December 22, 2014 • Advertising Supplement

Transcription

December 22, 2014 • Advertising Supplement
The Los Angeles Business Journal presents
presenting
Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
Glaser Weil
Lathrop & Gage LLP
Marcum LLP
RAJ Manufacturing, LLC
Russ August & Kabat
Self Esteem Clothing
SkinTone Clothing
Woodbury University School of Media, Culture & Design
This special advertising supplement did not involve the reporting or editing staff of the Los Angeles Business Journal.
17-32_socalapparelawards.indd 17
12/18/2014 6:45:10 PM
18 an advertising supplement to the LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL
December 22, 2014
southern california apparel awards
Publisher’s Letter
W
to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s first annual Southern California Apparel Awards special supplement, in which we celebrate the outstanding work performed by the remarkable individuals and companies
that make up one of the most exciting and dynamic sectors of industry today – the apparel industry!
The world of fashion, garments, apparel manufacturing and style design as a whole is unique in many ways – and
here in Los Angeles, where we have some of the most fashion-forward and stylish people in the world, there’s perhaps
an even more finely tuned set of rules for success. Stir in an unpredictable economy and you’ve got a sector of Southern California business that continues to evolve as swiftly as any other.
In the following pages we hope to shed additional light on some of the premier examples of companies that make
the apparel world tick. Be they retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, makers of denim, couture, activewear, swimwear,
footwear, accessories, or innovative methodologies or online applications for getting the latest fashions to the people
that seek them, these are the finalists and honorees we singled out for achievement across the full spectrum of this
ever-evolving industry.
Our celebration of these examples of excellence took place at our 2014 Southern California Apparel awards reception and ceremony on Thursday, December 18th at the Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica.
The list of prestige finalists – each an example of excellence in the industry – made it particularly difficult to arrive
at the honorees. Six honorees are announced in this section in different categories – “Public Company of the Year,”
“Private Company of the Year (>$20 million),” “Private Company of the Year (<$20 million),” “Social Responsibility
Award,” “Trendsetter Award,” and the “Industry Icon Award.” We applaud each of the finalists and honorees – all of
whom are described in these pages.
It should be noted that each of the finalists and honorees featured here has played a key role, not only in the success of the apparel industry, but in the success of the Los Angeles economy as a whole. So to all the great organizations profiled in this volume we say thank you!
elcome
Best regards,
Matthew A. Toledo
President and Publisher
12/18/2014 6:45:24 PM
December 22, 2014
an advertising supplement to the LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 19
Buchalter
Nemer
ϐ
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Congratulations to all of the
2014 Southern California
Apparel Awards Nominees
ϐ
www.buchalter.com
12/17/2014 3:11:11 PM
December 22, 2014
honoree
Public Company of the Year
American Apparel
I
just over a decade, American Apparel has grown from a small local
operation to the largest apparel manufacturer in the United States. In
2002, the company had just over 400 employees, and sales totaled about
$20 million. By 2013, sales had grown to $650 million in 250 locations
around the globe. What makes this meteoric rise even more incredible is not
what has changed but what has stayed the same. As American Apparel has
grown into an international brand, it has continued to make its products in
Los Angeles while paying its workers a fair wage. American Apparel has been a
leader both in fashion and as a pioneer of the American garment manufacturing business model it calls “Sweatshop-Free.”
A longstanding commitment to its workers is at the heart of the company’s
corporate ethos. American Apparel is proud to have the highest earning sewing professionals in the world, as the company aims to be successful because
of its employees and not at their expense. American Apparel has been thriving, not just surviving, and all while paying its LA-based workers significantly
more than the California minimum wage.
n
American Apparel believes its dedication to employees is not just a moral
responsibility, but also a sound business model. For its employees, higher pay
is often a path towards achieving the American Dream for their families. But
it also means heightened efficiency, a better and more consistent quality of
work, stronger employee morale and, ultimately, elevated retention rates of
skilled operators. The company promotes a culture that recognizes outstanding performance on the job and promotes from within. Its workers are all valued members of the company as they have a voice and inﬂuence its direction.
American Apparel has truly become a leader both for the return to US manufacturing and for better worker conditions around the world.
OF COU R SE , OU R SE RV ICE S
A RE PRECISE LY TA I LORE D TO
OU R C LI E N T S’ N E E DS.
Lathrop & Gage and its Fashion Law Group
are proud to support the vibrant and creative Southern California fashion industry.
CA LIFOR N I A | COLOR A DO | ILLINOIS | K A NSAS | M ASSACH USETTS | MISSOU R I | N EW YOR K
(310 )789- 460 0 | LATH ROPGAGE.COM
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.
Lathrop & Gage LLP, 1888 Century Park East, Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90067. For more information, contact Carole Handler at 310.789.4600.
12/18/2014 6:45:58 PM
December 22, 2014
As an accounting firm,
we love numbers.
Here are a few of our favorites.
101 Years in business
97
Countries served
33
Major industries served
(Through Praxity, AISBL)
10
California offices
5.0 Staff to partner ratio
(310) 477-0450 W W W. M O S S A D A M S . C O M
12/17/2014 3:11:21 PM
December 22, 2014
honoree
Private Company of the Year
(2013 Revenue more than $20 Million)
REVOLVE
F
Michael Mente and Michael Karanikolas started REVOLVE
in 2003. What began as a website selling a handful of premium
denim brands at the time has grown rapidly. Today, Eminent Inc.
consists of two internationally known websites, revolveclothing.com
(REVOLVE) and forwardbyelysewalker.com (FORWARD) stocking over 700
emerging and popular brands between them. The co-CEOs describe REVOLVE
as catering to “the fun, sexy, cool girl” searching for premium emerging and
popular fashion brands, while FORWARD by Elyse Walker houses the most
distinguished names in luxury fashion. The combined companies are independent fashion E-tailers who sell to
the general public via individual websites. REVOLVE prides itself on offering the most coveted pieces from every brand it sells. Its target demographic
are young (age 18-30), fashion savvy, usually single with higher disposable
income. Its value proposition is to offer a wide range of well-known, upscale
and trendy brands at below brick-and-mortar prices and provide the convenience of free shipping and returns (within 30 days).
The founders’ mission is to “enhance our customers’ lives through style.”
Today, the company sells approximately 50,000 distinct SKU with 60% of
ounders
C
sales occurring domestically and 40% internationally (Canada & Australia).
The RevolveClothing.com site is a premiere online destination for men’s and
women’s apparel, shoes and accessories from well-known and trendy designers. Forward by Elyse Walker is a premiere online destination for women’s &
men’s luxury designer apparel, bags, costume jewelry and accessories with a
focus on modern designs and high-end designers. FORWARD’s online retail
presence coupled with stylist Elyse Walker’s influence in fashion, provides a
designer roster from a wide spectrum of edgy to classic brands.
REVOLVE transcends the online platform and stands for being a leader not
only in fashion but also in business; providing the highest quality online and
mobile shopping experience, serving the style-savvy consumer with impeccable
customer service and amenities, where customer satisfaction always comes first. ongratulations
to all the
great employees
of the
self esteem
Clothing Company
12/18/2014 6:46:06 PM
December 22, 2014
12/18/2014 2:01:27 PM
December 22, 2014
honoree
Private Company of the Year
(2013 Revenue under $20 Million)
NEWCHEF Fashion, Inc.
