California Apparel News

It was a California show at the Feb. 24–26 run of Fashion Coterie at the Show Piers in New York. The contemporary show, which typically includes many California resources and retailers, this year boasted 167 California lines out of 900 national and international exhibitors and drew California contemporary retailers including Ron Herman/Fred Segal Melrose, American Rag, Traffic and Aero & Co.

And business was brisk at Coterie as buyers ventured back to New York, according to sales representatives and designers at the show.

Approximately 10,000 attendees turned out to shop at the show. This represented an 11 percent increase from the February 2001 show, but the turnout and brisk buying was a welcome change from the October run of Coterie, which had been rescheduled and relocated to New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

“[Buyers] didn’t want to travel in October because they were fearful,” said Theresa Barone, New York rep for Los Angeles-based Lynn Lugo. Buyers played it safe at the end of last year “because of what was happening at retail and they want to keep inventory low,” she added.

One of those retailers was Kelly Clayton, owner of the Pam Clayton boutique in Knoxville, Tenn. Clayton said she typically shops Coterie but skipped the show in October, opting to buy in Dallas instead.

Clayton also shops in Atlanta, which is a day’s drive from her store.

“I come here twice per year, but I go to Atlanta every market,” she said. “There are not too many things here that aren’t there.”

The high traffic and high energy at Coterie was apparent to Clayton, who said she hadn’t “seen it this busy in a long time.”

The show also drew buyers who had not attended the show in years.

Peter Sotiriou and Terry Hampton, owners of contemporary boutique Dot in Palm Desert, Calif., were in town looking for unusual items for Fall.

“We’re staying away from anything that’s basic,” said Hampton. The two picked up cashmere sweaters from Italian line Franco Ziche and placed orders with Texas-based shirt maker Rayure. (Dot is Rayure’s “No. 1 specialty store,” Hampton said.)

Traffic was “consistent” at the Melanie Apple booth, according to Trudy Zimmerman, temporary rep for the Los Angeles-based company.

“Everyone seems to be up in spirits,” she said, adding, “People are buying but they’re also hesitant—they want to buy closer to delivery.”

Several exhibitors commented on the steady traffic of optimistic buyers.

“I’d say we’ve done three times the business than what we’re used to,” said Glenn Kay, an owner of Los Angeles-based Mandalay. “After almost half a year of people being cautious, people are wanting fresh goods, fresh product.”

Kay said he’d met with West Coast retailers at the show—even though he could easily see them back in Mandalay’s California Mart showroom.

“When they’re here they want to see fresh goods,” he said. “Whatever they’re buying is fresh in their minds. They know what they want to merchandise it with.”

Many West Coast representatives said they preferred to work with California retailers at Coterie rather than wait until Los Angeles market week, when some retailers may not have the remaining budget to place many orders.

Mattie Ilel, designer for Los Angeles-based J.P. & Mattie, said she met with buyers from Fred Segal Melrose at Coterie.

“That way she’s not all bought up by April,” she said.

Ilel also said she saw several San Francisco accounts walking the show but planned to schedule appointments with them back in California.

Still, the big draw for West Coast companies at Coterie is the chance to connect with East Coast buyers. But some California lines also planned to save their latest looks for next month’s Los Angeles Fashion Week.

“I want to break Fall in April in L.A.,” said designer Ashley O’Rourke. “I’m an L.A. resource and I want to break the line in my hometown.”

O’Rourke brought just her Spring and Summer lines to Coterie. She and her rep Elizabeth French planned to stay for two days after Coterie to work with large accounts.

Some of the exhibitors had been in New York in January for the Intermezzo show. Others had just attended the MAGIC International show the week before in Las Vegas. Still others, including Los Angeles-based Hard Tail, showed at both Intermezzo and MAGIC before coming to Coterie.

Orly Dahan, owner of junior and young men’s line Tag Rag and contemporary line Fiona London, launched his company’s latest line, Gold Hawk, at Intermezzo, then brought the collection to Coterie. (He brought his junior label Tag Rag to MAGIC.)

Dahan said the Gold Hawk collection of casual contemporary sportswear had already shipped to several East Coast stores and received reorders.

The Fiona London line was selling well with Coterie buyers—including several from West Coast retailers, Dahan said.

