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$2.99 VOLUME 73, NUMBER 10 MARCH 3–9, 2017 THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY FOR 72 YEARS BCBGMaxAzria Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

By Deborah Belgum Senior Editor

BCBGMaxAzriaGroup, the decades-old apparel company that was one of the first the contempo- rary fashion scene, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protec- tion in papers submitted Feb. 28 to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The company’s Canadian affiliate is beginning a sepa- rate filing for voluntary reorganization proceedings under Canada’s Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Steps are being taken to close its freestanding stores in Canada and consoli- date its operations in and . The apparel venture, founded in 1989 by Max Azria, has been navigating through some tough financial waters in the past few years. New executives have been unable to turn the company around fast enough and now hope to finish the bankruptcy process in six months. ➥ BCBG page 9

Mitchell & Ness’ booth at the Agenda trade show in Las Vegas TRADE SHOW REPORT Sports Apparel Maker Mitchell & Ness Moving to Irvine Crowded Trade Show By Andrew Asch Retail Editor Schedule Cuts Into LA The North American licensed sportswear business is esti- tive officer. mated to be a multi-billion-dollar market, and Philadelphia- “This facility will house all of our product under one roof Textile Traffic headquartered Mitchell & Ness is making a gambit for and modernize our operations with the goal of providing a bigger chunk of it. It is scheduled to open its first West Coast gold-standard customer service. The organization will also By Alison A. Nieder Executive Editor office and a distribution center by mid-March in Irvine, Calif. feature an official showroom where select personnel will be Mitchell & Ness holds licenses with sports leagues such as chosen to support the brand’s overall business goals,” he said. Many of the familiar faces walking the aisles at the Los the National Football League, Major League , the Mitchell & Ness, a privately held company, has frequently Angeles International Textile Show were missing this National Association and Major League Soc- exhibited at the Agenda trade show and is retailed at sports season when the longstanding textile show went -to- cer, making caps, jerseys, and other apparel bearing venues such as Dodger Stadium and high-end boutiques head with an apparel trade show in New York. the logos of popular sports teams. such as Kith and Flight Club as well as in the brand’s e- This season, the show’s Feb. 27–March 1 run at the Cal- The brand will move into an Irvine business park a short commerce shop (www.mitchellandness.com). ifornia Market Center fell at the same time as Coterie in drive from the headquarters of the label and the The brand’s roots go back more than a century, when it New York. corporate headquarters of retailer Tilly’s Inc. When the new started as a and apparel maker in 1904. By the Several longtime Textile Show exhibitors said many of Mitchell & Ness office opens, 20 people are scheduled to 1930s, it was making on-field uniforms for major Philadel- their contemporary customers could not attend the show work there in divisions such as headwear development, mar- phia sports teams such as the Eagles football team and the because of the overlap with Coterie. Some hoped those keting, human relations and information technology. The Phillies baseball team. In the 1980s, the brand created the customers would turn up on the last day of the show, but brand’s head of Latin America business also will work out of Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co. to design and sell replicas of the strongest day of the three-day run turned out to be the the Irvine office, said Kevin Wulff, the brand’s chief execu- historic sports jerseys. ● second day of the show, Feb. 28. “Yesterday was fairly busy. We’ve had a good flow,” said

➥ LA Textile Show page 8 Nasty Gal Offices to Remain Open in Los Angeles 8 INSIDE: By Deborah Belgum Senior Editor Where fashion gets down to business SM After being acquired by British-based online fashion retailer 2006 by Sophia Amoruso, was a hot commodity for years with BooHoo.com for $20 million, Nasty Gal is marching forward venture capitalists jumping in to invest in the company. with its same website and smaller offices in Los Angeles as well Amoruso resigned in 2015 as chief executive, handing the as work spaces in New York, and Manchester, . job over to Sheree Waterson, the former president at Lulule- Nasty Gal will continue to offer its , shoes and ac- mon Athletica. cessories geared toward women in their 20s and 30s under its Recently, mounting expenses and decreasing revenues forced own label with plans to design exclusive collections later this Nasty Gal in November to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protec- 3 8 year, BooHoo executives said. But in early February, Nasty tion. In the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2015, Nasty Gal had net Gal laid off 98 people. revenue of $85 million but a mountain of debt. The online retailer planned to close its two Los Angeles– In court papers, Nasty Gal attorneys said the company Jerry Leigh remembered ... p. 2 area stores soon and shutter its Kentucky distribution center owed United Parcel Service $576,950; Callahan Capi- by April 10. tal $289,332 for its lease on its downtown LA headquar- Retail Sales ... p. 9 “We are thrilled to have Nasty Gal as part of our family and ters; Google Marketing Services $232,786; BNB Foot- are excited by the opportunity to expand the company into inter- wear $293,653; Olivaeous, a womenswear company, Tags & Labels Resources ... p. 10 national markets,” said Carol Kane, the joint chief executive for $318,816; Endless Rose, a clothing company, $256,714; the BooHoo Group and the interim CEO for Nasty Gal. and Cotton Candy LA, a clothing company in the Arts District, Nasty Gal, a pioneer fashion e-commerce site established in $182,222—with many more companies owed sizable sums. ● www.apparelnews.net

01,8-9.cover.indd 1 3/2/17 6:41 PM NEWS Obituary Los Angeles Manufacturer Jerry Leigh, 94

