California Apparel News

As buyers and exhibitors grow increasingly interested in blending business with new experiences, organizers are expanding the reach of WWDMAGIC by offering more ways for buyers to learn and connect.

“This time, instead of just focusing on bloggers and social media, we went more toward a women’s entrepreneurial collection and inclusive fashion,” WWDMAGIC Vice President Kelly Helfman said of the event, which took place Aug. 13–15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

With e-commerce growing, Helfman said buyers still need a physical place to buy goods. “You can do a lot online, but when you’re buying for your boutique and you want to deliver the best product to your customers, you need to come to the show, touch and feel and make sure it’s quality.”

This need to experience the product, while selling in a digital marketplace, was the foundation of WWDMAGIC’s launch of its new ON:LINE section. Powered by FashionGo, this area allowed buyers to experience different brands by looking through approximately 30 pieces from each line at the show but also shopping the remainder of the collections online through the FashionGo business-to-business e-commerce platform—a perfect opportunity for emerging brands.

“General feedback from our customers has been pretty positive. They are really excited that we’re here,” Marketing Associate Alin Kim said. “This is something that we’re going to be doing for the next few shows, twice a year at MAGIC.”

At Unique Vintage—aBurbank, Calif., line that specializes in re-creating styles from the 1920s through 1970s at wholesale prices that average $49—traffic was good as the company showcased its collection, which included a Barbie collaboration.

“This has been a really good show for us. The first day, we did more than what we did all three days last time, so we’re feeling pretty good,” founder and Chief Executive Officer Katie Eche­verry said.

While shopping for Immediates and Fall, Lily May Treviño, owner of Linda’s Boutique, found many options for her Laredo, Texas, business, which focuses on formalwear and cocktail dresses, but she would like to see more accessories.

“I like it so much because you have everything in one place,” she said. When asked about any brands that stood out during her visit, she said, “Ina—I like the brand, texture and designs. They have a nice price for the quality they give us.”

At the Line and Dot booth, sales manager Heather Yoon reported a lot of business for her Vernon, Calif.–based company’s Spring line as buyers searched for bright colors, rainbows, jumpsuits and sets.

“We’re showing Spring 2019, so basically we’re here to show our new collection and see what is working and what is not,” she said while discussing her line, whose wholesale prices average $25 to $40. “Ninety-five percent of people are writing the orders. I didn’t see much note taking.”