LT Apparel Pelle mell
NEW YORK: US-based manufacturer LT Apparel Group has been granted the license to design and distribute children and tween sportswear under the Pelle Pelle label. The urban brand, which includes such labels as French Toast, Cotler, Secret Crush and Rim Rocka as well as licensed apparel such as Adidas and Lee School, will debut the line at the beginning of next year with an early spring 2008 delivery to retailers. Pelle Pelle girls and boys will be available in sizes ranging from two to 16.
BARCELONA: Inditex, the owner of Spanish retailer Zara, and model/designer Kate Moss last week were crowned as Retailer of the Year and Icon of the Year at the inaugural World Retail Awards in Barcelona. The successful high street company "had a stunning year and continued to build on its reputation to deliver fast fashion" judges said. The company beat several high profile stores including Neiman Marcus, Target and Best Buy to secure the award. The awards recognised excellence in six categories and fashion retailers put in a strong performance across the board.
Nike no no
TEXAS: Reebok International has filed a lawsuit against competitor Nike over what it alleges is Nike's copying of its patented technology in sneakers. Reebok received a patent in January for collapsible or "flexible sole" technology allowing shoes to be folded into a more compact form for packaging or to save space while travelling. The athletic footwear and apparel company claims that eleven Nike shoes marketed under various "free" product names incorporate that technology and therefore infringe on its patent.
Massive mill
SRI LANKA: Apparel sector giant Brandix has announced it intends collaborating with Sri Lanka's largest knit fabric manufacturer Ocean Lanka to invest $US20 million ($A24.4 million) in a joint venture knit fabric mill in India. Ocean Lanka is a joint venture partnership of Fountain Set (Holdings) Limited, Hong Kong, Brandix and the Hirdaramani group. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed in Colombo that stipulates the establishment of a state-of-the-art manufacturing unit. The mill will serve the needs of local apparel manufacturing units will be the largest knit fabric mill in the South Asia region.
Counterfeit charges
WASHINGTON: US Trade representative Susan Schwab has brought two trade cases against China to the World Trade Organisation, cracking down on what many lawmakers view as inadequate protections of intellectual property rights. One case addresses China's legal protocols for protecting and enforcing copyrights and trademarks, singling out, for example, high legal thresholds required to launch criminal prosecutions against counterfeiters. The second case targets barriers to trade in books, music, videos and movies. Schwab said piracy and counterfeiting levels in China remained "unacceptably high" while posing a serious risk of harm to consumers in China, the US and around the world.