U.S. Unemployment Is Up, But Wages Are Up Too
Finance
The U.S. economy got some mixed news this week. First-time unemployment claims rose this week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. But median weekly earnings of full-time, salaried workers also increased, according to a statement from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
UK’s #FashionIsGREAT at Fred Segal
Los Angeles is the address to neighborhoods such as Koreatown, Little Tokyo and Little Ethiopia, but a bit of the United Kingdom moved into the Fred Segal flagship July 15.
SuitKits to Outfit The L.A. Sparks
FASHION
When you think of the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA team, you might think of purple-and-gold basketball jerseys, but Sierra E., founder of made-to-measure suiting brand SuitKits by Sierra E, saw an opportunity to put athletes in suits.
Alexis Monsanto Shows Beautés des Champs
FASHION
Inspired by the French countryside, West Hollywood, Calif.-based designer Alexis Monsanto presented his Beautés des Champs collection.
Odaingerous Boutique Reopens in Downtown Los Angeles
RETAIL
Odain Watson missed the free-form pace of bricks-and-mortar retail. On July 13, he reopened the Odaingerous boutique in downtown Los Angeles.
Obituary: Stan Tendler, founder of Kennington men’s shirts
Manufacturing
Stan Tendler, the founder of the men’s shirting brand Kennington Ltd. and a charter member of the MAGIC trade show, died of esophageal cancer at his Los Angeles home on July 1 at the age of 88, said his son, Lance Tendler.
Reformation Takes On New Majority Partner
Retail
Los Angeles–based sustainable women’s brand Reformation said an investment from new partner Permira will help fuel international growth.
Influential West Hollywood Shop LASC to Close
Retail
After a nearly four-decade run, LASC announced it will be closing its 4,000-square-foot bricks-and-mortar operation on the 8500 block of Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif.
Fast Retailing Treating Denim Jeans in Southern California With Water-Saving Techniques
Water-Wise Denim
Fast Retailing, the Japanese parent company of Uniqlo, recently launched its Southern California denim innovation center to announce it is very close to eliminating the use of water from its denim-treatment process.
Fashion Is Art, Fashion Evokes Friendship, Curators Said
Pop-up gallery POSTgay" Sleepover gave a little more support for the statement that fashion is art.
Please Do Not Enter’s Showcase of Philippine Arts at Pulo Project
Please Do Not Enter curated Pulo Project, a a show of arts and fashions from the Southeast Asian nation in May. On July 9, they unveiled a second edition of the Filipino arts show
The Book of Judith: Going Goth With New Swim Collection
Swim/Surf
Brightly colored bikinis and summery swimwear are not for every woman, said Los Angeles designer Candice Cuoco, who was a “Project Runway” finalist and has a label with a reputation for making made-to-measure leather jackets and corsets.
Cult Gaia: Diving Into a New Swimwear Line
Swim/Surf
Los Angeles–headquartered Cult Gaia started business in 2012 making bags and floral crowns, later branching out to larger pieces such as dresses. Now founder Jasmin Larian wants to take a big leap forward by launching swimwear.
Retailers Often Misfire When Trying to Reach Consumers
Retail
Retailers and brands must become more nimble in the digital world, be better editors of merchandise and become more sincere on social issues to be relevant to consumers.
Levi’s Goes For 1st TV Collab Collection: Levi’s x Stranger Things
Netflix’s Cult Hit "Stranger Things" starts its third season on July 4. On July 1, Levi's released its first collaboration capsule based on a TV show—Levi's x Stranger Things.
Costumes from Hitmaking R&B Pointer Sisters Go On Display at Hollywood Museum
The Pointer Sisters have been scoring hits such as I’m So Excited” and “Fire,” since the 1970s.
Smart Manufacturing May Be Next Step for Factories
Technology
Get ready for big changes in manufacturing of all kinds. Factories will be automated. Robots will be a common sight in manufacturers’ factories—and many workers will be concerned about losing their jobs.
FIDM’s Menswear Graduates Mix Art and Science
Manufacturing
While menswear is a big business, it is not a major course of study at design colleges.
L.A. Streetwear Brand Tests Limits of Language in Trademark Case
Manufacturing
Streetwear brands have a long history of placing parody and anti-authoritarian viewpoints on T-shirts.
Denim Making a Rebound After Activewear Challenge
Denim Delivers
For years, denim reigned as the unrivaled monarch of the market for casual styles.
So Major Brings Pop-Up Shops to Airports
Retail at American airports has taken big strides in terms of sophistication and ambition in the last decade, and here’s a new angle.
Bobby Hundreds On Building A Brand, Mistakes & The Power of Blogging in This Is Not a T-Shirt
Bobby Kim, better known to the fashion world as Bobby Hundreds is in the midst of a flurry of interviews for his first book This Is Not a T-Shirt
PrettyLittleThing's BET Experience Party
The BET Awards were presented Sunday. We took in a pre awards show party at PrettyLittleThing, and met a stylish group of people.