M
any may not realize that it matters to chefs how they look while
they make amazing and delicious food. As NewChef President
and CEO Lucien Salama, says, however, “when you look good,
you feel good. And when you feel good, you cook better.” This
is NewChef’s focus – and as a result, the company’s sales have increased year
over year. NewChef has added trend and flair to a previously bland chef’s
coat. The company’s work has been enjoyed by brilliant chefs from, to name
but a few, Wofgang Puck Catering; Disney; the Bravo TV hit “Top Chef;” the
Patina Group; a string of Las Vegas casinos and resorts, including the MGM
Grand, the Venetian, Caesars Palace, and Club Med; cruise lines Royal Caribbean, Crystal Cruises, and Carnival; culinary schools and several American
culinary federations; and various restaurant groups, including Red Lobster and
the Olive Garden.
Salama does all his cutting and sewing in-house, whether at a facility in
China overseen by his wife, or at their 30,000-square-foot factory in Vernon
that Salama rebuilt in 2005, which houses the firm’s design and embroidery
departments. In order to efficiently handle NewChef’s increasingly diverse and
LONNIE & KAREN
complex production needs, he invested in
the latest CAD/CAM technology by Tukatech. This investment helps NewChef continue to sustain the accuracy of its designs
and production. This automation helps
increase production in the U.S., maintaining the high quality, fit and style NewChef
has become known for, all the while helping increase jobs locally.
Quality and service are of the utmost
importance to Salama. “The style, the
quality, the embroidery—everything we do
is top,” he says. This positive attitude has
allowed New Chef become a leading provider of chefs uniforms all the way to the White House. Considering Salama is 80
years old, the fact that he came out of retirement to create a very successful chef’s
uniform company, puts him at the top of his class.
Shop Our Online Store :
www.skintone-clothing.com
CONGRATULATIONS
TO YOU AND YOUR COMPANY AT
Karen Kane
for being recognized by the
Los Angeles Business Journal
as a Southern California
APPAREL AWARDS
FINALIST
ZACH & ELANA SAMUELS
Law Offices of S. Zachary Samuels
1900 Avenue of the Stars, #2300
Los Angeles, California 90067
Follow us:
12/18/2014 6:46:14 PM
December 22, 2014
honoree
Social Responsibility Award
Barco Uniforms, Inc.
B
arco Uniforms has been a recognized leader in the uniform industry for 85 years, by fusing innovative fabric technology and
fashion-forward design to create uniforms that inspire individuals
and enhance company brands. From its versatile, widely appealing
Medical Collections and distinctive Spa Collection, to its corporate identity
solutions, Barco Uniforms is committed to making professional attire that
people love to wear.
Since the 1970s under Michael Donner’s leadership, Barco Uniforms has
enjoyed strong growth and product diversification. It has established a significant brand name, identity and image worldwide.
Given its international reach, Barco Uniforms has worked and continues
to work with suppliers around the world. Years ago, observations were made
regarding health issues in various parts of the world. In particular, Michael
Donner noticed that many individuals born with cleft palates or having
experienced severe burns were often left untreated due to lack of money and
resources. He began to see other charitable organizations like ReSurge International lending a hand by providing surgeries to those unable to afford proper
medical care.
To show support
and further this cause,
Barco’s Nightingales
Foundation was established in December
2008 by Michael and
Frida Donner on behalf
of Barco Uniforms. Its
objective: to support
the vitality and courageous heart of nursing, while also dedicating itself to
honoring the spirit of those women and men who choose nursing by focusing
its philanthropic efforts on helping to mend the lives of children and their
families in various parts of the world. Through its global initiatives, Barco’s
Nightingales Foundation has received ongoing commitments from suppliers
in Nicaragua, China & Vietnam to donate a portion of revenue from every
garment produced for Barco Uniforms to the Foundation. Since 2008, the
Foundation has been able to make a difference in the lives of 18,950 children
and their families with the donations it has collected.
RAK CONGRATULATES
Larry Russ & American Rag Cie
2014 Apparel Awards Finalist
WWW.RAKLAW.COM
WWW.AMRAG.COM
December 22, 2014
honoree
Trendsetter Award
RAJ Manufacturing, LLC
L
Vogel serves as Co-President of RAJ Manufacturing LLC, one of
the largest women’s swimwear companies in the United States. RAJ
Manufacturing LLC designs, manufactures, and sells swimwear
under many internationally recognized brand names including
ATHENA, Next by Athena, Hurley Swimwear, Nautica Swimwear, Luxe by Lisa
Vogel, Reef Swimwear, Ella Moss Isla and Splendid Swim.
As a graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, Vogel joined RAJ Manufacturing LLC, a family business founded by her parents. She has served in
various roles throughout the company during her tenor, and currently oversees
the marketing/public relations department, licensing and compliance, operations, as well as the design and merchandising departments. Her brother Alex
serves as Co-President managing sales, production, and long-term finance.
Founded in 1967, RAJ has achieved success by leveraging its vertical
production capabilities, strong brand recognition, excellent product quality,
and design innovation. RAJ’s 100,000 square foot headquarters houses 400 employees spread
across design, sales, administrative offices, its distribution center, and the
country’s largest cut-and-sew swimwear factory. In 2013, RAJ built a state-ofthe-art satellite factory in Santa Fe Springs, opting to add domestic production
isa
capacity. The company’s vertical set-up is uncommon in the swimwear industry, where many companies choose to outsource key functions. The new factory in Santa Fe Springs will employ up to 100 Californians and sew 500,000
suits annually as it ramps up. Currently about seventy percent of RAJ’s total
production comes from its domestic facilities.
RAJ has become a trendsetter by investing in domestic production where
many companies choose to outsource key functions including production
and design development to third party vendors, frequently in Asia. RAJ also
launched SwimSpot in 2009, now a successful multichannel direct-to-consumer retail channel with a first class website and west coast boutiques. SwimSpot
focuses on providing women with an enjoyable shopping experience ensuring
they buy perfect fitting swimwear curated by trained “Fit Specialists.”
SWIMWEAR’S LEADING HOUSE OF FASHION
3 OUT OF 4 SWIMSUITS WE MAKE ARE
PRODUCED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MADE IN
THE
USA
FOR OVER 45 YEARS
W W W. R A J M A N . C O M
December 22, 2014
honoree
Industry Icon Award
Ilse Metcheck of California Fashion Association
I
Metchek, the President of the California Fashion Association (CFA),
created the organization in 1994, with assistance from the major financial and manufacturing participants of the region’s apparel industry. The
CFA provides leaders of the Southern California’s manufacturing and
textile community with the opportunity to share information about the business of conducting business in the current global economy.
The CFA was the outcome of Fashion Industry Round Table, hosted by then
Mayor Richard Riordan. At that meeting, participants agreed that an industry
organization was necessary to answer the questions of the media and other
groups, to gather significant statistics, on-going data, and instigate cooperative efforts with city, state, and federal officials investigating the incident, on
behalf of the apparel & textile industry at large.
Ilse Metchek, then the General Manager of the California Mart, was designated to act as the temporary Executive Director of the newly formed CFA. Since then, the CFA has become a multi-pronged Association, dealing with all
the significant issues affecting the apparel and textile industry of California.
Prior to the formation of the CFA, Metchek was Executive Director of the
California Market Center (then called the California Mart), and before that,
she was President of White Stag Inc., a division of Warnaco Industries. As a
manufacturer, Metchek was Owner and President of Ilse M. Inc., which she
lse
purchased from the Anjac
Corporation in 1984. Her
career at Anjac began as the
company’s designer in 1967;
and seventeen years later, she
owned the company.
