California Apparel News

Los Angeles Fashion Week in June is typically small compared to the markets during the rest of the year, but exhibitors in the California Market Center (CMC) and the New Mart were recently taking advantage of the smaller market, the latest edition of which ran June 7–11, to spend more time with buyers who came focused.

The market drew specialty buyers from across the country, including Pasadena, Calif.-based Red Dress Shop, San Francisco-based Jax, New York-based Frivolous, Miami-based CMJ, Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Wendy Foster and the general manager from the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, according to Karen Mamont, director of public relations and marketing for the CMC.

The CMC, which houses the California Mart, does not release attendance figures, but traffic was up by 10 percent over last June’s market, Mamont said.

“The economy is better this June than it was last year,” she added. “Buyers are getting more optimistic after Sept. 11. People are going back to retail and retailers are feeling confident.”

That confidence was felt by exhibitors including Rhonda Morris of MDM Collections on the CMC’s eighth floor, who was showing at the Focus show in the center’s Fashion Theater.

“Buyers are still buying close to the vest, but it’s a steady stream because the buyers haven’t given up on their customers,” Morris said.

Neila Bloomingdale, owner of It’s Charming in Carlsbad, Calif., said she knew what showrooms she wanted to visit but also said she wanted to walk around to find special items for the customers in her beach community.

“We have specific people we’ve come to see,” she said. “We’ve been coming to market for 10 years, and today we’re just browsing, with only one appointment. We’re looking for something that no one else in our town has.”

Bloomingdale was searching for sweater lines, jeans and “reasonably priced” casual sportswear with a resort look.

Other exhibitors said that they made appointments but garnered new business from browsing buyers who were focused and ready to make purchases.

“The market has been steady, the appointments know why they are coming and they want more of the same,” said Susan Wedell, who reps Tea Shirts, Clue and Julie Atri on the fifth floor of the CMC.

Wedell said that she was selling to a fashion-forward missy and contemporary buyer with specialty items and colors for Fall.

Fred Postal, of Fred Postal Associates on the CMC’s third floor, reported similar findings. Postal reps Ezze Wear, Go Nutz and Fitz.

“We made appointments, but the fact that we have a high-profile showroom with wraparound windows near the escalators doesn’t hurt,” he said, adding, “The key is to capitalize off the smaller numbers in attendance and get them excited about what’s in your showroom.”

Mary Kawano, owner of Krazy Mary’s Boutique in Sacramento, Calif., had targeted lines to see but created a schedule conducive to browsing.

“I scheduled my appointments late so that I could walk around and see who’s new in the building,” she said. Kawano added that she was looking for a new denim line that was “funky” and “more edgy” and peasant-style tops in better fabrics.

The temporary exhibitors at the CMC also reported steady business.

Exhibitors at Pacific Coast Travelers reported fair traffic, with plenty of note-taking.

“Traffic is in the middle,” said Carmen Canas, sales rep for Bendetti’s men’s and women’s suits from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. “It’s not too bad, but not too good.”

Canas said that she prepared for the show by contacting key buyers in advance.

“I called ahead and let people know I would be here, and I’ve seen quite a few people,” she said. “We had some place orders, but most were gathering information.”

Focus Hits Stride

Exhibitors in the Focus show in the CMC Fashion Theater reported picking up new business in a show that offered buyers something different in contemporary, better, bridge, and designer women’s apparel and accessories.

“We picked up a lot of clients here and people are excited about having something different,” said Nicole Beckett, designer of Golden, Colo.-based Agogo Threads, which takes inspiration from the 1940s and ’50s for today’s fashions. “People are writing and looking, but they know what they want—if they like it, they write. There’s no talking them into it.”

Beckett said that she was expecting good results at the show because Agogo’s “faux vintage” line goes over well in California and the Southern states.

Morris of MDM Collections, repping Fifi, Summit Sportswear and two Australian lines by Elle Macpherson—Funk Me and Funk Me Wet Swimwear—also reported picking up new accounts from walk-up traffic.

Morris, who was showing shearling coats, stretch cords, and cable-knit and angora sweaters, noted that the complimentary breakfast for the buyers helped with traffic, and she said she will suggest adding a cocktail party for the next show.