By Alison A. Nieder Executive Editor found Jerry Leigh of in 1962. geles mill while Tenenblatt was setting up was really an engineer that became a successful The business operated out of “a tiny little one of the knitting machines and asked about garment manufacturer.” Jerry Leigh, founder of Jerry Leigh of Cali- plant on Beverly Boulevard” and relied on the fabric he was making. Tenenblatt’s poly- His son described him as “a product guy fornia, died on Feb. 8. He was 94. selling direct to local stores, according to his ester jacquard knits turned out to be perfect at heart,” who “loved a well-made garment” Founded in the early 1960s, Jerry Leigh of son Andrew Leigh, who joined the company for a pant style Leigh was selling. and “clever construction.” Antex’s Tenenblatt, California grew to be a powerhouse California in the 1980s and now serves as president and “He was my first customer,” Tenenblatt agreed, saying Leigh appreciated the entire pro- apparel manufacturer and later a pioneer in the chief executive. recalled. “That’s 45 cess from design to production. field of licensing. “He hit on a fab- years ago. He was al- “He loved making beautiful garments and Today, the family-owned company produces ric called double knit, ways a customer prob- [he loved] the process, the design of it, the man- apparel under a wide range of and li- which was very, very ably until a couple of ufacturing. He loved that part,” he said. “The censes, including Walt Disney Co., Warner popular fabric in early years ago. And it was beauty is he grew old enough to see the accom- Bros. and Dickies Girl. The company manu- ’60s,” Andrew Leigh a great relationship. It plishment and success of his labor.” factures everything from men’s to women’s to said. “He started to build was a different era when Andrew Leigh attributes the company’s children’s apparel that is sold in boutiques as a reputation for himself over 95 percent of what longevity to his father’s knowledge and tech- well as major retailers. as this low-cost operator was sold in the U.S. was nical skills. “His philosophy [was] to always The United Kingdom–born Leigh enlisted making ready-to-wear, made in the U.S. It was for change and evolve. And watch your just shy of his 16th birthday in the Royal Ar- which was just starting the beginning of a great overhead,” he said. “And that’s why we’ve my’s 7th Army Division on the eve of World to pop in the ’60s.” supply chain that devel- been around all these years.” War II. Along with his brigade, known as the The company’s repu- oped between design In 2012, the company celebrated its 50th Desert Rats because of their training in Egypt, tation attracted the at- and knitting and dyeing year in business as well as the 90th birthday Leigh fought in and later in Berlin at the tention of a buyer who and printing.” of its founder. The event featured appearances close of the war. He married his childhood placed an order for what Over the years, both by the USC Trojan Marching Band and sweetheart, Frances, during the war and later Leigh thought was 300 companies grew. Today, Mickey Mouse at the company’s Van Nuys emigrated to Toronto, where Leigh landed a job pieces—a sizable order Antex has 450 knitting headquarters as well as congratulatory com- as a silk cutter for the T. Eaton Co., then Cana- for the growing business, machines and about 500 mendations from then–Mayor Antonio Vil- da’s largest department store. At the same time Andrew Leigh said. employees, while Jerry Leigh of Califor- laraigosa and President and Michelle Obama. Leigh studied tool patternmaking and grading, “It turns out it was all dozens,” he said. nia—now based in Van Nuys, Calif.—em- Steve Maiman, co-owner of Stony Ap- enlisting his wife to be his fit model. The buyer was from a company called Holly ploys more than 1,000 employees in facili- parel Corp., remembered calling on Jerry The Leighs were planning to return to Stores, a women’s and children’s chain that ties around the world. Leigh of California in the 1970s when he England when they decided to take a road trip was shortly acquired by Kmart Stores. Tenenblatt said he considers Leigh a was a textile sales representative selling lin- across America—a trip that included a stop “My dad became one of the very first sup- mentor. ing fabrics in Los Angeles. in California, where they decided to relocate. pliers to Kmart stores,” Andrew Leigh said. “He was very precise,” he said. “He knew “My boss kept bugging me, ‘What about Leigh’s first job in Los Angeles’ garment Bill Tenenblatt, owner of Antex Knitting exactly what he wanted, and he told you what Jerry Leigh?’” Maiman recalled. “He did industry was with California Lingerie, the Mills, recalled a meeting with Leigh shortly he wanted. He was a great teacher. You always that for a good reason. Jerry Leigh was a apparel company owned by the Morse fam- after Antex opened in 1973. knew where you stood with him. That first great company. It was truly the foundation ily, who founded Manufacturers Bank and “We had just started Antex,” Tenenblatt meeting I will never forget.” of what it’s become today. Jerry Leigh will later built the CaliforniaMart (now called said. “We bought eight machines. We probably Financial and strategic operations consultant be remembered as a legendary garment guy.” the California Market Center). He rose to had two employees and I was the mechanic.” Jeff Silver worked with Leigh for more than 20 Michael Radochay, a veteran apparel- plant manager before setting out on his own to Leigh walked into the downtown Los An- years as chief financial officer of Jerry Leigh of industry executive in Los Angeles, remem- California. Silver described Leigh as “a self- bered Leigh as one of the last great gentle- made man” and “a pure English gentleman.” men around. “He was an old school–kind Described by his son as “a very dapper person,” he said. “He was a real mensch man,” Leigh had a daily work uniform of navy and just a kind person. He was a producer blue jacket, gray slacks, button-down and of polyester knits when they were hot, and a tie. “That was his look,” Andrew Leigh said. he manufactured everything in Los Angeles.” He treated his colleagues and coworkers The passing of Jerry Leigh marks the end of with a high degree of respect, Silver said. an era in California manufacturing, many noted. “His employees referred to him as “Mr. But California’s influence on fashion remains. Leigh” out of respect,” he said. Andrew Leigh said his father was proud He was also a generous, albeit quiet, sup- to include the word “California” in the com- porter of organizations such as the City of pany name. “There was a mystique about Hope and Operation Smile. the California garment manufacturers of the “He would say, ‘Give with a warm hand,’ ’60s and ’70s,” Andrew Leigh said. “I think meaning give when you’re alive,” Andrew it’s come back again. I think there’s a cool- Leigh said. ness factor of being made in California and Kind to all but exacting in business. Leigh working in California. And my dad got to see “was true to the craft of patternmaking and cut- that full circle of the garment industry.” ting and sewing and all the technical aspects,” Jerry Leigh is survived by his wife, Fran- Silver said. “He grew up on the side of the ces; son Andrew and daughter-in-law Barbara; business that was the old school of cutting and daughter Susan; and grandchildren Ashleigh, sewing and patternmaking and engineering. He Jessica, Elisabeth and Adam. ● The Wet Seal Receives Bid for Its Brand Name The Wet Seal, the Southern California teen affiliate of Versa Capital Management for retail chain that filed for bankruptcy protec- $7.5 million and $20 million debtor-in-posses- tion in early February, has received a $1.5 mil- sion financing. lion stalking-horse bid from a Canadian chain At its height, the shopping mall–based re- based in Toronto. tail chain, which sold young contemporary YM—which owns juniors retail chains that clothing, operated more than 500 stores in operate under the nameplates of Stitches, Si- 48 states. rens and Suzy Shier—submitted its bid by the The company also operated 54 stores un- Feb. 28 deadline stipulated by the U.S. Bank- der the Arden B nameplate, but that chain ruptcy Court in Delaware. was closed in 2014 with 31 of the locations Hilco Streambank was retained to mar- being converted into plus-size fashions under ket and sell The Wet Seal’s intellectual-prop- The Wet Seal label. In fiscal 2013, Arden B erty assets. Included in the sale are trademarks, had $60.4 million in sales, which represented domain names, customer databases and the e- 11 percent of the company’s revenues. commerce platform. After emerging from its last bankruptcy The Wet Seal’s online site is temporarily in 2015, The Wet Seal downsized its foot- shut down with this message on its home page: print to 170 outposts. Two weeks before an- “Thanks, Babe, It’s Been Real.” nouncing its bankruptcy this February, The The Wet Seal, headquartered in Irvine, Ca- Wet Seal notified the state’s Employment lif., has been slowly drowning in debt over the Development Department that it was laying years. The teen retailer emerged from bank- off 148 employees, effective March 20. ruptcy two years ago after being sold to an — Deborah Belgum

2 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS MARCH 3–9, 2017 APPARELNEWS.NET

02.news.indd 2 3/2/17 7:05 PM TRADE SHOW REPORT Celebs, Buzzing Business at Project It was a time for celebrity endorsements at the Feb. 21–23 grew by 300 square feet to 1,500 square feet compared to its The sprawling shows had featured big booths from es- run of Project Womens at the Mandalay Bay Convention Project Womens show in August 2016. tablished brands such as AG, Ted Baker London, Tommy Center in Las Vegas. Z Supply’s sales chief, Tony Sanchez, said that more traf- Bahama and Joe’s Jeans to brands making a trade-show Business at the sprawling trade show was fic brought more business. debut or a North American trade-show debut. They included briefly diverted when TV cameras and celeb- “They’re spending more Mitre, which made a reintroduction of the brand to North rity journalists crowded The Bugatti Group’s dollars,” Sanchez said of re- America. The brand supplied soccer-style jerseys to staff booth to catch a glimpse of music star Celine tailers. “They’re more posi- working at the Project show. Also appearing were emerging Dion. The singer dropped by the Bugatti booth tive. We’re not hearing that brands 2Nostalgik, 900, Jen Awad, Beachbody and Ar- to introduce her Celine Dion Collection acces- business is so rough any- cady. The Los Angeles–headquartered Arcady exhibited at sories line on Feb. 21. more.” The Tents show, held adjacent to Project Womens. The same day, Jenna Dewan Tatum, an ac- Different vendors de- “It was an eye-opening experience seeing droves of peo- tress, appeared at the Danskin booth. On Feb. scribed different views of the ple walking through the halls,” Billy Hines of Arcady said 22, Julianne Hough, an actress and show. On the first day of the of the brand’s debut trade show. “It was a great intersection of the “Dancing With the Stars” dance competi- show, Michael Moshi, chief of influencers and retailers.” tion show, made an appearance and took pic- executive officer of the Lau- Walking The Tents were boutique owners Ross and Deb- tures at the MPG Sport booth. Robin’s Jean’s Robin Chretien ren Moshi brand, described ra Hunter of Provisions of Santa Rosa, Calif. Trends they More often than not, the executives running traffic at Project Womens as saw included sweatshirt styles and increased use of cash- other booths at Project Womens and its sibling shows— “nice and steady” and mostly coming from repeat customers. mere fabric. Project, The Tents and The Collective—said that the pace Robin Chretien, founder of Robin’s Jean, described his Veteran retailer Fraser Ross of the Kitross boutique in Los of business at the shows matched the star power. booth’s traffic as old and new customers, mostly from inde- Angeles placed orders for brands at the shows he shopped. Greg Garrett of Z Supply LLC estimated that Project pendent stores. For the Toronto-based Dino Di Girolamo, However, he said there were not enough emerging brands and Womens enjoyed greater attendance than the February 2016 representing the Brax Feel Good label, Project was a great new lines at Project. “The brands we retail well are not at the show. “You can’t see down any of these aisles,” he said of place to catch up with retailers headquartered on the West shows,” he said. “They only sell at less than six stores in North the area around his company’s booth. The booth’s real estate Coast. America. They can’t afford a booth.”—Andrew Asch Positive Vibe Floats Through WWDMAGIC Pooltradeshow