Metchek’s current professional affiliations include
Board Membership of the Los
Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Advisory
Board to the UCLA Extension
School, Advisory Council
of the Fashion Institute of
Design and Merchandising,
member of Fashion Group
International of Los Angeles,
and President of Image Makers L.A. - a consulting group to
apparel industry businesses.
Congratulates
Topson Downs of California
True Innovators
2014 Southern California
Apparel Awards Finalists
WWW.GLASERWEIL.COM
12/18/2014 6:30:08 PM
The apparel industry is such a dynamic sector
of the region’s business, and there were so many
excellent contenders for our first annual Apparel
Industry Awards, we couldn’t let some of these
remarkable nominees slip by without recognition. Congratulations to each of the following
finalist organizations, listed below in alphabetical order!
Active Inner Actions, LLC
EL Sanders officially began his career in
fashion at the ripe old age of three – as a
model. Having now been a fashion executive for over 15 years in design, marketing,
sales, and other areas of the fashion world
– he has played a role in virtually every
aspect of the industry. Perhaps his greatest work is via his company Active Inner
Actions and its patented No Bounce Sports
Performance Bra. The product consists of specialized memory foam, which extends from the clavicle to
top of the rib cage and underneath the sides
of the underarms. It is specifically designed
to conform to shape of the breasts and the
supporting upper torso, thereby restricting
the hazardous bouncing motion that the
breasts normally endure during rigorous
activity. It is a design specifically constructed
to equally distribute the weight of the
breasts within the bra. This revolutionary
concept provides a securing carriage of balance and support.
Addiction Company
Led by its President and CEO, Vlady Cornateanu, Addiction Company is dedicated
to the sourcing and manufacturing of US
apparel in China, for all types and categories
of apparel products. It is Cornateanu and
his company’s objective to define superior
manufacturers of apparel and related merchandise in China, for both Private label
customers and branded labels. For over 22
years, Cornateanu’s extensive travels
throughout China opened up the earliest
opportunities and vast possibilities for strategic alliances throughout the region.
The product categories developed in the
past 22 years range from sleep wear, neck
wear, dress shirts, socks, scarves, intimate
apparel, sportswear for both men and
women, Junior and Contemporary fashions,
accessories and all screen printed products, such as T-shirts. Addiction Company
staff remains involved in all aspects of the
production, from the design stage to the
sample making and from the production to
shipping to the final US destination.
AJG, Inc/Astrologie
California
Astrologie/AJG, Inc. is a domestic knit and
woven apparel manufacturer that has structured its operation to have all design and
manufacturing produced in Los Angeles.
The company’s mission is to provide its customers with trend right design, unsurpassed
quality, affordable pricing and dependability
all as a derivative of products and attributes
from Southern California.
Angelo Ghailian, President of Astrologie California, is a native of Southern
California born and raised in Los Angeles.
Through his experience working for a
public apparel manufacturer as well as a
consultant at Deloitte Consulting in Los
Angeles, he was able to bring the benefits
Los Angeles offers to the apparel community and strategically created a niche for
Astrologie. Astrologie focused on all designs
and production to be made in Los Angeles,
ultimately bringing to the customer lines
filled with a Los Angeles textured comfort
lifestyle with the benefits of speed to market in manufacturing in the area.
December 22, 2014
2014 Finalists
All Access Apparel, Inc.
Since founding All Access in 1997, Richard
Clareman has consistently managed to
produce year over year sales increases and
profitability while navigating the company
through some of the most challenging economic conditions, and continuing to grow
and diversify his customer base.
Through brands such as Self Esteem,
Belle du Jour, LA Kitty, Neon Soul, and Tru
Self, All Access has become a vital vendor to
many major retailers, consistently providing
on-trend styles in a rapidly changing marketplace. As a part honoree for the Fashion and
Retail Group for the City of Hope, Clareman
has assisted in raising more than $1 million
for an organization vital in the fight against
cancer and other fatal diseases.
American Rag Cie (ARC)
Founded by apparel world attorney Larry
Russ, American Rag Cie (ARC) is 30 years
old this year and has become a mainstay
of California culture with specialty stores
located in Los Angeles and Newport Beach.
The store has been recognized as one of the
most innovative and trendsetting retailers
in the United States. American Rag’s buying
team has traveled the world in pursuit of
unique and exclusive merchandise to fill the
American Rag stores.
American Rag is a lifestyle destination
featuring fashion forward apparel, vintage,
home wares, furnishings, and a café; it has
the best Denim Bar in the world, called
World Denim Bar, featuring over 100 brands
of denim. Fashionistas from Europe and
Asia arrive in Los Angeles in the morning
- before their rooms are ready at their hotel
-and go directly from LAX to eat and shop
at ARC at Fashion Island before checking in
at their hotels.
Art Lewin Bespoke
For over two decades, Art Lewin Bespoke
Clothiers – a distinct national leader in premier custom clothing – has planned, coordinated and maintained the wardrobes of
California’s most prominent corporate leaders and some of Hollywood’s A-List movie
stars so that they are perfectly attired for
any occasion. As a second generation clothier, Art Lewin says that his clients tell him
that his company’s workmanship, knowledge, attention to detail and service make it
readily apparent why they have been able
to establish such a loyal following -- with a
remarkably impressive 96% retention rate.
At Art Lewin Bespoke, fittings begin
well before measurements are taken. The
team analyzes the client’s posture and how
he/she moves to determine the personalities
selected bespoke suits will exude. The fit of
the bespoke suit follows the way the client
wears and experiences the suit along with
body ergonomics and lifestyle.
Asher Fabric Concepts
In 1991, Asher Fabric Concepts (AFC), led
by its founder Asher Shalom, revolutionized
the apparel industry by offering cuttingedge, high quality, “Made in U.S.A” knits.
AFC offers the better contemporary, swim,
and active wear markets a limitless array of
made-to-order textiles in the latest fabrications, colors and prints.
AFC differentiates itself from its competitors by offering proprietary textiles and by
continually updating and innovating every
aspect of textile design and production. AFC
is vertically integrated which allows the
company to provide fabric development,
knitting, dying, finishing, fabric print design
and printing capabilities based on each
customer’s needs. With an in-house design
team, the company is constantly adding to
its collection of prints, including exclusive
vintage artwork and color stories are updated seasonally. In the past twenty years, AFC
has become known as a leader in innovation
and quality in knitted textile fabrications
with and without spandex as well as in creativity of print design and application.
Avery Dennison RBIS
Avery Dennison Retail Branding & Information Solutions (RBIS), a global leader
in apparel branding, labeling, packaging,
embellishments and RFID solutions, is a
$1.6 billion division of Avery Dennison.
Avery Dennison RBIS provides intelligent,
creative and sustainable solutions that
elevate brands and accelerate performance
throughout the global retail supply chain.
They elevate brands through graphic tickets, tags and labels, embellishments and
packaging solutions that enhance consumer
appeal, and accelerate performance through
RFID enabled inventory and loss prevention
solutions, price management, global compliance, and brand security solutions.
In September 2014, Avery Dennison RBIS
opened the Los Angeles based Customer
Design and Innovation Center (CDIC), a
15,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility
in the city’s Arts District. The center offers a
collaborative experience for apparel brands
with access to deep consumer insights and
the latest trend information. The goal of the
center is to inspire customers to create innovative and unique packaging, labeling, and
embellishments that elevate their products
and brands.
