California Apparel News

Organizers went through growing pains and exhibitors played musical chairs at the Feb. 19–22 run of MAGIC International in Las Vegas as the trade show went through its biggest reorganization since the women’s section was added in 1995.

Along with MAGIC, the men’s apparel showcase at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and WWDMAGIC, the women’s apparel resource at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, there were five satellite shows taking place on the Strip and at area hotels, all competing for buyers’ dollars. The most noticeable, and at times, controversial, change was the consolidation of the men’s section, which included moving the edge, a collection of alternative exhibitors at the Sands Expo, to the MAGIC venue.

That meant buyers were sometimes frustrated in their efforts to navigate the shows as they sought immediate deliveries and fill-in items, boosting their lean purchases that resulted from post-9/11 hesitation.

MAGIC organizers did not have final attendance figures as of press time.

Most of the special events and highlights occurred at the men’s section of the show, with appearances by Gene Simmons, of the rock group KISS and co-owner of Dragonfly, to introduce the label’s junior line; Sonny Barger, a founding member of the Hell’s Angels, signing his book at the Johnny Suede booth; and a handful of Playboy Playmates cavorting at their namesake booth. Also, skater Tony Hawk defied gravity at the Vert Ramp, and ’N Sync singer Chris Kirkpatrick caused lines at his Fuman Skeeto booth at the Sands Expo.

MAGIC’s most high-profile event was the Pierre Cardin retrospective fashion show, held at the Joint at the Hard Rock Cafeacute; on Feb. 20.

Cardin, who began his career working with Christian Dior in Paris during the 1940s before establishing a name for himself as a menswear designer and taking his brand global, said it would be his last collective show to appear in the United States.

Cardin said the 45-minute show with over 100 women’s and men’s styles spanning 50 years was an ode to longtime fans as well as today’s burgeoning fashion cultures.

The show featured looks from his Spring 2002 collection, as well as some psychedelic creations from the 1960s and ’70s.MAGIC Men’s Opens With New Layout

MAGIC opened its February installment with a new layout, reflecting a consolidation of its men’s categories and an alignment of MAGICkids with the men’s show. Many exhibitors reported satisfaction with the change, while others expressed dismay over buyer confusion in locating appointments with the new arrangement.

“The show is pretty good considering the changes,” said Steven Sais, a rep for Triple Five Soul. “A lot of people have to get used to the setup, but for the most part, it’s nice. I think it’s a step up.”

Dick Baker, chief executive officer of Ocean Pacific, also reported satisfaction with the consolidation, even in the face of confusion.

“The glut is in the beginning of registration, when people are getting their badges and they haven’t a clue where to go,” said Baker. “Long term, the setup here for young men, boardsports and urban will be excellent, with a good vibe. It makes the whole floor young with the same demographics. When everybody figures it out—it may take a couple of shows—I think it will be a very cool deal.”

Baker reported meeting with Federated Department Stores, May Department Stores Co., J.C. Penney, Ron John’s and a cross section of specialty stores in launching Seven-Two, an Op Classics collection of street and skate-inspired denim-based apparel without the Op logo.

Brian Bailey, a rep for Newport Beach, Calif.-based accessories and junior manufacturer Paul Frank Industries, which launched a young men’s line at the show, said the show was turning out better than expected.

“The show has gone really well,” said Bailey. “We were a little nervous at first, but I think that overall, we’re happy with where we are. The show hasn’t slowed down at all; I think it’s even busier than it was last year.”

In the Men’s and Designer areas, exhibitors were expressing relief to be away from the youthful noise and activity they were near during previous shows.

Keith Houlemard, business director for Michael Jordan’s Beaverton, Ore.-based Two-3 line, a division of Nike Inc., reported that the new layout for the Men’s area has made the show “really about business.”

Still, other exhibitors, including Osa Odiaf, owner of Live Mechanics, reported satisfactory results, but frustration with what they see as arbitrary placement of collections. Casual Lifestyle and Young Men’s exhibitors such as Odiaf were moved to the rear of the main hall, away from the Boardsports and Young Men’s areas they were near in previous shows.

