The Power of Being In-The-Know: Why Reading Fashion News Articles Is Essential

In the ever-evolving world of fashion, staying informed is not just a choice; it's a necessity. Fashion enthusiasts, designers, and industry professionals alike understand the immense benefit of regularly indulging in fashion news articles. In a landscape where trends can change in the blink of an eye, knowledge truly is power. Here's why keeping up with fashion news is a must for anyone passionate about style.

1. Unveiling the Latest Trends

Fashion is a dynamic realm where trends appear and disappear with lightning speed. Reading fashion news articles is like having a front-row seat to the fashion circus. It allows you to witness the emergence of fresh trends, understand their origins, and gauge their potential longevity. By staying updated on what's currently en vogue, you can effortlessly incorporate these trends into your wardrobe, ensuring you always look on-point.

2. Understanding the Industry

The fashion industry is a vast and complex ecosystem encompassing everything from haute couture to streetwear. Reading fashion news provides valuable insights into the workings of this multifaceted world. You'll learn about the latest collaborations, industry mergers, and the strategies employed by your favorite brands. This knowledge is invaluable, especially for those aspiring to break into the fashion industry themselves.

3. Access to Insider Information

Fashion news articles often feature exclusive interviews with designers, models, and industry insiders. These interviews provide a glimpse into the minds of creative geniuses and the vision behind their collections. By understanding the motivations and inspirations of fashion luminaries, you gain a deeper appreciation for their work and can better relate to their designs.

More Followers on Facebook

How can the fashion industry get more followers on Facebook?  OK, first let me start by being honest.  The honest answer is that I don't have the slightest clue regarding how to get more followers on Facebook.  This is evident by the fact that Apparel Search has only a very small number of followers on Facebook.  Clearly, we should not be your "go to" resource on this topic.  Anyway, here are my thoughts of what "in theory" should help.

1) Post interesting comments, photos & videos about fashion.

2) Make friends with fashion influencers (stylish people that have many followers)

3) Work on above over and over and over again.

Oh, if you are pretty (or handsome) post a ton of selfies.  If you are not so attractive, post images of attractive people instead of selfies.  Are you an ugly fashion blogger?  

Holiday Shopping Season 2018

FYI the holiday shopping season has already begun.  Don't fall behind.  Visit your favorite fashion boutiques today.  The year’s biggest retail moments are either underway or just around the corner.  Think Sunday Night Football, Halloween, Cyber 5, Green Monday, and of course last-minute gift shopping for Christmas and other fabulous holidays.  So many great shopping opportunities between now and the end of the year.

If you are looking for fashion news about the holiday selling season, you may want to check out the top 10 fashion news sources.

You may also have interest in viewing our new fashion news feeds.

Fashion News Article Archive Historical Reference

Historical Archive our our Fashion News Posts.

You may have noticed that our Fashion Blog Archive begins back in 2013.  For those of you that are not aware, 2013 is when we started this particular fashion blog.  However, we have been publishing apparel industry news and blog posts long before that year.

Here is a brief example from our fashion news archive:

Fashion Articles 2012

Fashion Articles 2011

Fashion Articles 2010

Fashion Articles 2009

Fashion Articles 2007

Fashion Articles 2006

Fashion Articles 2005

Fashion Articles 2004

Yes, we had been publishing fashion industry news prior to 2004 as well.  Our Fashion News ASAP section goes back earlier then our news article section.

If you would like to go really far back and wish to specifically find an old fashion blog post you can go back to the first fashion blog post which is in our Think Tank section.  That fashion blog post was written in 2000.

Don't forget we previously posted on our Fashion Newspaper (FashionNewspaper.com) website as well, and we have a few other clothing relevant blogs that we started before then one you are reading now at www.blog.apparelsearch.com  For example, back in 2005 we started a fashion blog at http://www.fashionblog.us  In 2010, we started to experiment at the Fashion Salad http://www.fashionsalad.com/ and a few other small style blog sites.

Anyway, above is just for historical reference in case you were curious.

Learn more about fashion industry news.

kathy ireland Intimates & Sleepwear License

kathy ireland® Worldwide and PPI Apparel Group are extending their partnership for kathy ireland® Intimates & Sleepwear through 2023, it was announced by Mr. Abe Hanan, Partner of New York-based PPI Apparel Group.

PPI Apparel Group first debuted the kathy ireland® Intimates & Sleepwear collection in Spring 2012. The two companies are now celebrating the $100 million sales benchmark. "We were thrilled to be awarded with the exclusive license for kathy ireland® Intimates & Sleepwear several years ago," says Mr. Hanan. "We knew then that a partnership with kiWW®, one of the most successful brands in the world, presented a tremendous and unique opportunity for our company. Our sales projections were doubled and we are now celebrating a major milestone. We are even more thrilled to be able to share this success with Kathy and her exceptionally talented team at kiWW®," he adds.

