Sourcing Kicks Off Early
This season, the MAGIC Marketplace shaved a day off its traditional four-day run, but the giant trade show’s Sourcing at MAGIC show opted to stick to the four-day schedule, opening a day early on Aug. 24 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The early opening brought a few additional attendees—although a snafu with the Las Vegas Fire Marshal had the main bay doors closed for the first few hours.
Still, buyers and designers turned out to get a jump on sourcing among the section’s more than 500 exhibitors, including factories from China, Pakistan, Africa, South America and India. The section also included fabric and trim suppliers, sublimation printers, original and vintage print resources, and full-package and accessories companies.
Returning for a second season was Tex Ray, a vertical manufacturer of organic-cotton apparel based in Swaziland, Africa.
Tex Ray produces apparel made from organic cotton grown by small-plot farmers in Swaziland. Most of the company’s business is in private-label manufacturing, but the company launched its own brand, Earthco Be Organic, three seasons ago. In addition to the Swaziland facilities, the company owns factories in Mexico, China, Vietnam and Cambodia.
This season, the company chose to show in Sourcing at MAGIC and in MAGIC’s new Ecollection show, according to Jerry Pomar, vice president of sales and merchandising for Tex Ray, a division of Z-Ply Corp.
“It was very encouraging,” he said. “We saw a number of the bigger retailers and the mid-sized retailers hellip; from Oregon to New Hampshire, Florida, Texas and the Midwest—much more than last time.”
Los Angeles–based accessories company Chenson Inc. was a first-time exhibitor at the Sourcing section, although the company has maintained a booth at MAGIC’s Accessories at the Hilton show at the Hilton Convention Center for several seasons. The company produces private-label accessories that are designed in Los Angeles and produced in China.
Chenson General Manager Phil Chen was pleased with the business at Sourcing.
“We’ve had good results—a lot of majors are here,” Chen said.
Meeting with Chenson rep Sabrina Liu were Mark Pagaduan and Brandon Vierra, art director and executive assistant for Las Vegas–based Billionaire Mafia, a new upscale streetwear label launched by evening wear designer Lana Fuchs.
In addition to accessories, the two looked at fabrics from Korea, heat-transferred jewels and denim. “The denim here is awesome,” Vierra said.
The company was showing its line of hand-embellished tees and urban jewelry with precious gems in Chrome, an unmarked section of upscale streetwear located near MAGIC’s new S.L.A.T.E. lifestyle streetwear section.
“We’ve had a lot of traffic,” Pagaduan said. “We’re definitely making a buzz because we’re local.” —Alison A. Nieder
