California Apparel News

Buyers were upbeat and ready to open their wallets for trendy items for Holiday at the Fall II/Holiday 2004 Los Angeles Market Week, which ran June 11–15 at the California Market Center, The New Mart, the Cooper Design Space and the Gerry Building.

Traffic at the CMC was brisk, but few agreed on the reasons why. Some said rising consumer confidence spurred increased spending. Others said cheerful retailers anticipated strong Back-to-School and Holiday seasons.

“It’s Holiday, and it’s very upbeat,” said Michael Gae, co-owner of the Rep Et Trois showroom on the CMC’s second floor.

Michael Chorny, an account executive for Mavi Jeans USA, on the CMC’s fifth floor, agreed.

“Consumer confidence is higher now,” Chorny said. “We’re selling them up to October.”

Retailer attendance increased from the June 2003 market, according to Cecil Strickland, executive director of retail relations at the CMC. He did not, however, disclose exact numbers.

Specialty stores and national boutique chains such as Bebe Stores Inc., Arden B., The Wet Seal Inc., White House/Black Market, Diane Merrick and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas turned out to shop the market.

“We mostly do appointments, but when people drop by the showroom, I take it as a sign of a good market,” said Aaron Levant, co-organizer of the Agenda trade show and co-owner of the Agenda showroom on the CMC’s 11th floor, where CMC executives have launched “Street Couture,” a collection of upscale streetwear from lines such as Grnappletree, Steady, Subterranea and Krush Clothing.

Levant said a stream of buyers— including buyers from The Kids Are Alright in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles and Memphis, Tenn.–based City Gear, a 12-store chain—visited his showroom. Levant said several buyers left orders for novelty T-shirt lines Grnappletree and Leche, both based in Los Angeles, and Third Born, based in Bali, while other buyers took notes and promised to follow up.

Trendwise, several showroom owners said “street couture” styles proved popular. There was also an increased demand for stylish soft tops and bottoms in bright colors.

Buyers said their budgets were up and they were shopping for unique clothes to tantalize customers.

“We’re looking for more bohemian looks, more vintage,” said Michael Druskin, president of the Len Druskin boutique in Edina, Minn. “And, of course, we’re looking for denims, denims, denims.”

Teresa Pinson, owner of Isabella, a 2,000- square-foot high-end womenswear boutique in Edmond, Okla., predicted Juicy Couture cashmere sweaters and cotton zip-up hoodies would be strong sellers for Fall/Holiday sales. She also bought ponchos in colors such as kelly green.

Sales representatives for the Pacific Coast Travelers section of the third floor said the June market was slow.

“It was a little better than the last one,” said Vincent Lopez, a salesman for the Los Angeles–based Mina Collection. “If four people came one day last year, we got seven each day this year. I think more advertising is needed to tell people a market is going on.”

Susan Pomponi, co-owner of Pomponi & Co., said one reason for the quiet June market was because many specialty stores were waiting to do much of their Fall shopping at Las Vegas–based shows such as Women’s Wear In Nevada, which is scheduled for August. “They’re able to see more product there,” Pomponi said.

Still, several specialty stores from California and Arizona visited Pomponi’s showroom during the June market. She said many retailers came to fill gaps in their current collections.

“They’re looking for mixed textures of fabric, novelty details and a missy fit,” Pomponi said. “The baby boomers may be 40 to 60 years old now, but they don’t want polyester old-lady clothing.”

Exhibitors positive at Brighte

Traffic was sporadic at ENK’s Brighte Cos. contemporary show, held in the CMC’s fashion theater. But exhibitors mostly reported strong business.

“We’ve written 20 new accounts here,” said Angela Batinovich, chief executive officer of Los Angeles–based newcomer Bat’s Daughter. Batinovich, who recently graduated from Loyola University with a business degree, launched the line with Otis College of Art and Design grad Janet Kim and several other young professionals. They highlighted silk dresses along with wool and tweed coats for the young career woman. Separates wholesale for $35 and up, and outerwear starts at $225.