The energy was high at WWDMAGIC, a vast young contemporary Angeles label attending the show for the second year in a row. Ivan Remains an and trend-driven show held Feb. 21–23 in the Central Hall of the Las Kim, a company director, was nattily dressed in a three-piece suit and Vegas Convention Center. tie, as were his male team members, who were ready to write orders Alternative The three-day event is always a study in creative booth designs, for the 5-year-old line. which give the humongous space a more relaxed About 70 percent of the people he saw were re- and festive air than some of the other apparel trade turning customers and the other 30 percent were shows held at the same time. new buyers looking for something different. Tea Whimsy was seen in the tall bubble-headed & Cup’s line is heavy on ruffles, abbreviated sil- mannequins that sported over-sized eyeglasses houettes and styles in bright primary colors. The outside the booth housing the Los Angeles young collection is popular with South American bou- contemporary line Ina, designed for the 25-to-35- tiques—particularly in Colombia. “So far the show year-old woman in mind. has been okay,” Kim said. “The first day was good, This is the fifth year that Ina owner Rennan Joo and the second day was a little slower.” has attended the show. “This is a good show for Another relative newcomer to the show was ju- getting new customers,” said Joo, who posted on niors line Miley + Molly, based in Los Angeles. Instagram and sent out emails that his company Some of its retail customers include Forever 21, would be at WWDMAGIC. Charlotte Russe, Fashion Nova and Papaya. Curbside booth at Pooltradeshow About 60 percent of the retailers he saw were “This is the third time we are doing the show, from Latin America and another 40 percent were and every time we attend it is getting better,” said Pooltradeshow, which ran Feb. 21– Ivan Kim of Tea & Cup from the United States. They were checking out Joanne Kim, a vice president with the company. 23 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Con- the delicate lace-driven styles that Ina manufactures in China. She had met with several specialty-boutique retailers who often do vention Center, kept its status as a trade Nearby was the wood-paneled booth for Tea & Cup, another Los their reordering online.—Deborah Belgum show for fashion alternatives. Exhibiting at the recent run of the show was OppoSuits, which features suits that retail for $100 or less. OppoSuits bear humorous prints such as a deck of play- Post NY Fashion Week, Good Liberty Show for Krammer & Stoudt ing cards or St. Patrick’s Day shamrocks. There was Out of Print, which special- Print media is still a powerful medium. Just ask the cofounders of was devoted to active- and outdoor-lifestyle brands. izes in T- bearing images of cover the Krammer & Stoudt label. Brands saw Liberty as a good forum to make their trade-show debut. art for controversial books such as “1984” On Jan. 30, The New York Times featured the emerging label in Making an introduction was Vivien, with offices in Santa Ana, Calif., and “A Clockwork Orange.” Also exhibit- an article on men’s fashions during New York Fashion Week. Fast- and Shanghai. The T&A Showroom formally introduced its 150-piece ing was Dapper Boi, a clothing line for forward to the Liberty Fashion & Lifestyle Fairs, which ran at the Le Cruz streetwear line and also reintroduced the Von Dutch line. androgynous women and men. Sands Expo Feb. 20–22, and Krammer & Alfred Davis, T&A’s co-owner, said that Pool marked the first major trade Stoudt’s Courtenay Nearburg and Mike Ru- the new Von Dutch will adhere closer to the show for Dapper Boi, and the label’s bin estimated that they received double the original art of founder Kenny Howard, not founder Vicki Pasche said that the show orders they made during the February 2016 the tattoo graphics that popularized the brand was a great forum for networking. “We Liberty show in Las Vegas. in 2004. Canadian brand Vitaly introduced a made some really great contacts and However, Rubin noted that an element denim line at the show. have some very interested retailers that of risk remains with all trade shows. “You The Moods of Norway brand showed sam- we are speaking with this week,” she don’t know where people are going to show ples for its Fall ’17 and some Immediates for wrote in a post-show email. up and buy. It’s weird that way,” he said. its Spring’17 line at Liberty. “Liberty is a great The Next Level Apparel basics la- During its recent run, Liberty was a big platform,” said cofounder Stefan Dahlkvist. bel exhibited at the show and sponsored market for all sorts of men’s styles, rang- “We pretty much see all of our wholesale ac- Pool’s photo booth, its interactive charg- ing from suits to denim, streetwear to ac- counts during the show’s three days.” ing lounge and a live screen-printing sec- cessories. Other vendors also spoke of the At the show, Darrel Adams, owner of the tion of the show. Jeremy Morillo, a Next risk present at all trade shows. “Ultimately Schott NYC Kin boutique, noted that he saw a lot of clas- Level senior account executive, said the at shows you have to expect that you have one opportunity to gain a sic men’s suiting on the show floor. Alfredo Izaguirre, buyer for the show gives an opportunity for his well- buyer’s attention,” said Jason Schott of the Schott NYC label. “It’s a LASC boutique, said that athleisure remains an important trend. He established company to network. “It al- quick impression, a little face time, then you have to do a lot of follow- also saw T-shirts featuring looser, less form-fitting silhouettes. lows us to really connect and see what up.” Los Angelenos will see a lot more of Schott. In late March, it is Izaguirre hopes that retail emerges from a tough season this spring. the new emerging brands are doing. scheduled to open a new store on the city’s La Brea Avenue. Cold, rainy weather in Los Angeles County kept people from shop- It keeps us in touch to understand the But the risk was worth it to many vendors. Retailers such as . Many upset about the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. pres- who’s who and what’s what to help de- Bloomingdale’s, Holt Renfrew, Neiman Marcus, Kith, Ron Rob- idency also have not been in the mood to shop in heavily Democratic liver a new and exciting product for the inson and LASC visited the show. Booth real estate was about even Los Angeles County, Izaguirre said. “If people are not in a good mood following years,” he said. with the Liberty show from February 2016, according to trade-show to shop, there is not much you can do,” he said. “Hopefully as the New sections introduced at the show management. A new section called Alt-Terrain made a debut at the weather gets warmer things will get back to normal.”—A.A. included the Japan Shop, a section de- show. It was developed in partnership with Gear Patrol magazine and voted to Japanese brands.—A.A.

APPARELNEWS.NET MARCH 3–9, 2017 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS 3

