California Apparel News

NEW YORK—Despite chilly temperatures and blizzard conditions, retailers flocked to New York from around the world looking for newness in the apparel market. Fashion Coterie; Designers & Agents; and The Train, a relatively new trade show, were in full swing Feb. 26–March 1.

Fashion Coterie’s Elyse Kroll said attendance at Coterie is a must. “It’s so important, people have to come,” she said. “They have to buy for their store. They have to educate themselves. That’s why they’re here.”

She said buyers come to Coterie to find out what is new and what has changed in the market between Spring and Fall. “We’re presenting a very comprehensive picture of Fall ’05,” she said.

Coterie offers a mix of sportswear, designer clothing, accessories and shoes on three piers on New York’s Westside. This year, 15,000 retailers attended the show, which included 1,240 exhibitors, 142 of them new.

The show featured a new Mezzanine level at Piers 90 and 92 for high-end designers. “There is a level of designer that does not really want to show with the masses,” Kroll said. “They don’t want to show in that environment. They want something more private.”

Mezzanine lines included Imitation of Christ, Heatherette, Development, Louis Verdad, Vivienne Westwood, Morphine Generation and Wyeth.

Among the other areas of the show were Sole Commerce, a spot for shoes and accessories, and an international section with resources from Brazil, Italy and Japan. There were also Indian, British and French designers scattered throughout the show. “We’re getting more international designers and more retailers for obvious reasons,” Kroll said, noting that she anticipates the high level of international participation will continue as long as the euro remains stronger than the dollar.

Retailers driven by newness were shopping for items and key pieces. Important retailers at the show included majors Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Harvey Nichols and boutiques Atrium, Big Drop and Madison.

“We’ve seen people from all over: Texas, the East Coast and Chicago,” said Aaron Zoref, chief operating officer of the Pure Luxe Showroom in New York. “All of the cregrave;me de la cregrave;me West Coast accounts—[including] M. Frederic and Fred Segal—are here. People are writing business and leaving paper.”

Retail owner Tara Rotonti and buyer Mary Munger from Per Meacute;, a contemporary boutique in New Orleans, were at Coterie looking for new lines. “New Orleans is very saturated with stores, so [we’re looking for] new lines that other people don’t carry on our street,” said Munger, who noted that Los Angeles–based lines such as Corey Lynn Calter, Rachel Pally, Sanctuary and Hudson are part of the store’s current offerings. “We’re looking for new Los Angeles–based lines. We like that they’re a little more cutting-edge and funky. They’re good for our young clientele.”

The Los Angeles labels are popular among the store’s student clientele from Tulane University and the University of New Orleans.

“They love that look,” Munger said. “It’s given us a different niche in the city.”

Retailers sought after novelty items to go with denim, including cashmere, bolero jackets, T-shirts, long tunics, embroidered tops, fur vests, capelets and coats. Also popular were colorful and bohemian looks, as well as anything decorated with sequins, embroidery, jewels or other embellishments

Kroll agreed that retailers were looking for items.

“It’s kind of a mixed bag. And even though it’s a mixed bag, that in itself is something,” she said. “This from that designer, this from that designer—it’s about how you’re going to wear it and how you’re going to merchandise it.”

D&A growing

For Designers & Agents, growth and new business were the order of the day. The show added a third studio at the Starett-Lehigh Building to accommodate the increase in exhibitors. This season there were 163 booths showing 261 lines, up from 116 booths and 193 lines last year. Retail attendance increased 43 percent to 2,625, according to show organizer Ed Mandelbaum. “It felt like today was the busiest day that D&A ever had anywhere, including L.A.,” he said on day one.

International traffic and exhibitors contributed to the show’s growth, Mandelbaum said. He noted that D&A did “massive” advertising in Europe, placing ads in European magazines and trade publications and in direct mailers, which they sent out for the first time.

“There is a tremendous amount of international traffic,” he said. “I think that it’s firstly because of our fashion. Ten years ago, people used to laugh at American fashion; now they want it. And at the same exact time, we have the advantage of the weak dollar.”

D&A organizers expect the growth to continue. Mandelbaum said they are looking for a larger space for the D&A Tokyo show and will add an additional annex show in New York in August, which means D&A will produce 12 shows each year in Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo.

Buyers and retailers said they liked the mix of labels at D&A. For British line Jenny Packham, D&A was a great show, according to Marketing Manager Alexandra Nicoley.

“I think you get more attention here, and also the quality of buyers is quite high,” she said. “We like the mix of labels, as well. There are not too many people that offer the same styles that we do. It’s a nice combination.”

Los Angeles rep Ainsley Brooklyn from the Nine O Seven Showroom said she also had a lot of international business, particularly from Japan.

“They love shopping in the U.S.,” she said. “I think they feel like they’re getting something different.”

Brooklyn said she saw buyers from Fred Segal, Atrium and Pittsburgh Denim on the show’s opening day.

“People are here and ready to buy,” she said. “The first day is always nuts. It’s really good energy.”

Connie Sigel, owner of the Elements boutique in Dallas, said she was looking for items. She said her customers want the hip, casual look—anything that goes well with jeans. “I’m finding it refreshing that there are some good price points,” she added.

For new line JW Los Angeles, the first day of the show was successful. “It was amazing. We had a huge show,” said Deborah Kirkland, the company’s president of sales, noting that retailers including Calypso, Barneys Japan, Lisa Kline and E Street Denim stopped by on the hunt for color, embroidery, novelty and denim-related pieces.

“It’s about wearability,” she said. “It’s very denim-friendly. Denim is huge, so it’s denim-related.”

Buyer Beleacute;n Hormaeche and owner Mark Goldstein of Madison, the five-store boutique chain in the Los Angeles area, stopped by both D&A and Coterie looking for new and different items, including jewelry and shoe lines.

“Sometimes these shows are a little early to really pick up on new trends,” said Goldstein. “It’s usually a continuation of what’s already going on, which is boho chic and luxe.”

The Train: A Beginning

The Train held its second show at the Terminal stores, located just a few blocks from the D&A show in the Chelsea district. Shuttle services operated between the show, D&A and Coterie.

The Train, created by Pret A Porter Paris, drew 2,377 visitors and featured 70 creative, upscale fashion and accessories lines from Europe, Asia and the United States. In true French style, it also offered plenty of conveniences, including a complimentary breakfast and lunch buffet and a champagne happy hour.

But the lineup wasn’t all European. Los Angeles– based designers Coco Kliks and Linda Loudermilk, as well as New York–based Heike Jarick, also showcased their lines at the trade show.