California Apparel News

Exhibitors reported a busy first day at the MAGIC Marketplace, which ran Feb. 13–16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Las Vegas Hilton. From the designer and contemporary areas to the streetwear and juniors sections, aisles bustled with buyers, and booths fielded plenty of appointments.

Several sales reps measured the day’s success by their inability to squeeze in a bite to eat. “I know it’s been a good day when at four in the afternoon I realize I haven’t eaten all day,” laughed Alicia Estrada, owner of the vintageinspired Stop Staring! contemporary brand, based in Los Angeles. By the show’s second day, exhibitors noticed a drop in buyer traffic and attributed it to the start of MAGIC’s satellite show, the Project Global Trade Show.

With Project’s addition of a women’s contemporary division, exhibitors at MAGIC’s womenswear division, WWDMAGIC, said they felt the pressure to compete. “They’re the hot new place, and now that they’re carrying [women’s] contemporary brands, our buyer is staying there longer,” said one contemporary dress exhibitor who requested anonymity.

Other exhibitors said they were happy with their location and traffic but wished MAGIC organizers could conjure up some of the excitement and “coolness” that had everyone talking about Project. “MAGIC is MAGIC. The established brands are here. It’s big business, and the buyers still come, but it’s getting old,” said Los Angeles designer Alan del Rosario, who showed his young contemporary brand, Baby Tears.

The International Swimwear/Activewear Market returned to the Hilton alongside MAGIC’s swim section and the Accessories at the Hilton show. Between Swim and ISAM, the aisles were sparsely populated with only 15 swimwear exhibitors at the show.

Several brands debuted new offerings at the show. Los Angeles–based BCBG Max Azria Group Inc. bowed a new juniors apparel line, True People. Set to deliver next month, True People includes tops, bottoms, jackets, sweaters and dresses.

Los Angeles–based contemporary brand Johnny Was bowed Another, a new pant-driven division with a utilitarianmeets- Victorian aesthetic.

Santa Monica, Calif.–based menswear line Modern Amusement bowed its first denim collection.

Trend shopping at MAGIC

Buyers at MAGIC’s Streetwear section shopped for plaids and belt prints at Obey and allover-print hoodies with novelty zippers—including one with a lime-green snake print and a rattle zipper—at Cardboard Robot. Other trends spotted in the Streetwear section: the V-neck sweaters and T-shirts popular for skaters have begun to catch on with the urban crowd.

Street-chic looks popped up all over the streetwear floor. Baby Phat showed floor-length jersey gowns in jewel tones embellished with gold hardware, and Phat Farm showed classic argyle prints on sweaters and vests paired with fitted blazers and baggy jeans.

Dresses in vintage-inspired shapes or prints were all over WWDMAGIC. Zinc showed updated trapeze dresses. Steve Madden showed its new line of pretty party dresses—most of which scarcely cleared mid-thigh.

Despite a tough December, buyers said they roamed the aisles shopping for looks, not necessarily bargains. Nhung Mach, owner of Seattle-based Peridot, shopped for “tent and trapeze dresses, anything that can be worn over skinny jeans or leggings,” she said.

Sourcing—and Fabric—at MAGIC

MAGIC’s Sourcing and Fabric section grew this season, taking up about two-thirds of the South Hall’s ground floor.

With exhibitors from across Central and South Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, Sourcing at MAGIC included private-label manufacturers; original equipment manufacturers who can produce to order; and suppliers of fabric, trim, fiber and support services for manufacturers looking for offshore production.

The Pakistan Pavilion more than doubled in size from 14 exhibitors in August to 38 at this latest show. Ajmal Bilal Younas, general manager of Lahore, Pakistan–based Stylers International, was one of the returning exhibitors.

“The customers have confidence in you when they see you coming again and again,” said Younas, who noted that his company produces 12,000 pairs of jeans per day in its vertically integrated facility.

