NEWSPAPER 2ND CLASS $3.50 VOLUME 66, NUMBER 40 SEPTEMBER 10–16, 2010 Bankrupt Rock & Republic Pursued by Landlords By Deborah Belgum Senior Editor Rock & Republic, the Los Angeles premium-denim house in financial hot water, faces an important court date next month to ease its climb out of bankruptcy. One of its largest unsecured creditors is trying to get the apparel maker to pay millions of dollars in back rent and interest on an expensive Rodeo Drive store in Beverly Hills that Rock & Republic never occupied but was costing $7,000 a day. The resolution of the matter would make it easier to find a potential investor or buyer for the company. The case, scheduled for Oct. 26 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, comes with a twist. Originally, the store at 319 N. Rodeo Drive was leased in September 2007 by ➥ Rock & Republic page 7 TRADE SHOW REPORT Class Returns With New Exhibitor Mix By Erin Barajas Manufacturing Editor Class, the boutique menswear-centric contemporary trade show, rounded out the Spring 2011 trade show sea- son. Held Sept. 1–2 at the Santa Monica Civic Center in Santa Monica, Calif., the trade show fell two weeks after the late-August dates of the Las Vegas MAGIC Market- place, Project and Capsule shows. The trade show lured mostly local retailers with a few international buyers from Japan and Canada stopping by. Buyer attendance was ex- L.A.’s pected to be somewhere between 300 and 500. “We’re like a clean-up show for men and an early show for women,” Jason Bates, Class’ show director and chief executive, said of the show’s timing. Class remained rough- ly the same size as last year’s show, Bates added. “But the quality of exhibitor is vastly improved.” The feathers in his Fashion Party ➥ Class page 6 INSIDE: Where fashion gets down to business SM On Sept. 10, retailers across Southern California are throwing a collective party and inviting the public. 813 Fashion’s Night Out, the fashion shopping event Tapout, Silver Star acquired … p. 2 launched last year in New York, has officially arrived What’s Checking … p. 8 on the West Coast. For more information about the E-tail Spot Check … p. 9 event, see page 4. For post-event coverage, visit Judgment in Forever 21, Express case … p. 10 ApparelNews.net. www.apparelnews.net URQUIZA! NEWS Authentic Brands Acquires Tapout and Silver Star WEEK New York–based Authentic As part of the Tapout and Sil- Brands Group has announced ver Star acquisitions, Authentic IN REVIEW its acquisition of two California- Brands is adding sister brands based mixed martial arts–related TapoutMPS, HitmanFight Gear brands—Tapout and Silver Star and Iron Star to its roster of MMA California Casting Co. Financial details of labels. Irvine, Calif.–based Silver Ban the sand. San Francisco–based the acquisitions were not released. Star makes T-shirts, hoodies and Levi Strauss & Co. is among the compa- Authentic Brands, which owns denim for men and T-shirts for nies that have agreed to stop sandblast- and manages the Bob Marley fam- women, all with an MMA aesthet- ing denim because of the danger posed ily of brands, sees potential in the ic. Tapout, one of the best-known to workers who are exposed to crystal- MMA apparel sector. “This sport is MMA brands, thanks in part to line silica during the sandblasting pro- still in its infancy. We strategically the reality television series of the cess. Materials such as aluminum oxide, chose these acquisitions as our first www.tapout.com same name, was founded 15 years aluminum silicate, silicon carbide, cop- big move because we’re getting ago in Grand Terrace, Calif., by per slag and garnet are used to give jeans into the right business at the right time,” said Jamie Salter, Authen- the late Charles “Mask” Lewis, Dan “Punkass” Caldwell and Timm a soft, well-worn appearance. The denim tic’s chairman and chief executive, in a statement. “We’re looking “Skyskrape” Katz. The company sells heavily branded casualwear giant plans to cease all sandblasting op- forward to working with the best brands and the best athletes in for men and women, including T-shirts, swimwear, sweatsuits and erations by the end of the year. the world as we transition these two companies into global lifestyle hoodies, as well as MMA training gear. brands with our retail and licensing partners.” —Erin Barajas An American in Paris. Los Angeles– based American Apparel opened a 1,700-square-foot store in Paris’ La De- fense district. The new store is located Doneger’s Blain Starts New Contemporary Lines in a mall that attracts more than 8 mil- lion visitors each year. After five years at trend forecaster The director, and Jhzhu is in charge of produc- purchase something without breaking the Doneger Group, Janine Blain has left as tion. bank. Wet Seal buyback. The board of di- the company’s vice president/general mer- The first line is JBlain, which will focus “I felt the market was a little stagnant,” rectors of Foothill Ranch, Calif.