Steady Sales at New Mart

The New Mart fared similarly with traffic up by 8 percent to 800 registered buyers for this market, according to Ethan Eller, general manager of the building.

Reps and designers said they were pleased with the buyers who turned out, but there was significantly less traffic than at the larger April market, according to Julie Chaiken of Chaiken showroom on the New Mart’s fifth floor

“We’ve seen our core buyers and some new ones, but it’s definitely not the same number of buyers as the last market,” she said.

Buyers at the New Mart were looking for immediate orders as opposed to committing themselves to late Fall and Holiday deliveries, according to several reps.

Sybil Gladney, who runs the Basix showroom with partner Adrienne Phillips on the fourth floor of the New Mart, said her showroom’s orders are mostly from smaller retailers who want immediates, adding that she believes some of the larger retailers are still planning ahead for their projections.

Buyers Kristin Bibb and Candice Allen of Fresno, Calif., who are entering retail business for the first time, came to the show with specific plans to look at Fall 2002 lines from Betsey Johnson and Spool, which they hope to include in their yet-to-be-named contemporary boutique set to open in October.

“We’ve been to market week before, so we know what to expect. This looks like a good market, but we probably won’t place any orders until we figure out what our budget is,” said Allen.

Marie Kennedy-Shaffer, owner of Tool Box and Monopoly showrooms on the New Mart’s fifth floor, said both showrooms were booking a plethora of orders for tops, bottoms and denim for immediates and 9/30 deliveries.

“I’ve been swamped,” said Kennedy-Shaffer, who, in addition to running two showrooms, manufactures denim labels Blue Tattoo and Rouge Soixante Trois. The show also marked the debut of Kennedy-Shaffer’s trendy new leisure collection for women and children, Hank. The new collection will wholesale between $15 and $40. With delivery dates beginning 7/30, Kennedy-Shaffer said specialty department stores and better boutiques including Nordstrom, M Frederick and Blonde will carry the line for fall.

Exhibitors Up at the Annex

Designers & Agents’ Annex show at the New Mart saw some 650 attendees during the June 7–11 run of the exhibition, which increased its booth space to 50 booths from the 23 booths it featured last year, said co-producer Ed Mandelbaum.

About 50 exhibitors with 66 collections attended the event, said Mandelbaum. Those exhibitors included California-based Ash Francomb, Goa, Coco Kliks and E-Label; New York-based Paper Denim & Cloth, Calypso and Trim NYC; Florida-based Bejeweled and Diabless; and Texarkana, Texas-based Graye/Grayjet.

The show also featured a contemporary Japanese line called Ballroom, which organizers recruited from Designers & Agents’ Tokyo show last October, said Mandelbaum.

Annex newcomer Zoeuml; San Francisco, a Bay Area upstart that specializes in intimates apparel, said business was brisk for the company’s collection, which consists of vibrant well-crafted brassieres and briefs made with sueded microfiber.

About 50 orders were placed for the company’s essential demi-cup bra, said co-owner Jennifer Somer, adding that Los Angeles specialty stores including Fred Segal Melrose, Traffic, H. Lorenzo and Diane Merrick placed orders for Fall deliveries.

Most exhibitors at the show said buyers were looking for immediate orders with Fall deliveries starting as early as 7/30.

Deborah Wolsh, owner of Ethel, a newly opened contemporary apparel and accessories boutique on Los Angeles’ Westside, said this season’s Annex show was a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of the larger Designers & Agents show in April.

“I could barely walk through the isles at the D&A show because traffic was so busy. It’s nice to be able to move around freely and get business done,” she said.

Buyers from Nordstrom, Saks, Macy’s West, Fred Segal, Traffic, H. Lorenzo and Theodore were among several retailers walking the floor looking for fashion novelties.

Alvin Valley’s fan-pleated shell and double leather belt pants got some attention from buyers at Nordstrom and Saks, while buyers from boutiques Dari in Studio City, Calif., and Sage on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles placed orders for Alicia Lawhon’s red embroidered wool shawl/skirt, wide-leg cotton pant with French trim and thermal top with recycled wool cowl-neck scarf.