03.vegas.indd 3 3/2/17 6:49 PM TRADE SHOW REPORT Curve’s Central Location This season, for its Feb. 21–23 run, Curve Las Vegas fic. A lot of these stores integrate some pieces of lingerie, too.” Lingerie brand moved from the corner of the Mandalay Bay Convention Jolidon is a vertical company that produces its lingerie Wacoal was busy with Center to a central location next to the athleisure exhibitors in-house using European fabrics and European trim such as back-to-back appoint- at Project Womens. Swarovski crystals. ments at Curve. The move earned high marks from the show’s exhibitors. “It’s a company that has a lot to offer,” De Franco said. “We do a good job “This year is good. There are more people. Curve is “It’s manufactured in Europe at a competitive price.” in prebooking ap- smaller, but the location is good,” said Liz M. Siabato, senior Stacey Gossman with The Gig Showroom in Los Ange- pointments—that’s product specialist, North American division, for Colombian les was at Curve with two shapewear collections: TC Shape- the key to a success- lingerie and shapewear company Leonisa. wear and Miraclesuit. ful show,” said Jo- The company is a longtime Curve exhibitor. Siabato said On the first day of the show, Gossman said traffic seemed to seph Smith, director she saw her existing customers and new prospects—includ- be a “tiny bit down, but people seem to be writing orders.” of sales specialty ac- ing buyers from , Canada and Europe—as well as U.S. TC Shapewear (the TC stands for “total comfort and total counts and director stores from California, Texas and Alabama. control,” Gossman said) sells in Neiman Marcus, , of international lo- Simon Southwood, with San Diego–based swim line Sau- Bloomingdale’s and better specialty stores. Miraclesuit is more gistics. vage, took advantage of Curve’s proximity to menswear shows mid-tier priced and sells at Macy’s and bridal stores. Smith and sales Freya Project, The Collective and The Tents by bringing some of “It is great to be at the crossroads,” said Pierre-Nicholas representatives Michelle Caiazzo and Cheryln D. Rice said Sauvage’s men’s styles as well as its women’s collection. Hurstel, chief executive officer of CurvExpo, which produces they saw a mix of existing accounts and potential new ones. This was the first time Tiziano De Franco was showing Curve Las Vegas in partnership with Project parent UBM. “It’s Most retailers were West Coast based, but a few from the Mid- Romanian lingerie line Jolidon at Curve. The 30-year-old good to have athleisure side by side with swim and lingerie.” west and Florida shopped the show as well. company is looking to enter the U.S. market, and Curve’s This season, Curve Las Vegas had 80 brands exhibiting— “We see international in New York,” Smith said, adding that proximity to Project Women’s was advantageous, according a small increase over last season, Hurstel said. Preregistra- the new location was an added benefit. to De Franco, president of New York–based Tiziano. tion was strong, he added, and there were about 200 appoint- “I like the new location—you’re right in the thick of things,” “I’m glad we are close to Project,” he said. “We see more traf- ments and matchmaking sessions booked prior to the show. he said. “There seems to be a better energy.” —Alison A. Nieder Attendance Climbs at WWIN Show The several ballrooms that make fer Hutton, whose Los Angeles show- Caite—whose embellished goods sell under the Caite, Kyla up the Women’s Wear In Nevada room represents five lines of cloth- Seo and Love Kyla labels and are manufactured mostly in show at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and ing—such as Impulse California, India—has been exhibiting at the show for 15 years. She Casino in Las Vegas were packed Fantazia and Michael Tyler—said sells to 2,000 specialty stores as well as major catalogs that to the gills with booths that sold ev- the first day was very good but the want a fashionable item at moderate prices. erything from large colorful hats for second day was very disappointing. This was one of her best shows. “We’ve seen a lot of peo- church to slip-on sleeves to be worn Her retail clients, she noted, are ple,” she said. “Sometimes people come to browse, but a lot under sleeveless dresses. being cautious. “My stores say that of orders were taken.” About 2,800 buyers, or 13 percent business isn’t good, and they are Not everyone had an upbeat market. Rita Toro, an account more than last year, showed up for Jennifer Hutton, fifth from the left, with her team backed up with goods,” she said in- executive for the New York sweater and faux-fur company Lisa the Feb. 20–23 event, which featured side a triple-wide booth that carried International, said her business was probably down about 50 women’s clothing and accessories. There were more than 500 hundreds of pieces of clothing she brought with her large percent from August, but she blamed it on not bringing any up- exhibitors representing some 1,500 lines. team of salespeople. dated merchandise to the show. “I didn’t come with any new- Because WWIN started one day before many of the other Business ebbed and flowed, depending on the ballroom ness,” she said. “I think retailers want to see something new and Las Vegas shows, the first day was buzzing with activity. Jenni- and the categories. Karyn Seo, the owner and president of something different at a good price.”—Deborah Belgum Stitch Levels Out to Blend With Other Shows Stitch, the show for women’s ready-to-wear fashions, occasion dresses, which wholesale for $145, Sviridov said. buyers to misses found its groove. Los Angeles contemporary label Johnny Was occupied a buyers,” she said. This year, the show was located in one big hall with other huge amount of real estate at the show with a large booth that She felt she was shows in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, which al- displayed its embroidered blouses, dresses and tunics. “We writing more or- lowed buyers to easily move from Project Womens, Proj- have been really busy and doing well,” said Linda Shaich, ders this year than ect, Curve, Pool and The Tents. director of sales. “We’ve not really slowed down.” last year, but she Last year, exhibitors complained that the shows were lo- She said about 90 percent of the buyers her team saw were preferred the way cated on two different levels, which kept some buyers from from specialty stores and then some small chain-store buyers Stitch was orga- moving between floors. “Last year, they had two different from all over the United States. nized at the Sands floors, and some of the buyers said they couldn’t find the Some companies were hedging their bets and exhibiting at Expo and Conven- Rina Romero from Magdalena Stitch booths,” said Dmitry Sviridov, who was showing the two shows at the same time. The misses line Magdalena, which tion Center before UBM acquired the show last year from Komarov line of high-end dresses that his Strategy L.A. is headquartered in Lancaster, Calif., where it does all its pro- Business Journals Inc. and moved the event to the Manda- showroom carries. “This year, it is one level.” duction, was showing at Stitch and Women’s Wear In Nevada. lay Bay Convention Center. Ashley Segal, vice president of sales for Los Angeles–based Rina Romero, whose mother started the company in the late The former owners used to serve buyers a free lunch, which Komarov, said they had been slammed on the first day and 1990s, said she liked the Stitch layout because buyers were kept them at the show longer, Romero said. “The show has lost worked nonstop. “We had 47 appointments, mostly by people able to wander through various shows rather seamlessly. “Be- its identity, but it is attracting higher-end buyers who are coming from the West Coast” who were booking orders for the special- cause of that, we are getting everything from contemporary over from Project Womens,” she said.—D.B. Calendar March 7 March 9 Cooper Design Space Designers and Agents Los Angeles Through March 14 The New Mart The New Mart Through March 16 There’s more Interfilière Style Fashion Week on ApparelNews.net. Gerry Building Los Angeles March 14 The Wave Pacific Design Center Coeur 824 Building Through March 15 Hong Kong Los Angeles California Market Center Art Hearts Fashion For calendar details and contact Lady Liberty Building Through March 8 Through March 12 ALT Los Angeles Beverly Hilton information, visit ApparelNews. Primrose Design Building Contemporary Curves Through March 15 Los Angeles net/calendar. Coast Academy Awards Building March 8 Emerge Capsule Through March 18 Ice Palace Film Studios Los Angeles Submissions to the calendar should be faxed to “How to Transform Your Select Axis at Capsule Miami Through March 16 Transit March 16 the Calendar Editor at (213) 623-5707. Please Apparel Business Into Through March 10 California Market Center include the event’s name, date, time, location, a World-Class Brand,” Brand Assembly California Market Center Los Angeles Marcum Retail Symposium Cooper Design Space Los Angeles admission price and contact information. presented by FBI March 13 Through March 14 JW Marriott The deadline for calendar submissions is the California Market Center, Los Angeles Through March 15 Los Angeles Tuesday prior to Friday publication. Inclusion in LA Fashion Market Through Jan. 18 Source British A792 LA Kids’ Market California Market Center the calendar is subject to available space and California Market Center the judgment of the editorial staff. Los Angeles California Market Center Los Angeles

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4 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS MARCH 3–9, 2017 APPARELNEWS.NET

04.vegas-calendar.indd 4 3/2/17 6:30 PM Jerry Leigh 1922 – 2017 February 8th was just another Wednesday for most people, but for me it was the end of an era. My father, Jerry Leigh, passed away that morning. The ’50s and ’60s brought us a new form of garment manufacturing. Ready-to-wear was growing along with regional chains. Kmart and Walmart were just starting out. This was long before EDI, ASN or even the world-wide web. It was an era of colorful, scrappy women and men who helped shape and grow the California fashion industry. A warm handshake was all it took for a deal to be done. I am not the first partner of Jerry Leigh (that honor belongs to my mom, his wife and partner for over 70 years) but I am the longest business partner. I have had the honor of sitting across from him at our desk for countless years, hearing his flawless business philosophy (“watch your overhead!”) and sharing his superstitions (“don’t spin a hanger or someone will lose his job”). Jerry, my dad, loved to tell stories; from his childhood in England, his ser- vice in the British army, and his crazy adventures in the garment industry. Just shy of his 95th birthday, he was pleased and fortunate to see the growth of his company and it is truly my honor to make sure his legacy lives on. —Andrew Leigh