There was also a U.S.A. Pavilion, which featured domestic apparel manufacturers and yarn and fiber producers, including Fox River Mills, Wigwam Mills, A.S. Tees Manufacturing, the Hartwell Group, Parkdale Mills, American & Efird Inc.,Wellman Inc., National Spinning Co. and Carolina Mills.

“We’re here to get the name out and make sure everyone is aware of what’s available in the region,” said David Ross, sales representative for National Spinning Co., headquartered in New York.

Focusing in on Asia

The ASAP Global Sourcing Show had a Mardi Gras theme for its Feb. 12–15 run at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The show featured 115 exhibitors from China, Hong Kong, Macau, India, Korea and Bangladesh, which was this season’s featured country.

“We want to introduce the industry to the people they don’t know. Everyone knows China,” said show founder Frank Yuan. “Our show is more focused on sourcing. The buyer is not just browsing.”

Most of ASAP’s exhibitors were from China, which reflects China’s standing as the United States’ largest export partner, Yuan noted.

The number of exhibitors at the February show was down from 130 in August, according to Yuan, who said that many of his August exhibitors skip the February show because it falls too close to the Chinese New Year holiday.

Among the exhibitors at this season’s show was former MAGIC exhibitor Ken Ng, whose company, Strait Approach, operates out of Singapore and does supply-chain management. The company, which produces in mainland China, Cambodia and Vietnam, is still very new in the U.S. market, said Ng, who noted that 85 percent of the company’s business is in Europe.

Importer Stafford Worley was at ASAP on the hunt for new suppliers for his company, Corporate Image Works. This was Worley’s first visit to ASAP. He arrived at the show after meeting a few of his suppliers at Sourcing at MAGIC.

The Cleveland-based company purchases woven and knitted product from overseas, primarily in Asia. “We have too much of our purchasing centered in China,” he said.

Eco-friendly clothing gets a show

This season, one aisle of ASAP was devoted to the environmentally friendly and organic products of The Environmentally Conscious and Organic Trade Show, launched this year by Howard Gabe, a wholesaler of environmental and sustainable fabrics.

Among E.C.O.’s exhibitors was Cape Fear Apparel, a Wilmington, N.C.–based private-label manufacturer of apparel made from environmentally friendly textiles.

Cape’s owner, Guy Carpenter, also debuted his 4-month-old line of branded apparel, True Echo, which is also made from sustainable and organic fabrics, including organic cotton, bamboo, soy and hemp. True Echo and Carpenter’s privatelabel apparel is produced in China and Uganda, where a cooperative of Ugandan farmers and refugees grows, picks, spins and knits the cotton, which is then cut and sewn into apparel.

Other exhibitors included Asha Imports, based in Harrison, Ark., which sells accessories made in New Delhi, India, from recycled polyurethane bags. The 2-year-old company also sells silk-screened jute bags made in Calcutta by women freed from the sex trade, as well as throws made from recycled cotton saris.

Owners Molly and Dylan Fila said they landed several orders at the trade show, as well as several promising contacts.

One of the show’s last-minute exhibitors was British label Izzy Lane, a 6-month-old company that produces apparel made of wool from rescued Shetland and Wensleydale sheep.

Company owner Isobel Davies has a flock of more than 400 sheep in Yorkshire, England, and her Izzy Lane collection includes sweaters, shawls, jackets and skirts in neutral and vegetable shades.

Accessories The Show returns

Accessories The Show returned for the third season to Las Vegas, taking up a larger space in one of the ballrooms at The Venetian hotel.

Many exhibitors, showing jewelry, handbags, hats and other accessories, were coming from a strong showing at Accessories The Show’s recent New York run. Although the new show has yet to draw the same number of exhibitors or attendees as the longstanding New York show, organizers were pleased with the results in Las Vegas.

That was the case for 10-year-old jewelry line Mariana. The collection, which is made in Israel and distributed out of Chicago, had an “extremely successful” showing at Accessories The Show in New York, said sales representative Edward Sejzer. “We opened about 50 accounts,” he said, referring to the Feb. 13–15 run of the Las Vegas show. “So far, we’re pleased with the show.”

