plunge into Wetsuits
Retail
Jack’s Surfboards started business during the Eisenhower era all for the sake of a wetsuit. Founder Jack Hokanson wanted to buy a wetsuit in Huntington Beach, Calif., but couldn’t find any shops that sold the product in a city that was beginning to develop a reputation as a surfing mecca.
Coast by Coast Is On the Move
Coast by Coast
After a career working as a merchandiser and buyer for Victoria’s Secret’s swim division and later for Macy’s, Kristen Cleary decided to buy a Volkswagen bus and go on the road. Her travels took her all across America and eventually to her own bricks-and-mortar swim shop, Coast by Coast, which she opened recently in downtown Los Angeles.
Bagley Design Goes Velvet
FASHION
For two years, Los Angeles-based designer Brigitte Bagley has been making bespoke leather jackets for her Bagley Design brand. She recently unveiled something new for her brand; velvet bomber jacket.
Ted Houston, Polygon Solutions, 52
News
Ted Houston, president of Long Beach, Calif.–based Polygon Solutions, which provides management solutions for apparel and fashion brands, died Dec. 23 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The cause of death was a fungal infection that had set in more than four months after a successful double-lung transplant.
Holiday 2019 Sales Were Strong
Holiday Retail 2019
After all the forecasts were published, retailers promoted their best deals and consumers spent their hard-earned dollars, experts weighed in regarding the performance of retail during the 2019 holiday season. While a few obstacles arose, overall sales were reportedly robust this year.
Nusumeria Finds New World In Hemp
Manufacturing
When Jon Flaks launched his Los Angeles–headquartered brand Nusumeria on Instagram in July 2019, he forecasted that he was going to sell styles to people looking to complete their athleisure wardrobes. The response that came next was a pleasant surprise.
Ruti To Create AI Stylist
Technology
Retail marketing and back-office tasks are increasingly informed by big data and machine learning. Boutique retailers will soon find out if artificial intelligence can make savvy styling recommendations for shoppers.
L.A. Factory Makes Major Sustainability Goal & Backs It Up With Tech
Technology
Sustainable design is increasingly important in California, and one factory said it has achieved a gold standard in sustainability. UStrive, based in Los Angeles, was certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard last month.
Levi’s Extends Run for Levi’s Haus Miami
RETAIL
Based in Miami Beach’s Wynwood section, the 43,000-square-foot Levi’s Haus Miami features a concept shop, as well as place where people can make their own Levi's styles with the help of artists at the Levi's Tailor shop.
Mega Fashion Club Opens 1st Store
RETAIL
“This project started in a garage,“ Mega Fashion Club Founder Megers Frierson said. “But now we got a place where people can come and try on our products.”
Julie Feingold to Lead In-House Styling Program at The Optimist
Men’s shop The Optimist opened at Platform retail center in Culver City, Calif. Recently, the Optimist announced an in-house styling program led by Julie Feingold. She has styled stars such as Harry Styles, Zac Efron and David Beckham.
Organized Retail Crime On the Rise
Retail
The National Retail Federation recently released a report on organized retail crime, defined as sophisticated criminal gangs targeting retailers. It found that ORC is increasing and that Los Angeles has the dubious distinction of being the top-ranked city for this category of crime.
LATTC’s Gold Thimble Show Goes Game of Thrones
Runway
Los Angeles Trade Technical College recently started a Costume Technology Program to prepare students to make costumes for film, television and theater productions.
Fashion Nova Explains DOL Investigation
Legal
Fashion Nova Inc., a prominent Los Angeles–headquartered digital retailer of stylish yet affordable clothing, has been the subject of a wage-theft investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, according to a widely read New York Times article published this week.
Super Saturday Forecast To Be Holiday 2019’s Busiest Day
Super Saturday
Super Saturday is Dec. 21, and predictions for one of the final shopping days before Christmas are positive. It’s forecasted to be the busiest shopping day of the holiday season, according to a number of holiday business watchers such as the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group.
U.S. Close To Making Trade Agreements After Year of Upheaval
Import/Export
After more than a year of headlines on trade wars, the Trump administration, the U.S. Congress and America’s trade partners wrapped up the year with statements and votes promising that trade deals are close.
NSF Brand's 1st Pop-Up Gets An Extension
RETAIL
The NSF brand's first pop-up was originally slated to run until the end of the year. Fortunately for NSF fans, the pop-up got an extension.
Star Costume Designer Paul Tazewell Speaks at Black Design Collective’s "Harriet" Screening
EVENTS
It was the last 2019 event for Black Design Collective, a Los Angeles headquartered non-profit that supports African American designers and mentors student creatives.
Cynthia Rowley Surfs Into Malibu Country Mart
Designer Cynthia Rowley makes neoprene wetsuits with an art and fashion inspiration for her self-named brand. They will be among the merchandise mix for her new Malibu Country Mart shop.
Patricia Welman, 3 Girls Clothing Co-founder, 60
News
Patricia Welman, co-founder and president of the juniors brand 3 Girls Clothing, passed away Dec. 1 after a short illness with cancer. Her funeral is being held Dec. 17 at Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic Church in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Epson Unveils New POS Printers
Technology
Epson has developed a reputation for making direct-to-garment printers for manufacturers both large and small to print on T-shirts, hoodies and more.
CFF Hosts 72nd Annual Christmas Party for Kids
Events
More than 250 Los Angeles kids got holiday gifts from the California Fashion Foundation on Dec. 11 at the penthouse of the Cooper Design Space in downtown Los Angeles.
Economic Forecast Improves After Solid Year, UCLA Said
Finance
On Dec. 4, the influential UCLA Anderson School of Management raised its 2020 forecast for the U.S. and California economies from 1 percent real growth to 1.7 percent due to low unemployment and high consumer confidence and spending.