Band of Outsiders, LLC
Scott Sternberg is an American fashion
designer, photographer and entrepreneur
who is also the founder, Chairman, and
Creative Director of the brand Band of Outsiders. Sternberg started Band of Outsiders
in late 2003 as a line of men’s shirts and
ties. It has since grown to include womenswear. The brand sells in 225 doors worldwide, including Barneys New York, Bergdorf
Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Colette. The
line has been described as “recontextualized vintage-inspired looks with hand-sewn
seams and shrunken proportions” and
“look[s] toward the future by revisiting the
past, wistfully but also with a mischievous,
ironic wink.”
Sternberg has served as the photographer
for all of the brand’s Polaroid campaign
shoots since 2005. The campaigns have
been described as “inviting, playful, and in
some cases (Marisa Tomei’s campaign, for
example) — very sexy.” Other campaign
subjects have included Frank Ocean, Josh
Brolin, Amy Adams, Michelle Williams, Ed
Ruscha, Jason Schwartzman, Kirsten Dunst,
and many other luminaries.
Beyond Yoga
Beyond Yoga originated from Jodi Guber
Brufsky’s commitment to supporting and
inspiring women to live passionate, authentic
lives, loving who they are inside and out. A
yoga-inspired collection of workout and lifestyle clothes, Beyond Yoga is ideal for modern
living, from carpool to class, and lounging to
lunch. Beyond Yoga means comfort, support
and style, and believes that confidence is not
a size, but a state of mind. Designed for a real
woman’s body and available in sizes XXS to
XXL, it fits a variety of body types, shapes
and sizes, from petite to curvy. Each piece is
meticulously designed and tested to ensure
optimal comfort and functionality.
Beyond Yoga empowers women of all
shapes and sizes through thoughtful design
and a commitment to no body photoshopping to allow women to better relate to
their models – and in turn, not to have such
unrealistic expectations for themselves.
bgreen apparel
In 2002, third generation manufacturer and
founder of Nature USA, Mike Farid launched
bgreen apparel, an organic, essential lifestyle
brand. The collection is about styles that
most people wear, regardless of age, gender,
income and season. It is exclusively made
with organic cotton and other eco fibers,
right here in Los Angeles.
Farid believes sustainability is the
future. He says, “The definition of sustainability is constantly evolving. It used to
just mean organic cotton. Then it included
the other processes; dyeing, finishing,
printing, laundering, even trims and
thread. Next, it included fair labor conditions. Now, if the consumer isn’t educated,
we still haven’t made the full difference.
We all live on this one planet. We all share
the air, water and the land. The idea is that
everyone has an ethical responsibility to
do our part to keep our shared environment healthy. We all have to make a decision, how we behave and choose to spend
our money makes a difference.”
BR4SS, Inc.
BR4SS was launched as an underwear brand
by Travis Siflinger in 2010 with $10,000
from family & friends. With no large investors & no major connections to the industry,
he has managed to leverage his company’s
one competitive brand advantage: “coolness” – to attract a first class team, including
the former President of Calvin Klein and a
former executive with True Religion. The
brand has recently transitioned itself from a
manufacturer of underwear to a brand that
makes premium men’s essentials, having
signed multiple licensing agreements for
cologne and socks, with additional categories in the works.
Recognizing that in today’s Omni Channel Environment, content and commerce
are merging, BR4SS future-proofed its business by signing a strategic media partnership with The Go Big Project, an award-winning production team based in Marina Del
Rey, to create content around the culture
BR4SS supports and represents.
Brave Chick, LLC
Brave Chick co-founders Lejoi Reese-Kinsey
and Janet Williams are childhood friends
that have always shared a love for creativity, art and soul. Over the years they have
witnessed and personally experienced the
negative impact that stereotypes and misogyny have on women. They recognize that it
requires courage for a woman to transcend
stereotypes and pigeonholing. Inspired by
the unique challenges of women of color,
Brave Chick was born to encourage and
support all women in declaring their true
essence through strength, wellness and
individuality.
The concept of Brave Chick, an uplifting, positive collective that empowers every
woman to be her authentic self, was originally inspired by the challenges that women
of color face, but has since expanded to
supporting women from all ethnicities. The
Brave Chick WE apparel line is a collection
of cleverly designed activewear products
that encourage women to be and feel strong
in their sisterhood to promote the Brave
Chick movement through the power of “2
or more.”
Cooper Design Space
Steve Hirsh, Owner and General manager of
Cooper Design Space, is the son of the philanthropic couple Stanley and Anita Hirsh.
December 22, 2014
He is also the owner of seven garment related buildings in downtown Los Angeles that
have been in the family since the 1970s.
A few of the organizations Cooper
Design Space supports via Hirsch’s Board
Membership roles, include JVS Vocational
Center, CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking), United Jewish Welfare,
Fashion District BID and California Fashion
Association and Foundation. In fact, Hirsh
is the driving force behind the California
Fashion Foundation annual Christmas
event for 200 underprivileged kids in the
downtown area.
Donna Mizani
A rising star in women’s fashion design,
Donna Mizani is renowned for her signature “cut-out” dress designs. A native New
Yorker, now based in Los Angeles, Mizani’s
design aesthetic is ultra-feminine and focuses on celebrating the female physique.
After graduating from the prestigious
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in downtown L.A., Mizani gained
experience and knowledge working with
other West Coast designers and procured
her skills to execute her own vision.
Donna Mizani debuted her first Ready-toWear Collection in 2009 with a unique
and distinctive design esthetic. Through
merging sensual Ready-To-Wear pieces
with new-aged sophistication, Mizani
established a supremely feminine and
modern sensibility. Mizani is influenced by
many sources including her urban lifestyle,
travels to Europe, Asia, India and Latin
America, and her close-knit family. The
most important element to her collection
is the ability to gain her clients trust by
providing them with high-quality, unique
products.
2014 Finalists
Dreamgirl
One can’t tell the story of Dreamgirl without
first sharing the remarkable background
of Christopher C. Scharff, an international
executive with a solid track record of business
success. With strong multilingual language
and excellent communication skills, Scharff
has experience leading and managing staff in
a variety of settings and in diverse consumer
products and service driven industries. For
example, from 2001 to 2003, Scharff managed all distributors, wholesale sales, strategic
planning, marketing and logistical operations
for the international group of the BCBG Max
Azria Brand with combined sales of approximately $250 million.
In May of 2003, Scharff purchased Lovin’
Enterprises, an international manufacturer
of Dreamgirl brand lingerie, club wear and
costumes and has completely dedicated his
time to upgrading the group’s merchandising, product development, quality and
domestic & international sales efforts. Currently, this International apparel group is on
track to increase its sales & profits over ten
fold within six years of the acquisition.
Ensyd
Founded by Dalton Gerlach when he was
a college student working out of his dorm
room, Ensyd is a custom apparel manufacturer specialized in delivering unique products and services to “Greek” lifestyle customers. Ensyd serves fraternities and sororities
across the country, delivering clothes for
each and every occasion including Rush,
Recruitment, Bid Day, Sisterhood Event, Formal, Philanthropy, Parents Weekend, Panhellenic, Invite, and everything in between! Offering bulk buy and single buy ordering for groups or individuals, Ensyd is a
comprehensive source for “everything
Greek.” Ensyd offers blank apparel from
partner vendors such as Bella, Canvas,
American Apparel, Next Level Apparel,
Alternative Apparel, Hanes, Gildan, Anvil,
and others. Ensyd also offers high-end
screen-printing, embroidering, sewing,
stitching, tackle twill, and other embellishment out of its Los Angeles facility. Evy of California
Evy of California is a “66 year young” privately held family business. Operating from
its home office located in downtown Los
Angeles, Evy occupies the space once run by
the California Gas Company. Evy has transformed this workspace into an employee
friendly, flexible environment creating the
ability to be effective and creative at the
same time.