"Abe, Joey, and Mr. Morris Hanan are three of the most extraordinary leaders and executives we've ever met. The Hanan Family had the courage to return our brand to fashion after our success in the home industry," says Kathy, kiWW's CEO & Chief Designer who this year graced the cover of Forbes Magazine for the second time as one of America's 50 most successful self-made women. "Many, many years ago our apparel was sold at the discount channel. When we decided to reset apparel, after enormous success in home... all the king's horses and all the king's men said our apparel couldn't move forward... but the Hanan's obviously could. Their extraordinary design team, in concert with our Global Creative Director, are making miraculous things happen. We are outselling so many leading intimate apparel brands. Our on-trend design work, in-stock positioning and customer connection has more powerful results than expensive, ubiquitous advertising. Our sales and margins are excellent... and sales and margins are the bottom lines, after all. Aren't they? Congratulations Abe, Joey, Mr. Morris Hanan and every team member at PPI! We started as a business, and became a business family."

The kathy ireland® Intimates & Sleepwear collection includes functional, sophisticated, fashion-forward and on-trend bras, panties, shapewear and sleepwear. The new upcoming collections will see expansion in girls and the launch of underwear for men, I'M1.

About PPI Apparel Group

PPI Apparel Group products are currently being sold in over 35,000 retail locations throughout the US and Canada and abroad. Their primary corporate focus has been fashion intimates, shapewear and sleepwear for the junior, missy and full figure market. They offer their expertise through a vast array of licensed properties and additionally are a premier source for private label product to many retailers.

About kathy ireland® Worldwide

Founded in 1993, the kathy ireland® Worldwide brand, celebrates a lifestyle. The missions of "...solutions for families, especially busy moms™," "...solutions for people in love™," and "...solutions for people in business™," translate to all kiWW® collections, including: fashion, fine jewelry, intimate apparel, skincare, accessories, weddings, home, office and more. kiWW's unique capability to design and translate fashion trends for all markets and price points allows it to develop product for a wide variety of customer tastes. Listed as the 25th most powerful brand globally by License Global Magazine, with annual merchandise sales of $2.6 billion, according to Forbes Magazine, the success of kathy ireland® Worldwide is the result of teamwork and dedication. Kathy has graced the cover of Forbes Magazine twice (2012, 2016) and according to Fairchild Publications, Kathy Ireland is one of the 50 most influential people in fashion.

Kathy and kiWW® support many non-profits including: YWCA Greater Los Angeles for which she is an Ambassador, Dream Foundation, Providence Educational Foundation, 911 for Kids/AEF, and the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Kathy was recently named an Ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

Thank you for taking the time to read our apparel industry licensing blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

JustFab Collaborates with Betches

JustFab, the leading fashion-subscription, e-commerce site and lifestyle fashion brand is pleased to announce its collaboration with the trend-setting social media platform, Betches. The partnership encompasses multiple joint marketing opportunities and curated collections selected by the creators themselves, Jordana Abraham, Samantha Fishbein and Aleen Kuperman, which will include an assortment of apparel, shoes and handbags, continuing into 2017.

"We're so excited to be working with JustFab on this partnership! Our two teams were in sync right away and it's been a natural fit from the start.  We can't wait for our fans to see our first collection and our ongoing collaboration this coming year," commented the founders of Betches.

Considered a pioneer in the digital space as one of the first online subscription retailers, JustFab continues at the top of emerging market trends with a non-traditional marketing approach. JustFab has joined forces with the widely popular social media handle, Betches, to further connect with its target audience through the trendsetting and engaging platform. By working closely with the like-minded digital brand, the partnership will convey its joint message of women empowerment through all sizes and styles highlighting humor and fashion for women of all ages.

“For JustFab, partnering with Betches just makes sense – we are at the forefront of using technology to better understand our customers’ needs and serve them with the right products, styling, trend information, and fashion & lifestyle content. Betches provides its customers with just that, along with a healthy dose of humor. It’s a platform where you can have fun with fashion & lifestyle content, and laugh with your friends over how relatable it really is. That’s exactly the type of partnership we want to offer our customers,” commented Traci Inglis, Chief Marketing Officer of TechStyle, JustFab’s parent company.

The partnership will consist of joint collaborations including select light-hearted, fun and quirky graphics that will be shared over the Betches social media handles including Instagram (4.5 million followers), Facebook (90k likes), Twitter (160k likes) in addition to their website Betches.com (10m page views). The partnership will also include several curated collections hand-picked by the Betches founders in addition to the official launch event in November 2016.

Similar to JustFab, the Betches creators go by the mantra of not taking yourself too seriously and feeling confident in who you are. Betches represents the voice of not only millions of JustFab’s customers but also the everyday woman looking to feel empowered and inspired. “Women relate to the Betches content because it pokes fun at our everyday lives in a way that is relatable and fun. Our customers love that,” added Traci Inglis, Chief Marketing Officer. The everyday woman wears many hats all of which Betches tap into through their relatable and humorous content. JustFab wants to show no matter what hat you’re wearing that day, there’s a style to match.

For more information about JustFab and to shop online, please visit www.JustFab.com.

