California Apparel News

Surf is riding high again; the proof is in the trade show.

Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo, one of the most important shows on the surf and skate industry calendar, reported one of its most successful events in the last few years, according to Show Director Kevin Flanagan. ASR took place at the San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, Calif., Sept. 9–11.

Buyer attendance increased 10 percent, to 7,000 individuals, compared to ASR’s September 2004 show. The boost in buyer attendance reversed a trend from ASR’s January 2005 show, where buyer attendance was flat. The number of vendors grew too. There were 130 new exhibitors at this show, and 700 brands previewed their Spring 2006 fashions there.

ASR’s satellite show, Agenda, which took place Sept. 9–10 in San Diego, also reported good business. Aaron Levant, owner of Agenda, reported a 15 percent increase in attendees from the September 2004 show.

Buyers and vendors at ASR said the show’s success was fueled by fashion trends swinging back to the surf look and recent successes in the financial markets. Members of this once-renegade industry, such as Costa Mesa, Calif., manufacturer Volcom and Washington state retailer Zumiez, mounted successful initial public offerings this year. The buzz at the show was that finance companies were prospecting other surf and skate companies as candidates to go public.

One of the underwriters for Volcom’s IPO, D.A. Davidson & Co., of Great Falls, Mont., rented a meeting room at the San Diego Convention Center, Flanagan said. While vendors and buyers played the parlor game of which company would announce the next IPO, they also got down to the serious business of fashion.

Buyers from major surf retailers such as Pacific Sunwear, specialty stores such as Jack’s Surfboards and department stores such as Macy’s West browsed through the show. Vendors reported an onslaught of meetings throughout the show weekend.

John Sabo, senior vice president of Irvine, Calif.-based Redsand, reported 53 appointments and more than 15 drop-ins. Mike Martin, vice president of sales and marketing at Irvine, Calif.–based Ezekiel, reported scheduling more than 275 appointments with more than 30 walk-ins.

Vendors and buyers said ASR was not defined by order-writing. Many retailers already wrote their orders for Spring 2006. They attended the show because it continues to be one of the industry’s most important places to be seen and to powwow with manufacturers. Retailers need to see which Spring lines draw the most heat, said Todd Kellogg, senior buyer at Beach Bums, an Anaheim, Calif.–based chain of 12 stores.

Bob Abdel, partner and buyer at Jack’s Surfboards, based in Huntington Beach, Calif., said he believed he was one of the last major retailers to write many of his orders at the show. He wrote orders for menswear at ASR and followed by writing orders for women’s a few days later. He said the volume of his buying was basically the same as in 2004, but the budget was increased to stock the new Jack’s Surfboards, which will open in Dana Point, Calif., in late October.

“I thought we’d see more of a skate influence this show, but the surf influence was much stronger this year,” Abdel said. “Knits will be strong, especially for this Holiday. I’m predicting brighter colors will be important for Spring and Summer 2006.”

Kellogg thought the surge in popularity of knits would come at the expense of the woven shirts. He reported buying more polo shirts with stripes than wovens, and it was the first time these shirts have been popular in a decade, according to Kellogg. He also said that track jackets and fleece would eat away at the dominance blazers held last year. “It was a fad that was big for last Holiday,” he said.

Slim-fit T-shirts and cleaner looks helped define Spring 2006. The length of most men’s boardshorts remained at knee length, about a 21-inch outseam.

But manufacturers such as Quiksilver Inc. introduced boardshorts with a higher, thigh-length outseam, about 16 inches.

Manufacturers such as Billabong and Ripcurl also introduced their version of the bohemian-style junior dresses and tops influenced by the ethnic looks of Mexico and Indonesia.

ASR introduced a new mini-show called Gold Box Mission at the last show. Flanagan deemed the show dedicated to new vendors a success and said that ASR would expand it next year.

Vendors at the mini-show said they were glad for the opportunity to exhibit next to the major surf brands, but they complained of low traffic because a big wall surrounded the Gold Box Mission.

“It’s a good environment, but people are intimidated. They think it’s exclusive,” said Nicholas Vito Montefour, co-owner of Los Angeles–based Stalyon. He reported 10 appointments on the second day of ASR. Flanagan promised that show management would try to ensure that Gold Box Mission has better name recognition next year.

Another parlor game at ASR was judging if the big surf and skate show would purchase Agenda since MAGIC Marketplace made headlines in August with the purchase of satellite shows Pool Trade Show and Project Global Trade Show.

Flanagan and Agenda owner Levant said their companies had not currently made a move to buy or sell the show.

“We’re not looking to be sold,” Levant said. “We have all of the vendors we want. But we want to add more women’s lines and established companies that will drive more appointments.”

Buyers from Nordstrom, Hot Topic, Sun Diego and Active Ride browsed through Agenda, according to Levant.

Agenda’s vendors said traffic was slow at times, but the quality of attendees was high. “It’s decent,” said Jean-Claude Martin, owner of Los Angeles–based DVUS. “It’s about seeing the right people.”