Evy has become a leader in Youth Apparel, supplying various products such as, but
not limited to, tee shirts, sweatshirts, dresses, fashion apparel, tops, bottoms, sweaters,
skirts, sets, sleepwear and many other items.
Supplying customers such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, Nordstrom’s, Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart,
Sears, JCP, Kohl’s, Costco, The Children’s
Place, Claire’s, Justice, Fred Meyer, Meijer’s,
Stage Stores and many other retailers, Evy
of California has one of the most diversified clientele bases in the industry. Evy has
a core culture built around respect, value,
honesty, integrity and professionalism. All
these qualities has made Evy a comfortable
choice for each of its partners.
Fashion Business Incorporated
Established in 1999, The Fashion Business,
Inc. is a 501(c)(3) educational business
resource and training center dedicated to
the growth and economic viability of the
apparel industry. FBI provides entrepreneur,
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incumbent and displaced worker training
that supports the advancement of domestic
garment manufacturers, apparel industry
workers and the overall Los Angeles economy. FBI’s free and low cost services promote
new job creation, new creative businesses
success, profitable retention of workers and
an increase in the overall capabilities of the
domestic textile and apparel industry.
FBI is the only educational non-profit,
industry specific business development
organization within the US whose sole mission is to help apparel and textile manufacturers learn how to profitably operate their
businesses. Within the city of Los Angeles,
FBI plays a pivotal role in helping the city’s
growing design population structure and
monetize their talents in order to contribute
to economic growth.
Fashion Scouts LA
In 2005, Lizz Eckert Adams and Amy Schram
Menzie joined forces and created Fashion
Scouts LA, providing clients with trusted access
to the latest merchandise from the LA fashion
markets along with innovative trend forecasting. The duo share a love for fashion, trend
direction, and helping retailers strengthen and
build their businesses. They offer over 30 years
of combined experience in retail and buying.
Their goal is to help make their clients’ stores
more efficient and profitable.
Fashion Scouts LA’s mission is to give back
to the LA fashion education sector. They
continuously offer internships customized to the needs of specific students. Their
unique industry niche is the perfect launching platform to ensure that fashion students
studying in Los Angeles will stay in Los
Angeles to support the apparel industry.
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Continued from page 29
Fitlogic
Fashion product designer Cricket Lee of
Fitlogic believes modern science can solve
the problem of a challenging sizing system.
She’s counting on frustrated consumers
to help her re-shape the industry. After 12
years of testing, trials and analysis, Fitlogic’s
new sizing system could soon be re-shaping
the fashion industry.
The Fitlogic approach analyzes a woman’s answers to six questions (perfected
after beta testing six versions of the online
Fitfinder over a seven-year period) to as
accurately as possible apply the proper fit
to each customer. As a globally patented
disruptive technology and brand, Fitlogic
has been scientifically developed to be an
efficient operating system for apparel. Lee
hopes to have many brands adopt and support a commercially viable fit standard for
the fashion industry beginning with women’s clothing. In the mode of Intel Inside or
Lycra, Fitlogic is an inside brand available as
a license to any manufacturer.
FROCK Los Angeles
FROCK Los Angeles by Victoria Tik is an
eco-friendly women’s fashion design house
founded in 2009. FROCK produces and
manufactures all their work locally out
of Los Angeles. Not only is FROCK a fairtrade label, they are also a green company
through and through, every piece of the
collection is at least 95% organic and/or
sustainable and FROCK recycles nearly all its
materials used either by donating or reusing.
FROCK is deeply involved in supporting
local charities such as The Princess Project
and The Trevor Foundation. Most importantly, the collection is designed to give
trendsetting and fashion conscious women,
a new way to shop. Gone are the burlap bag
green tees and dresses, in with haute sustainable fashion. FROCK is carried all over
the world at better boutiques such as Patricia Field’s in Manhattan and celebrity hot
spot Madison in Los Angeles.
Groceries Apparel
Groceries is redefining transparency and
human responsibility by supporting family
farms, localized manufacturing, $10 - $17/
hour living wages and GMO-free, organic
ingredients. The company empowers people
through fair-trade, fair conditions and fair
treatment across its entire supply chain, and
by providing full transparency to its customers. It operates its own factory to ensure
it is able to follow through with its claims
and it would rather close its doors than
compromise its values.
Founded in 2010 on the Venice Beach
Boardwalk, Groceries is the world’s only
manufacturer that features 100% organic
and recycled materials and is 100% made
in the USA. The company believes that a
responsible organization bears obligations
to its employees, customers, communities,
and nature. It is an organization that is both
socially and environmentally aware of its
impact on people and the planet.
Henry Hanger
The Henry Hanger Company has been a
Garment Hanger Icon Since 1929. The
Company is third generation family run
and operated in New York, New Hampshire,
Los Angeles and with an additional factory
in oversees. Bernard Spitz, son of Henry,
was born in 1919 and at 15 years old
started selling hangers for the company
and traveling all over the US and the
world representing the brand. Today the
executives are the grandchildren, Henry
December 22, 2014
2014 Finalists
Spitz, brother and President, Nancy S.
Bittan, Executive Vice President and Astrid
Metros, Executive Vice President.
While many people think of garment
hangers as a nondescript tool used in their
closets, Henry Hanger delivered on the
need for versatility and innovation in the
category. Today, Henry Hanger remains topof-mind among famous designers on New
York’s Fashion Avenue, celebrities, and chic
boutiques across America. From elegant velvet flocked and non-slip items to sumptuous satins, to the company’s own signature
acrylic line, Henry Hanger is synonymous
with style.
Hudson Jeans
In 2002, Peter Kim founded Hudson Jeans in
the pioneering years of “California Premium
Denim.” Since then, Hudson has fueled the
growth of the category worldwide through
groundbreaking product, unyielding passion
and positive energy. Rooted in the legacy of
British Cool and liberated by the free spirit
of Los Angeles, Hudson is a rebel with a
cause—a brand that redefines the standard
every time. Today, Hudson is a global leader
in premium denim and the mission remains
the same as day one; transcend product and
inspire people around the world to live out
their passions, push life to its fullest, and
challenge themselves to be their very best.
Hudson is the latest brand to have leapt
over that barrier that separates mere quality denim from the very essence of cool, as
well as its spontaneous uptake by celebrities
who have made Hudson one of the hottest
jeans globally.
The Hundreds
The Hundreds was originally founded in
Los Angeles in 2003 by Bobby Kim and Ben
Shenassafar as a men’s apparel company
and online magazine. The Hundreds is the
world’s first social merchandising company.
The global brand is a two-part lifestyle project that houses both a clothing line and
online-magazine. Inspired by a California
culture, the brand is considered a lifestyle
project influenced by a variety of California’s defining traits from punk to hip-hop,
skateboarding to surf.
What started as a blog and a simple
T-shirt line produced by two law school
classmates has become The Hundreds -- a
worldwide skateboarder lifestyle and apparel
brand with an online magazine that attracts
more than 1 million unique visitors a
month. The collection is currently available
in 400 accounts worldwide as well as in The
Hundreds’ four retail stpores. The Hundreds
has expanded beyond apparel, accessories
and headgear to a print magazine, a footwear collection and eyewear line.
