California Apparel News

The reviews of the April 3–5 run of the Los Angeles Majors Market at the California Market Center were mixed, but many exhibitors said the relatively new Fall market could grow to rival its Spring counterpart in October.

“It’s not the market October is, but it has the potential to be,” said one exhibitor, requesting anonymity, who showed her juniors’ tops line in a temporary space.

Traffic seemed inconsistent, but most agreed the caliber of buyers was strong. Buyers from all divisions of Kohl’s, Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, Up Against the Wall, Saks, Gottschalks and Federated Department Stores walked the halls in search of Back-to-School and Fall 2006 styles.

The CMC does not release attendance figures, but CMC General Manager John Kim said traffic was up at the show. “There has been a 35 percent increase in exhibitors for this Majors Market compared to last April,” Kim said. “We are very pleased with the momentum the show has been gaining over the past year and our April Majors Market is on par with becoming as important as the October show.”

The CMC has been working to organize an April Majors Market for several years. Traditionally, April has been the time for buyers from many large—or “Major”—department stores and chain retailers to travel to California to work with buying offices such as Directives West and the Barbara Fields Buying Office. Last year, the CMC launched the April Majors Market as an official market, complete with a marketing push and such buyer services as hotel shuttles and a directory.

The department store buyers tend to follow a schedule of pre-booked appointments during their visits. As a result, things were quiet in the CMC’s hallways, but most showrooms reported good attendance overall.

Monday and Tuesday were the busiest days at the Eyeshadow showroom, but buyers still crowded tables on Wednesday afternoon.

New York–based designer line Heatherette bowed its new, more affordably priced young contemporary line at the market. Richie Rich, half of the brand’s design duo, was on hand to talk up the line for buyers.

“It’s like getting a whole new, bigger box of crayons to play with,” he said.

The line includes tunics, polo shirts and slouchy “Flash Dance”–inspired sweatshirts. Bottoms include jeans, denim shorts and mini skirts. Set to hit stores in June, the line was picked up by Macy’s, Kitson, Up Against the Wall and Fred Segal.

Overdrive Juniors showed goods for Back-to-School, Fall and Immediates.

“It went pretty well,” said Chelsea Garside, the brand’s assistant designer, despite the fact that some of its accounts didn’t attend the market. “I’d give it a ’B,’” she added.

People seemed ready to buy even though some retailers said their sales were soft in March, said Garside, adding that plaids, shirt dresses and menswear-inspired tops were stand outs.

Sales reps from the New York-based Shy Girl brand said key trends were slim, clean silhouettes, including long sweater dresses and fine-gauge sweaters for layering.

Other key trends for Fall included spare, skinny jeans, stripes and slouchy tops. Rich colors, including brown, purple and indigo, added a sophisticated sensibility to casual pieces.

More at home

Business was good in the Hot Kiss showroom, according to Moshe Tsabag, president and owner of the Los Angeles–based juniors line.

Tsabag said 40 percent of the buyers who came to the showroom left paper, and many shopped for Immediates. “They cleaned us out of 4/30 and a lot of 5/30,” he said.

An early supporter of the April Majors Market, Tsabag said he hoped to see more than two majors markets per year in the city.

“I love having buyers come to Los Angeles and work with us on our turf,” he said.

Tsabag plans to meet with the CMC owners to discuss more Los Angeles markets.

“California is where the fresh, new designers and companies are,” he said. “We should be at the center of the industry. I spoke to quite a few retailers and they liked the idea [of more Los Angeles markets].”

Buying offices did their part to lure buyers to the market. The Barbara Fields Buying Office and Directives West held presentations showcasing upcoming Fall trends.

Barbara Fields said the April market has been growing. Attendance for her “Million- Dollar Items” seminar doubled compared to last October. And this season, Fields moved the seminar from the CMC’s 13th floor Penthouse to the Fashion Theater in the building’s lobby. Attendance had grown beyond 400 retailers on April 3, the first day of the two-day seminar.

Rockin’ With Hilton

It was standing-room only at the Directives West “L.A. Rocks” cocktail party, held on opening night of the L.A. Majors Market at the California Market Center. Panoramic city views served as the backdrop for the party, held April 3 in the newly renovated “Penthouse B” on the CMC’s 13th floor. Celebrity/heiress/designer Nikki Hilton, center, stopped by to mingle with Directives West owners Sandy Potter and Sandy Richmond and with retailers and manufacturers.