ENK Vegas Now at Wynn
ENK Vegas moved to a new location for its second edition, held Feb. 17–19 at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Buyers came to the show, organized by ENK International, for the well-edited mix of designer and contemporary brands offered by the New York–based mega-trade-show producer. ENK also organizes the Fashion Coterie, Intermezzo, Blue, Collective and Brighte Cos. shows.
ENK Vegas’ lineup included Helmut Lang, Trovata, Corpus, JBrand, Black Halo, Velvet, Seneca Rising, Hudson Jeans, Rag & Bone, Lucky Brand and Theory. Held last season at The Venetian, the recent ENK Vegas scored with exhibitors and buyers, who seemed pleased with the spacious new layout and amenities, which included a complimentary breakfast and lunch as well as snacks and an open bar. “I think everyone is really pleased with ENK Vegas,” said Lee Lenox, account executive from the Joey Showroom. “The whole setup is phenomenal. All the buyers are really happy to be in a relaxed setting. It’s really intimate, great lines, it’s edited, it’s easy,” he added.
Many felt buyer traffic could have been better; however, most were pleased with the quality of buyers who turned out. “It’s the right people—our core demographic as far as our buying and the stores are concerned—so it’s been a good show for us,” said Peter Kim, chief executive officer and president of Hudson Jeans.
Los Angeles–area boutique buyers from Fred Segal, Ron Herman, M.Fredric, Planet Blue and American Rag attended the show, as did department-store buyers from Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.
According to Jeannine Braden, owner of Santa Monica, Calif.–based Fred Segal Flair, ENK Vegas was a great opportunity to do business closer to home. She added Las Vegas to her buying calendar this season so she could utilize her time in New York during Fashion Coterie to focus on showrooms she couldn’t see on the West Coast. Braden said she was looking for quality lines that offered value for her customers. “If it has longevity and it’s classic, then they’ll invest in it,” Braden said. In addition, she was also looking for new, under-the-radar brands to offer an interesting mix of merchandise. “I still think the mix is important. You need to be able to sell something to every girl, and it’s just not the time to throw real expensive prices at them,” she explained.
According to Kim, Hudson’s focus on offering a quality product with consistent price points is paying off at retail. And buyers, although cautious, are still looking to drive sales. Darren Gold and Christos Garkinos from Alpha in West Hollywood, Calif., said they were shopping for must-buys including well-priced basics and T-shirts, as well as special, unique pieces. “One way or another, it has to be something compelling enough to make people buy in this economy,” Gold explained. —N. Jayne Seward