ABOUT BETCHES

Betches was started in 2011 as a blog by college roommates and childhood friends Jordana Abraham, Samantha Fishbein, and Aleen Kuperman. Their blog immediately went viral, and from there they knew they had a unique chance to build their business from the ground up. Five years later, they have a created a huge millennial brand with an audience of over 5 million, two New York Times bestselling books, and a successful retail operation, Shop Betches. The Betches are excited to be launching this collaboration with JustFab and for many new exciting projects to come.

ABOUT JUSTFAB:

Founded in 2010, JustFab is the leading fashion-subscription ecommerce site and lifestyle fashion brand that offers members an engaging and personalized shopping experience. Millions of members worldwide are given the celebrity treatment every month as they receive a customized selection of shoes, apparel, handbags and jewelry. Members have exclusive access to fashion tips and content, clickable style boards to shop complete outfits and the team of JustFab fashion consultants for expert advice. JustFab offers high-fashion looks at affordable prices and shipping is free for all items over $39.95. 

ABOUT TECHSTYLE FASHION GROUP (FORMERLY JUSTFAB INC.):

TechStyle Fashion Group is a global fashion and lifestyle company founded in 2010 to deliver access, quality and style for unprecedented value. TechStyle Fashion Group uniquely merges advanced technology with the latest fashion trends to offer an entirely new shopping experience to millions of customers worldwide, including 4 million VIP Members, through a portfolio of apparel and shoe brands. TechStyle Fashion Group is reimagining the business of fashion through data, personalization and vertical integration to benefit the modern shopper. TechStyle Fashion Group’s brands include JustFab, Fabletics, ShoeDazzle and Fabkids, and are available in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. www.TechStyle.com

Socialyte Influence Casting Teams with Brandsway Creative

Brandsway Creative, a New York boutique PR firm specializing in entertainment and pop-culture is proud to announce being appointed agency of record for Socialyte the world's largest influencer casting and creative agency.

Socialyte provides curated talents and verified stats on over 10,000 top creators. Brandsway Creative, will be handling all media relations and branding partnership announcements for the agency moving forward. 

Founded by Beca Alexander and Daniel Saynt, Socialyte was launched in 2012 after finding a need in the market for curated influencer castings.  As the leading influencer casting and representation agency based in New York, they  manage and guide the careers of some of fashion’s most influential digital talents including Marianna Hewitt of Life With Me and Adam Gallagher of I Am Galla. Whilst also providing services to over 250 clients which include Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Burberry. The agency has helped media, fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands amass millions of fans and dollars through curated social storytelling. They have seen a 250% revenue increase in 2015. 

Socialyte’s talent roster includes international fashion, beauty, men's and lifestyle influencers, photographers, Instagram stars, Viners, Youtube celebrities, Snapchat personalities, young Hollywood, DJs, musicians, dancers, wellness gurus, travelers, fitness advisors, stylists, videographers, creative directors and designers.

Services include: Talent Management, Influencer Castings, Influencer Placements, Media Planning, Socialyte Studio, Media Partners, Travel Activations, Affiliate Integration, Events and Festivals, Content Amplification, Social Profile Management, Influencer Status Reports. 

Learn more about Socialyte at http://www.socialyte.co  

Learn more about fashion influencers.  Am I a fashion influencer?

Sequential Brands First Quarter 2016 Growth

First Quarter 2016 Results for Sequential Brands shows revenue growth.  The fashion brand licensing company is moving in a positive direction.  Total revenue for the first quarter ended March 31, 2016 increased to $34.0 million, compared to $13.6 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $16.7 million, compared to $8.0 million in the prior year quarter. On a non-GAAP basis, net income for the quarter ending March 31, 2016 was $2.5 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to $1.3 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, in the prior year quarter. On a GAAP basis, net loss was $(1.1) million for the first quarter, or $(0.02) per diluted share, compared to net income of $1.4 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, in the prior year quarter.  

You can see more information such as tables for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures in the investor relations section of their website.  See their press release for more information.

Sequential Brands Group believes that great brands are built one step at a time. They also need great people to help nurture and grow them.  They have gathered a group of seasoned experts ranging from consumer design, product development, marketing, branding, licensing, digital media, and PR to work with all their brands.

Their experts, who span multiple consumer sectors, act as a catalyst to increase value through brand design, innovation, and extension through their licensing model.  A well-defined, strategic philosophy and mission statement promotes, supports, and protects Sequential Brands Group most valuable asset which is their owned brands.

Learn more about Sequential Brands Group.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion industry news. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

HanesBrands to Acquire Pacific Brands

HanesBrands, a leading worldwide marketer of underwear, intimate apparel and activewear, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pacific Brands Limited, the leading underwear and intimate apparel company in Australia.

The acquisition would be Hanes’ sixth in the past three years and would add Australia and New Zealand to the list of countries where the company holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market share position for underwear, intimate apparel or hosiery. The countries include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and South Africa.

