Azrias Lose Out in Contract Dispute With BCBG
Manufacturing
A bankruptcy judge rules against Azrias in their contract dispute with BCBG.
Gap Outlines Five-Year Goal for Sustainable Fibers Use
Textiles
By the year 2021, Gap Inc. wants its Gap brand to be getting all its cotton from more sustainable sources.
Long-Term Licensing Agreement Signed With Calvin Klein
Manufacturing
Delta Galil Industries Ltd.—the Israeli company that recently purchased the Los Angeles contemporary brands 7 For All Mankind, Splendid and Ella Moss—announced that its Delta Galil USA subsidiary has signed a long-term licensing agreement with Calvin Klein Inc. to develop, manufacture, produce and distribute boys’ and girls’ underwear, sleepwear and socks.
Despite a Strong Economy, Retailers Are Being Hit Hard and Trying to Adjust
Finance
Even though the U.S. economy is predicted to be on sound footing this year, the stack of retailers closing their stores due to bankruptcies or slipping sales keeps piling up at an alarming rate.
American Apparel and Los Angeles Apparel: A Tale of Two Labels Starting From Ground Zero
Manufacturing
As part of his apparel comeback, Dov Charney recently signed an exclusive partnership with TSC Apparel in Cincinnati, Ohio, to distribute his Los Angeles Apparel collection to screen printers and embroiderers in need of well-made blanks.
Kevan Hall's Fall Fashion Collection
Fashion
Designer Kevan Hall looks to Sophia Loren for inspiration.
Get Wrapped Up in the Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest
Fashion
Get ready to enter the 13th annual Cheap Chic Weddings Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest.
Bebe Stores Dismissing Hundreds of Employees
Retail
Bebe Stores Inc., which has been in financial hot water for some time, is laying off more than 700 employees at its two business offices and at its stores.
U.S. Cargo-Container Imports to Rise Steadily This Year
Import/Export
With retail sales predicted to inch up around 4 percent this year, cargo container traffic should also see healthy growth this year.
Teva Collaborates With Hudson Bay's on Sandal Collection
Fashion
All stripes with the Teva collection appearing for a limited time at Hudson Bay's department stores.
Trina Turk Opens a New Store in Los Angeles
Trina Turk's New Store
It has been a few years since Trina Turk had a store in Los Angeles. But the contemporary designer—known for her bright colors synonymous with sunny California—has staked out a new outpost in the Larchmont Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, where an old-fashioned Main Street vibe permeates Larchmont Boulevard.
How Are Finance People Handling the Weak Retail Market and Have They Adjusted Their Financing Rules for Clothing Manufacturers?
Finance
As retailers start shrinking their footprints around the country, apparel manufacturers are wondering how to cope with this constricting retail landscape.
Directives West Shines the Spotlight on Major Trends for Fall/Winter 2017
Directives West
Directives West broke down the trends for Fall/Winter 2017 at its April 3 runway show, held at the California Market Center during LA Majors Market.
BCBG Max Azria Starts Closing Stores After Filing for Bankruptcy Protection
Retail
BCBG Max Azria, the Los Angeles brand that filed for bankruptcy protection in late February, has begun to shutter more than half the stores it operates in the United States.
Hudson Jeans Names New President
Manufacturing
Starting April 10, Matthew Fior will take over as the new president of Hudson Jeans, based in Los Angeles.
Delta Apparel Sells Junkfood Clothing
Manufacturing
Twelve years after buying Los Angeles–based Junkfood Clothing Co. for more than $22.5 million, Delta Apparel is selling the T-shirt brand for about $28 million to JMJD Ventures.
U.S. Textile and Apparel Industry Inching Forward After Steep Asian Competition
Textiles
The U.S. textile and apparel industries have seen revenues slowly rise over the last seven years as free-trade agreements and rising Asian prices have given local textile and clothing makers a bit of a reprieve.
Alvanon and BodiData Partner Up to Help Apparel Industry With Sizing
Technology
How many times have customers praised a designer for a pair of perfectly fitted blue jeans and then snapped them up without glancing at the price?
BCBG Max Azria Lays Off More Employees Following Bankruptcy Filing
The BCBG Max Azria Group, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Feb. 28, gave notice on March 13 that it will lay off another 116 people, effective May 11. This comes after the Los Angeles contemporary label laid off 123 people last November and another 71 people one year ago.
On the Runway at FWLA
Fashion
Roosevelt Broome IV, founder of Rich Apparels, shows off his T-shirts at FWLA.
Disabled Worker Wins Discrimination Case Against Citizens of Humanity
Manufacturing
In a court case that took more than three weeks to argue, a 61-year-old employee who felt he was wrongfully dismissed after a shoulder injury limited his ability to work won a major verdict against his employer, Citizens of Humanity.
Woodbury University’s Historic Fashion Archive Gets an Organizational Makeover
Woodbury’s Archives
As Woodbury University’s fashion department celebrates its 85th year, it is taking a good, hard look at its archive of 4,000 garments and accessories, which range from frocks from the 1800s to more-contemporary pieces that include designers Yves Saint Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier.
Rooftop Party at the Gerry Building Draws a Crowd
Los Angeles Market Week
Buyers get together for a sunset party with drinks, food and lots of dancing.
Byer California Closes Northern California Warehouse to Concentrate on Southern California Distribution Center
Manufacturing
Byer California, the long-time juniorswear manufacturer headquartered in San Francisco, is laying off 99 employees as it consolidates its Northern California warehouse with its Los Angeles distribution center.
