Mood Upbeat at Outdoor Retailer
Some say the mood is always sunny at Outdoor Retailer, the biannual trade show held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. But at the recent Jan. 21–24 run of the show’s Winter Market, exhibitors said the mood was a bit brighter than last year.
“In my opinion, from the Patagonia booth, the show was buzzing the entire time,” said Jess Clayton, a spokesperson for Ventura, Calif.–based Patagonia. “I got the sense that companies have really honed in and focused on providing top-quality products that consumers need. A lot of the ’riff-raff’ seems to have gone away, most likely as a result of the 2009 recession.”
Patagonia introduced several new items, including organic denim for women. The jeans come in two rises—low and regular—and are available in three washes: dark, medium and light gray. The company also introduced two dress styles, the “Au Bateau Dress” and the “Fortuity Flannel Dress,” for Fall 2010 at the show.
Bill Inman, apparel business director for Rockford, Mich.–based Merrell, agreed that the mood at the show was lighter. “People seemed more optimistic,” he said. “My sense is people are looking for points of differentiation and also strong brands and a lot of value for the consumer at all price points.”
Merrell introduced a new insulated jacket that can be folded into a travel neck pillow. Dubbed the “Guise” for men and the “Charade” for women, the style packs into its front pocket to form the pillow. The lining is made from PrimaLoft Eco, a mix of PrimaLoft fibers and recycled materials.
Similarly, Merrell’s “Tri-Therm” jackets feature a soft shell and a removable down liner that can each be worn separately. The company also expanded its offers in its Ionic fabric, a poly/spandex blend that feels like cotton but performs like a synthetic. Focus on fair trade
Matt Reynolds, co-founder of Indigenous, based in Santa Rosa, Calif., described the show—and the outdoor industry, in general—as “optimistic and fairly positive.”
“The outdoor customer is hanging in there,” he said. “We had some of the best sell-throughs we ever had on Fall ’09 across the board.”
In addition to outdoor stores—including Great Outdoors Provision Co., The Sports Den, Telluride Trappings & Toggery and REI—Reynolds said the show drew catalog retailers such as Sundance and resort stores—“which are perfect for us,” he said.
“Even though we’re more of a contemporary fashion line, we have a special niche [at Outdoor Retailer],” said Reyshy;nolds, who founded Indigenous with Scott Leonard in 1995. “We were birthed in the outdoor industry 15 years ago.”
The company was founded with a commitment to fair trade and environmentally friendly materials and practices. Indigenous’ collection features hand-made sweaters and hand-knit accessories, all made by a team of artisans working in knitting cooperatives in Central and South America. The line also includes jersey pieces made by a small family-run operation using fair-trade practices.
At Indigenous, retailers were looking for specialty pieces, as well as basics with contemporary style and accessories, Reynolds said.
“The difference between Outdoor Retailer and other shows is the buyers book appointments at OR if you do your work ahead of time. We booked more appointments than last time, so we were very busy.”
Reynolds had an especially busy schedule this show. A chance meeting with director Greg Reitman at the show led to a trip to nearby Park City for the Sundance Film Festival, where Reitman interviewed Reynolds for a film called “On the Green Carpet.”
Reynolds said he and Reitman hit it off and soon discovered common ground between Indigenous’ focus on fair-trade practices and organic materials and the director’s “message about people needing to be more mindful of their purchases hellip; and how we can make a difference through accepting differences of others.”—Alison A. Nieder