jerryleighmemoriam.indd 1 3/1/17 3:16 PM TRADE SHOW REPORT Agenda Introduces Enclave to Vegas Capsule’s Independent Vibe The Agenda trade show moved to a bigger compared to past Agenda Vegas shows, he said. This season, Capsule and Agenda Sansom said traffic was split between hall for its Feb. 20–22 run in Las Vegas, but the Many of Agenda’s veteran vendors—such as shared space in a ballroom at The Vene- appointments and drop-in traffic. spirit of the streetwear- and action sports–fo- ’47, The Hundreds, Ezekiel, Herschel Sup- tian in Las Vegas. The two companies are “People love the new colors,” she said. cused event remained similar to its past Vegas ply Co., Primitive and Sta- under the Reed Expositions umbrella, but Adam Derry, owner of the Los Ange- shows. ple—exhibited at the show. John Rabik, ’47’s show organizers made sure to keep each les–based sustainable collection ADBD, Agenda moved to the Sands Expo Hall B national account manager, said that his booth space distinctive and independent with a was showing at Capsule for the first time. from Hall D, so the show had more than 88,000 enjoyed an uptick in traffic. “Our ’47 Clean Up In fact, this was the first additional square feet to play with. The new caps really opened a lot of doors for us because time showing at any trade real estate allowed of the dad-hat trend, show, Derry said. Agenda to add a new with a lot of buyers “It’s the first time section, Enclave, to seeking a full head-to- we’ve taken the business its Vegas production. toe look from us,” he outside our own walls,” he The art-inspired En- said. said. “What we like about clave was introduced For Polish brand Capsule is they provide at Agenda’s much Femi Stories, the us the opportunity to tell bigger show in Long Vegas show served our story. It’s not over- Beach, Calif., in Janu- as a second round at defined.” ary. Enclave specifi- Agenda. The Warsaw- Derry said the show cally offered space for headquartered brand provided an opportunity brands to take a 10- made its American to meet with the line’s by-10 space and build trade-show debut at buyers from New York a unique environment. The ’47 booth at Agenda Agenda Long Beach in MR. Completely and Japan. In the case of Fea- January. It showed Cal- “It’s an interesting time to ture, a Las Vegas–headquartered boutique and ifornia-inspired beach clothes and swimwear at separate look and music. be a brand,” he said. “We can control our brand, it built an installation of a waffle house– its booth. Looks included a women’s rash guard Freddie Rojas, designer of Rojas model. We are not forced to be on the same style restaurant. Called the Feature Waffle and gold-colored mini-skirt. “There is a lot of Clothing in Los Angeles, said Capsule re- calendar. We sell what we make. Nothing House, the booth was a backdrop for its product men’s stuff,” Julianna Marczynska, Femi Sto- tained its indie spirit and business got off goes on sale. We make sustainable clothes collaboration with footwear and apparel com- ries’ sales director, said of Agenda Vegas. “But to a strong start on Feb. 20, the first day of that matter. We want to challenge every- pany . Along with checkerboard floors we are doing something new.” the three-day trade show. body to just supply their demand.” and bar stools, it featured a sneaker inspired by Art-driven graphics continued to make a “We had traffic all today,” Rojas said, This was the first showing for Cotton- the colors of Belgian waffles. splash at Agenda and may have been even more adding that he saw a surprising number of linkCA, a new line based in Santa Ana, Aaron Levant, Agenda’s founder, said that prominent in 2017, said Gene Han, owner of Canadian stores as well as many of his ex- Calif., and started by veteran apparel man- the number of vendors at the recent show was the Alumni and Hatchet Supply Co. boutiques isting Japanese buyers. ufacturer Robby Khalek. about even with the Agenda Vegas from Febru- with locations in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Los Ange- Emily Sansom, sales and customer-ser- Khalek and his team were explaining ary 2016. He also noted that buyers for retail- les. He also noted that more vendors were offer- vice coordinator for Vernon, Calif.–based the concept of CottonlinkCA, a luxury line ers such as Tilly’s, Pacific Sunwear, Active, ing customization services for retailers and that Groceries, was similarly enthusiastic of basics made with sustainable materials Nordstrom, Macy’s and American Rag Cie they were offering smaller minimums for private about the first day of the show. such as organic cotton, hemp and Modal. shopped the show. For Agenda exhibitor Alber- labels. “If they could have more private-label “It’s been busy,” she said. “A lot of East “A lot of good stores came by—and to Rodriguez, his Soulstar brand worked with manufacturing, that would be an important thing Coast people are here—more than I ex- they’re buying,” Khalek said. more international retailers at the Vegas show for retailers,” Han said. —Andrew Asch pected. So, it’s good. —Alison A. Nieder

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6 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS MARCH 3–9, 2017 APPARELNEWS.NET

06-7Vegas.indd 6 3/2/17 7:19 PM TRADE SHOW REPORT Sourcing at MAGIC Shines a Light on Africa The 56 booths in the African pavilion were Dede is on a mission to find more cus- year than last year, China commanded the filled with bright bursts of color where coun- tomers for her family’s business, which was most exhibition space, taking up more than tries such as Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, started in 1990 by her mother, Afi Agbenye- 60 percent of the booths. Donghui Lu of Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia dis- ga Nyarko. The company now employs 93 Only Star Trading in Ningbo was one of played their various products. people in a factory that churns out all sorts of those in the Chinese section, which was di- At the Alfie Designs booth, Adja Dede African-centric clothing. The company also vided up by categories. In the past, Only Star from Ghana was wearing a colorful turquoise gives free lessons to teach young women how Trading, whose dresses wholesale for $5 to dress punctuated with large orange swirls. to sew. “We are trying to get more opportunity $15, had done production for Forever 21. She displayed some of the company’s vividly for our workers so they have full-time em- Lu had seen buyers from a Canadian re- Alfie Designs’ Adjo Dede designed skirts and other clothing she was ployment,” Dede said. “We have gotten some tail chain called Ardène and from Whispers USA, he has been coming to the show for the showing in the West Africa Trade & Invest- good leads and we will finish up with emails.” Fashions NY, a juniors line that produces past six years. ment Hub section. Dede said many people were surprised trend-driven products. “We have some poten- He believes traffic at the Sourcing show This was Alfie Designs’ first visit to Sourc- that products from certain African countries, tial clients,” Lu said. has declined ever since the event moved a ing at MAGIC as part of the African pavil- such as Ghana, enter the United States duty In the Made in USA section, Akay Shiraze few years ago from the South Hall of the Las ion. Her trip was partly sponsored by the U.S. free under the African Growth Opportunity hung a huge American flag in his booth to Vegas Convention Center to the North Hall. Agency for International Development, a gov- Act. That is a bonus for the factory, where the advertise that his selection of T-shirts, active- “The attendance keeps dropping every year, ernment organization that provides foreign as- wholesale price of a dress is $10 to $15. wear, leggings and other goods are made in but I only need two good clients to make the sistance to end poverty. While Africa had a bigger presence this Los Angeles. As the president of Made Here show work,” he said.—Deborah Belgum Upbeat at Offprice The aisles were crowded, the booths were bustling and the “All the casinos on the Strip” as well as major retailers carry exhibitors were upbeat at the Offprice show, held Feb. 19–22 at Big Bang tees, Lee said. the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. Lee said his company has been showing at Offprice for 10 Tony Peters, vice president of sales for Bermo Enterprises, years. said it was the busiest show in years for the Schoolcraft, Mich., “We are doing well,” Lee said, estimating that about 60 per- company, which sells branded offprice apparel. cent of the business he does at Offprice is with new accounts. Big Bang Clothing Co. “We picked up a brand-new account from ,” Pe- Los Angeles–based Jsquad Clothing was showing its resort ters said. “They left good paper.” collection at Offprice as well as at WWDMAGIC, said com- sentative Melissa Echevarria. Peters said part of the brisk business was the timing. pany representative Manish Vaid. This was Nexst’s third time at Offprice, Echevarria said. “If they want Spring goods, they’re going to buy,” he said. The company shows its higher-end collection at MAGIC. The “It’s really good,” she said on the second day of the show. “So “I’ve got good deals.” line, which features silk fabric and hand-embroidered details, is far, we have had lot of new customers.” Some retailers held back on buying last year, so “there are wholesale priced around $28. For Offprice, Vaid said, the com- At the booth for Iris Impressions, a model was demonstrat- some needs out there” as well, Peters said. pany produced a separate line with wholesale prices that start at ing multiple ways to rewrap a skirt into a dress. The booth for Big Bang Clothing Co. had a sign indicating $15. This was the first time the 10-year-old company was showing that the company carries made-in-America merchandise. Nexst Clothing specializes in denim and casual apparel. The at Offprice. Iris Impressions typically shows at Surf Expo and The Los Angeles–based company “does everything” but spe- Vernon, Calif.–based company was showing denim pants, jack- ASD, said Tal Block, chief executive officer of the Las Vegas cializes in printed apparel for the gift and souvenir market, said ets and shorts as well as activewear pieces. Everything is pro- company. Iris Impressions’s silk/polyester skirts are designed in Sam Lee, president of the company, which was founded in 1989. duced in the company’s factory in Hong Kong, said sales repre- Hawaii and made in India. —Alison A. Nieder

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APPARELNEWS.NET MARCH 3–9, 2017 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS 7