J.D. LUXE
Jordana Fortaleza and Tyler Kenney, owners of J.D. LUXE, took a chance on an
un-tapped concept in the fashion industry
that continues to pave a road for young
entrepreneurs. The company has given birth
to a new way of shopping by creating a
“Fashion Truck.”
The mobile boutique contains a charming walk-in-closet containing trending
jewelry, clothing, and accessories to match
the customers fashion needs. The woman
on the go no longer has to make time for
a visit to the mall. A fully stocked fashion
wardrobe can now come to her directly.
On Weekends you can find them at their
original pop up spot on Melrose Place or
elsewhere at the latest festival or art-walk.
They even took the truck out to Coachella
Valley on multiple occasions. J.D. LUXE
separates itself from the competition by
providing “Big Name” labels alongside upand-coming brands that need to be seen.
New clothing designs come in every week to
showcase the latest “must-have” items.
Karen Kane
Spring 2015 will mark Karen Kane’s 35th
anniversary. The brand’s sportswear has long
been a staple in US department stores such as
Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Dillard’s,
and more. Under the guidance of licensing
agency IMG, Karen and Lonnie Kane have set
out to expand the brand into a true lifestyle
collection. Spring 2015 will mark the launch
of Karen Kane’s first-ever jewelry and hat collections. Additional licensed brand extensions
will follow in subsequent seasons.
In addition to expanding the Karen Kane
lifestyle to new product categories, Karen
and Lonnie have also recently received
attention for their efforts to support domestic manufacturing. Karen Kane, Inc. currently manufactures approximately 85-90%
of its clothing in the United States, almost
entirely in Southern California (from fabrics
that have been sourced from the United
States, Japan, Turkey, China, Italy, France,
and other countries). The brand’s casually
luxurious style reflects the playful vibe of its
designer’s home state, California.
KWDZ Manufacturing
Vera Campbell opened Knitworks Design
Zone (aka KWDZ Manufacturing), in 1982
as an importer of junior sweaters and knit
tops, changing to focus on the tween and
young girl market in the late 90’s. With
Campbell’s background in global sourcing,
Knit Works developed new sources of supply
throughout the world. One thing that has
allowed Knit Works to persevere has been
the company’s ability to reinvent itself. In
its original incarnation, KWDZ specialized
in the juniors market. Over the ensuing
decades the company reinvented itself several times before transforming into a significant player in the kids’ market.
KWDZ provides styling in kid’s sizes and
sales have boomed with large retailers such
as Macy’s, J.C. Penney and Kohl’s. KWDZ
ships under two labels, Knit Works and
Beautees. The companies have thrived in
a shrinking marketplace during the down
economy and industry sales not being what
they normally have been – largely because
of Campbell’s strong relationships with her
retailers and buyers.
Louiza Babouryan
Designer Louiza Babouryan’s destiny was
determined at a young age. The daughter of
a seamstress mother and jeweler father, she
spent her youth immersed in a culture of art
and creative thinking.
Growing up in Armenia and the United
States, Babouryan’s creativity and passion for fine art blossomed. In addition to
design, she trained in multiple disciplines,
including printmaking, sculpture, and
painting. She graduated from Otis College
of Art and Design and went on to launch
her eponymous line in 2010. Her romantic
approach to ready-to-wear has earned her
numerous accolades and a staunchly loyal
following. She prefers a sculptural approach
to design, emphasizing draping and fluidity in contrast to the cut-and-sew school of
dressmaking. Her signature style juxtaposes
simple, streamlined shapes with flourishes
of feminine detail. Through her artistic process, she is able to explore the relationship
between minimal and ornate, the avantgarde and the classic.
MAGIC
Every August and February, the fashion
industry converges in Las Vegas for the most
influential event in the business – MAGIC
– the world’s largest fashion marketplace,
comprised of ten unique communities
showcasing the latest in apparel, footwear,
accessories and manufacturing. The retail
industry convenes at MAGIC to spot and
shop the latest trends. MAGIC has been
around for 80 years, is LA-based and is the
largest event in the business of fashion.
MAGIC directly impacts what consumers
will be buying next season - with roughly
70% of the fashion retail industry represented
at the show, an average of nearly $200 million per-day ($600 million over three days of
show) order volume and 85% of the top 50
retailers in attendance. Buyers attend from
around the globe to decide what to put in
their stores for next season. MAGIC hosts
over 5,000 brands across every classification,
trend, and price point. Fashion Week may set
the trends, but MAGIC drives the business. MATTEO
Matthew Lenoci founded MATTEO in 1996
to create simple sheets from the most luxurious textiles in the world. Lenoci lived in
Italy when he was younger and the Italians
called him “Matteo.” His mother recommended the name MATTEO for the brand
and the name stuck.
Lenoci is steadfast on growing the company and doing it by staying committed to
the Los Angeles community. Sewing is done
in LA in a large workshop adjacent to MATTEO’s design studio. The constant circulation between design and production yields
a fertile creative environment and uncompromising quality control. Lenoci believes
that local collaborations keep the brand
creatively nimble and allow it to continue
to explore the LA vibrant textile scene. The
Harvard and Stanford educated Lenoci credits his education as being a key element in
the development of his passion for creative
thinking and group collaborations, concepts
that have become the basis for MATTEO’s
business model.
Michael Stars, Inc.
The starting point and basis for the Michael
Stars brand took place in 1986 when t-shirt
and clothing creator Michael Cohen met
his future wife, Suzanne Lerner, a successful
clothing rep and owner of Lerner et Cie. The
two co-founded the Michael Stars brand.
Michael Stars designs and sells apparel
and accessories for women in the United
States and internationally. The company
offers tees, dresses, sweaters, jackets and
bottoms, as well as fashion accessories
including hats, scarves, totes, footwear,
sunglasses and optical eyewear. The sunwear
and eyewear play off of the Michael Stars
seasonal color palettes and are an extension
of this casual lifestyle look. The company
has grown to 200 employees. Its products
retail throughout all 50 states and are
sold at numerous retailers internationally.
The philosophy behind the Michael Stars
brand as guided by Lerner, is to support the
organizations that mean the most to the
company’s customer base and particularly
the many women who have designed,
produced and purchased their products.
Miss Jumpin
Fashion Designer Marissa Lewis is a young,
ambitious woman with a big dream and big
heart. From playing dress up to re-constructing lifestyle magazines, fashion has always
been the foundation of her life. Lewis, a
world traveler, is originally from the UK.
Taking a leap of faith, she packed up ideas,
fabrics, and patterns, and traveled thousands of miles from home to live in Cali-
December 22, 2014
fornia – ultimately settling in downtown
Los Angeles’ Fashion District, where she
launched her brand, Miss Jumpin.
Through in-depth research, she determined what women really wanted – a
great look that won’t break the bank. Miss
Jumpin came about because of Lewis’ love
for one-piece outerwear, which includes
jumpsuits, jumpers, rompers, and playsuits.
When women wear a Miss Jumpin design,
they feel sexy, yet remain classy and with
an air of confidence. Since Lewis has been
designing, her line has hit the L.A. Fashion
Week scene garnering rave reviews from
women ranging from 20-something to 40something.
My Saint My Hero
The mission of My Saint My Hero is to bring
elements of faith, hope and purpose into
everyday life with “wearable blessings” that
have a story and meaning behind each piece
and invoke a passion for prayer. My Saint
My Hero’s jewelry line consists of blessing
bracelets, necklaces, handmade heirloom
rosaries and prayer tools to help create a
place of prayer in ones heart, home and
workplace. These are items that are fashionable and speak to a younger generation that
wants to connect with their faith and have
an outward visible sign of this faith.
