Las Vegas Apparel marked its debut at the Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas during its Aug. 8-10 run, as buyers and exhibitors, such as Ces Femme enjoyed connecting within a new space.
TRADE SHOWS
Las Vegas Apparel’s Successful Debut Sets the Stage for Growth
Debuting Aug. 8-10 at the Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas, Las Vegas Apparel was hosted by International Market Centers and saw success during its first show.
“It’s safe to say that we are planning a February market that will complement the other events,” said Kim Adams, vice president of marketing for apparel at IMC.
Buyers hailed from more than 30 states including California, Texas, Washington, Utah, Alabama and Florida in addition to Puerto Rico. International buyers visited from Colombia and Canada. The IMC-owned building is set within the middle of the Las Vegas Arts District, and the show is fashion focused.
“It’s this really neat Arts District part of Vegas that the fashion industry has not seen,” said Caron Stover, IMC senior vice president of apparel. “We will involve our customers every step of the way in decision-making because that is how we make decisions.”
The Atlanta-based Get It GRL boutique’s mother-daughter team of Kim Askew and Jade Goins traveled to Las Vegas with Patrice Hull of C2bN. Goins enjoyed the show’s aesthetic as she shopped for “hand-selected pieces at an affordable price” for Fall/Winter, Spring and Holiday.
“Something that pops—tulles, colors, fringe. Right now, a lot of women during post-COVID are looking for comfortable clothes with style. Something you can wear all day and dress up. Athleisure and cool pieces,” Goins said. “Emerald is a heavy color. Rust, orange, mustard yellow never go out.”
At the Vintage Addiction booth, Alesia Longenderfer was selling her line of bags made from responsible sourcing such as recycled, upcycled and vintage materials for $15–$125 wholesale as she enjoyed a return to trade shows.
“It is what it was years ago—reenergizing and going back to what worked for us 15 years ago. The simplest details are appreciated. They really reach out in so many different ways,” said Longenderfer. “You still have those personal touches with your vendors to buy what you need to buy.”
The mother-daughter buying team of Jo Dee Dean and Courtney Trede was shopping for The Parker Shoppes, a Parker, Colo., lifestyle destination. They shopped for sweaters, accessories and new lines for deliveries in January, February and March.
“We have to find the right price point at wholesale—$30, but $20 is better,” Dean said. “We are looking for elevated cozy. Our customers are still working from home and will probably not return to the commute. They have to look good from the chest up.”
Trends in comfort were still resonating at the Ces Femme booth, where sales representative Rodrigo Parra was representing the Los Angeles brand.
“They are looking for fall and winter styles. Comfortable styles, long sleeved. Things they can get now or even if they have to wait a couple of months,” Parra said. “They are going for a comfortable fit, oversized and also something that will fit any type of body you have.”