This was the first time showing at Accessories The Show for Jenny Parker, designer of Los Angeles–based Trophy Queen, a collection of vintage-inspired handbags made with automobile upholstery. The designer describes her line as “affordable luxury.” With retail prices that range from $300 to $700, Trophy Queen bags are meant to be merchandised with premium denim, Parker said.

In addition to her latest collection, Parker showed her new line of Trophy Queen sunglasses. The designer drew a crowd to her booth when Ramones drummer Marky Ramone dropped by to check on a custom order.

The February show grew to 20,000 square feet from 18,000 square feet in August, according to Britton Jones, chief executive officer of Business Journals Inc., organizer of the Accessories The Show events.

Pool under the big top

Big tents meant better business for the Pool trade show, which ran Feb. 13–15. The show, devoted to emerging fashion labels, moved into its new digs: a 100,000-square-foot circus-style tent conveniently located in a parking lot adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center’s North Hall. The move seemed to agree with many of Pool’s vendors. Some reported better traffic and higher sales inside the big top.

Orders skyrocketed 50 percent for Pool vendors such as San Francisco- –based Custom Industries and Los Angeles–based Charm School Coop. These vendors compared their most recent Pool performance with their business at the previous Pool, held in August at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Pool’s new ambiance also satisfied Andrew Hanson, who exhibited his art-inspired T-shirt and hoodie line, Andrew Hanson’s F, at the trade show. He initially wondered if the nontraditional atmosphere of the tent might confuse the attendees. But he said that most of the buyers he encountered seemed delighted by the tent’s milieu.

According to Mindy Wiener, Pool’s director of operations, more than 400 vendors exhibited at Pool. She did not give an estimate for attendee traffic. Vendors said that high-profile Los Angeles boutiques such as Kitson, Metropark, Polkadots & Moonbeams, Madison and Diavolina browsed through the show.

The fashion style of vendors ranged from the tailored golf wear of the recently debuted Villa Park, Calif.–based Idol Radec to accessories for young mothers from Los Angeles–based Haute Moms Rule!

Metropark placed orders with Tokidoki. But Renee Bell, vice president of merchandise for the City of Industry, Calif.–based contemporary retail chain, said the Pool show left her wanting more. “We didn’t walk away with what we felt was the next thing, and that’s what we were looking for,” Bell said.

Wiener said Pool vendors and attendees would get another taste of doing business in tents. Pool’s next Las Vegas show in August is scheduled again to be under the big top.

Project doubles in size

Vendors reported bustling business at Project’s Feb. 14–16 run at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The market devoted to premium denim and contemporary sportswear also went on a growth spurt.

The most recent Project’s floor space grew to 500,000 square feet, nearly 40 percent greater than the 360,000 square feet at Project’s August show, according to the trade show’s founder, Sam Ben-Avraham. More than 1,100 vendors exhibited at the most recent Project, compared with 500 exhibitors one year ago.

More than 23,000 attendees made deals to buy fashions from companies ranging from European fashion label Hugo Boss to Los Angeles–based women’s handbag line Onna Ehrlich.

Ben-Avraham controlled the trade show’s crowds and growth with a simple solution. The men’s and women’s sections of the trade show were divided by a white curtain. Vendors of women’s clothing and accessories said the separation helped their business. Sandy Wee, co-founder of Pasadena, Calif.–based womenswear label Yoga Army, said she saw more of her buyers, an estimated 90 percent, compared with previous Project shows because buyers knew where to go for women’s lines.

However, growth also meant more work for vendors. Because there were more exhibitors, vendors had to depend on appointments to make their business, said Jeff Abrams of Los Angeles–based Rails International, which does basic T-shirts, hoodies and sweaters with a fashion twist.

