California Apparel News

Traffic was static compared to last year’s showing of the West Coast Exclusive but exhibitors who made appointments ahead of time reported good results at the Spring ’03 showing Aug. 4–6 at the WHotel in Los Angeles.

“We originally expected a larger turnout, but our attendance matched last year’s show [130],” said Stevi Goetz, one of the co-founders of the Exclusive.

This is the fourth year for the biannual West Coast menswear trade show. In February, the show debuted a Las Vegas edition running concurrently with MAGIC International. The second run of the Las Vegas edition is set for Aug. 25–27 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

The difficult economic environment and the close proximity of the Las Vegas show may have kept traffic flat, according to Goetz.

“Business having been tough, a lot of the retailers who were planning to come to this show and our Las Vegas show had to make a choice, so some of them decided to just go to Vegas,” she said.

But Goetz described the pace of traffic as “smooth” and said that pace lent a “no pressure” atmosphere to the show for buyers.

“That’s what initially made this show work,” she said. “Our pace is smoother and we are so focused, they can come and get everything they need from shoes on up.”

Exhibitors who made appointments had the busier showrooms at the Exclusive.

“We called a lot of people and faxed—we did our homework,” said Filip Grozea, president of Interfashion Ltd. in New York. “You can’t come to the show just hoping for traffic—you have to make your customer aware of you.”

Goetz said that the Exclusive assists its exhibitors in getting the word out by providing them with mailing lists from previous shows.

“We always tell them this is not a booth show,” said Goetz. “Their obligation is to make appointments, which is why we supply them with retailer lists of previous shows, so that they know the people who come, and people do browse around.”

Goetz said that every vendor will also be supplied an updated mailing list after the current show to follow up with new business and new contacts.

Some buyers, such as Fred Warren from Fred Segal Santa Monica, however, are resistant to appointments, preferring to keep time open to browse the show for new finds.

“They always want you to make appointments, but I try to limit that so I have more time to scout around,” he said. “On the one hand, I was looking for something new, but on the other hand, there are some vendors here that we have bought in the past.”

Many buyers were following the same program as Warren, shopping to season at the Spring ’03 show, but also looking for immediate pieces. One such buyer was Omar Gani from Vivaldi in Temecula, Calif., who came to the Exclusive to see suit lines and casual wear.

“I do Spring at MAGIC, but I come here for impulse buys and some immediate odds and ends,” he said.

The same program was followed by Rob Keirstead of Los Angeles-based boutique Dungarees, who made appointments and walked the show, looking for different finds.

“We’re looking for clothing for the individual,” said Keirstead. “Even though there is a lot of basic men’s clothing here, there is also a lot of hipper, funkier clothing—you just have to do a bit of digging. I bought Ted Baker, Blue and Two-3.”

Immediate Business Up

Lowell Safier, a Beverly Hills rep for the new line named for legendary actor Humphrey Bogart, noted that more and more buyers are looking for clothing that is in stock.

“The whole market is changing,” said Safier. “People used to buy six months in advance, but in today’s economy, it’s hard to predict what it will be like six months from now. Our product is all in-stock year-round.”

The Bogart line, introduced at the Exclusive, features double-breasted suits with side vents and wider pant legs, reminiscent of the 1950s, retailing at $500. Safier said that the line was attached to Bogart to accommodate a slowdown in the suit business.

“The suit business has fallen off, but if you identify with someone who is a suit-type person, especially someone like Bogart, who people remember as a dapper gentleman, you can win,” said Safier.

Richard Potapow, a rep for Forte Cashmere in South Natick, Mass., agreed that the business is changing and buyers are shopping differently.

“I’ve had more people ask for immediate goods, which was kind of surprising, but they are looking for uniqueness and pricing,” said Potapow. “They’re not buying lines anymore.”

Michael Jordan’s Two-3 debuted at MAGIC last year but will reduce its presence there to focus on the Exclusive’s Las Vegas show. Shawn Solomon, a rep for the line, said that Two-3 will show at MAGIC to get exposure but has joined the Exclusive because of that same change in the market. Solomon said that the Exclusive was a “bonus” in penetrating the West Coast market with placement.

“[The line is a] new brand, so we’re trying to penetrate the L.A. market and find some better stores,” said Solomon. “We’re in Bernini’s, Fred Segal Santa Monica, Bloomingdale’s and Dungarees. The men’s market is more ’buy now, wear now’ so that’s how the retailers buy.”

International Draw, Exhibitor Increase

Safier also said he saw the Exclusive as crucial because buyers who attend the event from the East Coast and Europe are coming to see manufacturers who don’t show anywhere else.

But Interfashion’s Grozea saw the opposite attraction in the show.

“This show has become the center of at tention for premier West Coast retailers that don’t make it to New York,” he said.

Goetz said that the buyers who attended were from a combination of department stores and boutiques, including Nordstrom, Barneys, Bernini’s, Antonios Markos of Greece and Rick Pallack, and were from all around the nation and Europe.

While the number of buyers remained the same, Goetz said there was an increase in exhibitors due to an expansion of offerings to include more accessories and shoes than ever before.

“That makes it a whole complete package,” she said. “That’s a comment on how our show has evolved—we started with just sweaters and pants, but now it can be a one-stop shop for retailers.”

Goetz also said that the Los Angeles show has come to serve as a “pre-line” show to the Las Vegas version for exhibitors who show in both cities.

“Retailers come here and look at items and then come back and write at Vegas,” she said. “It’s also been good for new exhibitors who have not shown on the West Coast before.”

The Spring ’03 Exclusive also changed its presentation of entertainment, deleting the fashion show and keeping all of the events in the hotel.

“Many people loved that they didn’t have to push to go anywhere,” said Goetz.

Jordan’s Two-3 sponsored the opening cocktail party and the Exclusive hosted the second day’s Martini Lounge, which featured Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac and Al Green in attendance.