Co-Working Creative Space to Open This Summer in the California Market Center
Trade Shows
Construction workers are just starting to put up the walls for a new co-working area by IgnitedSpaces, which will take up an entire floor in one of the California Market Center buildings.
Sprawling LA Market Draws Wide Range of Buyers
LA Market
For many buyers and exhibitors, the March 13–16 run of Los Angeles Fashion Market was the last stop in a long trade-show season that included shows three weeks ago in Las Vegas and New York.
Apparel Manufacturer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Hiding Income in Israeli Banks
Legal
Masud Sarshar, known for taking a heritage workwear brand and converting it into a colorful pants collection under the Dickies Girl label, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for hiding more than $21 million in income and $2.5 million in interest in Israeli banks and avoiding U.S. taxes.
Lubov Azria Exits BCBGMaxAzria as Company Restructures
Manufacturing
With the BCBGMaxAzria Group trying to restructure its business after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection days ago, the Los Angeles contemporary clothing company has replaced its chief creative director, Lubov Azria, whose husband founded the company.
Sunrise Brands Partners With Eva Longoria for New Collection
Sunrise Brands
Eva Longoria, the actress known for her years on the TV series “Desperate Housewives,” is no stranger to fashion. Her role in the long-running nighttime soap opera portrayed her as a former model who was always elegantly dressed—even when she was living in the suburbs.
New Owners Lay Off More People at 7 For All Mankind, Splendid and Ella Moss
Manufacturing
Eight months ago, Israeli-based Delta Galil acquired three Los Angeles premium brands from VF Corp. and then laid off 105 people.
Quiksilver Gets a New Name After Bankruptcy
Retail
With new owners running the show at Quiksilver Inc., it only seemed appropriate for a name change to go along with a revamped business model for the surfwear and skatewear retailer.
What Do Shoppers Want This Spring?
Fashion
Poshmark reveals its five biggest trends among millennials.
Rising Employment, Interest Rates and Inflation Set the Economic Tone for the Next Few Years
Finance
A new Trump administration should be good for the U.S. economy over the next couple of years, but there might be some bumps in the road for California, according to a UCLA report released March 8.
Billabong Joins Forces With Warhol for New Collection
Fashion
Looking to Andy Warhol for surf inspiration.
Sourcing at MAGIC Shines a Light on Africa
Trade Shows
The 56 booths in the African pavilion were filled with bright bursts of color where countries such as Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia displayed their various products.
Stitch Levels Out to Blend With Other Shows
Trade Shows
Stitch, the show for women’s ready-to-wear fashions, found its groove.
Attendance Climbs at WWIN
Trade Shows
The several ballrooms that make up the Women’s Wear In Nevada show at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas were packed to the gills with booths that sold everything from large colorful hats for church to slip-on sleeves to be worn under sleeveless dresses.
Positive Vibe Floats Through WWDMAGIC
Trade Shows
The energy was high at WWDMAGIC, a vast young contemporary and trend-driven show held Feb. 21–23 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Gordon Brothers Wins Bid for The Wet Seal
Retail
The Wet Seal, the Southern California teen retail chain that filed for bankruptcy protection in early February, will be sold to Gordon Brothers, who won the bankruptcy bid and beat out Canadian retailer YM.
Nasty Gal Offices to Remain Open in Los Angeles
Manufacturing
After being acquired by British-based online fashion retailer BooHoo.com for $20 million, Nasty Gal is marching forward with its same website and smaller offices in Los Angeles, as well as work spaces in New York, London and Manchester, England.
BCBGMaxAzria Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
Manufacturing
BCBGMaxAzriaGroup, the decades-old Los Angeles apparel company that was one of the first on the contemporary fashion scene, will keep stores open during bankruptcy proceedings.
AAFA Names Recipients of its American Image Awards
Events
The American Apparel & Footwear Association will be presenting its 2017 American Image Awards on April 24 in New York, benefiting the Council of Fashion Designers of America Foundation’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative.
Change Is Good for Las Vegas Trade Shows
Change Is Good
Attendees returning to the Las Vegas apparel and textile trade shows found the landscape changed again.
U.S. Economic Engine Expected to Chug Along at a Moderate Pace
Finance
In its latest forecast for 2017-2018 released on Feb. 22, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. predicted that the nation’s gross domestic product—the country’s measurement of economic growth—will inch up by 2.2 percent this year and increase to 2.7 percent in 2018.
Backpack Maker Hex Partners with Streetwear Designer for New Looks
Fashion
Southern California technology accessories maker Hex works with streetwear fashion icon Alyasha Owerka-Moore to design a travel duffel bag and travel backpack with a vintage look.
Orange County Fashion Week Starts on March 6
Fashion
The four-day event will be held in four different locations around Orange County.
Hong Kong Designers at NYFW
Fashion
Three Hong Kong designers show off their talent at New York Fashion Week.
What Stumbling Blocks Are in Store This Year for Apparel Makers and Retailers?
Finance
The California Apparel News recently spoke with several finance-industry executives about what challenges and bumps in the road apparel manufacturers and retailers are facing this year now that the uncertainty of the presidential election is over, but another set of uncertainties have cropped up under a new administration.
AAPN Conference: Speed to Market Is More Important Than Ever
Manufacturing
Maybe everybody should look to Zara—the highly successful Spanish retail chain that can churn out clothing collections in a few weeks—to survive these uncertain fashion times.
