California Apparel News

More brands were on tap at the latest AccessoriesTheShow and Moda Las Vegas edition, which ran Feb. 16–18 at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Together, more than 600 lines exhibited. Britton Jones, president and chief executive officer of Business Journals Inc., which produces Moda Las Vegas, AccessoriesTheShow and MRket, said, “The overall presence of BJI exhibitors this February, including the 2010 edition of AccessoriesTheShow and Moda Las Vegas, was up 25 percent over last year, and our retail attendance grew by 7 percent as well.”

Buyers browsed Moda Las Vegas’ clothing fit for a mature woman with sophisticated style. Los Angeles–based Bruno Duluc, a first-time exhibitor, showed a combination of classic “core” pieces, such as his jersey dresses and separates in black and white and fashion-forward items in bright pink, orange and blue. About two-thirds of the retailers Duluc had seen at Moda were existing customers. “When you have new clients, you direct them to your core, signature pieces,” Duluc said. “Your existing customers, they always want freshness. In hard times, people think they should stay with the core, but I think it’s the time for the highest creativity possible.”

Los Angeles–based Matti Mamane has shown at Moda New York in the past and had a successful first-time showing at Moda Las Vegas. Now in its sixth season, the line is known for its draped jersey dresses, shirts and tunics that wholesale from $32 to $106 and have a chic European styling. “One hundred percent of the business were new accounts,” Mamane said.

Repeat exhibitor Renee Cohen—who represents Finley Color, Finley Shirts, Be Essential and Gender Bias—said buyers were looking for novelty and value. “Their customers all have basic everything. They are looking for pieces to add to their wardrobe,” said Cohen, who saw a mix of existing customers and new “serious” buyers. “We didn’t really have that many looky-loos,” Cohen said.

This was the first time at AccessoriesTheShow for sisters Dawn Butler and Kelly Lealos, designers of the 6-year-old handbag line Namaste, based in Canoga Park, Calif. Namaste’s PVC, lead-free tote bags, with plenty of roomy compartments, were originally designed for knitters, but the two sisters decided to show at ATS to reach out to a wider customer base.

“We met a lot of good contacts,” Butler said.

Also new to ATS in Las Vegas was Harveys, the Santa Ana, Calif.–based company that launched in 1997 with its signature seatbelt handbag, made from woven seatbelt strapping. The company has exhibited at MAGIC, Project and Pooltradeshow in years past but decided to show at ATS after showing at its New York show.

“The New York AccessoriesTheShow is awesome,” said Harveys President Joe Citizen, who said ATS’ buyer base is a good fit with Harvey’s target demographic. In Las Vegas, buyers were responding well to Harvey’s ruffed “Lola” bag and its “Rosette” wristlets, which can be worn as a bracelet or as an accessory on a handbag.—Rhea Cortado