The bracelets are made in the sacred town
of Medjugorje in Bosnia and Hertzegovina.
Organization founders Amy D’Ambra and
Christine Rich believe that their bracelets
connect the wearer to the pilgrims that have
traveled to that region, and the sacred site’s
energy and essence. Each piece is filled with
symbolism evoking and inspired by biblical
prayer and references, as well as images significant for blessing and protection.
Onestop Internet
Established in 2004, Onestop provides a
unique, full-service ecommerce offering to
its clients on a completely outsourced basis.
This full-service offering is provided to clients on a revenue share basis over a multiyear term. Thus, Onestop, as led by its CEO,
John Tomich, guarantees an exceptional
solution, as its own profit margins depend
on it.
Onestop designs and implements digital commerce solutions for an impressive
roster of apparel brands, including 7 For All
Mankind, Paige Denim, Juicy Couture and
Derek Lam. Onestop creates completely tailored solutions for each client, depending
on that particular brand’s needs. It offers a
suite of six core services, comprised of performance marketing, enterprise platform,
creative development, digital imaging and
video, warehousing and fulfillment and
customer service. Since each solution is customized to meet each brand’s unique needs,
clients have the option of employing anywhere from just one of Onestop’s services,
to all six. Onestop carries on all of its operations out of a state-of-the-art warehouse in
Los Angeles.
Palter DeLiso
Steeped in a rich fashion history that cemented the brand as a bona fide classic 87 years
ago, recently relaunched Palter DeLiso today
celebrates its original DNA of daring design
and luxe details throughout every aspect of
the brand. Originally established in New York
in 1927 by Daniel Palter and Vincent DeLiso,
the footwear and accessories brand was a pioneer in the American luxury market innovating new shapes and styles for many decades.
Among its various innovations in footwear
design, in 1937 Palter DeLiso invented the
very first peep-toe slingback pump – a style
that dominated fashion for the next 10 years
2014 Finalists
and still reigns as a construction for modernday footwear designers.
Relaunched in 2013 by new co-founders Lauren Bruksch and Taz Saunders as a
modern-day luxury brand and picking up
as if it had never gone away, today’s Palter
DeLiso celebrates the brand’s commitment
to break-frame design and ultimate luxury,
with the company’s original tagline and
philosophy, “The Mark of Couturier Shoes,”
still at its core.
Pin Up Girl Inc.
Designed by women for women and manufactured here in Southern California, the
clothing lines from Pinup Girl Clothing,
affectionately referred to as “PUG” by customers, have achieved a cult-like following thanks to the high-quality clothing,
intimate connection to fans, and belief in a
core ethos, “Couture for Every Body,” manifested in the production of clothing ranging
from XS-4X with models of every ethnicity,
shape, and size showcasing the designs.
Beginning in 1997 in a garage in
Altadena, Pinup Girl Clothing’s CEO and
Head Designer Laura Byrnes began sewing
vintage-inspired designs with the desire to
create well-made garments with modernized
fits for herself and her friends. After recognizing that there was a lack of vintage reproduction apparel that was both high quality
and available to women of all sizes, she and
John Flores launched www.pinupgirlclothing.com in 1999. This self-funded company
grew into a successful corporation, Pin Up
Girl Inc., that continues to manufacture
garments in Downtown Los Angeles in line
with their commitment to quality and positive business practices.
Porridge
After graduating in Merchandise Marketing
From FIDM, Laura Stang worked as a sales
person at the highly respected boutique,
Market in Brentwood. She loved to travel
with her then boyfriend Jason Odell, visiting different countries and bringing back
mementos from their trips. She started
designing shirts appliquéing flowers and
shapes made from her vintage finds, and
soon the shirts were selling out in the store!
Borrowing a small sum from her family and
with Odell photographing her designs and
putting together line sheets, Porridge was
Continued on page 32
Continued from page 31
first shown in LA in 2004 at the D&A show
to great success.
The hardworking couple took first orders
from Anthropologie, Barneys and Saks and
over the next few years built the specialty
business to over 250 stores nationwide.
In 2012, Stang and Odell expanded the
Porridge empire launching a higher priced,
elevated contemporary brand -- targeted
at stores and specialty boutiques which
continues to flourish presenting amazing,
shop –stopping prints and mineral washed
fabrications.
Security Sourcing
International
SSI Apparel is a Los Angeles based, full service apparel sourcing company providing
a broad range of development and production solutions to the better and contemporary market. SSI specializes in men’s
and women’s higher end garments using
finer fabrications from around the world. To best meet the various needs of its
customers, SSI has production capacity in
several different countries. Whether China,
Peru or domestic production in Los Angeles,
SSI Apparel has provided manufacturers,
wholesalers and retailers with top quality
garments and exceptional service.
Signorelli, Inc.
Established in 2005, Signorelli is a full-service, premier apparel branding company
specializing in women, girls and juniors
graphic tees, fashion tops and active
wear that has grown to umbrella several
successful brands that can be found at
top department stores and boutiques
including Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Kitson,
and Fred Segal. The company also has
several branding and licensing partnerships including Sony Pictures, Paramount
Pictures, Marvel Comics, Paramount Pictures, Viacom and Mattel.
Founder and CEO Meredith Garrett built
the company on the motto: “Fashion can
make the world a better place. Live. Love.
Give. Repeat.” What sets Signorelli apart
from the vast majority of apparel companies, is that it has successfully married the
latest fashion trends with social responsibility. Garrett firmly believes in giving back to
the community, having launched the Signorelli Movement Foundation, which exists to
inspire rising generations to give back to the
world in which they live.
Single, Los Angeles
Galina Sobolev the Designer for Single has
been a trend leader in the Fashion industry
for the past 30 years, self-employed icon,
and Los Angeles industry leader for 17 years.
Her Single Collection and Singledress
dresses have graced the pages of many fashion magazines and have been worn by Hollywood celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Katy
Perry, Eva Longoria, Fergie, and other stars
and Industry leaders.
Single’s apparel is 100% made in the
USA, and the company has consistently
contributed to the local community and
maintained great relationships with local
contractors. The company has also helped
drive local business since Single produces
and ships exclusively from its LA warehouse. Creatively, Sobolev works with the
local embroidery companies, local leather
suppliers and local trim companies to create
new fashion forward innovative products
designed to inspire and ignite the fashion
savvy among even the most jaded buyers
and fashion stylists.
December 22, 2014
2014 Finalists
SkinTone Clothing
SkinTone was formed by Karen and Mason
McBride, a husband and wife design team,
partnered with designer Luis Medina from
Peru to provide a unique eco-friendly
fabric to produce a quality of clothing
new to the fashion scene. The inspiration
is that everyone’s body is an instrument
that has its own music and SkinTone
Clothing is made to play your body’s
music with every movement.
All of SkinTone’s garments are eco-friendly, hypoallergenic and comfortable to wear
for everyone. SkinTone Clothing’s unique
selling proposition is the integrated concept
of versatility and healthy living. In contrast
to many other clothing lines, SkinTone
Clothing also caters to all skin tones. Skin
Tone Clothing is a line of clothing that will
lead the green movement of natural fiber
attire. Made from 100% natural raw hand
woven cotton, it offers an organic feel with
comfort and versatility, without the discomfort of maintenance and undesired fit due
to shrinkage. SOFTEC Apparel, Inc.