Representatives of Compton, Calif.–based Drifter, a street-influenced line of cotton tops, also reported plenty of order writing. “About 85 percent of our orders were from new accounts. We didn’t think our street looks would fit in here, but we were surprised,” said Donna Leong, account executive for the 2-year-old company.

Leong and designer Nicole Ahn showed French terry tops with reverse prints and laser-cut perforations.

Brighte exhibitors said the contemporary and bridge price points did not ward off buyers.

“Luxe is still selling,” said Zenith Arreglado, vice president of Peter Nygauml;rd Signature “We do a lot of trunk shows, so we get a lot of feedback from buyers, and they’re up. Their sales are up. I think we’re coming into a positive Fall.”

Nygauml;rd’s Fall/Holiday collection features European fabrics as well as cashmere and silks. Arreglado said ruched jackets and black dresses and skirts with trapunto detailing drew interest.

The show also attracted several East Coast resources looking to expand west.

“We’ve heard how great the L.A. market is. This show proved it for us,” said Valentine Sheldon of New York–based Follow Your Bliss, which showed stretch-fabric sportswear that puts a sophisticated spin on the Juicy Couture silhouette.

New York–based Julia Neaman, designer of the Julia label, also came west looking to get into more shops. “Our New York accounts will buy a lot of the same merchandise as the West Coast ones. We have an East Coast look, but it translates well here,” said Pattie Burkey, director of sales.

Julia’s Holiday collection includes silk jackets and blouses with lots of attention to tailoring.

Buyers looked for anything novel, added Karla Steen of the Los Angeles–based Karla Kay Steen line. Steen showed deconstructed, vintage-style dresses with raw edges and heavy trimmings. Buyers picked up lightweight tweeds, trench coats and retro-inspired tops from Steen’s “haute wheels” series. “My expectations here were exceeded,” said the designer.

Exhibitors optimistic at The New Mart

Executives at The New Mart reported a 10 percent increase in traffic over the same period last year.

Buyers were strongly optimistic for Fall and Holiday, according to many New Mart sales reps, who said novelty items paved the way for strong sales.

It was all about stand-alone items, according to David Weinstein, owner of womenswear apparel maker CP Shades in Sausalito, Calif. “We stopped making it a collection and started designing items that stand on their own,” he said.

Several buyers hunted for luxe apparel items for their Holiday merchandise mix. Knit trousers with satin sashes, velvet and mesh tops with satin neckties, and velvet ruffle miniskirts in Holiday tones topped buyers’ lists.

Patty and Jeff Feinstein, owners of Cotton Island, a two-store retail chain headquartered in Dallas, searched for young contemporary Holiday looks by Juicy Couture, Michael Star, C&C California and Citizens of Humanity. The couple’s strategy is to plan their budgets evenly with last year’s and react to business, Jeff Feinstein said.

Suzanne Stopp, owner of BBZ, a young contemporary specialty boutique for men and women in Scottsdale, Ariz., looked for comfortable dressings for Fall and Holiday deliveries. With a budget increase of 15 percent, Stopp placed several orders for Lya Cynamone’s lingerie-inspired camisoles and dresses, La Rok’s novelty Tshirts, and James Perse’s sheer thermal tops.

D&A enters home furnishings

New York–based trade show producer Designers & Agents returned to market with a new home accessories category at the D&A Annex.

Since its beginning in 1998, the show has expanded beyond Los Angeles to New York and Tokyo. D&A vendors pick up more than $250 million in sales annually, according to the show’s producer.

Small design companies Pamela Barsky, George, Dwell, Jessie Steele, Looky Loo, Oro Design and Radio Yota were among an eclectic meacute;lange of exhibitors sporting practical necessities and fun knick-knacks. Featured items included retro-looking table dressings and bedding, belts made with vinyl flooring, silk scarf–covered hardback journals, and regional shopping guides.

“I see the D&A Annex show becoming a big category for our retailers,” said co-founder Ed Mandelbaum. “Gift show people want something new to offer their customers, and apparel boutiques are looking to expand their offerings to include gift items. Retailers want to cater to their customers’ lifestyles.”

