New Brands, Novelty at CurveNV
LAS VEGAS—CurvExpo’s CurveNV focused on new and fresh fashion during its Feb. 14–16 run at The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas. This was the first CurveNV show held in partnership with Boutique Lingerie show producer Samantha Chang, whose juried trade show focuses heavily on new and edgy lingerie lines. New lines and niche categories such as men’s underwear, petite lingerie, loungewear, shapewear and bedroom accessories shared an intimate space in the Boutique Lingerie section.
More than 1,500 guests—including buyers from Trousseau in Chicago; Oh Baby in Oregon; Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Calif.; and Saks Fifth Avenue in Mexico—attended CurveNV.
“Our first perception was it is a West Coast show,” said Laurence Teinturier, executive vice president of CurvExpo. “In Vegas it’s not a West Coast show. People are coming from all over the place. You have Central America, Florida, New York, Canada, everywhere.”
International brands looking to break into the U.S. market turned up the fashion to justify the exchangerate prices.
The French lingerie line Cadolle offers made-tomeasure corsets at its store in Paris and exhibited its production line of luxurious bustiers and waist cinchers at Boutique Lingerie. Because of the weak dollar, designer and owner Patricia Cadolle was receptive to a little price negotiation. “We have to be competitive, too,” Cadolle said of her first time showing in Las Vegas.
Bras by Marlies Dekkers from the Netherlands featured straps that stretched across the chest “so you can combine it with your outerwear like jewelry or an accessory,” said Myrthe Van Haren, a spokesperson for Marlies Dekkers. “It’s a waste of your money to buy lingerie and not to show it a bit.”
Established American company Le Mystegrave;re kept offerings fresh with the addition ofnew fashion colors and the launch of beauty product Le Mystegrave;re Skin. “We’re known for our basics, so we have a lot of clients that have been asking for fashion colors,” said Natalie Rabinowitz, vice president of sales for Le Mystegrave;re. “We’re going in that direction, as well, and we’ve had a good reaction.”
In the case of Claire Pettibone, which typically features fine lace and embroidery, the brand pared down and incorporated solid Modal fabrics into its signature and Bleu Clair lines. “In case you don’t want to be completely head-totoe lace, [it’s] something a little more cozier,” said Guy Patrick Toley, president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles–based company.
The high energy of the trade show’s first day continued into the night at Curve NV’s party and fashion show on Valentine’s Day. Approximately 850 guests attended the event, held at The Bank nightclub in the Bellagio hotel, to see brands such as Lejaby, Marlies Dekkers and Letters of Marque on the runway. —Rhea Cortado