“I think it’s a West Coast show here,” he said. “Fiona [London on opening day] had five or so California accounts.”

Most reps were in agreement about the steady business at the show, but there was not the same consistency when it came to which seasons were selling.

Several exhibitors, including O’Rourke and Dahan, said they only brought Spring and Summer items.

“One account said, ’I’m not looking at one thing for Fall,’” Dahan said.

But others said it was clearly a Fall show.

Los Angeles designer Tom K. Nguyen said most buyers were looking for Fall pieces and most seemed to favor such traditional fall colors as brown and black. Nguyen noted that buyers were opting for his bias-cut suitings and lace pieces in dark colors rather than a group in bright royal silk.

But most reports were mixed.

Laura Lee, designers’ rep for the Maison Ray showroom in the New Mart, said most of the buyers were looking for Fall items, but she added that some people were looking for immediates, with a couple of people saying they weren’t ready for late July deliveries.

LL said she thought this was a sign of things to come. “The days when people were programmed out 3 to 4 months in advance are over,” she noted.

No matter the delivery date for which buyers were ordering, many reps said the level of enthusiasm at the show pointed to a strong year ahead.

“It’s felt like it hasn’t felt for three years,” said Los Angeles showroom owner Gregg Pellegrini, who was at the show with the Dina Bar-El line. Pellegrini said that the latest orders he was writing were for Transition delivery but added that Spring bookings were “amazing.”

“I think it will continue,” he said. “This Fall will be really strong.”

California Lines at Coterie

6 DegreesAdriana CarasA&GAG Adriano

GoldschmiedA.K.A./Also Known AsAllen B.Angelica-ValAnja FlintAnna HulingAnna PaulAshley O’RourkeBabetteBall of CottonBarbara Who?Baxis & BaxisBBC Rags By Tova

CelineBCBG Max AzriaBeau & ErosBeautiful PeopleBella DahlBetty Paige/Annie B.Bianca NeroBilly BluesBisou Bisou/Bisou Bisou DenimBiyaBlue DotThe Blue GroupBluejeaniousBordeauxBurning TorchBuzzCasadeiCharlotte TarantolaChaudryChelsea DavisCherry PieChiarakruzaChurchgirl by Ta-ningClaudetteDana KellinDavid Dart Deloris & MaxineDemocracyDessous DessousDina Bar-ElDunaEarl JeanElarisElectric BarbarellaElla MossEmil RutenbergEquestrian DesignsFever JeansFidelFiona LondonFrankie B.GigiGlimaGliv-EmozioneGold HawkGrass RootsHaley-BobHankHarariHard Tail/Hard TailJeansHippie JeansH. StarlettHypeIlliaIsIvoryJake's Dry GoodsJames PerseEnterprisesJane BookeJayaJethroJewelsJill MichelleJoe’s JeansJohn CarlisleJohnny WasCollection/Pictures by Johnny WasJoomi JoolzJose Luis-ContinentalLeatherJ.P. & MattieJuicy CoutureKatayone AdeliKay CelineKomorov/KiscaLanguage Los AngelesLaundry by Shelli SegalLevelLili-RoseLily ScottLinea PelleLouis VerdadLouis Green MillineryLove AmourLoveletters LoungewearLucky Brand DungareesLureLynn LugoM5Major De*LemaMalice in WonderlandMandalayMaralMax Studio.comMelanie AppleMeringueMicaMichael StarsMin.ImalMiss VintageMod-o-DocNara CamiceNikolakiNobu NakanoParallelPetro ZilliaPin UpP.J. SalvagePoleciRachel AbromsDesignsRebecca BeesonRed EngineRemy LeatherRileyRock and RepublicRona’s HeartRosa ChaRozae NicholsSajaSanctuarySaskiaSave the QueenSerfontaineSevenSingleSix FourteenSkySolo ParisSwannSweeTeesSyrupTara Jarmon, Paris

FranceT-BagsTicci TonettoTo the MaxTom K. NguyenTrina TurkTrue CoutureTrue GritUnder ConstructionVelvetViviana UchitelWalk in the ParkWangWendy Brigode JewelryWeston WearWilliam B.WooYa-YaYnnubZina