“The show is going good,” said Odiaf. “We’re not very happy with our spot, but they’re finding us, which is good. It means that we’re establishing a brand, so it’s working out nice.”

Preparation made the difference with a number of exhibitors, who were able to garner business from appointments made prior to the trade show. Laura D. Chambers, president of Valencia, Calif.-based Coogi Australia, reported brisk business with 200 to 250 appointments.

“The success you have at this show is based on preparation,” said Chambers. “If you go in with lots of appointments, you’ll do well.”

Some exhibitors, including Dave Facemyre, director of sales and licensing for Nitro, W.V.-based Balzout, a manufacturer of snow, skate and surf apparel, reported greater ease of business after the relocation from the Sands Expo.

“It’s been a lot easier,” said Facemyre. “We were over at the Sands for a couple of years and we lost a lot of traffic. A lot of people who wouldn’t have looked in this area because they weren’t looking for our type of apparel are [now] finding us.”

Jeff Marine, president of San Fernando, Calif.-based JEM Sportswear, a charter member of the trade show, has been showing at MAGIC since 1971 and reports that the new layout did not affect his company, because it does not rely on walk-by traffic.

“The traffic really doesn’t matter,” said Marine. “We service larger customers and we’re not geared to servicing smaller, independent stores. As long as my customers are coming to the show—which all of them are—I’ll see them. We’re happy with the show.”

Other exhibitors said that while they were not displaced, they did experience lots of late appointments and confusion from buyers.

“I’m sure the MAGIC organizers are doing the best job possible, but we’re not getting the walk-by traffic we’re accustomed to back here,” said Craig Hara, president of Mr. Hawaii Inc., which markets Go Barefoot Sportswear. “We lose out on the crossover buyers.”

Despite a struggling marketplace, freshening up old brands and launching new ones were prominent themes at MAGIC. New York-based Avalon Group, which markets Fred Perry men’s sportswear, has pumped new life into the old English brand, previously known for tenniswear. “We’re getting big placement in GQ and with celebrities. There’s a lot happening,” said sales executive James Manfredi.

Chambers said Coogi was having success with an updated line of menswear, womenswear and kidswear featuring a younger, hipper look constructed by a revamped design team. Launching denim has also helped the company double its sales over the past two years.

“Some of our divisions are flat and some are up, so being diversified has allowed us to do well during these times,” noted Chambers.

Buyers had mixed opinions at the show regarding the wave of changes.

Steven Giah, president of Paradise Bound, a Hawaiian shop in Long Beach, Calif., expressed confusion and frustration over navigating the new layout.

“I’m looking for sports apparel and off-the-wall items,” said Giah, adding that it took longer to find booths. “I’m not having too much luck finding items to my satisfaction.”

Sherry Hildress, a buyer for Style Station in Detroit Lakes, Minn., said she not only liked the new layout but also the energetic vibe found in the Streetwear, Boardsports and Young Men’s sections.

“Our goal is to find items that are hip, young and cool,” Hildress said. “That’s what today’s customers want. We find coming into these booths that we have more fun. We see all the new, young, hip designers who are taking things against the grain a little bit.”Sands Holds Its Own

At the Sands Expo, exhibitors reported sporadic traffic counts and quick hits from buyers seeking Spring and Summer deliveries.

One thing that detracted from the show was its growing list of absentee exhibitors, especially for buyers who have limited access to certain manufacturers.

“There seem to be a lot fewer [exhibitors] coming to MAGIC, like Guess, Space Girlz and Body Code. We usually look forward to seeing what they’re doing,” said Julie Brown, a buyer with Gordmans, a 38-store chain based in Omaha, Neb.

Another frustration for buyers was the lack of bigger exhibitors such as L.E.I.

“The show lacks more branded label goods and volume-oriented companies,” said Patricia Frank, a buyer at New York-based Doneger Group, an independent buying office and consulting firm. “There are a lot of fly-by-night companies here but we need to see more of the major players from New York.”