The show was held on The New Mart’s third floor and the Cooper Design Space’s 11th floor. This year’s buyer attendance was up by 80 percent, Mandelbaum said.

Lace camisoles, deconstructed and ruffled silk blouses, metallic tops and dresses, and denim skirts and bottoms led the trends at the show. Specialty store and better boutique buyers from Fred Segal, Planet Blue and On Sunset came to view more than 182 apparel collections by some 95 exhibitors.

Los Angeles designer Alicia Lawhon eschewed dresses and other familiar silhouettes in favor of novelty T-shirts, hoodies, pencil skirts, and drawstring and wide-leg pants. Lawhon’s novelty T-shirts and hoodies are made with cotton jersey fabrics and cashmere inserts and come in burnt orange, fuchsia, wine, turquoise and jet black.

Specialty boutique buyers in the United States and Japan have already placed orders for the line, Lawhon said.

Gerry Building gears up for menswear

Traffic was slow to nonexistent at the Gerry Building, the still-new showroom building across from the CMC.

Many of the building’s menswear tenants are gearing up for the August debut of Los Angeles Men’s Fashion Week, which will feature New York–based Project’s show in the Cooper Design Space, Agenda’s men’s-only show at the CMC and the Westcoast Exclusive show in the Westwood section of town.

At the recent market, many menswear reps said they saw clients by appointment only.

The building’s intimate apparel showrooms joined forces to host a “sakitini” party on June 13, but reps said many of their regular buyers opted to skip this market.

“It was dead. I knew a lot of our accounts are not coming until the August market, and this show is too close to the April show,” said Jennie Nielsen, who sells intimate apparel on the fifth floor.

Sales rep Lois Evans agreed. “We decided on the party at the last minute and didn’t have a lot of time to contact people,” she said.

Cooper Design Space flourishes

Showroom owners at the Cooper Design Space expressed optimism about sales.

Traffic was steady on the first floor, said Alexis Mack, a saleswoman at The News, which moved into the building about three months ago. Mack said about one dozen or so buyers dropped by the showroom without appointments to view lines by Development, Habitual, White and Clu.

Buyer Cristina Moe of Hush, a women’s contemporary boutique in Walnut Creek, Calif., said she was looking for knit pieces with novelty details such as sequins, crystals and caviar beading for Holiday deliveries. Moe said the store’s budget is up 30 percent. A dusty-pink and hotpink knit by Development caught her eye at the show.

Although traffic on the Cooper Design Space’s second floor was slow on the third day of market, showroom owners at EB Only Inc. and the Pulse Showroom said business overall was steady.

EB Only showroom owner Eric Byrne said he did not book appointments for the show. However, buyers from Rolo San Francisco, Barracuda in Los Angeles and House in Indianapolis placed Holiday orders for trendy items such as Apartment’s Western-inspired dress shirts and screenprinted T-shirts and Kalea’s knit scarves, made with Italian yarns and alpaca. Deliveries will begin Oct. 30.

Pulse Showroom owner Desi Green said business was good. Pulse offers apparel by Dead Sexy, Body Language, Soya, Marisa K. and Fresh, as well as denim lines by Japan Rass and Les Temps Des Cerises. California-based buyers from Tryst in Studio City and Crush in Malibu placed orders for bright, bold pieces such as Dead Sexy’s bottoms and pencil skirts in twill and corduroy fabrics. “Buyers are still buying for that customer who wants ’California cool’ in their wardrobe,” Green said.

Fall/Holiday 2004 Market Trends

bull; Fabrics becoming more popular: cashmere, velvet, chiffon and meshbull; T-shirts with artful designs and novelty stitching bull; Dyed denims (in colors that are not blue)bull; Vintage-inspired looks in lingerie and sportswear styles bull; Pencil skirts, trousers and miniskirts in tweed or houndstooth printsbull; Reverse-print T-shirts bull; Retro-inspired trench coats