–based chandise manager to start two contemporary on unique prints in silk or silk variations for Blain said. “The stores are looking for great, The Wet Seal Inc. authorized a stock- women’s lines. fashion tops, dresses and tunics. There will fresh product even more now than ever.” repurchase program of up to $25 mil- Blain, who left The Doneger Group on be some maxi skirts and soft bottoms, too. —Deborah Belgum lion. The program represents about 7.7 Aug. 12, was replaced by Shelda Hall. “Some of the styles will have the back percent of the company’s total market “After being a consultant to everyone else, in one print and the front in another print,” capitalization, and the cash on hand I wanted to see if I could apply my advice Blain explained. “In this economy, things will be used to fund the purchase. to my own lines,” Blain said. “It’s a dream I have to be special.” MartinMartin Label had, and I went for it.” JBlain’s retail price points will range from Levi’s new partner. San Francisco–based Blain partnered with Mandy Jhzhu, a $68 to $158. Debuts First Store Levi Strauss & Co. has a new partnership manufacturer with a factory in China, to form The second line, Blush, will have lower program with Billy Reid, who introduced Mandy and Janine, which oversees the two retail price points, ranging from $38 to $58. Los Angeles independent fashion brand the Levi’s Workwear by Billy Reid col- contemporary lines that debut in October for The line will be print-driven with tops that MartinMartin has been a frequent fixture on lection at the Bloomingdale’s New York Spring 2011. Blain is the company’s creative appeal to most every woman who wants to the runways of Los Angeles Fashion Week. store and at the Billy Reid store in Lower On Sept. 10, MartinMartin sets up something Manhattan. Eventually, the limited-edi- of a permanent installation. A boutique called tion, high-end collection will roll out at martinMARTIN STORE is debuting at 713 select Bloomingdale’s stores nationwide S. Los Angeles St. in downtown Los Ange- and at all six Billy Reid stores, as well les. as on the Billy Reid website (www.bil- Label designers and husband-and-wife lyreid.com). Reid was named “Best New The concept team Eric and Diane Moss Martin said the Menswear Designer in America” by GQ 1,713-square-foot boutique is the only place magazine and the Council of Fashion De- in Southern California where their product is signers of America. This is the third year of factoring available. The store mostly has handcrafted, Levi’s has teamed with the “Best New minimalist-inspired fashions for men and Menswear Designer” winner. Reid’s women as well as the couple’s leather foot- latest collection will feature 10 styles, is simple: wear and handbags. including a cotton jersey piece with an The shop’s retail price points range from exclusive “Calabama” graphic, a nod to $200 for a T-shirt to $1,500 to $2,500 for a the New York–based designer’s Alabama leather jacket and $900 to $1,500 for boots. roots and Levi’s California headquarters. The boutique’s business model might be lucra- tive for them. When a wholesaler owns a store, National the store can charge retail prices for what it typically sells wholesale, Eric Martin said. Jones’ smart shopping. New York– You Give Us Your Invoice. “There’s also a feeling that designers want based Jones New York, a division of to control their own destiny,” Martin said of Jones Apparel Group, opened a new We Give You the Money. not having to chase store buyers for business. in-store shop at Macy’s Herald Square “If you have four or five stores, you’re doing store in New York, where shoppers a lot of volume and you’re the captain of your can access smart-phone content while You Pay Your Bills. own ship.” shopping. Jones is using Microsoft tag During Los Angeles Fashion Market, the technology to deliver videos to custom- Factoring Made Simple. store’s mezzanine section will be turned into ers while they shop. Videos include a a showroom for next season’s fashions. Gen- message from the company’s new “Em- erally, the mezzanine area will serve as the powering Your Confidence” campaign No bells, unnecessary, really. No whistles, not sales area for men’s fashions.