In spite of the Fall-oriented fashion show, highlighting a fusion of mod/punk looks and bohemian styles with Hot Kiss’ short velveteen jackets, By Cesar’s patchwork tanks and skirts, Doki-Geki’s off-shoulder peasant blouses and Nataya’s tulle overlay skirts, exhibitors relegated their fall collections to the back of their booths as most buyers sought spring and summer pieces.

A number of junior and contemporary designers were adding divisions or at least enhancing their collections with denim. Indeed, Los Angeles-based contemporary line Bisou Bisou opted to bring denim to the show, instead of its full contemporary collection.

Dana Cambuston, former Jane Doe designer for Tarrant Apparel Group, returned to her more contemporary roots with the launch of Fifi Jeans. The line features patchwork designs, sanded finishes, wrinkling and front welt pockets. For summer, she was selling enzyme-washed eyelet shirts and floral tops.

“We used to be more of a top resource and now we’re adding denim after so many requests from customers,” said Cambuston, who used to run the Fifi Collection. She expects the new line—ranging from $12 to $30 wholesale—to bring in $3 million to $5 million in its first year.

Natasha Silver, a rep for Los Angeles-based contemporary denim label Denim Cult, said many buyers who felt the market was oversaturated with denim opted for such alternatives as stretch linen and stretch sateen, adding that Nordstrom Savvy and Barney’s New York were planning to debut both collections at their stores in March.

“Denim is very hot and we’re going to try to push it as much as we can,” said Los Angeles-based Boom Boom Jeans president Simon Parsa. “Denim is a staple item, but novelty is what keeps it interesting, and now basics have kind of lost their touch.”

There was still a strong embrace of ruffles and feminine looks offered by old and new companies alike. Los Angeles-based Poison Ivy, a 3-month-old contemporary line, has already begun providing private-label clothing for Arden B., the young contemporary division of Foothill Ranch, Calif.-based Wet Seal. Animal-print tops, yoru chiffon tops and patchwork-colored rayon tops were selling strong.

“It’s a very fresh line for MAGIC buyers and the price points are affordable for the way the economy is right now,” said Ted Kim, national sales manager for Poison Ivy, who expects the line to bring in $6 million in its first year.

Loungewear was the cash cow category for a number of exhibitors who specialize in it or have grown the division.

Costa Mesa, Calif.-based sleepwear manufacturer P.J. Salvage put on a $50,000 marketing blitz at WWDMAGIC to promote the debut of its intimates and activewear lines as well as the launch of Rampage intimates. The company received orders from Chicago-based E Street Denim and Birmingham, Mich.-based It’s the Ritz.

“We’ve had the most appointments ever at a show,” said Peter Burke, P.J. Salvage president. “We’ve found a niche to grow—these girls have been starved for comfortable lounge and activewear. Most of them simply wear their boyfriend’s pants.”

Velour zip-up jackets, fitted pants and camisoles were among the top-selling pieces of the 20-item activewear line. Leopard thermals, conversational prints and lacy boy shorts were the standouts of the intimates line, Burke said.

For the most part, buyers said they were placing orders, either above or at the same level as last year.

“I am so buying,” said Jackie Brander, owner of the Fun and Style boutique at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Calif. “We had one of our best years last year.”

Brander, who said sales climbed 40 percent last year, was looking for feminine looks and vintage, reconstructed items from Riley and other vendors.

Gordmans’ Brown said she purchased 25 percent more than last year. She dropped paper with established vendors Mudd, Miken and Zana-Di Jeans, as well as with new resources Fang and Hourglass.

Buyers from vintage and contemporary store Red Light in Seattle said they dropped paper at Hot Sauce, Poison Ivy and Lounge Fly. They planned to spend about $50,000 in orders, comparable to last year.

“We’re lucky that we’ve had a good year,” said Joane B. Jones, the store’s head buyer. “With vintage clothes, people can mix and match and do their own thing, which is a big trend right now.”

With New York still a top resource for junior fashions, some buyers said they were holding off purchases until they could comparison-shop.

