California Apparel News

LAS VEGAS—A sagging economy and a convoluted trade-show calendar had many exhibitors at the MAGIC Marketplace and its satellite shows expecting a lackluster season.

But many exhibitors reported a stronger-than-expected start, and some shows reported record opening-day attendance.

The main event was the massive MAGIC show, which opened on Feb. 12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. While some MAGIC exhibitors said attendance looked light, there were crowds inside the Ed Hardy booth in the Streetwear section, as well as at the booths of Free People and BB Dakota at WWDMAGIC.

“We’ve been like this since 8 a.m.,” said Gloria Brandes, president and founder of BB Dakota, an Irvine, Calif.–based young contemporary collection. All the seats were filled at Brandes’ booth, and buyers were waiting to take a look at the line.

Brandes said she had just returned from Fashion Coterie in New York, which she described as “incredibly busy.”

This season’s trade-show schedule had many reps racing across the country to set up in Las Vegas after doing business at designer shows such as Coterie, Designers and Agents, The Train and Platform.

Peter Jacobson, owner of the Creative Concepts showroom in Los Angeles, arrived in Las Vegas after showing several of his lines at Coterie and The Train. In Las Vegas, Jacobson was showing his Rizal fur and leather outerwear collection at WWDMAGIC’s high-end White section, and his Aventures des Toiles, Cannisse and Dress Code lines at Moda Las Vegas, which did not open at The Venetian until Feb. 13.

Faced with staggered opening days, companies showing at more than one venue found themselves setting up booths for one show while meeting with buyers at another. That was the case for New York–based outerwear company Schott NYC and Los Angeles–based Christian Audigier. After setting up MAGIC booths in the Las Vegas Convention Center on Feb. 11, reps from both companies turned around to set up booths at the Sands Expo and Convention Center for the Project Global Trade Show , which did not open until Feb. 13.

Several buyers came into town early to shop the shows that started before MAGIC opened its doors.

That was the case at the ASAP Global Sourcing Show, which opened Feb. 11 and again shared space with the Global E.C.O. Show at The Venetian.

Big crowds filed into the inaugural MRket menswear show, also held Feb. 11–13 at The Venetian. And about 3,000 buyers attended the opening day of the Off-Price Specialist Show, held Feb. 10–14 at the Sands.

Pooltradeshow too had a strong opening day, according to menswear designer Andrew Christian and handbag designer Amy Hall, who said she landed about 20 orders for her Amykathryn line. “Yesterday, we were slammed,” Christian said. “Today [Feb. 13] everyone went to Project.”

Another opening-day record was set on Feb. 11 at the WomensWear in Nevada Show (WWIN) at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino, according to show organizers, who did not disclose actual figures.

“We were cautious coming into this market but were pleased at the amount of business that was done,” said Herlinda Ellis, principal of the Studio III showroom in Los Angeles, which showed at WWIN.

Buyer Caryn Christensen, owner of Carlotta’s boutique in Galena, Ill., who was at the WWIN show, said consumers in the weather-battered and freezing Midwest and Northeast are plagued with cabin fever, which should play a big part in shopping this spring and summer.

“People are sick of their winter clothes,” she said. “There’s a lot of new lifestyle items that should appeal to them, as well.”

Matthew Hekmat, principal with Los Angeles–based IDI, said the company almost did as much business the opening day of WWIN as it did for the entire show in August.

Sandy Piontak of Seal Beach, Calif.–based Carlen Enterprises, which showed at the Off-Price show, also reported a record opening day. The company sold bettername brands in multiple categories, led by streetwear.

“It was the best writing day we’ve ever had at this show,” Piontak said. “We’re seeing this movement from buyers and consumers that tells them it’s okay and even cool to buy off-price right now.”

The new MRket show, which acquired The Exclusive show last year, also opened big. Exhibitors such as Longwood, Fla.–based Peru Unlimited, which featured alpaca and pima knits, experienced several rushes of business opening day.

General Manager Enrique Rodriguez said buyers are taking advantage of Peru’s free-trade agreement with the United States, which should go into effect this summer, and are looking for quality goods with benefits.

J.C. Cerrillo of Chula Vista, Calif.–based Continental Leather echoed that sentiment, saying the weak U.S. dollar in Europe should help manufacturers of goods in non- European markets capitalize on the rising prices of European menswear. The company specializes in handmade leather jackets and accessories made in the United States. “’Made in America’ should play bigger going forward,” he said.

Complete coverage of all the Las Vegas trade shows, including Pooltradeshow, Lingerie Americas, CurveNV, Accessories The Show, United, Sourcing at MAGIC and Printsource at MAGIC, will run in the Feb. 22 issue.