Up-and-Comers at Capsule
The BPMW-produced Capsule trade show returned to The Venetian this season with a brand roster of more the 150 menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories brands. The Aug. 18–19 show, which targets up-and-coming brands from around the globe, included brands such as Billy Reid from Florence, Ala.; Reyn Spooner from Hawaii; London-based Pennfield; Copenhagen-based Norse Projects; and California brands Trovata, Copy, Orthodox, B:Scott, Crate, Comune, SLVDR, Skingraft, Seneca Rising and Riviera Club.
Minya Quirk, a co-founder of New York–based BPMW, said the show was a success, attracting roughly 2,500 buyers, including a healthy dose of Japanese buyers. Seen on the show floor were buyers from independent specialty retailers and majors, including Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Anthropologie, Ron Herman, Holt Renfrew, Need Supply and Urban Outfitters.
Mark Logan of Comune said the brand did well with alternatives to denim, including five-pocket twill pants. “A washed-down canvas jacket and traditional chinos—but done our way—also did well,” he said. Woven shirts also proved a strong seller for the Spring/Summer 2011 season.
Quirk said womenswear continues to be a growing focus for the show, which originally launched as a men’s-only show. Now, menswear accounts for 60 percent of Capsule’s offerings while womenswear has grown to 40 percent. Buyers, Quirk said, have responded well to the women’s contemporary and young designer brands at the show.
“We want to be as comprehensive a show as possible—from soup to nuts,” she said. Growing Capsule’s womenswear numbers falls into that category, but so do other less likely categories, including store fixtures and vintage garments. Irons & Duck sold store fixtures and furnishings on the show floor for retailers looking to redecorate their sales floors. And for the first time, Capsule included a cash-and-carry vintage section, which featured everything from archive-quality denim from the 1800s to vintage T-shirts from the ’60s and ’70s. “These categories add to the whole experience of the show,” Quirk said.—Erin Barajas
