California Apparel News

Organized to showcase Fall II and Holiday, L.A. Market Week saw local retailers and those who headed to Los Angeles from out of state to see their trusted showroom partners. Many buyers wanted to enjoy the intimate atmosphere of working with representatives they know.

Amid its renovations, the California Market Center continued to promote a new look and atmosphere. At Label Array, which took place on the center’s 13th floor of the B building, buyers found pieces that would set apart their businesses from the competition.

For Tam Edwards, owner of Arie Nicole in Valdosta, Ga., Label Array was a resource for trendy neon hues as well as gold and bright colors to bring a bit of West Coast style to her shop.

“The goal is to look at new items that are not typically offered in our area,” she said. “We’re shopping for Fall and some Immediates in bright colors, but I think people should be open to everything the CMC has to offer—and definitely make the seminars. They offer great points for building a small business.”

At the booth for made-in-Los Angeles sustainable brand Reck-less, owner Kertu Palo saw buyers from Japan who were looking for a unique approach to apparel manufacturing by checking out her women’s shirtdresses and jumpsuits. “It’s seasonless, especially for people who travel a lot,” she said. “There is appreciation for the fact that we recycle dead stock. It’s a trend in itself.”

Sitting downstairs during the CMC’s afternoon happy hour on June 17, which featured a fashion show showcasing the new Hyfve misses/contemporary line Remixmess, Guadalupe Goler of Goler Fine Imported Shoes in Santa Fe, N.M., explained that she divides her market time among Los Angeles, New York and Dallas.

“The energy that Los Angeles has is very trendy,” she said. “We are focused on earthy tones and citrus green. We spread our time around, but if I am shopping in Los Angeles, I am doing Immediates.”

On the fifth floor of the B building, Rose Marie Migliazzo of the Romy M. showroom was taking orders from buyers who traveled from California cities such as Palm Springs but also from New York, Texas and Illinois. She was fielding orders for her accessories, novelties and apparel lines, such as the recently launched La Formé denim line.

“During this market, we’ve had almost all Immediates and a few orders for September transition,” she said. “They want pops of color and something women can wear all day.”

The New Mart attracts buyers who want trusted brands

Buyer traffic seemed steady within the halls of The New Mart, with the Designers and Agents show held on the third floor attracting buyers who wanted unique goods.

“I am looking for Holiday and add-ons, just something interesting that you can’t find everywhere,” said Sydney Duncan of W Boutique LLC in Tucson, Ariz. “I like the small lines because they’re not at the big department stores and not marking down every 15 minutes.”

Maylee Lim, owner of the Thousand Oaks, Calif., boutique Rebel Violet, was placing orders for Fall 2019 and some Spring 2020 to accommodate her clientele of women between the ages of 20 and 30. Her strategy is to do enough business in Los Angeles to avoid larger, busier trade shows.

“I don’t like to go to Las Vegas. It’s too far and too much—I like to break it down,” she said. “I go to my reps in the Cooper Design Space and The New Mart.”

At the Arlene Henry Sales showroom located on the 12th floor of The New Mart, Eva Jackson, owner of the Santa Fe, N.M., boutique Sign of the Pampered Maiden, was placing orders for Fall. Working with trusted showrooms that have served as valuable resources for many years is important to her business.

“The established relationships with showrooms are important. They know my business and call out lines to suit my needs,” she said. “I attend almost every market.”

The Velvet Heart showroom saw buyers from South Dakota, Miami, Hawaii and Ohio who were placing orders at a nearly 50-50 split between Immediates and Fall, with a bit of Spring 2020. Color trends included cobalt blue and mustard, said West Coast Account Executive Indigo Davis, who also noted that buyers were approaching market more informed, with a bit of restraint.

“They like that sweet spot of $25 or $30 [wholesale],” she said. “People are being conservative and trying to buy smart. It’s the only way they can keep surviving.”

An informed experience at the Cooper

This season, Brand Assembly occupied the entire top floor of the Cooper Design Space with apparel and novelty items. Antonia Pappas, owner of the Arvada, Colo., apparel boutique Vouna,was most impressed by The Greenhouse, a pop-up CBD wellness-and-lifestyle section.

“With Colorado being one of the states on the forefront of it [CBD], I appreciated their knowledge and they didn’t seem to be fly-by-night operations,” she said. “It was unexpected.”

As a contemporary-clothing resource, April Hicks of the April Blooms Boutique in Pasadena, Calif., was searching for Fall and Holiday goods that would fit within her average $80 retail price point.

“I am always looking for new vendors hoping they’ll be here to have a unique assortment of items in my store,” she said. “Affordable quality is what I look for. I am coming in to fill in pieces between seasons.”

The Cooper Design Space’s fifth-floor showroom, The New West, saw buyers who were interested in placing orders following treacherous weather after the first few months of the year.

“A lot of our stores have had a really good April and May,” said owner Jenny Corcoran Ewing. “People are feeling enthusiastic after the terrible weather everyone had.”

For Phillip Markey, owner of the Houston-headquartered Soho, this trip to market was not only an opportunity to buy for Holiday but also served as a method to prepare his daughter Lindsey to manage the independent business one day. With five doors—three in Texas and two in Florida—the father/daughter buying team was shopping The New West showroom to find special pieces in the better contemporary category.

“The way we see our business going for small independents is to think outside the box. We want things that will jump out for the customer. Anything that is exciting is not always easily found,” he said. “You have to find items that will bring customers into bricks-and-mortar.”

Gerry Building’s comfortable buying atmosphere

On the penthouse level of the Gerry Building, buyers sought refuge from the busy market atmosphere in favor of a more intimate shopping experience. Seeing traffic from her established accounts, Karen Kearns said that visitors to her eponymous showroom were writing orders for Immediates, Fall and Resort/Spring pieces.

“Our appointments came in and it’s been steady,” she said. “They’re filling in if they missed something.”

There was a large demand for her toppers and throws, cardigans, V-necks, pieces that featured embellishments and some novelty items. Carrying lines such as In Cashmere and the family-owned Italian brand La Bottega, Kearns was excited about introducing her clientele to Khangura, a Pasadena, Calif., brand that manufactures in the United States.

“They own their own prints and will always do nice texture and mixed media such as prints with slubs,” she said. “The fabrics feel really good and everything is put together in the United States.”

While many of her clients are local Southern California stores, Kearns saw buyers from Arizona, Colorado, Washington and Oregon. Due to her large following by resorts, Kearns said that the June market was important for her clients as this is the quieter season in California’s desert regions.