California Apparel News

You won’t get lost at the OC.Mix Show, a compact trade event organized twice a year by apparel company Z Supply at its company headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

Because of space limitations, there are rarely more than eight vendors at the show, which was launched a little more than two years ago. The focus is on attracting nearby retailers in areas such as Orange County and beyond.

The vibe is distinctly casual and friendly with a buffet lunch eaten at picnic tables out back and one large room with tall windows looking out on greenery to house the vendors, who set up tables and not booths.

Buyers are treated to a complimentary breakfast, lunch, and wine-and-cheese happy hour both days.

At the latest show, held Sept. 11–12, seven vendors carrying some 27 contemporary clothing and accessories brands populated Z Supply’s 1,500-square-foot corporate showroom.

California retailers came from as far away as Catalina Island and San Diego County as well as from Newport Beach and the adjacent Balboa Island.

“The OC.Mix show is such an intimate shopping experience,” said Talia Hancock, owner of the Talia Boutique in Newport Beach. “I was able to take my time and curate a collection from lines that I might not normally have seen at a bigger trade show.”

Eileen Burke—who owns Queen Eileen’s in Palm Desert, Escondido and Del Mar—thought the show was convenient because of its location between San Diego and Los Angeles. “It allowed me the opportunity to see my current vendors and be exposed to new ones in a calm and relaxed setting,” she said.

Vendors attending the show appreciated the intimate vibe and casual ambiance at a show where everyone seems to work well together.

This was the second time Rande Cohen, whose self-named showroom is located in The New Mart, showed at the event with her brands, which include PJ Salvage, Oats Cashmere, Lola & Sophie and Wooden Ships. “I thought the show was great. I was able to see a lot of people I would normally not see,” she said. “It was a relaxed environment, parking was great because it was free, and they served a delicious lunch. Buyers could come in, get everything done in two hours and leave.”

This was also the second time Israel Ramirez, the owner of the Siblings Showroom at the Cooper Design Space, exhibited at the show. He and sales representative Hannah Faris saw mostly stores from Orange County. “We were happy to be at the show,” he said. “Z Supply did a good job of making it an intimate, well-serviced show. It is a collaborative effort. Everyone works together to do their part to make sure the show is busy.”