California Apparel News

NEW YORK—Première Vision New York reported an “all-time high” attendance during its July 21–22 run at Pier 92, where more than 300 exhibitors showcased their latest collections of fabric, trim and artwork.

Organizers reported 4,415 visits over the two-day show, which represented an 11 percent increase over the January 2015 edition and a 2 percent increase over last July. Brands and retailers shopping the show included BCBG, Banana Republic, J Brand,Michael Kors, Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis,Citizens of Humanity, Ann Taylor, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang,Opening Ceremony, J. Crew, Tory Burch and Marc Jacobs.

“This is our 31st edition. We started in 2000,” said Guglielmo Olearo, Première Vision’s international exhibitions director. “The U.S. remains one of the key markets in the fashion industry.”

This was the second season at Pier 92 since the show moved from the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building in New York’s Chelsea district last year, and Olearo said the show had already outgrown its space. In January, the show will move next door to the larger Pier 94 space, overlooking the Hudson River.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to introduce more innovation,” Olearo said, adding that organizers are considering possible new areas of expansion from denim to garment manufacturing to leather. “The idea is to complete the offering,” he said. “We see the market is in good shape, especially for luxury accessible brands like Michael Kors and Tory Burch. The dollar is stronger than it was, so the Eurozone is more attractive.”

This season, Première Vision New York featured an expanded trim and accessories section and organized all the offerings under a single name. In the past, Première Vision operated separate shows for different segments of the market under different names. Trim and apparel accessories previously showed in theModamont show while original artwork resources showed at Indigo. This season, all were under the same roof as Première Vision fabric resources.

For Gera Gallico, sales coordinator for Moda Team Italy, a group of several Italian accessories companies, the expanded trim section was good for business.

“There are three kinds of people at the show—designers, fabric people and accessories people. To be all together has more of an impact on all of us,” she said. “We’ve been very busy all day.”

Moda Team Italy includes high-end buttons from Conti Wej; metal buttons and hardware from J-Val; zippers, including specialty sizes, from Unzip; and tags, labels, patches and packaging from Redmark.

“As a group, we all complement each other,” Gallico said.

For many exhibitors, opening day of the show got off to a brisk start. That was the case for Sandrine Bernard, executive vice president of the New York office of the French lace mill Solstiss.

“We saw a lot of interesting people,” she said, adding that she had seen J. Crew, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen,Guess, Trina Turk and BCBG.

“Most of them have finished Spring and are starting Fall,” she said. “They are looking for inspiration.”

Hugo Soudée, sales manager for Soultz, France–based Philea, said he’d seen buyers from Tommy Hilfiger,Juicy Couture, American Apparel, Eileen Fisher and Joie.

“It was crazy, especially this morning,” he said on the first day of the show.

This season, Philea introduced some new coated yarn products and seersucker styles.

At the booth for German mill KBC, Sales Manager Peter Voegtlin said designers and piece-goods buyers were looking for fabrics with texture and patternwork, including florals and vintage paisleys.

It was a tight fit at the booth for Laguna Beach, Calif., art studio Garreau Designs. A mix-up resulted in the longtime exhibitor showing out of a tiny space in the surface design section of Première Vision.

Owner Dianna Garreau was keeping an eye out for her accounts to make sure they didn’t miss her. Normally, her booth has space for many buyers to review the lines. This time, she only had two chairs.

“We lost a few people because of the booth space,” she said, adding, “The people who we’ve seen have pulled deep—it’s not onesies and twosies. Some of my California companies are here—for the first time, too. I tell my clients to come here if they need a broader perspective.”

This was the first time at Première Vision New York for Brazilian art studio Elaia.

“We’re looking for a bigger market in the U.S., said Elaia Director Bruno Hanson. “We’re happy with the results.”

Hanson said the exchange rate between Brazil and the U.S. makes his company’s prices very competitive.

In addition to the exhibitors’ booths, attendees reviewed the trends in the show’s Trend Forums and attended the Autumn/Winter 16/17 Trend Tasting seminar, led by Première Vision Deputy Fashion Director Sabine Le Chatelier, as well as trend seminars led by Design Options,Promostyl, Color Portfolio, Mintmoda, Trend Union Edelkoort, Kids a la Mode and Carpenter + Co. The show also featured a panel discussion on fashion’s future, led by Première Vision’s Brazil-based consultant Olivia Merquieor and featuring Le Chatelier, Trend Union Edelkoort’s Philip Fimmano, Lanificio Subalpino Chief Executive Officer Nicoló Zumaglini and fashion designer Marie Saint Pierre.