Reformation’s Yael Aflalo Shows Off Eco-Factory
Los Angeles' Reformation brand moved into a new, eco-factory in November. On Earth Day brand founder Yael Aflalo gave a tour.
Noon Goons: From SoCal Punk to High End Design
Noon Goons
SewCal is a production company in downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District. Its founder, Kurt Narmore, moonlights as the designer for high-end men’s contemporary line Noon Goons, which is moving from an inspiration of Southern California concrete to a continental sophistication.
Robertson Boulevard Looks for a Revival
Retail
Kim Kardashian was photographed at Cuvée restaurant on Los Angeles’ Robertson Boulevard recently. The paparazzi shooting a much-gossiped-about celebrity walking the retail street brought back memories of Robertson’s glory days. It was a decade ago when buses filled with tourists spotted starlets shopping on the street and top retailers engaged in bidding wars for storefronts.
LRG Acquired by Mad Engine
Manufacturing
Lifted Research Group, a popular Irvine, Calif.– headquartered urban streetwear brand was acquired by licensed apparel company Mad Engine LLC.
Reported Shooting in Fashion District
Los Angeles Police Department continued to search for a suspect after shots were fired in the the Fashion District.
Incase To DTLA
The barricade is up. The semi-official word is out. Incase is going to move to downtown Los Angeles.
Meet B. James
With looks such as a Shell Toe Adidas dress and leather jackets with pops of color, Brandon James showed 40 looks from his B. James line.
Bebe to Liquidate Stores
Retail
Bebe Stores Inc. announced April 21 that it will liquidate its stores and inventory housed in those stores.
FCI’s Spring Bricolage Student Fashion Show
Spring Bricolage
Daniel Feld was a “Project Runway” star who now teaches at FCI Fashion School in downtown Los Angeles.
Agenda Announces Consumer Day
Trade Shows
After 14 years of producing trade-only shows, Agenda will add a consumer day to its July 15 show at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.
Emerald Expositions Files for IPO
Trade Shows
Emerald Expositions Events Inc. filed for an initial public offering recently. The San Juan Capistrano, Calif.–headquartered company is seeking to raise from $295 million to $310 million, according to media reports.
Fashion’s Robotic Future
Fashion Robot
Many futurists predict a giant shakeup in the jobs market in the near future as bus drivers, construction workers, paralegals and pharmaceutical workers are forecast to be pushed out of their gigs by job candidates who don’t have a heartbeat. They will be replaced by robots and artificial intelligence.
Sai Suman Takes A Bow
Designer Sai Suman showed her ‘The Queen in Me’ line at the Sofitel Hotel in Los Angeles on April 11.
Tuxedos for Her, At Stitch & Tie
Tuxedos have been a men’s exclusive since gaining popularity in America in the late 19th century. Well, women have been crashing this sartorial party. Stitch & Tie by Friar Tux Shop announced that it will be the first formalwear rental destination to rent women’s tuxedos.
Bohemian Society Costumes Dance Film Miscreants
Los Angeles has not seen a Bohemian Society fashion show in a couple of years, but the avant garde label is going to be taking a bow in dance film Miscreants. It will be screened April 22 at M.A.R.S. Festival in downtown Los Angeles
Ron Robinson's United State of Fashion
It was time for a show. It was time for work. April 13 was time for United State of Fashion at Ron Robinson
Vissla & Billabong’s Big Night at SIMA Awards
Swim/Surf
Vissla and Billabong racked up trophies at the 14th annual SIMA Awards, produced by the trade group Surf Industry Manufacturers Association.
One T-Shirt Line’s Trash
Manufacturing
When Tal Mir quit a design job for a private-label company, he resolved to devote all of his creative energy to making a clothing line that would stand for quality and creativity. He called the line Trash. Its full name is Trash Los Angeles
Dodging Retail Blues, Designer Tries Amazon
Retail
Maya Reynolds recently wrapped up a gig creating costumes for the Backstreet Boys. The 1990s hit makers are wearing her white leather jackets for a residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Never Elsewhere’s Locals Only
The T-Shirt Local Scene
When the Never Elsewhere brand started business in 2010, the Oakland, Calif.–based label sought to pay tribute to hot spots only locals would know about.
Image Comic's Snotgirl to the Fashion Rescue
There’s a new comic book hero in town. It's a fashion blogger.
Blue Gold’s Road Trip “A Pair of Jeans Can Connect You With the World”
Documentary Blue Gold: American Jeans sees the world through the eyes of a jeans hunter. It's also a master class on the history of denim with side trips on how Bruce Lee wore jeans, and a step into the global wardrobe.
Macy’s at Westfield Century City Takes a Bow
Westfield Century City is in the midst of a $1 billion makeover. Macy’s is one of the anchors for the revamped retail center. The department store took a bow with a new two-story building on April 7.
Revolve Goes Coachella
Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead are headlining the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival next weekend, online fashion emporium Revolve plans to represent in force with a festival pop-up shop in the West Hollywood area weekend of April 7 and a two-day party during the April 14 Coachella weekend.
March Tough, But Shows Silver Linings
Retail
Wall Street analysts saw a glass half full when March retail sales were reported.
Pooltradeshow to Produce New York Shows
Trade Shows
After a 16-year run as a one-city show, Pooltradeshow announced that it will produce a biannual New York show in addition to its Las Vegas shows.