06-7Vegas.indd 7 3/2/17 6:34 PM TRADE SHOW REPORT

LA Textile Show Continued from page 1 Julia Culau, who runs Kalimo’s Los Angeles office, said al sourcing resources as well as trend forecasters, technol- it was important to consistently exhibit at the show. ogy companies, printers and print suppliers. Sherry Wood, director of merchandising for Texollini, the “We are starting to feel people are recognizing us,” she Pat Brandt, owner of the trend-forecasting company Pa- vertical knit mill in Long Beach, Calif. “Because the show said. “We had more people at our booth this time than last tricia Brandt Co., praised the look of the sourcing space but fell during the same time as Coterie I saw slower attendance time.” said it was hard for attendees to find it. than normal. We haven’t seen [many of] the designers and This was the second time at LA Textile for Montreal knit “This space is lovely, but people don’t know we’re here,” brands we usually see.” mill Tricot Liesse after many years away. Tricot Liesse de- she said. Wood said Texol- Jennifer Evans, lini typically does owner of TEG well at LA Textile. International, a This season, many of vertical factory in the attendees seemed Los Angeles and to be new designers, San Francisco, new brands and up- has been showing and-coming e-com- at the LA Textile merce companies, Show for several she said. years but was re- It was a simi- located from the lar story for Ray main space to the Gabbay, owner of new Sourcing sec- RC International tion this season. Fabrics Inc. in Los “Last season Angeles, who said we didn’t know many of his key LA they did this sec- customers were in Tricot Liesse Stony Apparel’s Steve Maiman Kalimo tion,” she said. New York during “This time they the show. signer Nathalie Camier said traffic seemed lighter than last gave us only this option.” The longtime LA Textile show exhibitor said his compa- season, but the quality of interest may turn out to be better. Evans hosted a seminar on the opening day of the show, ny imports a wide range of woven textiles, including denim, “Last time I got a lot of requests—it was crazy,” she said. which brought attendees to her booth. And the second day chambray, yarn-dye stripes and flannels, novelty gauze, lin- “This time I had better meetings.” was strong for her as well, she said. en, voile, Tencel, seersucker, and eyelet. The company has Camier said she saw some of her existing clients but not “It’s nice to interact with the industry and have face-to- about 5 million yards in stock with minimums of 100 yards. her largest accounts. face interaction,” she said. “I can drop-ship anywhere, but my strong point is I’m “The biggest customers we visit in their office,” she said. Ron Frieborn, owner of Ron Frieborn Printing Inc. in stocking all kinds of fabric [in Los Angeles],” Gabbay said. Steve Maiman, co-owner of Stony Apparel Corp., was at Canoga Park, Calif., also showed last season in the textile sec- “The people I want are the people who are making [apparel] the show on the second day with two members of his team. tion and moved into the new Sourcing section this season. in the USA.” The timing of the show is tight, Maiman said, but added, “I did fairly well last time,” he said. “It’s very quiet over This was the third time at the show for Brazilian printed “We have to go.” here. It’s a beautiful space, but you don’t have any foot traf- textile mill Kalimo. “The Textile Show is important. Sometimes all it takes is fic.” “Many clients were in the fair in New York,” said Kalimo one item to make the year,” he said. Frieborn has been sublimation printing for apparel clients Chief Executive Officer Jay Khaliefex, who said the show Show organizers last season introduced a small sourcing for 28 years. Until recently he has been relying on word-of- was “in general emptier than last time.” section adjacent to the textile exhibitors on the CMC’s 13th mouth referrals to generate new business. He said he de- “But for us it was better. We were busy,” he said. floor. This season, the section expanded to include addition- cided to exhibit at LA Textile to attract more customers. ●

8 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS MARCH 3–9, 2017 APPARELNEWS.NET

01,8-9.cover.indd 8 3/2/17 6:41 PM TRADE SHOW REPORT Jewelry Show IFJAG Returns in a New Venue

IFJAG, the jewelry and acces- new accounts. “I’d prefer to be on the Strip. It would be more convenient sories trade show, returned to Las “That’s what we’re all about,” for buyers,” she said, “The last show was at Bally’s. It was Vegas one year after hosting its first she said. “To meet new people.” more central.” show in Las Vegas in 2016. Kurowski was showing sever- Peter Kwon, with Bala New York, said he was doing well The show is organized by the In- al collections, including Classico with his collection of hand-made metal, bohemian and cel- ternational Fashion Jewelry and Inc., a line of jewelry made from luloid jewelry. Accessories Group, a Rhode Is- bohemian glass from the Czech “For our company, we’re doing well,” he said. “We did land–based nonprofit accessories Republic; Abraham Leech, a very well last time, but we had one room. This time we have trade association that has been host- collection featuring cubic zirco- two rooms.” ing trade events since 1950, includ- nia and freshwater pearls; and Michael Jang, with Love of Fashion Corp., based in East ing IFJAG trade shows in New York I.B. Inc., a collection of hand- Rutherford, N.J., was showing hats, tote bags and swimwear and Miami. Last year, the company made sculptural metal jewelry cover-ups. Jang said he was primarily meeting with drop-in added Las Vegas to the lineup and made in India. traffic. held its event in hotel rooms on two Mairaah and Atul Aggarwal, “They came from all over,” he said, adding, “We come floors at Bally’s. This year, the show the co-designers of I.B., were to the West Coast to get West Coast chain stores and South relocated to the Embassy Suites also at IFJAG to show the collec- America [buyers].” near the Hard Rock Hotel and Ca- tion. The Phoenix-based design- Eighty two buyers registered as of opening day of the sino for its Feb. 20–24 run. ers said they had mostly been show, said Chris Valcourt, who represents Jacqui Accesso- IFJAG took up three floors of meeting with pre-booked ap- ries and serves as president of the IFJAG board. the hotel in suites overlooking the pointments. “Talking to a few customers, they say this year has picked central courtyard, which overlooks “The walk-ins are from Cali- up business-wise,” he said, adding that one attendee—a a stream featuring a pair of swans. fornia,” Atul Aggarwal said. large Midwestern wholesaler—said they’d had a particularly Exhibitors were able to arrange the I.B. Inc. Luisa Yau, sales manager for strong beginning of the year. one-bedroom suites like a trade- Joann She & Co., based in New “Some had a good Christmas, some had a soft Christmas, show booth with collections displayed in the front window. York, said business on the second day of the show was good but there’s more positivity,” Chris Valcourt said. “I haven’t Mary Jo Kurowski, owner of Accents by MJ, had several but she said she’d prefer the show move to a hotel closer to talked to a person who’s been negative. It’s always positive appointments booked but was hoping to also meet potential the other trade shows in Las Vegas. when you pick up new accounts.”—Alison A. Nieder

RETAIL SALES February Tough for Many Stores February proved to be a tough month for many retailers. February business was tough because many shoppers Barbara Rentler, Ross’s chief executive officer, was Same-store sales plummeted 23.2 percent for The Buck- were saving their money to spend during the Easter season. pleased with the results, but in her guidance for the upcom- le Inc., a long-suffering retailer headquartered in Kearney, The Easter holiday falls on April 15 this year. The economy ing fiscal year, she forecast turbulence. Neb. Cato Corp., an off-pricer headquartered in Charlotte, remains tough for many. “There continues to be uncertainty in the political, macro- N.C., also posted a similar decline of 25 percent. John Cato, “We’re coming off of a quar- economic and retail climates, and Cato’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said ter that was challenging for many we also face our own challenging that the declines “were significantly lower due to delayed tax retailers; there’s a certain amount February Retail Sales sales and earnings comparisons. refunds.” Cato operates 1,371 stores in 33 states. of shell shock out there,” Van $Sales % Change Same-store Thus, while we hope to do better, L Brands—the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, Sinderen said. “You have a lot of (in millions) from yr. ago sales % change we believe it is prudent to remain Pink and Henri Bendel—also reported a tough February. Its bankruptcy going on, and there The Buckle $62.80 -23.3% -23.2% somewhat cautious in planning same-store sales for the month showed a decline of 13 per- will be a lot more. This will be a Cato Corp $63.90 -25.0% -25.0% our business for the 2017 fiscal L Brands Inc. $765.50 -10.0% -13.0% cent. The company claimed that the decline was a casualty of year of change in retail.” Information from company reports year,” Rentler said. its exit from swim and apparel categories. Good news came from quar- For the first quarter of the 2017 Erratic weather throughout the United States—a week of terly reports from major off-pric- fiscal year, Ross’ same-store sales cold weather was followed by a week of warm weather in ers. Burlington Stores Inc. announced its comparable-store are forecast to increase 1 percent to 2 percent. some places—made it tough to plan wardrobes, and many sales for its fiscal 2016 fourth quarter March 2. Its same- Zumiez Inc., a Seattle area–headquartered mall retailer, is consumers gave up trying to buy new clothes for the erratic store sales increased 4.6 percent. Ross Stores Inc. reported scheduled to report its February sales on March 9. Gap Inc. weather, said Jeff Van Sinderen, a retail analyst for B. Riley Feb. 28 that its same-store sales that increased 4 percent for recently reported that it would stop reporting its monthly results. & Co. in Los Angeles. the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. The retail giant will report its sales quarterly.—Andrew Asch

