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New Ethical Clothing Line
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Gap's Sales Surge
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80,000 Volt Jacket?
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The Sounding Board
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Fashion Career Expo
Page 3

Malden goes to China
Page 3

West Coast Watch
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Ask Andy
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CFDA Awards
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Clothing Imports up 30%
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Dress Distress
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100 Sexiest Women
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                                      Page 3
      Fashion Career Expo
Up to 1,000 fashion industry professionals are expected to attend the inaugural fashion career expo in New York City later this month.
Organised by 24 Seven Inc., the June 18 event will see more than 20 leading apparel firms look to recruit textile specialists, apparel designers, graphic artists, retailers, merchandisers, supply planners and marketers.
Among the major apparel brands and retailers expected to attend the event will be Tommy Hilfiger, Armani Exchange, Target, LL Bean, Polo Ralph Lauren, Jones Apparel Group, J Crew, Wal-Mart, and Liz Claiborne.
Admission to the five hour expo costs $5 and all attendees must have a college degree and two years' work experience.
Event spokesman, Stuart Kagel, commented: "We knew, despite a tough economy, that a company will always have an open job for the 'right' candidate.
"We have always wanted to hold an event like this for the fashion community. We are so pleased with the strong response from the companies."
For further details call Seth Berk at 212-655-4505 ext 244.


      6/12

Malden Mills To Set Up Operations In China
Textile maker and Polartec producer Malden Mills Industries Inc has revealed it plans to switch some of its production to China as it looks to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection later this summer.
The Massachusetts-based company said in several corporate filings it will shift some of its Polartec operations to Shanghai from its Lawrence plant but added the move will not affect the domestic factory's 1,200 workers.
The firm expects to post a full year profit of $10 million on net sales of around $178m in fiscal 2004 beginning November 1 with those figures expected to grow to $14.3m and $184.5m, respectively, in fiscal 2005.
Malden Mills filed for Chapter 11 in late 2001 partly due to a devastating fire at its key plant in 1995 and falling sales.



    4/6
                      CFDA Awards
Gazillions of young beauties paraded their talents at the CFDA Awards Monday night, but the coolest winner was 90-year-old Oleg Cassini, honored with the Board of Directors Special Tribute.
"It's good when you are 90 years old and look like 50," cracked Cassini, in the snappiest speech of an evening that began with a mini UNITE protest (featuring a near-naked muscle man) outside the New York Public Library and ended with an emotional, teary-eyed speech by Anna Wintour.
Narciso Rodriguez scooped up the Women's Wear Designer of the Year award for the second year running, and Michael Kors was a surprise victor in the men's wear category, beating out Ralph Lauren and Sean Combs.
Left: Kristin Davis at the 2003 CFDA Awards
This year's CFDA Awards, often referred to as the Oscars of fashion, in fact drew much the same crowd as the Academy Awards. Hollywood attendees included Renee Zellweger, Rachel Weisz, Marisa Tomei, Kristin Davis, Connie Nielsen, and Claire Danes, arriving on the arm of Zac Posen who was competing for the second time in the emerging talent category.
Models Karolina Kurkova, Natalia Vodianova, Michelle Hicks and Bridget Hall also showed up, as did emcee Sarah Jessica Parker, who announced the name of the designer she was wearing after each change of costume (Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Calvin Klein). But the evening's Fashion Icon honoree, Nicole Kidman, was a no-show. The Australian thesp was stuck in L.A. for re-shoots of her latest movie, "The Human Stain."
Though frequently witty, Parker was not the most tactful of hosts, drawing more than a few groans when she remarked: "Ralph Lauren is still upstairs passing the salt. You didn't get it? I meant because the tables were so long."
At times it felt like the real master of ceremonies was P. Diddy, who arrived late to dinner with a large gang of cell phone-wielding buddies, including one brightly dressed chap in embroidered silk robes, wild western boots and a huge crystal staff. Several people mistook him for funk star Bootsy Collins, but it turned out his name was Arch Bishop.
Sportingly, nominee P. Diddy stood and applauded Kors, who edged him out in the men's wear category. Combs glumly departed the Celeste Bartos Forum, but cheered up later at his after-party at Lobby, respecting the spirit of his own invitation: "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you look at the after-party." That bash drew Burberry's Christopher Bailey, International Award winner Alexander McQueen, wearing a Miami Vice white suit, and the International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes.

                        Where are the Bras??
MUNICH, Germany - Mick Jagger, staring 60 in the face, has lamented the lack of women's lingerie thrown on stage at a Rolling Stones concert in Germany -- but says a few pairs of men's underpants were hurled from the crowd.
Jagger, 59, said on Thursday there seemed to be fewer women in the crowd at the start of the European leg of the Rolling Stones "40 Licks" tour in Munich's Olympia Hall on Wednesday.
"It was all men," Jagger said at a news conference, noting a lamentable absence of the lingerie that is normally thrown at the band from the audience. However, he said he did see a few pairs of large men's underpants on the stage.