During a Year of Bankruptcies, Retailers Find Risk & Opportunity
Retail
Bankruptcies and store closures spiked in 2019, and some retailers hoped bankruptcy could give them an edge during a year when many thought the chips were down for retail.
Copyright and Labor Fashion Cases Reach Supreme Court
Legal
Issues in copyright and labor kept lawyers busy in 2019; however, the Los Angeles case that made the most headlines was a streetwear brand that brought its case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Tact & Stone Looks for Boundaries to Push in Fashion & Sustainability
Sustainable Tact & Stone
Sustainability commands increasing interest from the business world. A novice in the field, Landon Nash vowed that his new apparel line, Tact & Stone, would serve as an engine to innovate in this burgeoning category.
Fashion District’s Sparkle Factory Building Finds New Life With Tarina Tarantino
Retail
After a four-year hiatus from running a bricks-and-mortar boutique on Los Angeles’ Melrose Avenue, designer Tarina Tarantino has opened a self-named Tarina Tarantino boutique in downtown Los Angeles.
FaZe Clan Forecast Big Biz With Active Styles for Video Gamers
FaZe Clan Activewear
Professional e-sports competition over video games such as Fortnite is hitting the big time. It attracts investments from owners of major-league sports teams; competitions are viewed by millions of people across the globe; and for the Los Angeles–based e-sports team FaZe Clan, fashion is becoming a big deal.
Pierre Cardin, Zandra Rhodes Honored at 6th Annual CinéFashion Film Awards
The 6th Annual CinéFashion Film Awards were presented at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills on Dec. 9.
Rose Queen & Her Court Walk Macy’s Pasadena
The Rose Queen and her Court do not assume their official duties of riding on a float for the 131st Rose Parade until New Year’s Day.
Ron Robinson Kicks Off Holiday With Happy Ending Party & Bids Farewell to Bricks-and-Mortar
Ron Robinson threw a festive holiday season kickoff on Dec. 5. But this party, had a bittersweet note. It marked the last time the Ron Robinson company would run a bricks-and-mortar store.
Black Friday Weekend Sales Breaks Records
Booming Black Friday
Black Friday shopping broke records, according to the National Retail Federation. In a Dec. 3 conference call, the Washington, D.C., retail trade group said that 189.6 million U.S. consumers shopped during the Black Friday Weekend.
LVMH Acquires Tiffany & Co.
Retail
In what is being called the biggest deal in the history of the luxury-goods market, Paris-headquartered LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE acquired Tiffany & Co. for $16.2 billion, it was announced Nov. 25.
After Sale, Agenda To Be Directed by Shellman
Trade Shows
After six years of running Agenda, Reed Exhibitions has sold the streetwear-focused trade show for an undisclosed amount to AZTQ Corp., a Toronto-headquartered show producer that started business in 2019.
California Passes Fur Ban
Retail
Faux fur has enjoyed wide popularity during 2019, but it was a tough year for businesses working with real fur. California became the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of fur.
Forever 21 Files for Bankruptcy
Retail
Los Angeles–headquartered Forever 21 was one of the architects of fast fashion, but, after three decades of growth, the family-run business, which enjoyed more than $3.4 billion in revenues in 2017, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Digital Printing Remains on the Rise
Technology
The digital-printing business has been a contender for more than a decade in the T-shirt industry, but in 2019 it started to become more dominant. Digital printers made by companies such as Kornit Digital, Epson and Roland DGA can be used to make increasingly complex images on T-shirts, hoodies and other imprintable clothing.
Barney’s Dramatic Deal For Its Future
Retail
Barneys New York served as an influential American retailer since the 1920s, but in 2019 it went bankrupt and its remaining five stores started a liquidation process.
Volcom Inks Deal With Authentic Brands Group
Manufacturing
Action-sports brand Volcom is back to making deals and producing new styles. The Costa Mesa, Calif.–headquartered brand made headlines in November when it announced that it would outfit the U.S. snowboarding team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, but in mid-2019 Volcom started a new chapter in its more than 25-year history.
Big Changes for Gap, Inc.
Retail
Observing its 50th anniversary during 2019, Gap Inc. experienced a year of major change for one of the biggest specialty retailers in the world.
2nd & PCH Unveiled in Long Beach
Retail
One of the most familiar sights in the California landscape is the mall, but Long Beach, Calif., despite being the seventh largest city in the state, has been traditionally “under-malled.”
Brit Artist Chemical X’s Limited Edition Line Raises Funds for L.A.’s Homeless
Chemical X, who does not divulge his birth name, recently made his US debut at a Nov. 8 -10 art show at the former Tower Record building in West Hollywood. He said that he was not prepared by the extent of the poverty in Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
One of a Kind T-Shirt Line from the Desert
Linda Sibio, an artist and performance artist living in Joshua Tree, Calif., recently introduced a T-shirt collaboration with another desert artist Cody Montgomery.
Outerknown Opens 1st Bricks-and-Mortar Flagship
Kelly Slater’s sustainable brand Outerknown opened its first bricks-and-mortar flagship on Nov. 26
Black Friday Weekend Sales Break Records
RETAIL
Black Friday shopping broke records, according to the National Retail Federation. During a Dec. 3 conference call, the Washington, D.C., retail trade group said that 189.6 million U.S. consumers shopped during the Black Friday Weekend.
Isabel Marant, EB Denim, Please Do Not Enter To South Coast Plaza
A group of new boutiques helped start the holiday spirit at the luxe center in Costa Mesa, Calif.
American Giant To Los Angeles' Silver Lake Section
American Giant opened its first Los Angeles area shop Nov. 27.
Will Smith Unveils Bel-Air Athletics' 2nd Collection
So far, we haven’t heard of a reunion show for The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
