California Apparel News

Rainy weather cut into attendance at the Fashion Market Northern California trade show, held Oct. 23–26 at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, Calif., but it did not throw a wet towel on business for most of the trade show’s vendors, who were showing Spring 2011 merchandise.

Exhibitors noted a new confidence among buyers and retailers, who were shopping the trade show for contemporary and misses fashions. “The energy level was different,” said Lynne Andresevic of the Crayola Sisters showroom. “No one came in and said under their breath, ’How is business at other stores? Is business bad for everyone else?’” Vendor attendance for the regional show was the biggest it had been for any of its five events during the 2010 calendar. The show featured more than 200 vendors, according to Executive Director Suzanne De Groot. Independent boutiques, mostly hailing from Northern California, shopped the show. Among those California retailers attending the show were Angelique Boutique of Sonoma; I-Elle, also headquartered in Sonoma; Twenty One Tango, based in Danville; and Heidi’s of Los Gatos.

Boutique owners interviewed said their business has been improving in the past few months. It was one reason why Catharina Levine, owner of the three-store women’s clothing chain I-Elle, said she increased her shopping budget by 15 percent over last October.

“Since the recession, business has been up and down. But the past few months have been steady,” she said.

Business has been up for Angelique Boutique, according to the store’s owner, Claire Samaras. With a weaker dollar, more foreign tourists are visiting her wine-country town. “We have not been marking down as drastically,” she said. “But we’ve been careful with buying. We don’t have the luxury of making a mistake.”

Many retailers said they were increasing their spending for inventory but only in categories that had been proven to be big sellers. “We’re not randomly buying,” said Michele Stone, owner of Twenty One Tango. The store’s buyer, Tamara Cardinal, said the boutique’s buying budget for the show was even with the same show the previous year. She also forecast that Christmas 2010 would be strong.

“People will always spend for gifts,” Cardinal noted, stating that the Christmas 2009 sales season was one of the strongest in Twenty One Tango’s history.

As for fashion, leggings and tunic tops were popular at Twenty One Tango. Leggings with cargo pockets have been popular at I-Elle. Levine said her customers have been more open to buying expensive items. “It’s a real mix,” she said. “They’re buying $500 coats and $59 sweaters on sale.”

Vendors reported good sales. Don Reichman of the Los Angeles–based Reichman Associates showroom said retailers demonstrated much more confidence about the future. “They were writing Spring orders,” he said. “They were ready to commit to the first quarter of the next year.” Reichman said his sales were even with the October 2009 market.

Crayola Sisters’ Andresevic forecast her sales would be even with last October.

Linda French, owner of the Linda French & Co. showroom, said her booth was packed with appointments with retailers and walk-ins. She said they responded to a mix of low price points and novelty looks.

Rainy weather on Oct. 23 and 24 forced some retailers to stay home during the crucial first days of the show, said Ron Kanar, sales representative for the Vancouver, Wash.–based Kanar & Associates showroom. “We did business,” he said. “It’s going to be a two-day show out of a four-day market,” he said.

Benjamin Zoldan, salesperson for fashion label Joseph Ribkoff, also thought traffic seemed slower. “I was expecting higher foot traffic,” he said. He was hoping to sell more Spring fashion at the show. “We’ve been selling a lot of Immediates,” Zoldan said.

The next Fashion Market Northern California will start on Sunday, Jan. 30. Reichman, the treasurer of the trade show’s board of directors, said beginning on Sunday will allow retailers to spend Saturday—often a crucial shopping day—in their stores.