Barneys Warehouse Sale draws shoppers downtown

The Barneys Warehouse Sale is back with its semiannual orgy of high-fashion discountery. But this time is different. The West Coast version of the bargain bin has moved east a bit from Santa Monica to downtown's L.A. Convention Center.

Reporter Carla Hall made the trek and found that Westsiders weren't thrilled with the new venue.

"The convenience factor here? Not so much," said Brenna Egan, a laid-off fashion editor. "When it was at Santa Monica Airport, you drove in, there it was, you drove out. It was like a valet sample sale. Here," she said, gesturing toward the expanse of the convention center, "it's like a maze."

But Egan, who lives in Carthay Circle, brightened as she showed off her finds, including an Yves St. Laurent top marked down from $1,400 to $424.

"I'm willing to go the extra mile -- the extra 10 miles -- for 75% off."

There was grumbling about the $12 parking fee at the convention center and the healthy walk from wheels to deals. At the Santa Monica Airport, parking was free and closer.

On the upside: actual bathrooms, not port-a-potties as in Santa Monica. The sale runs until Aug. 23. Hours vary. The Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall, 1201 S. Figueroa St.

Photo: Shoppers search for bargains at the Barneys Warehouse Sale at the L.A Convention Center. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Children’s clog shoes recalled because of choking risk [Updated]

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and a St. Louis, Mo. company have issued a recall for about 1.4 million shoes sold at major retailers nationwide because of a potential choking hazard.

The Buster Brown & Co. children’s clog shoes are designed to resemble a car from cartoons and recent films. Most shoes have “CARS,” “Transformers Animated,” or “Barbie” written on them. “Buster Brown & Co.” is printed inside at the heel and on the original tag. Check the release for a complete list of shoes.

The products were sold from August 2007 through June 2009 at major retailers, including Famous Footwear, J.C. Penney, Meijer, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart.

The shoes sold for $10 to $25 in children's sizes 5 to 13 and youth sizes 1-3.

The shoes have decorative wheels that can detach, which poses a choking hazard to young children, the commission said in a statement. Customers should immediately take the shoes away from children and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, the commission said.

For additional information, contact Buster Brown & Co. toll-free at (888) 869-1044, visit the company’s website, or send an e-mail to busterandtige@brownshoe.com.

[Updated 4:50 p.m.: Brown Shoe issued a statement noting that no injuries were reported because of the detaching wheels. “Brown Shoe is committed to our customers’ safety, and though the shoes met the regulatory standards in place for quality testing, once we realized that the wheel component could create a choking hazard among children, we volunteered to undertake the recall," said Gary Rich, president of Brown Shoe's wholesale operation. "We have partnered with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ensure parents have the information they need to return the shoes for a full refund."]

-- W.J. Hennigan

Charles David women's shoes sold at Nordstrom stores recalled

About 3,200 pairs of Charles David women's shoes sold exclusively in California Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom Rack locations nationwide were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission today.

The recall was issued because the heels on the shoes can detach, posing a fall hazard, the commission said.

Charles David, based in Culver City, has received one report of a heel detaching, resulting in minor bruising, the agency said.

The shoes were sold under the Charles by Charles David and Charles David of California brand names in sizes seven and nine from April to June, the commission said.

Prices on the recalled styles, which were made in China, Spain, and Italy, were between $22 and $80, the agency said.

Owners of the shoes should stop wearing them immediately and return them to any Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack store for a full refund, the commission said.

For more information on the shoe refund, consumers can reach Nordstrom customer service at 800-804-0806 or by e-mail at contact@nordstrom.com.

Charles David can also be reached at (310) 348-2075 or at lana.ellis@charlesdavid.com.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Photos: Recalled Charles David shoes sold exclusively at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. Credit: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

K-Swiss sues Puma in defense of eyelet strip shoe design

Puma  and K-Swiss are tied up in a growing dispute over shoelace-holding methods that could land the footwear companies in a Los Angeles courtroom.

K-Swiss, based in Westlake Village, filed a lawsuit against Puma in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles last week, asking a judge to rule that K-Swiss' trademarked system of lacing a shoe was valid.

In a March letter to K-Swiss, Puma threatened a suit of its own if K-Swiss' didn't stop selling and marketing the Dolton shoe (pictured at left), which Puma argued copied its trademark "formstrip" design seen on the side of most of its shoes (one of which is pictured below).

The K-Swiss Dolton features an eyelet strip, which runs in a color block down the side and to the sole.

But, the K-Swiss suit contends, the dispute isn't really about trademark infringement; it developed  because Puma executives are angry that two of the company's employees, a shoe designer and a marketing person, left to work at K-Swiss.

"In response to this loss, Puma AG, in bad faith, concocted its plan to assert trademark infringement claims against K-Swiss," the suit said.

The Dolton was introduced in late 2008, the suit said, and the two former Puma employees were hired by K-Swiss after the Dolton was designed.

K-Swiss said it filed the April 30 lawsuit to clear itself of Puma's trademark infringement allegations, and court documents gave examples of shoes designed with similar eyelet strips from Nike, Vans and Adidas.

"K-Swiss’ use of the Eyelet Strip as an integral part of the lacing system for its footwear is a fair use," the suit said.

Puma didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Top photo: K-Swiss Dolton E. Credit: K-Swiss Inc.

Lower photo: Puma Suede. Credit: Puma AG.