2016 Newsmakers: Mall Development Returns
Retail
Two years ago, retail was buzzing with talk that the mall was dead. At the National Retail Federation’s Big Show, Rick J. Caruso, founder of The Grove retail center in Los Angeles, said that the mall was doomed.
Shaun White: Make Room for WHT Space
For sports star and entrepreneur Shaun White, it was the comment that could not be ignored.
Brooks Bros Big Holiday
Brooks Brothers made clothes for Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. On Dec. 3, the venerable label held a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at its Rodeo Drive emporium.
Man & Wolf Revs Up Pop-up Shop
We've seen the Wolf & Man brand at a host of trade shows such as Capsule. But on Dec. 2, the independent menswear brand produced its first pop-up.
Citizens of Humanity's Open Studio
It's Open Studio time at Citizens of Humanity's Downtown Los Angeles showroom.
Popkiller’s Happy 13th
Ricky Takizawa spent 13 years putting a Little Tokyo edge on pop art at his Pop and Popkiller stores. He celebrated his Lucky 13 anniversary on Dec. 1.
Wild Ride for Retailers in November
Retail
Retailers reported mixed sales after a rollercoaster ride for business in November.
Rachel Zoe’s Winter Box
Rachel Zoe brought in the holiday season Nov. 30 with an exclusive dinner party at the historic Chateau Marmont hotel. The guest of honor? The winter edition for her Box of Style subscription service.
Lily Ashwell Tries Outerwear & Bridal
Lily Ashwell
First it was her version of workwear. Now designer Lily Ashwell is going formal.
Black Friday Shopping Up, Deals Abound
Retail
More people shopped on Black Friday, but spending per person was down, according to the National Retail Federation trade group, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Black Friday Shopping Up, Deals Abound
More people shopped on Black Friday, but spending per person was down, according to the National Retail Federation trade group, headquartered in Washington D.C.
Super DJ Aoki’s Garmento Heart
DJ Aoki
Steve Aoki makes a mint every time he deejays at a Las Vegas mega-club or at a giant concert, but the guy has demonstrated that he has a garmento’s heart, and he’s upping his ante for the fashion game.
Alice + Olivia, AG Opening at Fashion Island
Retail
A 2,000-square-foot boutique for Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet opened its doors for business Nov. 18 at the Fashion Island retail center in Newport Beach, Calif.
See It Buy It Plans To Cut M-Commerce Clutter
Technology
Joe Monastiero wants to clean up online shopping.
Phase 1 for Westfield Century City Remodel: Bloomingdale’s
Bloomingdale’s
Construction on the more than $955 million remodel of Westfield Century City in Los Angeles’ Century City neighborhood has been underway since 2013, but the luxe center recently observed a low-key debut that will be key to the center’s new look, said William Hecht, Westfield’s chief operating officer.
Santa's Flight Academy Takes Off at Taubman
Last week, an amusement park style installation, Santa’s Flight Academy, took a bow at 12 Taubman shopping centers across the country.
Crooks & Castles Revs Up Holiday 2016 Collection
Adventure was mixed into the design for the recently released Crooks & Castles' Holiday 2016 collection. On the label for a woman’s beanie “Down for Whatever.”
Reynaldo Aquino’s Ninja Style
For L.A. area indie designer Reynaldo Aquino, warriors don’t come in camouflage or olive green.
Vans, Dior Homme, Stella McCartney to South Coast Plaza
Vans, Dior Homme and Stella McCartney are on their way to opening boutiques at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Department of Labor Blasts So Cal Factories for Wage Theft
Manufacturing
Eighty-five percent of Southern California garment contractors operated in violation of wage laws and were guilty of wage theft in the 2016 fiscal year, according to an investigation of the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Wolk Morais: Always Independent
Wolk Morais
Wolk Morais designers Brian Wolk and Claude Morais explored 1930s Hollywood in their latest collection, which recently bowed in West Hollywood, Calif.
Meet The Lemonade Millionaires
Until recently, it was blazing hot in Southern California, and a week before Thanksgiving, it is still warm, good weather for lemonade. Enter the Lemonade Millionaires.
Taco Bell's Fashion
Want to represent your favorite fast food taqueria? Taco Bell has a look for you.
Runway Show Raises $2.1 Million for Down Syndrome
With the help of Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation produced the 2016 Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion show in Denver Saturday. The event raised awareness and funds for medical research for people with Down Syndrome.
American Apparel Files 2nd Bankruptcy, Seeking Acquisition
Manufacturing
American Apparel LLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in just over a year.
Shearer’s Heroic New Book
There’s heroism even in the most grittiest corners. It’s a theme that boutique owner and fashion designer Neely Shearer puts forth in her new book “In Heroes We Trust: Street Artists and Their Heroes.”
Trade Show: Shop&Dine
Trade Shows
Traveling to trade shows means three things: making big sales, eating out and discovering a new store to provide a nice pick-me-up. Here are a few suggestions on some of the newer restaurants and fashionable boutiques found in the major cities on the trade-show circuit.
