Immediates Preferred at CMC
Retail traffic was reportedly down during the Los Angeles Fashion Market, held March 20–24 at the California Market Center, but deals were buzzing for those who could supply retailers with Immediates or fashions that could be manufactured in 90 days or less, said showroom owner Eme Mizioch.
“In my 17 years in this business, I’ve never seen this many people looking for Immediates,” said Mizioch, owner of the Joken Style showroom at the CMC.
In addition to the permanent showrooms, the CMC hosted several satellite trade events, including ENK’s Brighte Companies, the Mom2Bmaternity show, the Transit shoe show, Transmission, which featured contemporary streetwear brands, and Focus, which featured a mix of new and established contemporary brands, as well as a show-within-a-show partnership with San Diego–based Thread Select.
Many showroom owners at the CMC reported steady business during this troubled economic season. However, showroom owner Liza Stewart said business seemed to be shifting. Traditionally, retailers would place orders for Fall fashions at the March market. “We did have some Fall orders,” said Stewart, owner of the Liza Stewart Showroom. “But the stores making commitments on paper were making them for Immediates.” Retailers were specifically looking for fashions with delivery dates of April 30, May 30 and June 30, she said.
Boutique owner Wendy Freeman agreed that most of her colleagues were seeking out Immediates to mitigate their risk on the merchandise they purchase. “Everyone is playing it safe,” said Freeman, who has owned pioneering Los Angeles boutique Polkadots & Moonbeams for 25 years.
Another successful boutique owner, Gabrielle Zuccaro, said consumers still spend on fashion but they’re in a penny-pinching mood. So she has been careful about stocking expensive items. For this market, she hedged her bets by making orders for labels that have proved to be strong sellers at her Los Angeles boutique, Bleu. She placed orders for fashion labels Alexander Wang, Michelle Mason and Sea at the market.
Bloomingdale’s, Saks, Macy’s and Intermix were among the retailers shopping the CMC market. According to Stewart, an increasing number of e-commerce boutiques, including Revolveclothing.com and MyShape.com, were shopping in the building, as well.
Stewart estimated that retail traffic decreased 30 percent compared with the same market in the previous year. Mizioch, the Joken Style showroom owner, estimated retail traffic dropped by 50 percent. CMC did not release numbers of traffic. However, there was an increase in retail traffic compared with the January 2009 market, said Joanne Lee, the building’s senior vice president.
“Buyers were definitely writing,” Lee said in a prepared statement. “ Plus, we had so much activity going on at the CMC this Market; from our growing Focus and Transit shows to Mom2B, Transmission and Brighte and the three nights of fashion shows [produced by Who’s Next What’s Next], we kept the buyers downtown interested, engaged and purchasing.” —Andrew Asch
