California Apparel News

Both exhibitors and buyers reported feeling the ripple effects of the national crisis stemming from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks at the Oct. 8–11 run of the annual International Swimwear/Activewear Market (ISAM) at the California Mart, where slow traffic was attributed to the absence of buyers who cancelled their travel plans at the last minute.

Approximately 200 swimwear and junior activewear exhibitors attended the event, according to Yvette Beltran, Cal Mart marketing coordinator, who noted that nine exhibitors from the East Coast also dropped out of the show just prior to its start.

Barbara Brady, ISAM show director, said the show grew this year due to the addition of 33 new ISAM members but noted that organizers were a little disappointed with attendance.

“But there were people who were doing business and that’s a good thing,” she said.

The lack of foot traffic was hardly the biggest concern of those at the show, however.

Talk at the show among exhibitors, buyers and organizers centered around ISAM’s possible move to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in nearby Santa Monica next year. Many buyers expressed concern about the inconvenience that would be presented by the change. Especially concerned were those who also shop the Cal Mart’s junior and contemporary market held simultaneously with ISAM. Wendy Reese, a buyer with the three-store chain Hot Cats in Nevada, said she relies on both events for immediates and holiday items.

“If [ISAM is] a show on its own, I’m not sure how much we’d participate,” she said. “We kill two birds with one stone at this show.”

Others felt that the possible change seemed a logical progression for the ISAM association.

Susan Crank, president of Anaheim, Calif.-based Lunada Bay, said that she would support the association’s decision regardless of where the show ends up being held. However, she added, “Bringing ISAM from downtown Los Angeles to [Santa Monica] seems like a natural move that brings retailers and manufacturers together in an atmosphere that reflects our product.”

Clark Tedrick, vice president of sales for Jantzen and Nike swimwear, said his company wants to support ISAM. “We are interested in making the show more successful and welcome the opportunity to explore other venues,” he said.

Brenda Blackman, national sales manager at Los Angeles-based Swimwear Anywhere Inc., said, “I would like to see the Cal Mart and ISAM work out some arrangement where ISAM stays at the [Cal] Mart and is provided with the basic administration necessities—a small office on the eighth floor along with the swimwear showrooms.” She added, “We [in Los Angeles] used to be home to MAGIC [International] and we gave that show away to Las Vegas—I disagree with the garment industry giving away any more trade shows.”

Other manufacturers expressed concerns about the preference of retailers.

“My concern is, what’s going to be the most attractive venue for retailers to conduct business?” said Rick Kuhn, senior vice president of women’s swimwear for Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Quiksilver. “Some [manufacturers] think it’s a good idea to move to Santa Monica, but, on the other hand, they aren’t sure what logistical problems will surface as a result of being away from the Cal Mart.”

Manufacturers and retailers typically preview upcoming seasons and finalize current orders at ISAM, according to Lynne Koplin, president and chief operating officer of Gardena, Calif.-based Apparel Ventures.

“I’m not adverse to moving as long as it is convenient for the retailers who attend the show,” Koplin said, adding, “I would have to take cost differentials into consideration, make some comparisons and see what is involved. We have to accommodate a lot of different brands—so whatever we decide to do, we’re going to view it as a long-term perspective that will make it worth the investment.”

Indeed, for some retailers, including Jo Harrington, a buyer with the Fargo, N.D.-based specialty store chain Vanity, ISAM represents the one swimwear show of the year, since the Miami Swim Show falls too early for their buying season. According to Harrington, if ISAM moved, the logistics could prove problematic for her purchasing team, which shops for swimsuits, sweaters and holiday items.

“My [general manager] often shops with me, and so does my divisional [manager], who also shops at market, so we’d have a lot of coordinating to do,” Harrington noted.

Many regional and local players, however, said they would welcome the move.

Retail-store owner Julie King of San Diego-based Hansen’s said that Santa Monica’s environment would provide a more comfortable atmosphere for out-of-town buyers in comparison with the urban scenery downtown Los Angeles offers. “Santa Monica has great stores and restaurants that buyers can check out while they’re in town,” she added.

Brady said ISAM members will be voting on their choice of venue, and ballots will be turned in by Oct. 26.

