Movie Star Fashions New Career in Activewear

0

Kate Hudson’s new movie, “Rock the Kasbah” might have flopped at the box office, but the actress is becoming a big success in business.

Her two-year-old line of athletic wear, Fabletics, is expanding to brick-and-mortar stores after previously being offered only online.

Six Fabletics stores have opened in malls around the country in recent months with the latest coming just six weeks ago at the Village at Westfield Topanga in Woodland Hills.

“I’m so excited to open physical retail stores and make our stylish, high-quality and affordable activewear designs even more accessible to customers,” said the Hollywood star-turned-designer, who co-founded the brand, in a statement. “For many people, seeing and trying on clothing is still an important part of the shopping experience.”

Fabletics, which is a division of El Segundo online fashion retailer JustFab Inc., continues to soar online as well with more than 1.3 million monthly unique visitors to its website.

Meanwhile, Hudson’s new movie, in which she stars alongside Bill Murray, had the fifth-worst opening of all time for a film playing in more than 2,000 theaters, according to Box Office Mojo. It grossed just $1.5 million in its opening weekend last month to finish in a lowly 13th place at the box office.

Heartbreaking Report

CNN journalist Lisa Ling, who lives in Santa Monica, said she was moved to tears by her latest report on the work of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office investigators.

Seeing bodies dragged out of rivers, walking though the morgue and attending a mass funeral for the unclaimed dead all became too much for the seasoned reporter. The episode of her series, “This Is Life With Lisa Ling,” revealed that more than 1,000 bodies go unclaimed in Los Angeles every year.

“Seeing what I saw truly changed me,” said Ling in a statement. “After filming, I decided to move my father in with me. He was living alone and starting to get very forgetful. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him while alone.”

Rock Artists

Members of L.A. rock band Kiss are selling unique Japanese artwork, called Ukiyo-e, which depict the group in traditional Japanese scenes.

The works can be seen at Hive Art Gallery in downtown Los Angeles, with limited-edition prints autographed by the band members selling for $2,500 each. The musicians get a commission on each sale.

Kiss has long been popular in Japan and base their makeup on the country’s Kabuki tradition.

“We respect the history and tradition,” said bassist Gene Simmons, explaining the band’s latest venture, in a statement. “That’s Kabuki. That’s deep, deep culture.”

Picture This

Getty Images has struck a deal to become the official photo content provider for L.A.-headquartered magazines Hollywood Reporter and Billboard.

“As the entertainment and music industry’s flagship brands, it makes sense for these titles to partner with the leader in entertainment photography,” said Jennifer Laski, photo director for the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. “We look forward to the coverage we can produce together.”

The partnership follows a similar deal struck in the summer between L.A.’s Penske Media Corp., the parent company of outlets such as Variety, with photo firm Shutterstock Inc.

Showbiz Hotel

Recently renovated at the cost of $75 million, the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel now boasts a “show biz” sheen thanks to a strategic partnership with Showtime Networks, a subsidiary of CBS Corp.

The deal ensures that Showtime series will play on all hotel room TV sets, and even allows the hotel to print the show’s characters on its key cards. Stars of the channel’s shows “Ray Donovan” and “Episodes” visited the Hope Street hotel last month for a special event celebrating their series.

Short Takes

NPR has hired a new newsreader for its “All Things Considered” show, which is broadcast from Culver City. Dwane Brown, a 25-year news industry veteran, will be joining the public radio station in January from KPBS-TV in San Diego. “Dwane is an excellent reporter and in case of major breaking West Coast news, can serve in that capacity as well,” said Robert Garcia, NPR Newscast executive producer. … Celebrities got into the spirit as they mingled with young professionals at the Maxim magazine Halloween costume party produced by Beverly Hills social business network Karma International. Singer Nick Jonas dressed up as McDonald’s Hamburglar character for the Oct. 24 event in Beverly Hills, while reality star Aubrey O’Day wowed as Cruella de Vil.

Staff reporter Sandro Monetti can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext 226.

No posts to display