Project vendors should get used to the show’s size. Ben-Avraham said he intends to keep the February trade show’s square footage for the next two years. High-profile specialty boutiques such as American Rag, Lisa Kline and Fred Segal shopped at the show. Denim trends such as skinny jeans remained popular at Project, said Laura Fairchild, owner of the L.A. Fairchild Denim Bar in Cardiff-By- The-Sea, Calif. “The newer option is the wide-leg trouser,” she said.

Dresses big at WomensWear in Nevada

Fall was hardly on the minds of buyers at the WomensWear in Nevada show, held Feb. 12–15 at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino.

Most were focused on May and June deliveries as well as in-stock goods to spice up their racks in anticipation of a busy spring/summer season.

Many buyers reported flat and lackluster winter sales and were looking for the colors associated with warm-weather clothing.

“Business is picking up. Spring is just about here, and we need to come on strong at the start,” noted buyer Mary Medlyn of Fashion West in Sun City, Ariz. Medlyn was looking for capri sets, among other things.

For others, it was “dresses, dresses and more dresses,” noted Jaime Martin of Burlingame, Calif.–based contemporary resource Young Essence. Young Essence was one of several companies showing at WWIN and MAGIC.

Aside from an abundance of dresses, WWIN also featured its usual large showcase of novelty goods.

Los Angeles showroom owner Fred Postal reported one of his best-ever shows, focusing on novelties. “I’ve been coming here since the beginning, and this is probably one of the best shows I’ve had,” he said.

WWIN also highlighted a growing section of emerging plus-size designer labels—such as Svoboda, Igigi and Kiyonna—geared for younger consumers.

Jessica Svoboda, designer for Santa Ana, Calif.–based Svoboda, said she signed on a number of new accounts, selling mostly close-to-season product with March 15 and April 15 delivery dates.

“We’ve been highlighting Fall for the department stores, but everybody else is buying closer to season,” she said.

WWIN started one day ahead of MAGIC, which show organizers said actually helped the event.

“We will always be a Monday-through-Thursday show,” said WWIN co-founder Jeff Yunis. The show once again sold out of exhibition space. Retailer attendance was not yet fully tallied, but Yunis said it will likely be a new record.

The Exclusive holds steady

It was back to classics and luxury at The Exclusive menswear show, held Feb. 14–16 in Hall G of the Sands Expo and Convention Center.

Show producers kick started the event with a “Fashion Knock-Outs” fashion show on Feb. 14 with modeling by boxing greats Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. That brought in the crowds the first day. The remainder of the show saw off-and-on traffic as buyers meandered through several venues for menswear purchases.

The Exclusive and its Loft and Synergy sections cater to better stores with a mix of suits, shirts, footwear and more fashion. Exhibitors said buyers appeared to be upbeat. The high-end outlets have been holding their own, coming off some winter struggles in the malls.

On the fashion front, the bright-colored shirts and proliferation of denim was toned down a bit for Fall as exhibitors offered alternatives, such as corduroy and twill along with darker hues for shirts.

Denim is still strong, as demonstrated by Los Angeles–based Agave Denimsmith’s busy booth. At New York–based Jack of Spades, sales have been strong enough to raise prices a small percentage, but, nonetheless, the company has added corduroy for Fall.

“We haven’t tried to get too trendy,” said principal Ardie Ulukaya. “We keep everything in stock, and the customer loves that.”

Whether it’s because of Fall or a turn in trends, the colorations in shirts have been muted for this upcoming season.

“We’re downplaying color and going for more sophistication,” said Darren Apel, vice president of Boca Raton, Fla.–based Marcello, who reported solid business with embroidered and detailed shirts.

The item business was especially hot this season at The Exclusive. Some of those items included art-to-wear ties by Detroit- based Pangborn Designs, featuring unique plays on paisley and other patterns priced from $35 to $70.

“Men are wearing ties less, but when they do, they want something unique with a point of view,” said rep Jeanette Mobeck.