“We just want to take the show somewhere hip and cool, where swimwear belongs,” Brady said.

Regional Retailer Turnout

This year’s ISAM saw fewer buyers from majors but drew a steady mix of West Coast specialty-store buyers.

It was hard not to notice the lack of traffic at the show. Representatives at the In Mocean booth resorted to tossing a beach ball around the aisles. Even typical enticements to draw retailers into booths had so-so success. Rampage set up its exhibit as an outdoor barbecue, complete with grill, ping-pong table and colorful tissue decorations. Barewear handed out flag stickers to passers-by.

“It’s sad,” said Jayne Andrews, a swimwear buyer with McClures department store from Nashville, Tenn. “These shows used to be a conversation piece among buyers, especially when the economy was booming. Now you just sort of don’t talk about it.”

Unlike a number of buyers who reportedly pulled out of the show due to fears about the current terrorism crisis, Andrews said she had no plans to cancel her trip out West.

“We still have customers and we still have to go forward,” she said.

Most buyers reacted favorably to the show’s new exhibition-style format on the 13th floor.

“I like it. It’s easier to find companies and see styles rather than having to walk to every vendor’s showroom,” Harrington said.

Retailer Suzette Demont, who along with her sister, Annette, was shopping for her Riverside, Calif.-based store, Hawaiian Swimwear, said she’s playing it safe with her open-to-buy.

The Demonts were sticking to purchases that were sure sellers, especially coming after a lackluster sales year, hit hard by cold weather and an iffy economy.

“We’re not making appointments with new lines,” said Annette Demont. “Our stockroom is full of stock, stock, stock. We want 100 percent sellers.”

The sisters said their cautious outlook includes spending about one-third less than they did last year. Their sentiments echoed others’—nobody projected spending more money than they spent in 2000.

With consumers feeling on edge as the country launches into a war on terrorism, some buyers said they are hopeful that lower travel prices may spur spontaneous travel.

“With lower airfares, we think some folks may go to Mexico or Hawaii and try to escape from the bad news,” said Kathleen Mudd, a buyer for Canyon Beachwear in Santa Monica.

Buyers from Gottschalks opted to drive from Fresno, Calif., to Los Angeles to attend the show, while buyers from Dayton Hudson, Nordstrom Catalog, Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Von Mauer were among those who cancelled plans to attend this year’s show in the wake of the U.S. military strike in Afghanistan on Oct. 7.

But for many of the exhibitors, the show remained an opportunity to finalize Spring plans with department stores and specialty-store accounts.

David Burnett, president of Liz Claiborne Swimwear, said that despite a slowdown in foot traffic, buyers were still writing orders “with the best intentions, while remaining cautiously optimistic.”

Patriotic Themes Strong

The American-flag trend of Summer sportswear continued strong in Spring swimwear. American-print bikinis and swim trunks were strong sellers for Portland, Ore.-based Jantzen, which also holds the license for Nike swimwear and Tommy Hilfiger. A sales rep from Tommy Hilfiger said that more than 90 percent of her accounts had placed orders for the red-white-and-blue suits, adding that the collection received little attention when the company first launched it earlier this year.

Other interpretations of red, white and blue were bikinis by Los Angeles-based Rampage and California Waves and sheer cover-ups by Cocktail Pareos. Buyers also noted the sexy look of the J.Lo line (which postponed its official debut until November’s market in New York) at the Dippers California showroom and the cherry-print bikinis by Manx.

Most were avoiding flame designs, citing waning interest, and animal prints, which “died a violent death last year,” according to Annette Demont.

Additionally, Lisa Bhathal Vogal, executive vice president of Raj Manufacturing Inc., which licenses Athena Collection, Athena Pick Your Fit, Guess? Swimwear and Guess? Girls Swimwear, said that most buyers, in the wake of the tragedy of Sept. 11, were looking for bright, crisp colors as opposed to warm shades and dark colors.

Some popular trends at ISAM were the following:

bull; side-tie bottomsbull; triangle bikinis bull; one-piece swimsuits bull; embellished denim bikinisbull; ’70s-style bodies bull; criss-cross ties for tops and bottoms bull; bright floral and fruit prints