HanesBrands projects that under its ownership publicly traded Pacific Brands (ASX: PBG) would have calendar 2016 net sales in its core Underwear and Sheridan businesses of approximately AUD800 million (US$600 million) and adjusted operating profit of AUD75 million (US$56 million). The Melbourne-based company, which has a June fiscal year end, sells primarily in Australia with some distribution in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Asia.

“Pacific Brands is a natural addition to the HanesBrands portfolio with its strong market-leading brands that will be complemented by our global supply chain,” Hanes Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard A. Noll said. “In the span of 10 years, we have transformed the company through acquisitions and our Innovate-to-Elevate initiatives. We have tripled operating profits and expanded from a $4 billion company concentrated in the United States to a $7 billion global underwear and activewear powerhouse spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. This foundation will serve as a catalyst for even further growth and value creation for the foreseeable future.”

Pacific Brands has three business units – Underwear, Sheridan, and Tontine & Dunlop. The company has undergone significant restructuring over the past two years to streamline its portfolio to focus on the core Underwear and Sheridan businesses.

Pacific Brands’ restructuring and focus on Underwear and Sheridan has resulted in significant sales and profit growth.  Based on fiscal 2016 expectations, the core businesses have a combined two-year compound annual sales growth rate of approximately 8 percent.

Of the core business, Underwear accounts for three-fourths of sales and includes underwear, bras, socks, hosiery, babywear and outerwear. The Underwear group is successfully executing growth strategies to reshape its wholesale business, expand distribution, and increase retail and online sales. The group operates more than 150 company retail stores and retailer shop-in-shops.

Underwear has a three-year compound annual sales growth rate of 7 percent. The company’s biggest Underwear brand is the fast-growing Bonds, an iconic century-old brand that holds the No. 1 market share for men’s underwear, women’s underwear, children’s underwear, babywear and socks, as well as the No. 3 position in bras. In addition, the Berlei brand of premium bras sold in department stores is No. 2 in overall bra market share and No.1 in sports bras.

The acquisition is expected to result in significant savings through the use of Hanes’ large-scale, low-cost global supply chain. Pacific Brands sources the significant majority of its underwear and intimate apparel production from third-party manufacturers, while Hanes relies primarily on company-owned manufacturing. The acquisition also would add to Hanes’ global product design, development and innovation capabilities that span the Americas, Europe and the Pacific Rim.

The Sheridan business, which accounts for a quarter of the core business, has benefited from newly combined infrastructure with the Underwear group.  Sheridan markets luxury linens, towels, bedding accessories, and loungewear in the retail and wholesale channels and has recently launched babywear.

In the press release it mentions that Hanes will seek to retain the Pacific Brands’ senior management team to run the business after the acquisition.

The definitive purchase agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. The acquisition, which is subject to Pacific Brands shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016. Goldman, Sachs & Co. is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Hanes, while Baker & McKenzie is serving as legal counsel.

Learn more about HanesBrands here on Apparel Search, the world’s greatest fashion website (greatest, according to us).

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion industry blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

HanesBrands to Acquire Champion Europe

HanesBrands, a leading marketer of everyday innerwear and activewear apparel under world-class brands in the Americas, Europe and Asia, today announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Champion Europe, which owns the trademark for the Champion brand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

The acquisition, which is subject to certain closing conditions, is expected to close midyear 2016.

Champion Europe designs, sources and sells Champion athletic apparel wholesale to retailers and directly to consumers via company-owned retail stores. The company’s largest wholesale markets are Italy, Greece, Spain and Scandinavia, while the company operates approximately 130 retail stores in Italy and Greece.

Red Carpet Access from Los Angeles Times

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Iconix Brand Group News Summary

Iconix Brand Group has had several important news reports during the past few months.  They were investigated by the SEC, created a short-term shareholder rights plan, took steps toward a conclusion with SEC, and appointed a new president and member of the board.  Sure seems like a bumpy road an plenty of significant issues unrelated to marketing fashion brands.  Hopefully they will now be able to turn their attentions back to the apparel industry and consumers of fashion.

Feb. 23, 2016: The Board of Directors of Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced that John N. Haugh has been appointed President and a member of the Board of Directors effective February 23, 2016.  Mr. Haugh will become Chief Executive Officer of Iconix on April 1, 2016.   At that time, Interim CEO Peter Cuneo will transition to Executive Chairman of the Iconix Board.  Mr. Haugh is a proven executive with more than 30 years of experience leading premier global brands and retail businesses at highly respected companies, including Luxottica S.p.A., Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. and Mars, Inc.  In his role as President of Sun, Luxury and Retail Services for Luxottica Retail, N.A., he led more than 14,000 Sunglass Hut associates; managed the Luxottica and Macy's, Inc. license operations business; directed the luxury optical business; and managed real estate, design and construction for Luxottica Retail, N.A.