Louis Vuitton Shines Light on Collaborations with Louis Vuitton X Gallery Show
Louis Vuitton will produce a gallery show devoted to artist collaborations on Rodeo Drive.
Going From Cocktail Dresses to T-shirts for Designer Sarah Parker
Most High
In 2006, Sarah Parker was designing the contemporary label DiSanto, a line of cocktail dresses carrying her maiden name, which was sold at high-end boutiques.
Retailers Take on the Fight Against Organized Crime
Fighting Retail Crime
Robberies, employee theft and organized retail crime create billions of dollars in losses for stores every year, so companies are increasingly concerned about cybercrime.
May Sales Show Solid Growth Over Last Year
Retail
Retail sales across the country in May were up over last year, but several big apparel chains saw a slight dip in same-store sales.
The North Face Says Plastic Waste Is Over With Nat Geo Collection
Journalists, environmentalists, scientists and activists sounded the alarm on plastic pollution years ago. San Francisco Bay Area brand The North Face plans to bring the fight against the plastic pollution crisis to fashion.
Fund-raiser for Model Anna Leo
Anna Leo was recently released from the hospital and is recuperating from injuries caused by a car accident. To raise funds for her medical bills, her friends at downtown Los Angeles fashion school FCI Fashion School will be holding an art fund-raiser.
Post Shark Tank, Butter Cloth Introduces Polos & Sweaters at Pop-Up
Remember when Butter Cloth got an investment from Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec? The Los Angeles label has more news.
More Towne by Elysewalker Stores Announced
On June 17, Elyse Walker, a prominent boutique retailer announced the opening of several more locations for multibrand, high-end basics retailer, Towne by Elysewalker.
Veteran L.A. Dye House to Release a High-End Basics Line
Manufacturing
For 20 years, Premiere Laundry sewed blank tees, hoodies and sweats and developed intricate dyes for clients at its factory and dye house in Vernon, Calif.
Faster and Cheaper Digital Printing Shakes Up the T-shirt Business
Driving Digital Printing
For many T-shirt companies, business once solely revolved around the labor-intensive job of silkscreening a graphic onto a blank tee.
B James Takes It To The Streets
Designer Brandon D James produced a guerrilla runway event, a Flash Mob Walk, in downtown Los Angeles June 7.
Madhappy Opens Two New L.A.-Area Pop-ups
Los Angeles' Madhappy brand jumped back into the pop-up game with temporary shops on Melrose Place and Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
Morphew x Fred Segal Malibu
The Morphew brand repurposes vintage fabrics and garments from their archives to create new styles. Morphew is producing a trunk show at Fred Segal Malibu this weekend.
Canadian Company to Open Several Charlotte Russe Stores
Retail
Canadian fashion company YM Inc. will put the young women’s boutique chain Charlotte Russe, formerly of San Diego, back in the retail game.
Montana’s Past, Present and Future is Female
Montana Avenue
Shopping on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Calif., continues to be perfect for the shopper who likes to walk. We visited the street to see what are some of the area’s hot sellers.
Cold Weather Puts a Chill on Retail
Retail
Southern California has been cold and rainy this winter, and some have described the business of selling beach-inspired and summer clothing as a washout.
Goop Unveils Men's Collection G. Label Men
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop platform has dispensed advice on wellness, food, and also sold women's fashion. Earlier this week, Goop unveiled a fashion line for the guys.
Evolv Looks to Make Sense Out of Social Media With Software
Technology
Billions of dollars are spent on hiring social-media influencers to boost products on various Internet platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. And just like other forms of marketing, brands wonder if their money is being spent wisely.
Pocket Square Clothing Acquires Clothing Manufacturer With Expansion in Mind
Bespoke Brand Building
Downtown Los Angeles’ Pocket Square Clothing started out doing business in 2011 making bow ties and pocket squares, eventually branching out to bespoke clothing.
The Disappearance of Dressbarn Emphasizes the Need for Manufacturers to Develop New Business Models
Retail
The recent announcement that Dressbarn was closing its chain of 650 stores drove home the growing dilemma for U.S. apparel manufacturers. There are just fewer retailers to sell to these days.
Fur Ban Bill Approved by California Assembly
Retail
California is closer to becoming the first U.S. state to ban the sale of fur.
Here Comes The Summer Shop
The Summer Shop will match the fashion styles of Levi's and brands HVN and Liana.
Gildan’s American Apparel To Rock Out With Live Nation Partnership
Los Angeles-headquartered Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., calls itself the world’s largest producer of live entertainment. Last week, Gildan announced that its American Apparel division was going to be the official printwear partner for 16 Live Nation music venues and six music festivals.
Dressbarn to Close All Stores
Retail
Dressbarn, a chain of discount specialty stores, is planning to close its entire fleet of 650 stores across the United States. More than 40 of those stores are in California.