“I go to New York five times a year and I’m going the first of March, so that’s when I’ll buy,” said Pam Poe, a juniors buyer at Fresno, Calif.-based Gottschalks.

She said some of the items she was seeking for fall were suede coats with sherpa lining and novelty denim jeans and fur-trimmed coats, adding that XOXO had some directional items.

Meanwhile, traffic got off to a slower start in the better and moderate section of the show, according to exhibitors, who said a number of buyers were attending the show later in the week.

Los Angeles-based Casadei, a better sportswear line, said buyers were still looking for spring and summer blouses with lace trims and ruching as well as items with bright floral bouquet prints. Fall chocolate brown skirts were also popular with buyers, said Hugh Miller, sales director for the line.

“Everything is still item-driven. There’s still a falloff in dresses,” said Miller, adding that Bloomingdale’s by Mail and Northfield, Minn.-based Jacobsen’s had placed orders. WWIN Show Gets Boost in Attendees

Buyers at Womenswear in Nevada (WWIN), held Feb. 18–21 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, viewed more than 1,200 lines at the event, which hosted approximately 6,000 attendees, a 20 percent increase over last year’s total, according to Jeff Yunis, president of Coconut Grove, Fla.-based Specialty Trade Shows, organizer of WWIN.

“With today’s economy in the state it’s in there is a limited number of buyers out there, so we’re being a little more selective of our lines,” he said.

The show’s offerings included better missy, special occasion and plus-size apparel and accessories.

Sooz La, Vikki Vi and Bodil were just a few of the booths hopping with curious buyers. However, smaller independent labels, including Casey Coleman, Love Lies and Parsley & Sage, received equal attention from Nordstrom, Macy’s East and other better retailers.

“The way the lines are situated on the floor seems a little more spread out than usual, but there seems to be a lot of activity and almost every booth is working, so that’s a good sign,” said Betsey Brown, a buyer from Pebble Beach Co.’s retail division.

Brown said her company was looking for separates and jackets that were “out-of-the-ordinary and boutique-y, but not too edgy.”

Some buyers at the show were looking to introduce a more contemporary feel to their missy selections.

Gabrielle Bassman, owner of Dana Point, Calif.-based better boutique Alley Cat, said she was placing orders with Love Lies, Mac ’n’ Jac and Animale, a few of the edgier lines at the show. Bassman, who also placed orders with Details for sophisticated—but not over-the-top—handbags and jewelry, said the show’s accessory offerings “were outstanding.”

Miryam Abitbol of Robert Friedman & Associates in Los Angeles, which reps City Girl, Christine Alexander, Copa Cabana, Studio G. and Bleu Bayou, said her lines’ sales were slightly lower than last August’s figures but that overall business was good, adding that she increased several of her lines’ business in out-of-state territories. She noted that City Girl received about 100 orders from cautious buyers looking for better separates.

Trendwise, Abitbol said Asian-printed silk knit sweaters and faux fur-trimmed dusters would continue to be hot sellers for Fall.

Yunis said the show’s attendance was highest on opening day, one day prior to the start of the MAGIC event. However, he said there was a dip in attendance when the transportation service his company hired to shuttle buyers to and from the Sands Expo was unexpectedly banned from the show’s premises.

Ernae Mothershed, a spokeswoman for MAGIC, said her company received a request from WWIN representatives to set up a shuttle stop in front of the Sands Expo but “due to the late date and space restraints we were unable to accommodate their request.” She added, “We encountered additional space restraints this show because we shared the venue with [the Off-Price Specialist Show] and had to accommodate their transportation needs in addition to our own,” and she also noted that the city of Las Vegas did not allow MAGIC to park its inter-venue limos on Sands Avenue as they had at previous shows.West Coast Collective Bows in Vegas

West Coast Collective (WCC), an upscale men’s show, debuted at the Palm Resort Feb. 18–20 with results exceeding expectations, according to show co-founder Larry Hymes.