NEWS

BCBG Continued from page 1 e-commerce and closing nearly 400 stores in its retail chain BCBGMaxAzria is following in the path of other cloth- of 570 outposts. ing concerns that ramped up their retail footprint over the In a press release issued on March 1, BCBGMaxAzria But exiting leases before contracts expired has been diffi- years but were unable to close stores fast enough to accom- said it has a $45 million commitment in new financing to cult, and bankruptcy was the only way to get out of unprofit- modate the shift of shoppers moving to online clothing sites keep the company running. “The steps we are taking now, able store locations at big malls. for their fashion needs. to address the shift in customer shopping patterns and the Originally the idea was to keep 50 of the 170 stores in the For years, BCBGMaxAzria borrowed heavily to finance growth of online shopping, will allow us to focus on our United States open and another 128 stores of the approxi- its operations. By 2013, Guggenheim Partners LLC held partner relationships,” said Marty Staff, the interim chief ex- mately 400 outside of the United States up and running. about $475 million of the company’s $685 million debt. Two ecutive for BCBGMaxAzria. But apparel-industry executives close to the company years later, Guggenheim Partners converted its debt into eq- The company, whose name stands for the French phrase said that it was inevitable that BCBGMaxAzria would be uity in the company and BCBGMaxAzria got an infusion of “Bon Chic, Bon Genre” (or “Good Style, Good Atti- headed to bankruptcy court because of the store-lease prob- $135 million from a group of investors that included Gug- tude”), is looking at several options to go forward. There lem and mounting debt. genheim Partners and its affiliates. could be a sale or merger of the company and its assets, Prior to deciding to close its unprofitable stores, BCBG- Other longtime clothing companies with retail stores have including its brand name, or a standalone restructuring. MaxAzria laid off 123 people effective Nov. 1, 2016. The been tumbling quickly. American Apparel, which filed for The most optimistic way to exit bankruptcy, BCBGMax- BCBGMaxAzria layoffs came months after Marty Staff Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2015 and then again Azria believes, is to focus on partner relationships, expand came on board in April to help turn the company around. in 2016 while maintaining 110 stores in the United States, digital and e-commerce, keep selected retail locations, and Company founder Max Azria was put on paid leave while didn’t make it. The Los Angeles company, founded by Dov establish more wholesale and licensing agreements. his wife, Lubov Azria, remained on board as chief creative Charney in 1997, was acquired recently by Canadian T-shirt One of the clothing company’s main problems has been director. maker Gildan Activewear, which bought the brand name too many clothing stores, which have been draining com- Debt to the company’s 50 largest unsecured creditors to- for $88 million but shunned taking on any stores. Some pany finances at a time when many shoppers have switched tals more than $56 million. The top 10 unsecured creditors 3,500 American Apparel employees were laid off. to online purchases. are located in Hong Kong and handle sourcing and trade In January, The Limited shuttered all its stores and e- Reuters reported that in a January conference call BCB- deals. Silvereed Limited, a trading company in Hong Kong, commerce site to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In Febru- GMaxAzria executives said their store business had plum- is owed $6.4 million, and Mega Link International Hold- ary, The Limited’s brand name was acquired by Sycamore meted 20 percent in three years. The company’s retail chain ings Limited, another Hong Kong trading venture, is owed Partners—which owns Belk, Talbots, Hot Topic and accounted for 71 percent of revenues, estimated at $600 mil- $5.35 million. Aptos Inc., a retail management company in Coldwater Creek—for $26.75 million. lion last year. New York, has an outstanding bill for $2 million, and mall And The Wet Seal, a retail chain in Irvine, Calif., is Before the bankruptcy filing, BCBGMaxAzria executives operator Simon Property Group has unpaid contracts for auctioning off its intellectual-property assets after filing for said they were focusing on a future that envisioned more nearly $1.4 million. bankruptcy protection on Feb. 2. ●

APPARELNEWS.NET MARCH 3–9, 2017 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS 9

01,8-9.cover.indd 9 3/2/17 6:44 PM Tags & Labels Resources Apparel News Group

3in1 Group USA Kagan Trim Center in opening up a production center in Tijuana, Mexico. We have also added advanced die cutter technology in our Los 721945-2017 (657) 210-4970 3957 S. Hill St (2nd Floor) Angeles production center to streamline our production [email protected] Los Angeles, CA 90037 efforts and to strengthen our packaging capabilities. A Seventy-two years of news, http://3in1GroupUSA.com (323) 583-1400 very important part of our business is FLASHTRAK, our fashion and information Products and Services: The founders of 3in1 Group USA Fax: 323-583-1600 online ordering system for price tickets, custom products CEO/PUBLISHER have been in the apparel industry for over 25 years. With [email protected] and care labels. Our mission is to deliver high-quality TERRY MARTINEZ its partners, DNG Buttons and UR Labels out of Asia, 3in1 www.kagantrim.com products at competitive prices, wherever they are needed EXECUTIVE EDITOR CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT Group USA work together to offer products in the label Products and Services: Kagan Trim Center, in business for for production. We understand the rush nature of this ALISON A. NIEDER EXECUTIVES and metal button product category. We offer a variety of over 70 years, is proud to be your primary wholesale lace and industry and strive to meet the tight deadlines facing our SENIOR EDITOR ZENNY R. KATIGBAK JEFFERY YOUNGER apparel trims and work with customers to develop their trims supplier. We offer a complete selection of apparel trim, customers. DEBORAH BELGUM CLASSIFIED ACCOUNTING own unique trims that make their brand special. Our from the most current designs of the season to all the basics. RETAIL EDITOR MARILOU DELA CRUZ dedicated research and development team ensures fast We have over 75,000 trimming items in stock, including elas- ANDREW ASCH SERVICE DIRECTORY EDITORIAL MANAGER and creative design concepts for exciting labels, hangtags, tic, ribbons, laces, and embellishments of every description. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE JOHN IRWIN RFID, packaging, metal buttons, snaps, closures, and We’re able to drop-ship our products from China to anywhere JUNE ESPINO CONTRIBUTORS PRODUCTION MANAGER much more to the apparel market. We look forward to in the world, saving you time and money. Additionally, our ALYSON BENDER working with you. Please contact us for more info or to set team is comprised of experienced professionals in every VOLKER CORELL KENDALL IN up an appointment. aspect of the trimming industry, able to provide you with the JOHN ECKMIER EDITORIAL DESIGNERS JOHN McCURRY JOHN FREEMAN FISH answers you need, quickly and accurately, thus allowing you ESTEVAN RAMOS DOT WILTZER to get your finished product to market without delay! Please TIM REGAS N. JAYNE SEWARD PHOTO EDITOR California Label Products visit our easy-to-navigate website to see our products. All HOPE WINSBOROUGH JOHN URQUIZA SARAH WOLFSON inquiries welcome. CREDIT MANAGER 13255 S. Broadway NATALIE ZFAT RITA O’CONNOR Los Angeles, CA 90061 WEB PRODUCTION (310) 523-5800 MORGAN WESSLER PUBLISHED BY Fax: (310) 523-5858 Progressive Label CREATIVE MARKETING TLM PUBLISHING INC. DIRECTOR Contact: Tasha 2545 Yates Ave. APPAREL NEWS GROUP www.californialabelproducts.com Commerce, CA 90040 LOUISE DAMBERG Publishers of: DIRECTOR OF SALES California Apparel News [email protected] (323) 415-9770 AND MARKETING Waterwear Products and Services: California Label Products has been Fax: (323) 415-9771 TERRY MARTINEZ Decorated servicing the apparel industry for 18 years. Our In-House [email protected] SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE OFFICE Art Department can help develop your brand identity www.progressivelabel.com AMY VALENCIA California Market Center with an updated look or provide you with a quote on your Products and Services: Progressive Label is dedicated ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 110 E. Ninth St., Suite A777 LYNNE KASCH Los Angeles, CA 90079-1777 existing items. Our product list not only consists of woven to helping companies develop and showcase their brand BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (213) 627-3737 labels, printed labels, heat transfers, size tabs, RFID price identity. From logo labels and hangtags to care/content DANIELLA PLATT Fax (213) 623-5707 tickets, and custom hangtags, but we also have a service labels and price tickets, we will develop, produce, and This listing is provided as a free service MOLLY RHODES Classified Advertising Fax bureau with quick turn time and great pricing. We are distribute your trim items worldwide. We specialize in to our advertisers. We regret that we SALES ASSISTANT/RECEPTIONIST (213) 623-1515 www.apparelnews.net dedicated to setting the hightest standard of excellence in producing custom products that will meet your design and cannot be responsible for any errors ASHLEY KOHUT ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT [email protected] our industry. Above all, we value quality, consistency and merchandising needs. We successfully launched produc- or omissions within Tags & Labels Resources. RACHEL MARTINEZ Printed in the U.S.A. creating solutions that work for you. Check our website for tion of RFID price tickets last year. This demand is being SALES ASSISTANT a full product list or call or email us. greatly driven by the big retailers such as Macy’s and PENNY ROTHKE-SIMENSKY Target. Our growth and market dynamics have resulted