SOFTEC Apparel, Inc. was founded by a
Harvard educated entrepreneur and seasoned apparel industry experts to introduce
truly soft, breathable, waterproof and stain
proof clothing to the American consumer.
After extended periods of testing and re-testing and process refinement, SOFTEC has
perfected a proprietary and patent pending
process that delivers 100% waterproof capability to virtually any article of clothing that
will last for the life of the garment. SOFTEC’s treatment process is an exciting apparel
industry innovation that will keep clothing
repelling any liquid while fully retaining the
garment’s softness and breathability.
SOFTEC’s apparel treatment innovation is fully differentiated from any other
clothing waterproofing processes currently
on the market today. SOFTEC’s proprietary
chemicals bond to the fibers of a garment
and effectively reduce the width of the
garment’s pores enough so that water cannot penetrate, but still allows enough of an
opening to preserve the garment’s comfort
and complete breathability.
STC-QST
STC-QST is the leading supplier of inner
garment construction products, including
fusible interfacing, pocketing, embroidery
backings, Lastin and much more to the
Los Angeles apparel and home furnishings
industry.
Led by its President, Brian Weitman,
STC-QST’s portfolio of products has evolved
to include Swift Europe Premium denim
fabrics, Riri luxury zippers, Pinky’s Waxing
supplies, European premium buttons and
ladies shoulder pads.
Topson Downs of California,
Inc.
Topson Downs, established in 1971, has
evolved into an industry leader - both in
the branded and private label segments
of the garment business, with more than
300 associates based in Los Angeles, New
York, and throughout Asia. Be it denim
jeans, junior dresses, for girls fashion knit
tops, or other garments, Topson Downs,
is committed to creating and producing
quality apparel while being socially and
ethically responsible.
Through the continued development
of brands such as Elwood, Love, Fire, Tinseltown, and Rachel Roy, Topson Downs
has grown to be one of the most successful
apparel manufacturers in Los Angeles, as
well as one of the largest employers within
the local apparel industry. The company is
currently producing over 40,000,000 units
per year in eight countries throughout the
world with factories being supervised by
dedicated Quality Assurance and Social
Compliance teams. The company’s principals, Joe Wirht and John Poyer, lead a thoroughly philanthropic organization and also
actively contribute to causes such as City of
Hope and Rags for Riches.
Unger Fabrik, LLC
As owner, founder and CEO of Unger Fabrik
and President of One World, Dr. Richard
Sneider built what is a leading fashion
industry company in the US. His extensive
knowledge of fabric, manufacturing, fashion
and brand building is acknowledged by the
top retailers in America, and the management teams of the customer base see him as
a visionary leader with great wisdom. Under
his leadership for over 20 years, Unger Fabrik developed into a formidable platform
to acquire brands, build design and fashion
teams, and sell directly to retailers.
Sneider’s strategic and leadership skills
have resulted in the building of a global
company providing trend-right fashion
to over 100 retail customers in the United
States and abroad, ranging from the largest
users, such as Target, to the trend setters of
the industry, such as TopShop, Nordstrom,
and Urban Outfitters.
Vans
In 1966, Brothers Paul Van Doren and Jim
Van Doren along with partners Gordon
Lee and Serge Delia opened for business.
On that first morning, 12 customers purchased the first Vans shoe model with the
iconic waffle sole. Earning the respect of
athletes across skateboarding, surf, BMX
and snowboarding, Vans quickly became
the leader in action sports footwear.
Then in 2006, Vans launched an extensive apparel collection for both men and
women. Almost 50 years from its inception, Vans has grown to become a multifaceted brand offering premium footwear,
apparel and accessories to consumers
across the globe.
Today, Vans Apparel delivers a diverse
collection of apparel and accessories that
remain true to the spirit of an almost 50year-old Southern California surf and skate
lifestyle brand. Grounded in timeless design
and performance innovation, Vans modernizes a classic range of apparel staples providing functional style and product that truly
embody Vans’ heritage as the original action
sports footwear and apparel brand.
VICTORIOUS 22 LOS ANGELES
Hip, multi-talented couple Franklin Rodriguez and Angela Towvim Rodriguez decided
to start VICTORIOUS 22 LOS ANGELES
when the financial crisis struck, because
they saw a need to create jobs. They focused
on filling a need for apparel that was made
in the USA.
Starting with humble beginnings out of
their North Hollywood apartment, the duo
have worked tirelessly on VICTORIOUS 22
LOS ANGELES for over four years now, 7
days a week, including holidays. The focus,
beyond a commitment to keeping everything made locally, has been to produce
jeans, denim, and other goods, including
leather and jewelry divisions, that are made
the way companies produced apparel in the
days of old, where a pair of jeans lasted for
years and years. Function, fit and fashion
are at the core of everything the company
does, from ultra-fine denim apparel, to
elegant fine gold and diamond jewelry,
handbags, and even a executive gifts divi-
sion – and all leather and denim comes with
a lifetime guarantee!
Vinyl Technology, Inc.
Vinyl Technology Inc. is a leading manufacturer of custom-made plastic and industrial
fabric products. Industries served range
from the DoD, aerospace, and the space program to medical and recreational companies. Products range from life support equipment such as Anti-G Flight Suits, Haz Mat
Suits for chemical and biological warfare, to
sound attenuation systems and cargo bags
for the space program, to medical applications such as surgery patient positioners and
compression therapy sleeves, to high-end
bbq covers.
The company was founded in 1981 by
Carlos Mollura, Sr., and has been familyowned and operated ever since, with son
Dan Mollura leading the company since
2005. With numerous quality and performance awards, VTI continues to excel
by implementing state of the art cutting
and sewing equipment, TUKAcad design
software, ETON material handling systems,
Lean Manufacturing methodologies, and
their mission to provide custom sealed
and sewn solutions that exceed customer
expectations.
Woodbury University Department of Fashion
Woodbury University has been offering a
degree in fashion design for over eighty
years, which is a remarkable history of
dedication. The graduates from this historical program, too numerous to count, have
helped to build what is the third largest
industry in Los Angeles.
Woodbury Fashion Design has the
ambition of being one of the cutting-edge
fashion schools in the world. Since Kathryn
Hagen became the Chair four years ago, the
school has moved closer to achieving that
goal. The sequencing of the courses builds
both key skills like drawing, construction
and design process, and also understanding of the industry and the numerous
opportunities that exist in the industry. A
number of high-level, industry-experienced
design faculty have been added to teach at
all levels. Design Mentors from faculty and
industry guide the students at every level.
Professor Hagen, working with the new fulltime Creative Director and design faculty,
develops the overarching aesthetic direction
of the department and oversees the Capstone projects.
31 Bits
The company that would become 31 Bits
started as a group of young college students who were inspired by six women in
Uganda who make incredible jewelry out of
old posters. These women had a skill, but
needed a market.
31 Bits was born – with five friends
who by day were college students, but the
evenings were filled with studying fashion,
marketing, and development work – as well
as an innovative business model that could
help support the women in Uganda who
were creating the jewelry.
Six years later, 31 Bits is in over 400
stores all over the world and has shared
their story with hundreds of thousands
of people. 31 Bits is part of a movement
revolutionizing the way people do business.
The founders believe businesses should be
conscious of both the creator and the consumer and have implemented a five-year
holistic development program in Uganda,
where each woman receives health education, finance training, counseling, and business training.

December 22, 2014 • Advertising Supplement

Transcription

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