Feb. 18, 2016: Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced that it will restate historical financial statements based on the Company's conclusions related to the accounting treatment applied to certain transactions in connection with the previously disclosed comment letter process with the Staff of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Staff").  The Company has responded to the Staff with a Confirming Letter on all of the questions the Staff has raised.  The Company also reaffirmed its guidance for 2015 licensing revenue, non-GAAP diluted EPS and free cash flow.  Due to the restatements, the Company anticipates filing its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and reporting fourth quarter and full year 2015 financial results by, the extended filing date of March 15, 2016.  Please refer to the Form 8-K filed February 18, 2016 for additional details on the restatement, including tables detailing the estimated adjustments.  Peter Cuneo, Chairman and Interim CEO, commented "As we have stated in the past, the comment letter process was related to highly technical accounting standards and while we are disappointed to have to restate our financial statements, as we expected, there will be no impact on free cash flow.  Moving forward we are highly focused on positioning Iconix for long term success and are pleased to announce that our core operating business is on track to achieve our 2015 and 2016 projections. We also remain on track with our financing plans and expect to be in the position to refinance our convertible notes that mature in June 2016."

Jan. 27, 2016  Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has adopted a short-term shareholder rights plan (the "Rights Plan"), which will expire following the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders, absent an extension being approved by shareholders. The Board adopted the Rights Plan in light of recent activity in the Company's shares, including the recent accumulation of meaningful positions by holders of derivative securities, and what the Iconix Board and management believes is a currently depressed share price for the Company's common stock.  They pointed out that the Rights Plan is similar to plans adopted by numerous publicly-traded companies and was not adopted in response to any specific takeover bid or other proposal to acquire control of the Company.

Dec. 28, 2015: Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced that the Company received a formal order of investigation from the Staff of the SEC.  The Company intends to fully cooperate with the SEC.  As previously disclosed, the Company is currently in a comment letter process with the Staff of the SEC related to the accounting treatment for the formation of certain joint ventures.  Additionally, the Company formed a Special Committee of the Board of Directors to conduct a review of the accounting treatment related to certain of the Company's transactions.  As announced in a Form 8-K filed on November 5, 2015, the Company's current management team determined, based in part on the Special Committee's review, that the Company would restate its historical financial statements in respect of (i) the 2013 fiscal year and the fourth quarter thereof, (ii) the 2014 fiscal year and each quarterly period thereof and (iii) the first and second quarters of 2015, to correct certain errors in accounting. The Company completed these restatements, which were filed at the end of November 2015.

About Iconix Brand Group, Inc.

Iconix Brand Group, Inc. owns, licenses and markets a growing portfolio of consumer brands including: CANDIE'S (R), BONGO (R), BADGLEY MISCHKA (R), JOE BOXER (R), RAMPAGE (R), MUDD (R), MOSSIMO (R), LONDON FOG (R), OCEAN PACIFIC (R), DANSKIN (R), ROCAWEAR (R), CANNON (R), ROYAL VELVET (R), FIELDCREST (R), CHARISMA (R), STARTER (R), WAVERLY (R), ZOO YORK (R), SHARPER IMAGE (R), UMBRO (R), LEE COOPER (R), ECKO UNLTD. (R), MARC ECKO (R) and STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE (R). In addition, Iconix owns interests in the ARTFUL DODGER (R), MATERIAL GIRL (R), PEANUTS (R), ED HARDY (R), TRUTH OR DARE (R), MODERN AMUSEMENT (R), BUFFALO (R), NICK GRAHAM (R) and PONY (R) brands. The Company licenses its brands to a network of leading retailers and manufacturers that touch every major segment of retail distribution from the luxury market to the mass market in both the U.S. and worldwide. Through its in-house business development, merchandising, advertising and public relations departments, Iconix manages its brands to drive greater consumer awareness and equity.

Learn more about Iconix Brand Group here on Apparel Search.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this fashion industry news to be informative. 

Read more fashion industry news.

If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

American Apparel Emerges & Values Wholesalers

On February 5, 2016 American Apparel, LLC (the "Company"), a manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of branded fashion-basic apparel, announced  that they have emerged from chapter 11 as a private company after successfully implementing its plan of reorganization, approved by the Delaware bankruptcy court on January 27, 2016.

The fashion industry understands that American Apparel is more than just clothing stores.  Before opening the stores, they began as manufacturers with an extensive list of wholesale accounts.  Today via a newsletter they have informed their wholesale clients regarding the benefits of their recent restructuring.

As mentioned above, American Apparel recently emerged from its financial restructuring process.  It is generally agreed that the completion of this process is positive news for the company.  With $230 million of debt removed from the balance sheet, drastically reduced interest expenses, and an injection of $80 million from their investors, they can now devote their attention to implementing their turnaround plan and possibly achieving operational excellence.

This means they can focus their energy on designing and manufacturing of clothing.

By mid-March you will see several exciting new additions to the organic and sublimation collections. Their demand planning process has been upgraded to ensure that these new styles, and their iconic classics, will be in stock and available for shipment to their wholesale customers.

