Guild Show Doubles in Size
Guild held the second edition of its upscale menswear show at Palms Place in Las Vegas Feb. 17–19. The show doubled in size since its debut last August, according to Jason Fischer, who, with Dana Robinson and shoe designer George Esquivel, launched the show last season.
Nearly 40 brands presented their collections this season, including KZO, Orthodox, Rivi Jeans, Odyn Vovk, Esquivel, Wings & Horns, Fremont, Apolis Activism and Unholy Matrimony. Buyers and retailers appreciated the trade show’s upscale suites and more intimate, laid-back approach.
“We had a ton of people coming by and inquiring about the show,” Fischer said. “I think they like the setting, the rooms; it’s more like a showroom. There’s not so much craziness going on around them, and they can focus and actually write orders,” he explained. According to exhibitors, there wasn’t a lot of traffic, but key buyers attended the show. Representatives from American Rag, Villains Vault, Fred Segal, Opening Ceremony, Metropark, Holt Renfrew and Harvey Nichols Hong Kong visited the show. In addition, there was a large contingency of Japanese buyers shopping for Ships, Isetan, Beams, Barneys and Rosebud.
Buyers were being cautious, but they were also shopping for new offerings and directional pieces. “I think people are looking for price point, quality and value,” said Rob Lo, co-founder of the Roden Gray boutique and Editorial Inc. showroom. “And definitely something that’s very easy and classic but still with that little bit of an edge. People are moving away from really high-fashion, very eccentric pieces. They’re getting back to basics,” Lo added. According to Michael Mente, owner of Revolve Clothing, the continuation of classic outdoor themes, workwear and Americana is important for Fall. “It’s been good for us,” Mente said. “Timing wise, it just feels like it fits with the mood of the country,” he added. Mente also said that he is always looking for new, exciting products, but the bar is set even higher for new brands breaking into the market. Designer Joel K. of KZO offered a variety of styles ranging from plaid shirts with fringe details to fleece coats with high-end wax coatings. “I think a lot of the finishings and fabrications buyers are looking for have to be nice, unique and special,” Joel. K. said. “For us, this season, it seems like the buyers are gravitating more toward things like that in conjunction with designs that set themselves apart from everything else that’s out there.”
According to Paul Conrad, owner of the Medium showroom, a new line called The Warriors of Radness was doing well because it offered a directional look at the right price. “I think it’s because the economy is so dark right now; it’s one of those lines that makes you happy because there’s so much color to it, but the price is so good, too,” Conrad said. —N. Jayne Seward