10 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS MARCH 3–9, 2017 APPARELNEWS.NET

10-11.Classifieds.indd 10 3/2/17 6:27 PM CLASSIFIEDS Visit www.apparelnews.net/classifieds www.apparelnews.net P 213-627-3737 Ext. 278, 280 to place your ad in our self-serve system F 213-623-1515 Jobs Available Jobs Available Jobs Available

•GRAPHIC ARTIST JR/KIDS COMPANY WE HAVE AN FABRIC AND TRIM BUYER Join our Graph ics Team. Strong vi su al iza tion EXCITING OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE Multi-Di vi sion ap parel firm is seek ing a highly- and cre ative in put for fash ion tops and FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITION. mo ti vated fab ric and trim pur chas ing pro fes ‐ screened t-shirts. Knowl edge of sep a ra tions SPEC WRITER sional with a min. of 5 yrs’ exp. in off-shore and em bell ish ment tech niques. Fresh ideas, Fast paced Ju nior/Kids Com pany seeks Spec fab ric and trim pur chas ing, price ne go ti a tion, self-ini tia tive and team ef fort are crit i cal. Cre ate Writer with a min. of 2 to 3 year exp. Ap pli cant sourc ing, fab ric con struc tion, test ing meth ods, in no v a tive de signs and art work with a keen un ‐ must be pro fi cient in PC Ap pli ca tions and gar ‐ and dye ing. Must have exp. with both knit and der stand ing of our cus tomers' needs. Must be ment con struc tion knowl edge is a must. wo ven fab rics in clud ing lace, chif fons, satins, highly or ga nized, dri ven for re sults and able to This po si tion will re quire mea sur ing fit and PP poly-span. com mu ni cate cre ative ideas clearly. gar ments and com mu ni cat ing all com ments & Ad di tion ally, a deep un der stand ing and exp. Sub mit PORT FO LIO with re sume to: cor rec tions to over seas con trac tors. Abil ity to work ing with ma jor re tail ac counts (in clud ing screen graph ic s2016@ gmail. com sketch is a plus. JCP, Kohl’s, etc.) and their pri vate la bel brand Ex cel lent em ployee ben e fit pack age. re quire ments is re quired. This is not a prod uct PRODUCTION CAD ARTIST Pls email res. to: donna@ tem pted appa rel. com de vel op ment or de sign role. Will be work ing JRs Fash ion Tops. Re color/Re vise/Re size Art ‐ with pre-pro duc tion, pro duc tion, de sign, and work/Prints us ing Il lus tra tor/Pho to shop. Place ‐ SHIPPING & WAREHOUSE ORDER over seas fac to ries and mills. Must have ex cel ‐ ment of screens on fi nal pat terns. Re view Art ‐ FULFILLMENT SPECIALIST IN VAN lent PC & com mu ni ca tion skills and be very work/Prints Pitch Sheets & screened Blocks for NUYS, CA de tailed ori ented with strong fol low-up skills. Im port Tech Pkgs cre ation. Close com mu ni ca ‐ Im me di ate open ing with in dus try lead ing Must be a team player and work well un der tion with Sales, De sign & Pro duc tion teams to women's ap parel com pany. Of fice po si tion man ‐ pres sure with min i mal su per vi sion. en sure ac cu racy of or ders. ag ing a 3PL ware house ser vice. Around 45k/yr Email: trankin@ sel fest eemc loth ing. com DOE + ben e fits. Email re sume to joel@ rap tors Send re sume with salary his tory to: taff ing. com or visit www. rap tors taff ing. com/ emp Jeff Ducore PATTERNMAKER loym ent for more info! MGT In dus tries, Inc. Con tem po rary woman's brand is seek ing exp'd 13889 S. Figueroa Street and cre ative pat maker with min. 5 yrs. Los An ge les, CA 90061 exp. Knowl edge of drap ing and con struc tion a Real Estate E-Mail: jducore@ mgt ind. com must with abil ity to work closely with de sign ers and tech ni cal de part ments. Good com mu ni ca ‐ tion skills/fol low up in fast paced en vi ron ment. FOR LEASE Buy, Sell and Trade Must be able to meet dead lines. Must be pro fi cient in Tukat ech. CREATIVE OFFICE SPACE WE BUY FABRIC! Please email re sume to: Ex cess rolls, lots, sam ple yardage, small to hrman ager hir ing@ gmail. com LA FASHION DISTRICT large qty's. ALL FAB RICS! fab ricmer chants.com 213-627-3754 Steve 818-219-3002 or Fab ric Mer chants 323- GARMENTS SALES PERSON 267-0010 Look ing for an ex pe ri enced gar ments sales SPACE FOR LEASE •WE BUY ALL FABRICS AND per son in Los An ge les with a back ground of •In newly ren o vated An jac Fash ion Build ings in GARMENTS* sell ing ladies gar ments to dif fer ent huge the heart of Down town Fash ion Dis trict •In- WE BUY ALL FAB RICS AND GAR MENTS. No lot com pany. The com pany is im porter of ladies dus trial, re tail and of fice space also avail able too small or large. In clud ing sam ple room gar ments for al most 25 years. Please con tact through out the San Fer nando Val ley. Re tail in ven to ries Silks, Woolens, Denim, Knits, Prints, SHAWN at (213)798-8900 / (213)748-5700. and of fice space also avail able just south of Solids Ap parel and home fur nish ings fab rics. Down town. 213-626-5321 or email info@ anjac. We also buy ladies', men's & chil dren's QC ASSISTANT net gar ments. Con tact Mar vin or Michael XCVI is look ing for a full-time, in-house STONE HAR BOR (323) 277-2777 qual ity con trol as sis tant to mea sure gar ments be fore/af ter wash/dye, and doc u ment specs in Jobs Wanted Ex cel/Word/Out look. Com puter pro fi ciency a Business Opportunity must. To ap ply, send re sume and salary 35 YRS EXP'D re quire ments to: jobs@ xcvi. com 1st/Prod. Pat terns/Grad ing/Mark ing and Specs...... JOINT VENTURES / INVESTOR...... 12 yrs on Pad Sys tem. In house/pt/free ‐ FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JUNIOR BOOKKEEPER/OFFICE lance/tem po rary in-house as well. Fast/Re li able. Gar ment / Tex tile re lated ADMINISTRATOR ALL AR EAS Ph (626-792-4022) Only LA based com pa nies Min. 2-3 yrs ex pe ri ence in Book keep ing. Knowl ‐ Email: eda dayan@ yahoo. com edge of QB/Peachtree soft ware a plus. Must un ‐ der stand full ac count ing cy cles. Ex cel lent com ‐ COMING SOON IN CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS mu ni ca tion skills, man age day to day op er a tion & good or ga ni za tion skills. Ap parel ex pe ri ence a March 10 March 17 March 24 plus. Email to: lor naeleven @ gmail. com Cover: Fashion Cover: LA Market Wrap Cover: LA Runway E-tail Spot Check Real Estate Technology JUNIOR & MISSY DESIGNER New Lines Technology Activewear Jr & Missy de signer with graphic ex pe ri ence, Bonus Distribution Fashion Advertorial high pro fi ciency in Pho to shop & Il lus tra tor. Must LA Majors Market 4/3–5 Finance Advertorial Atlanta Apparel 4/5–9 have exp. in screens, dyes, sub li ma tion. Need Fashion Advertorial Bonus Distribution fab ric knowl edge in knits. Able to ex e cute art Activewear Advertorial Dallas Market Week 3/22–25 needs quickly. Email: evcr@ evcr. com DG Expo Miami 3/29–30 Bonus Distribution Atlanta Apparel 4/5–9 MERCHANDISE PRODUCTION Style Fashion Week 3/9–12 Capsule 3/13–14 COORDINATOR ALT 3/13–15 • 3-5 years ex pe ri ence in gar ment pro duc tion Coeur 3/13–15 • Key qual i ties pre ferred: or ga nized, de tail ori ‐ Designers & Agents LA 3/13–15 LA Fashion Market 3/13–16 ented, pro fi cient in Mi crosoft, NGC and Van tage Art Hearts Fashion 3/14–18 Point soft ware Marcum Retail Symposium 3/16 • Please email re sumes to: Joanne Perez at: COAST Nashville 3/20–21 jperez@ jay allc. com CALL NOW FOR SPECIAL RATES, TERRY MARTINEZ (213) 627-3737 x213

APPARELNEWS.NET MARCH 3–9, 2017 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS 11

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