Summary of American Apparel’s 2016 reorganization: 

American Apparel's reorganization plan converted approximately $230 million of bonds into equity in the Company and provided for the infusion into the Company of $40 million of exit capital and a commitment for a $40 million asset-backed loan. These sources of incremental liquidity will serve as vital support to the Company's turnaround plan, and interest expense will decrease by $20 million as compared to the period before the Company's chapter 11 case. Under the reorganization plan, the Company also converted its corporate form from a Delaware corporation to a Delaware limited liability company and, therefore, is now known as American Apparel, LLC.

If you are tired of hearing about the reorganization and prefer to shop for t-shirts & underwear, you are welcome to go shopping at the American Apparel website.

Thank you for taking the time to read our apparel industry blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

BULACE Diversity Enriched Fashion Magazine

New York City based BULACE Magazine is pleased to announce the launch of its Kickstarter campaign. The new magazine promotes diversity in the fashion industry through the intentional use of LGBTQIA models, ethnic models, plus size models and disabled models. 

The world is changing. Diverse groups of people are finally being accepted for who they are after fighting for rights and recognition over generations. While the world is changing, the fashion industry hasn’t kept pace — until now. With the publication of BULACE, finally there will be a fashion magazine that is diverse and inclusive rather than homogenous and exclusive. Editor-in-Chief, Rachel Seaforth explains, “We're not just using diverse models and designers for the sake of diversity. We're including them because we believe in their talent. We believe in their beauty. This magazine does not discriminate against anyone. There is no reason why a beautiful slim, Caucasian model can't appear alongside a gorgeous transgender Asian model, or a beautiful plus-size model. If the model is talented and works well in the photo shoot, we're going to use them because it is ridiculous not to!"

Fashion is constantly changing, but previously, fashion magazines tended to use only homogenous images, while the population is anything but homogenous. BULACE hopes to change the paradigm by using models of all sizes and ethnicities, as well as models with disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQIA. The best photographers, hair and makeup artists and styles will help to make this magazine relevant to all women. 

Julissa Greenspan, spokesperson for the magazine explained, "There is a strong emphasis on quality and creativity in BULACE Magazine. The magazine only works with the most talented photographers, MUAs and stylists. As with any magazine, our goal is to captivate our reader's attention in a very modern way." 

BULACE Magazine’s Kickstarter campaign is now available online. It can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bulace/revolutionary-diversity-enriched-fashion-magazine


Learn more about BULACE at www.bulacemagazine.com. 

BULACE Diversity Enriched Fashion Magazine

New York City based BULACE Magazine is pleased to announce the launch of its Kickstarter campaign. The new magazine promotes diversity in the fashion industry through the intentional use of LGBTQIA models, ethnic models, plus size models and disabled models. 

The world is changing. Diverse groups of people are finally being accepted for who they are after fighting for rights and recognition over generations. While the world is changing, the fashion industry hasn’t kept pace — until now. With the publication of BULACE, finally there will be a fashion magazine that is diverse and inclusive rather than homogenous and exclusive. Editor-in-Chief, Rachel Seaforth explains, “We're not just using diverse models and designers for the sake of diversity. We're including them because we believe in their talent. We believe in their beauty. This magazine does not discriminate against anyone. There is no reason why a beautiful slim, Caucasian model can't appear alongside a gorgeous transgender Asian model, or a beautiful plus-size model. If the model is talented and works well in the photo shoot, we're going to use them because it is ridiculous not to!"

Fashion is constantly changing, but previously, fashion magazines tended to use only homogenous images, while the population is anything but homogenous. BULACE hopes to change the paradigm by using models of all sizes and ethnicities, as well as models with disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQIA. The best photographers, hair and makeup artists and styles will help to make this magazine relevant to all women. 

Julissa Greenspan, spokesperson for the magazine explained, "There is a strong emphasis on quality and creativity in BULACE Magazine. The magazine only works with the most talented photographers, MUAs and stylists. As with any magazine, our goal is to captivate our reader's attention in a very modern way." 

BULACE Magazine’s Kickstarter campaign is now available online. It can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bulace/revolutionary-diversity-enriched-fashion-magazine


Learn more about BULACE at www.bulacemagazine.com. 

BULACE Diversity Enriched Fashion Magazine

New York City based BULACE Magazine is pleased to announce the launch of its Kickstarter campaign. The new magazine promotes diversity in the fashion industry through the intentional use of LGBTQIA models, ethnic models, plus size models and disabled models. 

The world is changing. Diverse groups of people are finally being accepted for who they are after fighting for rights and recognition over generations. While the world is changing, the fashion industry hasn’t kept pace — until now. With the publication of BULACE, finally there will be a fashion magazine that is diverse and inclusive rather than homogenous and exclusive. Editor-in-Chief, Rachel Seaforth explains, “We're not just using diverse models and designers for the sake of diversity. We're including them because we believe in their talent. We believe in their beauty. This magazine does not discriminate against anyone. There is no reason why a beautiful slim, Caucasian model can't appear alongside a gorgeous transgender Asian model, or a beautiful plus-size model. If the model is talented and works well in the photo shoot, we're going to use them because it is ridiculous not to!"