   Underfashion Club discusses Licensing
June 24, 2003 @ 6:15 pm sharp at the New York Helmsley Hotel, 212 East 42nd st. 3rd floor. New York City. Register at 5:00 pm have a light buffet with wine & beer. Members $25. Guests $35. Moderator Joyceann Cooney, Editor-in Chief of License Magazine will host this discussion on how to expand your horizons, along with a panel of experts covering all phases of licensing. Panel will include Donna Wolf of Bloomingdales, Lawyer Gregory Battersby, Licenee Diane Casey of Delta Galil U.S.A. Licensor Hal Snik of Nickelodeon and Supplier David Bell of Wacoal America, Inc.
RSVP by June 18th to 212 481-7969 or e-mail underfashionclub@aol.com


                    West Coast
       Watch
              By Mara Susskind Kalcheim
Mel Pomeranz, An Industry Icon of
       the Bra Business tells all..
Sipping ice tea in Marina del Rey recently with mel Pomeranz, a bra designer of "50 Years, I enjoyed hearing the story of his career and I know our readers will be surprised how Mel has had several careers from the beginning of just one.
As designer, consultant, author and speaker, he puts breast health first and gravity of changes in the breast second. I was surprised to learn that 70% of women haven't a clue as to their bra size. The good news is it can all be solved in 60 seconds of instructions which Mel unveils at his lectures when he travels all over the country to teach.
In addition he has a new book "Cups, the adventures of a bra designer."
In his book Mel talks of the Salons of Paris, intrigues of the Orient and how on a rainy night in Manhattan, Harry Noodleman, President of Hold Tight Girdle Co. saved our entire industry from going bust! Want to know how?..... read the book.
How did it all begin?
In a candid interview Mel told me that according to his friend Charlie, there are thirteen Bra Designers left counting Mike Stincone, who, like Mel's driving license is expected to expire in June. To explain further they are Bra Designers, ten percent of whom have been driven to madness, while others, unable to find a cure for Breast Bounce, cower in front of Frederick's of Hollywood bewildered and afraid.
It all began when Mel fell in love and married a blue eyed beauty whose father owned a bra factory and who would give him the opportunity of a lifetime. The start of the greatest journey a twenty four year old kid could ask for.
A ride that would take him from the glorification of the high rounded breast shape of the fifties, (Russell and Monroe) to the emaciated look of a sweet little Brit named "Twiggy" and on to Madonna, Jockeys for women, Silicone breast enhancers and Virtual Reality...WOW.
It was 1953 when Mel opened his first studio. Bras wholesaled for $7.35 a dozen and two way stretch rayon rubber panties were the rage. Not exactly a time for innovation. However things were about to change when Warner's "merry Widow" hit the market and Playtex "Crossed your heart" and created something they couldn't believe was a girdle".
Mel began taking on projects from small to mid-size houses throughout the city. Soon Mels clients included Lovable, Leading Lady, Proctor & Gamble, Renee of Hollywood (Jezabel) Goddess, Formfit Rogers, just to name a few.
Naturally, all this couldn't possibly be done by one person, so he increased the size of his studio, added additional sewers (as needed) Patternmakers (as needed) and fitters - freeing him to consult on marketing and on site production when necessary. Those were the years - Dupont developed a single filament stretch fibre called "Lycra", Seamless cups were in,
laced-up back cinchers were back, dramatic body briefers hit, Enhancers...Add-A-Size or two or three pad the Derriere.
One other thing worth mentioning. Without having realized it he had begun to service not just "Fashion" Manufacturers but producers of Fuller figure, Maternity and Mastectomy bras.
Mel was fortunate to design for the Form-O Youth Co. (An in-house maker of bras and bottoms for Sears) and had heaed their design operation on a daily basis Vis-a-vis on-line buter contact, etc....
At age 53, Mel and his wife decided to move to California. Two weeks after settling in, he had arranged for a sample maker, work tables, phones, a fax and a patternmaker. All this in time to receive a ton of goods and a request for possible work scheduling, giving him the feeling that the old accounts and employees were around the corner.
That was 1978, and he retained them all.
He had also picked up additional people making it necessary to enlarge the studio and engage the talent of many others.
In the year 2000, Mel retired- Played golf, wrote a book (Mentioned earlier) and enjoyed the easy life. The only problem was the ideas kept coming. Mel would say "why aren't they doing this or that?" So at 78 he's ready to get back to work. He's up to a challenge and our industry is always looking for a new "Water-Bra" or?
From original prototypes to patterns, Fit, Grading, Salemans samples and consulting on marketing, he does it all.
More recently, Mel has done projects for Victoria's Secret, IBM, Berlei, Isotoner, Danskin, Nancy Gantz and big Catalog houses like Lane Bryant, Romans, Spiegels, Sears and the list goes on.
It was so interesting to meet with this real Pro and enjoy some history on our business.I hope that you get the chance to chat with this remarkable man.
Mel can be reached at bonbon99@earthlink.com

A cowboy walked into a barber shop, sat on the barber's chair and said, "I'll have a shave and a shoe shine." The barber began to lather his face and sharpen the old straight edge while a woman with the biggest, firmest, most beautiful breasts that he had ever seen knelt down and began to shine his shoes.
The cowboy said, "Young lady, you and I should go and spend some time in a hotel room."
She replied, "I'm married and my husband wouldn't like that.
The cowboy said, "Tell him you're working overtime and I'll pay you the difference."
She said, "You tell him. He is the one shaving you."

                   "Ask Andy"
Andy Weinstock has been in the fabric and textile business all his life, but professionally since 1969.
"I love what I do, selling fabrics around the globe. I've met lots of interesting, creative, dynamic folks; some have become dear friends. I love to help new businesses find the things they need to become successful. It works for everyone."
You can ask Andy questions about Fabrics at
               Andy@mcpetesez.com

The "Ask Andy" Column is an opinion Column and may not necessarily reflect the views of McPete Sez


Hey Sales Reps !!!
Would you like to write an article for this newsletter? we are looking for information for our readers and if you have anything to contribute please e-mail me.




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