“This show was fabulous,” said Hymes. “Monday [Feb. 18] was by far the busiest day we’ve had. We’ve had people from all over the country from some of the best stores. The second day the traffic was a bit off, because of MAGIC. Today [Feb. 20] was up and for the last day of the show to be up is really impressive. I’m really pleased. Everything that we’ve anticipated, I think we exceeded.”

For WCC exhibitors such as Robert Souza, senior vice president of Robert Comstock, and Anders Hjarne, sales rep for Eton Shirts of Sweden, who both opted out of MAGIC, the switch to the new show was well worth their efforts.

Hjarne said that some better-end retailers have followed the lines to WCC, with greater ease of business.

“We get our type of retailers here—the better stores,” said Hjarne. “At MAGIC, you have everything from cheap to high end and the drawback is that you see a lot of people but you only see them once.”

Hjarne said that at WCC, buyers have the opportunity to revisit showrooms because of the relaxed atmosphere.

“If you don’t see them again, you won’t see them for six months,” he said. “We saw quite a few new customers yesterday and we have appointments. It’s still a new venue, but when the word gets out, in six months, it’ll be even better.”

Some reps listed cost as a reason for not exhibiting at MAGIC.

“MAGIC became very expensive and it became more cost-effective and appealing for designers to show out of a luxury suite,” said Katherine Shapiro, account executive for Henry Cotton’s of New York.

Buyers shopping WCC reported favoring the relaxed atmosphere of it to the larger MAGIC show.

“This is a much smaller, personal setting,” said Paul David Dean, sales manager for Aston & Gunn, a menswear store in Bermuda. “[At MAGIC] you walk down an aisle with one booth on one side and a booth on the other and you get lost. When you’re dealing with a setting such as a hotel, there is more opportunity for interaction.”

Dean said that it was MAGIC that brought him to Las Vegas, but he was happier with his results at WCC, noting, “I think I found more for my particular clientele here than I might be able to at MAGIC.”

Dean reported using the show to scout items difficult to find at MAGIC, and like a few vendors, he may solely rely on WCC in the future.

Still, other buyers, including Howard Tendrich of Heritage House, a boys’ and menswear store in Miami, shop mainly at MAGIC because it carries more items geared to their stores and they prefer the atmosphere of the larger show.

“It’s tough going in and out of rooms [at WCC]. I like that it’s smaller, but I think that if it were more open, I’d feel more comfortable going in,” said Tendrich.

Michael Cooperstone, a representative for Cooper Knitting Mills of Canada, said some buyers may have had reservations about the show layout, but then they quickly grew appreciative of the intimate atmosphere.

“I think people might feel somewhat intimidated to come into a room as opposed to an open booth show, but once they are working, they like the one-on-one of the hotel room,” he said.

Organizers noted such buyers as Mario’s in Seattle; Addie’s in Newport Beach, Calif; Sari’s in Florida; Patrick James; and Nordstrom shopping the show and gave final numbers of 655 for buyers and 160 for exhibitors.Bumpy Start, Smoother Finish at New POOL Show

Buyers who visited POOL Feb. 18–21 at the Stratosphere hotel didn’t know what to expect at the fledgling trade show, where exhibitors set up about 50 alternative lines in hotel rooms on four floors. Geared to young and emerging designers, the show charged exhibitors only $100 to display their wares, a fraction of the cost of exhibiting at MAGIC, where show fees for smaller lines can run $4,000.

Shortly after POOL kicked off, buyers and exhibitors were thrown for a loop when the show—sponsored by the Republica Party of Style showroom and Metro.Pop magazine—was relocated to the cramped quarters of the Sierra Room on the 24th floor. The move resulted from several guest complaints to hotel management about clothing racks and smokers blocking the hallways.

Richard Royal, who co-produced POOL with Republica owner Ronda Walker, said the hotel knew about the show but that pressure from a busy holiday weekend prompted management to step up tighter security.

“The hotel didn’t realize how many people were going to be here so there were some hassles here and there, but it was a group effort and everyone in the show made it happen as opposed to standing around and griping about it,” he said. “It could have been a really bad scene, but we worked through it and now everyone wants to know when there will be another show.”

