For influential fashion buyer Randy Brewer, eco-friendly styles are the new premium denim. As a buyer for high-profile San Francisco boutique chain Villains, Brewer helped spread the popularity of premium fashions when he managed the chain from 1997 until September 2009, at which point, he said, he resigned amicably from the store. In late February, Brewer will debut eco-boutique Convert in Berkeley, Calif. He believes this retail project will get consumers and clothing manufacturers to support the cause of eco-fashion. The 1,800-square-foot store will open at 1809 B. Fourth St. in the stylish neighborhood of North Berkeley, which is located more than one mile away from the University of <strong>California</strong>, Berkeley. It will offer stylish and contemporary looks from ecofashion labels Nau and Stewart & Brown Factoring Made Simple. 2 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS JANUARY 29–FEBRUARY 4, 2010 NEWS Influential Villains Buyer Debuts Eco-Store as well as environmentally friendly items from clothing labels Obey and Hurley. Denim pants will retail for $200. Shirts will retail under $150. Along with making more stylish ecofashions available to consumers, Brewer said he is using the store to convince more labels to make eco-fashions. He said he has approached the former labels he worked with at Villains and gave them this pitch: “I know you aren’t eco, but I want to carry your line. What can you do to help me?” he said. Convert also will carry lines that are manufactured in America and constructed in factories where workers are well-compensated and labor under good conditions. He reported receiving many positive responses to the brash proposition. He plans to build a chain of Convert boutiques, which would give him more clout with manufac- Long-Time CMC Jewelry Store Closes After more than 10 years of occupying a prime location in the <strong>California</strong> Market Center lobby, Eclipse Jewelry Designs Co. is closing up shop at the end of February. Many CMC tenants were saddened by the news. Lisa Owers is the West Coast showroom manager for Swarovski. Alazraki designed her wedding ring in 2004. “They had fair prices. Their business was based on customer service, and they were friendly,” Owers said. After closing Eclipse, the Alazrakis will embark on a six-month trip to Asia and Europe to buy materials for Raquel’s jewelry line, called Raquel B. Designs. When they return to Los Angeles, they will expand the e-commerce boutique for www.raquelbdesigns.com and decide whether they want to open another store. Owners Raquel and Raphael Alazraki first opened their CMC store in 1996 on the CMC’s second floor. They moved in 1999 when a space opened up on the main floor. The Alazrakis have spent their careers in jewelry sales and design. They emigrated from Argentina to the United States in 1971. For many years, Raphael helped run a jewelry wholesale business in Beverly Hills. Raphael said he regretted leaving the CMC. “The building was like a big family. We feel like we are leaving our family,” he said.—A.A. The concept of factoring is simple: You Give Us Your Invoice. We Give You the Money. You Pay Your Bills. No bells, unnecessary, really. No whistles, not needed as well. No tricks. Ditto. At Goodman Factors, we simply offer smart, dedicated good service from an experienced team of pros. Along with money at competitive rates when you need it—today, for instance. Goodman Factors — Since 1972 — Please call 877-4-GOODMAN or visit us at goodmanfactors.com. Simple, right? turers. Currently he is the founder and sole employee of the company. He intends to partner with investors if and when he opens more stores. Brewer’s mission might give eco-fashion a great boost, according to Isaac Nichelson, the founder and chief executive of eco-fashion brand Livity. “He has been an influential retailer on the West Coast. If he can bring that same eye to the product mix in the ecoworld and make a presentation for the kids looking for a contemporary, street fashion, it would be great for everyone,” said Nichelson, who will be debuting a Livity store in Santa Monica, Calif., in early March. Eco-fashion stores were among the hardest hit during the Great Recession and many went out of business, Nichelson said. However, businesses serving an environmentally friendly lifestyle have dramatically increased, according to Greenopia, a Santa Barbara, Calif.–based publishing company that compiles a list of green businesses— from restaurants and boutiques to burial services. In 2006, there were 800 green businesses in Los Angeles County. In 2009, that number grew to 2,000 businesses. Brewer said eco-fashion will follow the same growth trajectory as the market for organic foods, which has steadily grown in the past decade. He tested the store concept with a Convert pop-up store in Berkeley, which he ran from Nov. 31 to Jan. 1. When the store debuts, it will offer a minimal store design, featuring a counter made out of laborers’ work benches.