California Apparel News

LAS VEGAS—With big denim brands such as Hudson Jeans, JBrand, Paige Denim and Citizens of Humanity anchoring the show, ENKVegas has become a mandatory stop on the Las Vegas trade show circuit.

The show, held Aug. 20–22 at the WynnLas Vegas hotel, is also the place to pick up innovative denim brands such as Current/Elliott, Thvm and Neuw Denim, as well as core men’s and women’s contemporary labels, accessories, and handbags. Los Angeles–based American Rag, Kitson, Fred Segal Santa Monica and Ron Robinson as well as JMR from Salt Lake City and Gregory’s, which has several stores across the country, were just a few of the boutiques that shopped the show.

According to Neuw Denim brand manager Purdom Thomas, the show was a success for the brand, which showed for the first time at ENKVegas this season. “We’ve been very pleased,” he said. “What we found is a smaller, more intimate environment. Clients want to spend more time, which is beneficial because we have a very large collection.” He added that there was a strong account base and the accounts were more serious. Sales were equal for Neuw’s men’s and women’s collections.

For Thvm co-founder Brian Kim, the show was strong and business continues to grow. He said not only did he see returning buyers, but Thvm saw a lot of new accounts from the Midwest and the northern United States. Many were shopping for novelty, color and eco-conscious lines. “We have a new eco-friendly waterless program, and people seem to be drawn to that,” Kim said.

Showroom Seven sales associate Mary Sanner also said novelty was key. Printed denim and a pair of tie-dyed leather jeans were hot items for Paris-based Notify. Many of the elaborate prints were part of a collection created in collaboration with Indian fashion designer Manish Arora.

Jessica Grant, a buyer for Seaside Luxe, said the show provided a good mix of options for women and men. She said color is key for Spring ’13 and was shopping for beach resort lines that were easy, fun and special.

For designer Gillian Julius, ENKVegas was a good fit for her line of chic, high-end jewelry. “For me, this is a focused show, and that’s the reason I do it,” she said. “ENK has done the ‘jury duty’ for us. The mix of vendors here are the right vendors, so they’re pulling in the right retailers. So we’re not spending hours with the stores that aren’t compatible with us. It’s a beautifully classy show.” Julius said she opened up a lot of new accounts, including some from the Middle East, as well as distribution for Europe. Hudson Jeans Vice President of Marketing and Communications Tony Chu said the show is key for the 10-year-old brand, which has been showing at ENKVegas since the show debuted.“ENKVegas is super-special for us because we’re a West Coast brand, so it’s closest to home and we kick start new seasons here. … It’s the barometer of everything. It’s validation that we’re on trend [and] we’re doing the right thing.”Chu described the first day’s business as “gangbusters.”

“We had our biggest show last August, and we were able to eclipse what we did in three days in two days [this time],” he said.

—N. Jayne Seward