Also of interest were the colorful shirts of Honolulu-based JamsWorld, which has recently revived its men’s business. Exclusive co-founder Larry Hymes is the company’s new West Coast rep. The shirts are made with Japanese-spun rayon, making for a cooler, comfortable fit, Hymes said. The designs are all original, gathered from company artists around the world. The line originated and remains in Hawaii as a division of SurfLine Hawaii.

Hymes did not release attendance figures for the show but said initial tallies were beyond expectations. He did say exhibitors numbered a little more than 200, which was about the same as the previous show in August. Hymes announced that future shows will be staged in The Venetian hotel’s grand ballroom. “It’s more conducive to the lines we offer here,” he said. “The exhibitors all love the idea.”

Emerging labels get United

The United Trade Show made a splash Feb. 13–15 when it debuted at the Alexis Park Resort. Buyers from high-profile boutiques such as Metropark, Fred Segal and Up Against the Wall reportedly browsed through the fashions of the more than 80 emerging brands at the independent satellite show.

The show’s co-founder, Ryan Walker, stressed that United focused on more than just youth fashions, such as streetwear.

Along with music- and streetwearinspired labels, such as True Love & False Idols and Cardboard Robot, United also featured contemporary labels such as Los Angeles– based Plastic Island and Frecuencia Modulada FM and Santa Ana, Calif.–based Mobius Lounge.

United’s vendor list also included established footwear and fashion brand Krew. The label’s co-owner, Angel Cabada, debuted its new sneaker collection Supra NS at the show. Cabada said he merely had hoped that United would furnish him with consumer and market feedback on the sneaker collection. “But it’s busy, and I didn’t expect it to be busy,” Cabada said.

A steady flow of attendees walked through the show. Many spent time admiring United’s art room—which featured paintings and films by new artists—or playing golf on a putting green.

The show’s mix of vendors was compelling to Chip Howes, owner/buyer of the Powerline 6 boutique in Hermosa Beach, Calif. “I usually blast through the aisles, check out the vendors and say, ’No, that’s not good.’ But I’m stopping at every booth.”

Lingerie show launches

New designer lingerie and swim trade show CurveNV was held Feb. 13–15 in The Venetian hotel’s grand ballroom, finally giving high-end lingerie a central home during MAGIC.

CurveNV was at the tail end of a lingerie market marathon that started Feb. 2–5 with the Salon International de la Lingerie show in Paris, followed by Lingerie Americas, held Feb 7–9 in New York.

More than 1,200 buyers from across the United States and overseas dropped in to browse through the aisles, which included more than 50 companies that showed everything from underwear and sleepwear to daywear and men’s underwear.

Exhibitors offered plenty of new items for Fall 2007 and hoped to lure new customers at the show.

In the Le Mystegrave;re booth, a model flaunted Le Mystegrave;re’s No. 9 bra, which was specially designed to fit women with augmented breasts. United Kingdom–based full-figure lingerie company Panache showed buyers its new higher-end line, Masquerade, in stretch-satin fabrics and intricate laces.

Despite the compacted schedule—along with the show’s date around Valentine’s Day, a key selling period for lingerie stores––exhibitors and buyers reported a successful first show.

Rose Nassanian, owner of Tregrave;s Jolie in Pasadena, Calif., was pleased with the convenience of CurveNV because she travels to MAGIC at least once a year to buy camisoles and other items for her store, which sells lingerie by Cosabella, Chantelle and Mary Green.

Milltex Group Inc., which imports high-end European brands such as Ritratti from Italy, benefited because CurveNV was close to the Project show. “For us, it’s opening new doors,” said sales director Dannet L. Botkin, who showed her Barcelona, Spain–based men’s underwear line, Giulio, to several men’s ready-to-wear stores.

CurveNV’s executive vice president, Laurence Teinturier, noted her expectations for the show were exceeded by the quality of buyers who attended and left paper. “The buyers reacted to the fact that we were able to bring very strong brands, strong players in the industry and very professional brands, which know how to service the market,” said Teinturier, who plans to double the show’s size for the August installment, which will also include swimwear brands.