—Andrew Asch Manhattan Beachwear Sells Majority Stake Cypress, Calif.–based women’s swimwear maker Manhattan Beachwear sold an 80 percent stake to Linsalata Capital Partners, a Cleveland-based private equity firm. Manhattan Beachwear—which licenses the Kenneth Cole, Hermanny by Vix, Sofia by Vix, Hobie and Split labels—has annual sales of $65 million, according to Linsalata. Founder and Chief Executive Allan Colvin and his management team “invested alongside [Linsalata] and will continue in their current roles,” a release from the investment firm said. In the past, Linsalata has invested in niche apparel, including Alpha Shirt Co. and Augusta Sportswear Group. Linsalata said the goal of the acquisition is to build on Manhattan Beachwear’s success with its retail partners—which include large national department stores, mass merchants and specialty swimwear outlets—and become the leading supplier of women’s swimwear by providing unique design capability and high-quality products supported by consistent execution and a low-cost global supply chain. Growing Manhattan Beachwear’s portfolio is another goal. The company will seek add-on acquisitions that provide the opportunity to add new brands, licenses or customer relationships, Linsalata said. “We are pleased to be partnering with [Linsalata] as we enter a period of aggressive expansion. Their experience in the sector will undoubtedly be helpful as we manage our growth going forward,” Colvin said in a statement. Eric Bacon, senior managing director at Linsalata, said, “We are excited to be working with this team and in this space coming off strong performance despite the weak economy. Women’s swimwear has proved recessionresistant, and the company, in particular, has strong momentum.”—Erin Barajas WEEK IN REVIEW <strong>California</strong> It gets Juicy. The two <strong>California</strong> women who founded Juicy Couture and then sold it to Liz Claiborne Inc. in 2003 reportedly have left the company. In a New York Post story, Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy said they wanted to work on other projects now that they have been with Liz Claiborne for seven years. They stepped down as co-presidents in 2008 to become creative directors until their decision to leave the New York apparel behemoth, whose other labels include Kate Spade, Lucky Brand Jeans and Mexx. Liz Claiborne announced internally on Jan. 4 that the <strong>California</strong> duo was leaving but would be retained as consultants. Juicy Couture has long been considered Liz’s star brand and had several licensing deals for such things as perfume, shoes and handbags. Like the other labels in the Liz Claiborne stable, Juicy’s revenues were down in 2009. For the nine months ended Oct. 3, the label’s net sales were $376 million, a 13 percent decrease compared with 2008. National Abboud in at HMX. Menswear designer Joseph Abboud was named president and chief creative officer of HMX LLC, the company formerly known as Hartmarx Inc. In his new position, Abboud will oversee HMX’s brands—Hickey Freeman, Hart Schaffner Marx, Coppley, Bobby Jones, Exclusively Misook, Simply Blue (which includes Christopher Blue Denim and Worn Men’s and Women’s) and Monarchy Collection—beginning with the Spring 2011 collections. The award-winning Abboud got his start at Ralph Lauren and went on to launch his eponymous collection in 1986. He was named “Best Menswear Designer” by the Council of Fashion Designers of America for two years in a row. Kohl’s is all green. Menomonee Falls, Wis.–based retailer Kohl’s Department Stores has purchased nearly 1.4 billion kilowatt hours of green-energy power— enough to meet 100 percent of the retailer’s annual purchased electricity use. The green-energy purchase moved Kohl’s up to the No. 2 spot on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s list of Fortune 500 companies purchasing green power. Green power is generated from renewable resources, such as wind and solar. Quote of the Week You’re always treading lightly. I’ve had actresses who are a size 2 stand in front of me and weep. I’ve had young girls who want to cover their arms and older women who want to cover their arms. But at the end of the day, it’s always really about the client. —Los Angeles–based designer Kevan Hall, who dressed actresses Gabourey Sidibe and Jaime Pressly for the recent Golden Globe Awards, discussing designing for a range of sizes in a story in The Washington Post
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