LA Majors Drives Biz Despite Market Doldrums
LA Majors
Meetings were held and orders placed during the April 3–5 run of LA Majors Market at the California Market Center showroom building in downtown Los Angeles, but a steady drumbeat of tough retail headlines underscored many conversations during the market.
Bomber Jackets Down, Denim Up, Fields Says
Bomber Jackets Down
The once-ubiquitous bomber jacket is trending down. Expect to see it overtaken by denim jackets and the military fatigue-like “utility” jackets.
Rogue Collective Parks in Famous Punk Club
Nirvana played there. Beck gigged there. Perry Farrell and Red Hot Chili Peppers also reportedly paid some dues on the small stage of Al’s Bar. Now it's the address for Rogue Collective.
South Coast Plaza Glitters; Anne Fontaine Runway Show + Anniversary Gala
South Coast Plaza's 50th Anniversary year rolled out more glittering events; an Anne Fontaine runway show and a gala dinner at The Getty Center.
Lucky Luke’s New Gig
For decades "Lucky" Luke Mann has been selling clothes in L.A. For an encore gig, this raconteur is a talent booker/ambassador for DTLA boîte Prank.
Jack's 60th Bday Party is a Surf Contest
For its 60th birthday, Jack’s Surboards did something new, the Huntington Beach, Calif. emporium produced its first surf contest.
Meet Skid Row Denim Academy
Brad Robinson dreams of a Los Angeles without homelessness. He's got a fashion angle to achieve that goal. Meet Skid Row Denim Academy.
Aritizia, Bailey 44 Among Boutiques Moving to Westfield Century City
Retail
The Westfield Century City retail center is continuing work on a $1 billion remodel of its real estate in Los Angeles’ Century City district this year, and recently the high-end retail center announced a slate of new boutiques.
US Supreme Court Strengthens Fashion Copyright
Manufacturing
The fashion business might become more litigious, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision, according to a discussion about the court’s decision at law firm Freeman Freeman & Smiley LLP in Los Angeles’ Century City district.
Cohen & Sons Balances Vintage and New Moto Styles
Cohen & Sons
Motorcycle fashions are perennially in style, from the classic looks of Steve McQueen and biker gangs such as the Hells Angels to the folks who race motorcycles.
LAMM Brings In The New
LAMM
LA Men’s Market has been producing trade shows since 2013, but the recent March 28–29 run of the show at the California Market Center looked to freshen up the show and bring in the new.
Mr. A's Uniqlo Moment
How does a Paris-based graffiti artist connect with a Japanese headquartered retailer to make T-shirts? And then globetrot to Los Angeles introduce the capsule collection with Uniqlo’s UT label? The artist André Saraiva explained.
Bebe Hires Firm to Chart New Course
Retail
After speculation that Bebe Stores Inc. might shutter all its locations and concentrate on e-commerce, the California retailer announced it hired B. Riley & Co. to help “explore strategic alternatives.”
Chupakabra Found In a T-shirt Line
Manufacturing
There’s the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and, since the mid-1990s, chupacabra. It sounded like the perfect starting-off point for a T-shirt line for Eric Martin, the founder of The Park Showroom in downtown Los Angeles.
Profile Industries' L.A. Splash
Weather in the northeast has become more extreme. What do you do when you make warm weather clothes. For Manhattan-headquartered Profile Industries, Inc., the solution was opening a showroom in Los Angeles.
Please Do Not Enter’s Westside Invasion
In Los Angeles, there is a Westside and an Eastside, and the two rarely meet, except in the pop-up shop produced by Please Do Not Enter
Sears Remains ‘Viable Business’ CFO Says
Retail
The worlds of Sears Holdings Corp. investors and shoppers were rocked this week when the parent company to Sears and KMart issued an annual report noting that there was “substantial doubt” on the Chicago-area company’s future.
Riding Out Big Changes in Retail at Marcum Panel
Retail
There are 26 square feet of retail for every man, woman and child in the United States, according to a statistic quoted by Robin Lewis, chief executive and editorial director of The Robin Report, a platform covering retail.
Future State in 2017
Future State
When the Future State brand started in late 2014, it offered an array of women’s T-shirts and placed the new line in retailers such as Urban Outfitters.
Here Comes Custom Ketchup
A lot of people say that fashion has gone to the dogs, but in the case of T-shirt line Custom Ketchup, it has gone to the kids.
Sewbots, 3D Printing- FGILA On Future of Fashion
Sewbots? 3D printing? Get ready for the new machines of fashion production, according to a Fashion Group International of Los Angeles panel.
Courtney Allegra’s Fashion Week Party
Los Angeles Fashion Week March 2017 seems to be over, but is it too late to raise a glass to a fashion week party that started the recent shindig? Meet Courtney Allegra.
ModCloth Acquired by WalMart’s Jet.com
Retail
After a few days of heavy media speculation, it was announced March 17, that ModCloth, a San Francisco–headquartered e-commerce retailer with a focus on independent women’s fashions was acquired by Jet.com, a division of one of the world’s biggest retailers, WalMart.
Sean Scott’s Levitation Activewear
Sean Scott is getting started in fashion early. Currently, he studies at Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles. But this student is introducing a fashion line. It’s called Levitation Activewear.