Cuater: Putting Design Sizzle In Belts
Cuater
The belt has been the wallflower of most people’s wardrobes, said Robbie McKnight, but the humble accessory has design possibilities that few have seen.
Gap’s October Sales Dip
Retail
A fire in Gap Inc.’s Fishkill, N.Y., distribution center proved devastating to the retail giant. Because of the Aug. 29 fire, Gap’s October 2016 same-store sales declined 1 percent, according to a statement from the San Francisco–headquartered company.
Unexpected Biz at ComplexCon
ComplexCon
The inaugural ComplexCon event in Long Beach, Calif., mixed fashion trade-show exhibition business with comic-convention fandom during its Nov. 5–6 run, when the novel arrangement made some of the event’s vendors wonder if this angle on a trade show could turn into a new revenue center.
Style Fashion Week to Palm Springs
Just a few weeks after producing a week of shows in West Hollywood, Calif., Style Fashion Week is off to the desert playground Palm Springs to produce a set of shows which starts Nov. 9 and ends Nov. 12.
Poketo To Platform
Years ago, Poketo made a splash on the fashion scene with the brand’s art-inspired T-shirts and wallets. On Nov. 5, the Los Angeles-headquartered company opened its third flagship, this one took a bow at Platform, a boutique retail center in Culver City, Calif.
Lin Exits American Rag
Retail
Caleb Lin, the executive vice president, buying director, and men’s buyer of prominent retailer American Rag Cie, announced in a Nov. 4 email that he will be leaving the high-end, influential fashion company.
ComplexCon’s First Splash
Reed Pop, a division of the company that produces the Agenda trade show, will run the debut of ComplexCon Nov. 5-6. in Long Beach, Calif. It will be a consumer event featuring major streetwear and sneaker brands and concerts by the likes of Snoop Dogg and Scrillex.
Lucky Brand’s Spring/Summer 2017 Preview
Preview of Lucky Brand's Spring Summer 2017 styles Nov. 3 at SmogShoppe in Culver City, Calif.
Green Light for The Reef’s Expansion
The Reef Expands
The Reef Project, formerly known as the LA Mart showroom building, plans on a major expansion.
Hot Topic Acquires Her Universe
Retail
Hot Topic Inc., the mall retailer known as a purveyor of music and pop-culture clothes and gifts, announced that it acquired Her Universe, a brand specializing in fashion and accessories for female science fiction and fantasy fans.
SQN Sport at Malibu Country Mart
Activewear continues to be in high demand. Activewear brand SQN Sport recently opened a store at the Malibu Country Mart by the beach in Malibu, Calif.
Schott’s SoCal Season
Schott NYC has crafted some of America’s most iconic leather jackets, but the venerable New York headquartered outerwear brand must have Southern California on the mind.
Cotton Citizen: “Don’t Fear Color”
Cotton Citizen
Los Angeles–headquartered label Cotton Citizen is aiming to go beyond the basic look of a plain top. It plans to accomplish its goal with unique colors and finishes, luxe fabrics, and fashion silhouettes.
Party at Poet Bovtique
Poet Bovtique and the A One Plus L.A. showroom threw a party at Poet’s Hollywood space on Oct. 26. The honored guests were fashion lines Odaingerous and Queen of Noise.
Androids in L.A.
High end T-shirt brand Hiro Clark made its most recent collaboration for an elusive demographic; androids.
Halloween Spending Boost Forecast to Kick Off Solid Holiday Sales Season Follow Election Slump
Retail
Halloween will be sweet, not spooky, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, the trade group headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Arcady: Classic Design Meets Individual Style
Arcady
Men’s fashion line Arcady was introduced with a big splash recently—the label founders produced a party attended by actors, models and musicians at the Los Angeles landmark Chateau Marmont—but the show of glamour was not necessarily the aim of the new line. Founders Billy and Christopher Hines hope that the line will mix in seamlessly with whatever someone is wearing.
Garment Workers Group March in Downtown Los Angeles
The Garment Worker Center held a march and rally Oct. 25 in downtown Los Angeles' Fashion District, up to the Ross Dress for Less store on 719 S. Broadway and to City Hall.
Marco Marco: Runway Goes Trans, Drag and Go Go
At Marco Marco's Oct. 21 show, the nightclub crowd was promised one of the most ribald shows in fashion.
Sav Noir “I’m With The Band”
The days of epic rock tours à la Led Zeppelin seem long over in this age of digital download music, but rocker fashion is still strong, says Edwin Haynes of indie brand Sav Noir.
Crowded Schedule at LA Market
LA Market
The Los Angeles Fashion Week runway shows continued with events hosted by Style Fashion Week, Fashion Week Los Angeles and Fashion Business Inc.
Daniel Patrick X T Raww 2016: Making Jeans With Hip-Hop Star Tyga
Daniel Patrick
When designer Daniel Patrick expanded his eponymous streetwear label to include jeans, he wanted to steer clear of the traditional five-pocket style.
Tavik: World After Boardshorts
Tavik
Designers at the Tavik brand thought that there was no reason to make yet another boardshort in Orange County, Calif.—the center of the surf industry and a place where scores of companies make boardshorts.
