California Apparel News

ORLANDO, Fla.—Exhibitors and attendees enjoyed clear skies and increased attendance at Surf Expo, held Sept. 16–18 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, a marked contrast from last year’s show, when Hurricane Ivan kept many buyers and manufacturers away.

“We had a 23 percent decrease in attendance at last September’s show,” said Dan Darby, Surf Expo’s director of marketing. “This year, we had a little more than 15,000 attendees It was our second-most-successful show ever.”

The show’s producer, Atlanta-based DMG World Media, counted 2,400 booths, nearly 1,000 exhibitors and more than 200 lines. Although numbers were up, Darby noted that about 60 retailers from the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina weren’t able to attend the show. “Some of them lost everything,” he said.

Upping the ante for exhibitors

Show organizers upgraded their customer service by offering new exhibitors added visibility in the form of a prominently placed exhibitor showcase and a “new exhibitor” floor graphic.

High-end categories received the royal treatment. “We tried to differentiate the Club category as our highest-price-point category with a champagne reception,” Darby said. “To build traffic, we added a spa offering manicures and massage services to retailers.”

New to the show this year was Brasil Beat, a section dedicated to Brazilian surfwear, swimwear and action sports apparel. The category, part of an effort by DMG to increase the international presence at the show, introduced buyers to Brazilian resources. Brasil Beat will return at next September’s show, Darby said.

Women’s brands were clustered in the She category and, due to closer placement to the Surf and Skate categories, enjoyed greater aisle traffic. The roughly 75 brands in the She area included Surf Chick, Lucy Love and Aikane “There’s a lot of overlap between She and Surf and Skate. We wanted to make it easier for buyers to move between the categories,” Darby said.

New Los Angeles–based designer Jenny Pyle debuted her line of punky sunsuits, Bad Pixie, in She. Geared toward the skater girl, Pyle’s suits look like swimsuits but are made of stretchy jersey knit and splattered with paint and skull motifs.

“I think this is a good show to meet potential buyers,” Pyle said. “The girls who’ll want my suits won’t be shopping in boutiques, they’ll be in the surf-and-skate shops, and this is the best way to get to them.”

Be on the lookout for more additions to the show, said Darby. In January, Surf Expo will add a category for lifestyle snow apparel.

Pen to paper

East Coast buyers kept exhibitors busy and appointment books filled. And the selection of exhibitors did not disappoint.

“I saw some new, interesting lines,” said Michelle Harrell, manager of Quiet Flight Surf Shop in Orlando. There to scout new resources and help Quiet Flight’s buyers suss out sure sellers for the chain’s four stores, Harrell looked for items to keep her girls’ and men’s departments competitive. Tops on her list for girls were camis, skirts and T-shirts, and Quiet Flight buyers were focusing on boutique-style items for girls.

Established brands took the opportunity to catch up with their East Coast clients. The Roxy booth was booked solid before the doors opened.

Even newcomers were upbeat. Montreal, Canada–based T-shirt designer and manufacturer Itsus International joined Surf Expo at the last minute. “Everyone has been telling us we need to come to Surf Expo,” said owner Richard Brown. “It’s been a great show for us. We get a lot of spillover from the bigger booths.”

Offering socially conscious Tshirts and hoodies for men and women, Itsus is cashing in on the demand for lifestyle apparel that offers more than a logo. Men’s Tshirts featuring images such as planes dropping flowers retail for $38–$60.

Canada-based swimwear manufacturer Christina America Inc. did brisk business. The manufacturer holds the licenses for XOXO and Skechers Beach. “The show was great for us. We took orders and had buyers who will write in the near future,” said account executive Jennifer Bozek.

Buyers for Ocean City, Md.–based K-Coast Surf Shop hit the September Surf Expo for the first time in search of clothes for their men’s, girls’ and boys’ departments. “We wanted to knock out all of Spring at once,” said Mark Harrell, general manager and buyer.

The shop, which is looking to create a more upscale, fashion-forward department for women ages 25–45, scouted the SHE and Resort categories. Harrell says he’d like to see more high-end fashion lines for women at the show in the future.

Whether leaving paper or promising to write soon, buyers made approving noises over lifestyle looks for men and women.

In the booth of Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Volcom, cotton hoodies with lace insets and gauzy skirts with a tropical vanity print were hot. At the booth for Irvine, Calif.–based Split, girlie pastel knit shrugs and sweaters drew raves.

Men’s lines focused on casual pieces with luxe fabrics and treatments. Several brands featured long shorts made from suiting material.

Irvine, Calif.–based Redsand, purchased 18 months ago by New York–based Perry Ellis International Inc., was looking to reposition itself a little younger. Focusing on unique details such as hidden pockets and unconventional seaming, the line is quirky but polished.