Preliminary attendance figures counted more than 600 attendees at the show, including buyers from Barney’s New York, American Rag in Los Angeles, Ron Herman/ Fred Segal Melrose in Los Angeles, Rolo in San Francisco, Austin Beat in Boston, House of Field in New York and Ships of Japan. About 80 percent of the show’s buyers hailed from the Japanese market, Royal said.

POOL exhibitors took buyers off the beaten path with standout lines by such contemporary and high-end streetwear designers as Tiffonhee, Eisbar, Shawn, Outdoor Terrier, Gas Monkee, Rvca, David Tupaz, Green Apple Tree, Body Bag, Upper Playground, Kingston 12, Bibberbox and Australia-based Bettina Liano.

Eisbar designer Kiernan Lambeth said it was a good show despite a lack of organization. “It had its problems, but it’s their first show. And, the buyer turnout was great,” he said.

Yoshi Kawasaki, owner of the art-inspired T-shirt line called 2K/Gingham, said several buyers he spoke with liked the show because of its intimate setting and small-size offerings.

Both immediate and Summer seasons were viewed at the show. Artfully printed logo T-shirts, cutoff sweatshirts, appliqueacute; button-up blouses, baggy and flared denim with novelty treatments, wool skirts and tailored pinstriped pants were top sellers.

Rvca’s men’s denim pants with seamless sides and tilted pockets and women’s denim pants with two-way front and back pockets were among the top picks by buyers from Villains in San Francisco and American Rag, according to sales manager Jason Bates, who reported strong overall sales at the show.

“I spent $400 to come here and did $200,000 in sales—that’s not a bad investment, I’d say,” he said.

Some buyers, however, expressed disappointment at the lack of higher-end items at the show.

“It was more casual than I was looking for,” said Samir, owner of Liquid Clothing in Scottsdale, Ariz., who didn’t place any orders at the event.ASAP Sourcing Show Starts Strong

ASAP, an apparel sourcing show that debuted at the Mirage hotel Feb. 19–22, got off to a solid start with more than 2,700 buyers in attendance and more than $27 million in transactions conducted, according to show organizers.

The show, organized by the Pasadena, Calif.-based B2B firm Cyber Merchants Exchange, brought more than 75 manufacturers from all parts of the globe to network with buyers looking for private-label opportunities in all areas of apparel manufacturing.

The show is an extension of Cyber Merchants’ e-commerce venture c-me.com, which links buyers and apparel sources via the Web. “Since Sept. 11, there’s a need for something like ASAP more than ever,” said Yoram Dahan, president of ASAP, which is an acronym for Apparel Sourcing Association Pavilion.

Dahan said business transactions conducted during the show were 30 percent above projections, which he said were facilitated by the fact that buyers can conduct business without letters of credit by using ASAP’s factoring, finance, logistics and manufacturing partners.

Among the exhibitors on hand were Prisha Chugani of MK Industries of the Philippines, which is looking to expand to the United States after gaining respect in the United Kingdom with such customers as Woolworth and Poundstretcher.

“It’s been an experience here,” said Chugani, who showed an expansive line of T-shirts, polos and knitwear. “We knit our own fabrics and have no subcontractors, so we’re very competitive.”

Marlon Reyes, president of Marviwal, S.A., Nicaragua, was on hand touting the benefits of doing business with Nicaragua-based companies like his, which produces denimwear and does business with the likes of J.C. Penney, Federated and Sears.

“Exporting from Nicaragua is simple now. It’s four days [to ship] to Miami. There are now companies investing big money here because of the cotton farms being started there,” said Reyes.

Norman Welltex Corp. is one of the companies taking advantage of the improving manufacturing climate in Vietnam to produce denim, knits and outerwear. The corporation supplies companies including Dickies, Ames and Kohl’s.

“We’re meeting many customers and are making deals,” said Norman Welltex’s William Tsay.

And S.K. Kim of Dycotex Korea was on hand to promote the quality being produced out of Seoul. His firm does outerwear, wovens and knits for the Asian and European markets.

