Brighte Exhibitors Focus on Creativity
Exhibitors at the Brighte Companies show, held March 20–23 in the California Market Center Fashion Theater, reported slow to moderate traffic for the event, which caters to buyers of contemporary apparel, footwear and accessories.
One exhibitor said he did not complete one sale in 3 1/2 days at the show, while Steve Waller of Torrance, Calif.–based Royal Plush said he did log moderate business. Waller said most of the interest was directed toward the company’s new denim, featuring eight styles and two washes and priced from $96. The jeans feature the company’s signature fleur de lis emblem along with grinding, rips and studding.
“It’s been slow, but there been some business here,” Waller said. “We’re not [entering the denim category] just for the sake of doing jeans. Our customers have been asking for denim, and we’re providing it.”
Waller said investing in brand extensions—the company added activewear last fall—has helped it stay afloat during lean times.
Sulu Grant of Westport, Conn.–based Sulu Collection returned to Brighte after a few seasons to round up as many West Coast accounts as she could, but she said the effort fell short of expectations. The company produces embellished tunics and tops sourced in India and priced from $50. Grant said buyers are restructuring their budgets and consolidating their show schedules and exhibitors are doing the same.
“We usually do well in the resorts, but even the resorts are suffering right now. Some of my accounts are saying it’s worse than 9/11,” Grant said.
The company has been able to survive by combining Grant’s Western design influences with hand-loomed cottons from India. Her tops feature faux leather, mirrored, beaded and embroidered detailing.
Orion Anthony of Los Angeles denim line Small Town said he was expecting a bigger turnout from buyers as his moto-themed premium denim was selling through fairly well at retail.
“We are doing 73 percent sell-throughs at Henri Bendel in New York,” he said.
Anthony introduced some Western influences for Fall and continued with the company’s motorcycle-inspired styles with emphasis on zipper details and pocket cuts. Anthony said skinny and boot cuts are still king but noted that creativity is helping the company survive the recession.
“You have to be original and do something different,” he said. —Robert McAllister