Fashion is constantly changing, but previously, fashion magazines tended to use only homogenous images, while the population is anything but homogenous. BULACE hopes to change the paradigm by using models of all sizes and ethnicities, as well as models with disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQIA. The best photographers, hair and makeup artists and styles will help to make this magazine relevant to all women. 

Julissa Greenspan, spokesperson for the magazine explained, "There is a strong emphasis on quality and creativity in BULACE Magazine. The magazine only works with the most talented photographers, MUAs and stylists. As with any magazine, our goal is to captivate our reader's attention in a very modern way." 

BULACE Magazine’s Kickstarter campaign is now available online. It can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bulace/revolutionary-diversity-enriched-fashion-magazine


Learn more about BULACE at www.bulacemagazine.com. 

BULACE Diversity Enriched Fashion Magazine

New York City based BULACE Magazine is pleased to announce the launch of its Kickstarter campaign. The new magazine promotes diversity in the fashion industry through the intentional use of LGBTQIA models, ethnic models, plus size models and disabled models. 

The world is changing. Diverse groups of people are finally being accepted for who they are after fighting for rights and recognition over generations. While the world is changing, the fashion industry hasn’t kept pace — until now. With the publication of BULACE, finally there will be a fashion magazine that is diverse and inclusive rather than homogenous and exclusive. Editor-in-Chief, Rachel Seaforth explains, “We're not just using diverse models and designers for the sake of diversity. We're including them because we believe in their talent. We believe in their beauty. This magazine does not discriminate against anyone. There is no reason why a beautiful slim, Caucasian model can't appear alongside a gorgeous transgender Asian model, or a beautiful plus-size model. If the model is talented and works well in the photo shoot, we're going to use them because it is ridiculous not to!"

Fashion is constantly changing, but previously, fashion magazines tended to use only homogenous images, while the population is anything but homogenous. BULACE hopes to change the paradigm by using models of all sizes and ethnicities, as well as models with disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQIA. The best photographers, hair and makeup artists and styles will help to make this magazine relevant to all women. 

Julissa Greenspan, spokesperson for the magazine explained, "There is a strong emphasis on quality and creativity in BULACE Magazine. The magazine only works with the most talented photographers, MUAs and stylists. As with any magazine, our goal is to captivate our reader's attention in a very modern way." 

BULACE Magazine’s Kickstarter campaign is now available online. It can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bulace/revolutionary-diversity-enriched-fashion-magazine


Learn more about BULACE at www.bulacemagazine.com. 

Making Money with a Fashion Blog

How do I make money with a FASHION BLOG?  Wow, that's an amazing question.

The most important question that a fashion blogger should ask his or her self is, "why am I creating a blog?".  It needs to be determined if you are creating one for love or for money.  If you are simply creating a blog for the love of doing so, that is awesome.  You are already a success.

If you are creating a fashion blog in the attempt to make money, you need a plan.  The truth is that making a great blog is easy.  Making money from it, is not so easy.

Here is a secret to success... Test, test, and test.  In other words, you need to know what works for your website and what does not.  The best way to achieve this goal is to play around with colors, layouts, advertising, etc.

Rather then figure this all out on your own, you can use a service such as Ezoic.

Find out what Ezoic can do to help you improve your fashion websites revenue.

Apparel Search is currently testing the ezoic system and we have been happy thus far with the experience.

A Google Certified Publishing Partner.  Learn more about Ezoic here.

One of the best parts of the system is that it makes old websites mobile friendly.

What is your favorite fashion news resource?

Where do you go to get your fashion news?  Obviously, you read it here on the Fashion Blog, but we know you have other favorites as well.

Some times, we enjoy reading news that pertains specifically to the fashion industry.  For example, news about new manufacturing techniques, fabrics, or holiday sales data.  However, we also often have interest in some what mindless reading such as news about celebrity viewings and OOTD (outfit of the day) blog posts.  Some of us enjoy reading about trendy new boots and others enjoy reading about how silver works as an antimicrobial in textiles.  Which ever you preference, you can find plenty on the internet.

By the way, don't you just adore this Reunite Up GTX boot that I found today at Clarks (if you are curious, it is style # 26110954).

Can you guess about where you can find some of the best in celebrity style, the latest fashion news, and trends on and off the runway?  Yup, that would be at Vogue.

The latest news on Fashion News is on POPSUGAR Fashion. On POPSUGAR Fashion you will find news on fashion, style and Fashion News.

If you want to try and stay a cut above the competitions, you may want to read at The Cut from New York Magazine.  The Cut's news section takes the form of a fashion blog with a continuous feed of the latest Cut articles.

From fashion week coverage and the best dressed stars on the red carpet, to what's chic on the streets and trends to watch out for this season you can visit the Elle website.  They clearly know what they are doing in regard to reporting on the world of style.