“We’re satisfied with this show, not 100 percent, but we’re satisfied,” he said.

While many exhibiting manufacturers were geared for the mass market, ASAP organizers put on several fashion shows during the event to show the breadth of products offered.

According to Dahan, ASAP will only get bigger as it moves to double its space for its next show in August to include resources from additional countries, including several Latin American firms and associations. Location Boosts Attendance at Off-Price Show

Take down the glitzy booths, remove the midriff-baring go-go dancers and forgo any fashion shows and you have the recipe for the Feb. 17–21 run of the Off-Price Specialist Show. This year proved that location, location, location makes all the difference. Previously held in tents at the parking lot of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, the 9-year-old show was moved to the first floor of the Sands Expo. That led to a 20 percent rise in attendance, according to Bill Jage, chief executive officer of the event.

“We had a better show for three reasons: We’re still a newer show and people are finding out about [us], there was tremendous carryover in buyers from being in the same building as WWDMAGIC, and buyers had pent-up demands to replace stock and bought in force,” he said.

Nordstrom Rack, Factory 2-U Stores Inc., Ross Stores Inc., Burlington Coat Factory, Value City Department Stores Inc., Family Dollar and Consolidated Stores were among the retailers shopping the 350 exhibitors, as were representatives from such department store chains as J.C. Penney, Jage said.

Moving the show’s beginning to Feb. 17 from Feb. 15—closer to MAGIC’s dates—also provided a better tie-in for buyers. Attendance on Feb. 18, the day before MAGIC, set a show record with 5,000 buyers, Jage said.

“We could spend Monday [Feb. 18] here checking what’s available and then compare that with the trends we found Tuesday at MAGIC,” said Kristy Schulz, co-owner of Texas Stitches Etc. in Brenham, Texas, about 60 miles west of Houston.

Schulz said she had purchased novelty T-shirts and lacey, gauzy shirts from Western Pacific International and L.A. Main Connection and fur-trimmed jackets from See U, already spending 20 percent more than last year.

The goal for organizers, of course, is luring buyers to both shows, but getting them to make purchases at both proved more challenging. Schulz said she wasn’t making MAGIC purchases, and the owners from the Outpost, a six-store chain in Madras, Ore., who shopped both the Off-Price show and MAGIC, didn’t plan to either.

“It’s my first time at MAGIC, so I’ll probably just compare prices and trends,” said Outpost owner Christy Abbe. “For now, the Off-Price show has what I need.”

For Lynn Stenshol, a sales rep for Midwest Apparel Group, a wholesaler of discounted men’s and women’s apparel, the show generated new clients.

“We’ve had about a 30 percent increase in new business here,” Stenshol said, noting that he was sold out of goods by L.E.I., Union Bay and Echo.

Even though the tough economy has been a bonanza for discounters, some of the Off-Price exhibitors weren’t taking chances.

“We’re taking 15 percent off our prices,” said Shaina Rutledge, the marketing manager for Los Angeles-based Gazoz, which sells to Factory 2-U and Ross. “The show is getting bigger; there’s more competition out there.”

Noticeably absent, say buyers, were such status brands as Liz Claiborne, DKNY and Tommy Hilfiger.

“There’ve been less and less of them in the past few years as manufacturers set tougher controls regarding ’release dates’ [for buy-out companies to follow],” said Tianne Doyle, divisional vice president and general merchandise manager of Bealls Outlet Stores Inc. in Bradenton, Fla.

MAGIC’s Hot Fall Looks for Juniors

bull; Long skirts: pleated linen, twill or wool; gathered or A-line.bull; Short skirts: wool or twill; sailor styles or A-line. bull; Flared trousers: wool short pants with side tabs, culottes, twill and novelty denim looks.bull; Ruffled blouses: mesh or gauze, short- or long-sleeve. bull; Tailored shirts: button-up and high-collar, straight-sleeve or puff-sleeve. bull; Feminine touches: lace trimming, embroidery, ruching.