Capsule Business Steady
Capsule, the juried men’s and women’s contemporary trade show, continued to expand into women’s and lifestyle categories for its fifth show in Las Vegas. The latest run took place Aug. 22–23 at the Palazzo Ballroom at The Venetian.
The exhibitor count at the most recent show increased to 200 vendors, compared with the August 2010 Capsule show, where 140 vendors exhibited. The increase was due to the addition of lifestyle and women’s brands exhibiting at the show, said Deirdre Maloney, Capsule’s co-owner.
Perceptions of buyer traffic ranged from light to steady, according to exhibitors and show owners. More than 2,500 attendees walked the show, according to Maloney. Retailers walking the show included department stores and specialty boutiques Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Barneys New York, Fred Segal, American Rag, Opening Ceremony, Atrium and Traffic. Many buyers from Asian countries also shopped Capsule.
High-profile Los Angeles–based boutique owner Lisa Kline also shopped there. “I find the new brands at Capsule,” she said.At many other trade shows, she does business with labels that are familiar brands at her self-named Lisa Kline boutique. The retailer said she was impressed with Costa Mesa, Calif.–based line Chapter, which exhibited at Capsule.The recent Capsule’s buyer traffic seemed lighter compared with the August 2010 show, according to Jason Bates, owner of Derelicte Showroom. He was handling sales for Los Angeles–based brand Comune, which recently debuted its women’s line by designer Linda Lovemade.Comune saw 70 accounts during the two-day show and opened 15 new accounts. “We knew we would see everyone we wanted to see,” Bates said of Capsule traffic.He estimated that about a quarter of those placing orders bought Immediates and the rest placed Spring orders.Derek Buse of Los Angeles–based men’s line Riviera Club had forecast that show traffic would be light, but he reported show attendance beat his expectations. “It was a steady show,” Buse said. “When one account was done, another came in.”Vendor Michael Cassel said the show had space for everyone. He is owner of The Stronghold, a Venice, Calif.–based denim line that makes jeans with a 1920s look. He had doubts on whether there would be interest in clothes with a classic workwear style. “There were more denim buyers than I thought,” he said.