If above is not enough, you can obviously finding many more resources in the fashion news section here on Apparel Search.  After all of that research, if you still need even more, don't forget to check the following resources:

www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion 

www.huffingtonpost.com/news/fashion-news 

www.instyle.com/fashion 

www.theguardian.com/fashion 

What is your favorite place to go to get news about clothing and other aspects of our industry?  Seriously, we really want to know.  If the ones you like the most are not listed above, you can add your favorites to the comment section on this post.

If you want to learn more about the stylish boot pictured above, here is a little summary for your reference.  With its turndown cuff, faux fur linings, and GORE-TEX® breathable, waterproof technology, this lace-up boot keeps feet dry, warm, and comfortable all winter long. Crafted by Clarks® Artisan of premium dark brown leather, it features an OrthoLite® cushioned footbed and rubber traction outsoles. Wear this women's boot in style and comfort, in fall leaves through winter's storms.  Not sure if it is still in stock, but I found it at the Clarks website if you want to try and find it.  By the way, that show is actually for women.  It would look good if they made it in men's as well.

Learn more about fashion industry news.

Autumn/Winter 2015 Denim Fashion Collection Growth

C&A, one of the leading fashion retail businesses in Europe, has announced the interim sales performance for its current Autumn/Winter, AW, 2015 denim fashion collection. The announcement follows an ambitious 12-month product re-engineering and business alignment project driven by C&A Europe in collaboration with its strategic partner Alvanon, the global apparel business expert.

At a joint briefing with Alvanon, C&A revealed that, to date, total turnover value for its current ladies’ AW 2015 denim range has increased by 17.4 percent compared to 2014 and the total turnover value of its entire adult denim collection is up 7.8 percent on last year. The total turnover value of adult denim is up 8.7 percent against C&A’s planned budget with ladies’ denim up 9.1 percent against plan/budget and men’s 8.3 percent against plan/budget.

Helen Walczak, head of strategic design projects and one of the key leaders of the C&A Fit Certification project, said: “We are delighted with the interim results that more than vindicate our professional and financial investment in the changes. We at C&A aim to offer style, quality and fairness through products that represent our four pillars of product design: style, craftsmanship, fit and sustainability. Therefore, we aim to continuously improve our products wherever possible through relevant partnerships. With our new fit standards developed with Alvanon, we can guarantee our customers consistent fit and size every time.

Ed Gribbin, president of Alvanon and lead consultant on the C&A project, explained: “The C&A project in terms of scope and timing is one of the most ambitious we have ever completed.” He concluded: “It has been truly inspirational to work alongside C&A’s PD&D executive team. They consistently deliver better, more targeted fashion to their customers and they deserve every success.”

In less than ten months, Alvanon analysts and business experts supplied C&A’s PD&D executive team with a comprehensive body shape analysis of its target European consumer demographic and established new technical fit standards across its Ladies Division and its new “The Denim Collection.”  Its Men’s and Kids Divisions are scheduled to be completed within the next year. Alvanon then developed and delivered new technical tools for fit evaluation and execution, such as fit mannequins and block patterns, which were rolled out across C&A’s internal product design and development teams and across its extensive supply chain. Alvanon’s team of professional development experts then devised and implemented a training program for C&A at its Dusseldorf and Brussels head offices, across its global sourcing offices and its key suppliers. The training workshops aligned and engaged internal teams and supply chain partners with the new technical standards within the context of the company’s product, brand, consumer engagement and growth objectives. 

At the end of the Ladies’ fit project, Alvanon awarded C&A with the highly respected “AlvaInside Certification,” the world’s first and only professional accreditation dedicated to apparel fit consistency. As a result of the certification, C&A now uses the AlvaInside logo and “Consistently Accurate Fit Certified by Alvanon” on specified garment labels across its AW 2015 ladieswear and adult denim ranges. 

About C&A Europe

With 1,575 stores in 21 European countries and more than 35,000 employees, C&A Europe is one of the leading fashion retail businesses in Europe. C&A Europe welcomes and provides more than two million visitors per day with good quality fashions at affordable prices for their entire family. In addition to its European stores, C&A also has a presence in Brazil, Mexico, and China.

For more information please visit: www.canda.com

About Alvanon

Alvanon was founded in 2001 when it developed a unique and innovative data-driven approach to solving the challenges of sizing and fit inherent in the apparel industry. Since that time it has evolved into a global consulting firm advising the world’s leading apparel organizations on how to align their internal teams, processes and supply chains; more intimately engage their existing and target customers; and innovate to optimize profitability and achieve their growth objectives. It has amassed a wealth of expertise across every key industry discipline including consumer analytics, concept and technical design, product development, manufacturing, quality, sourcing, planning, merchandising, distribution, marketing, e-commerce and training. Alvanon works with its clients across multiple apparel sectors in 89 countries. It operates from its head office in New York, European headquarters in London, and Asia office in Hong Kong. Alvanon also has research, development and manufacturing facilities in Dongguan and Shenzhen in China.

For more information please visit: www.alvanon.com

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion industry news blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.