Swim Shows Heat Up Miami

The introduction of a swimwear fashion week with a full slate of highly energized runway shows provided a much-needed thrill for swimwear makers and retailers alike during the July 16–20 run of the Swimwear Association of Florida’s Miami Swim Show. This year, the trade show also bowed in a new location near Miami Beach’s upscale South Beach neighborhood.

For the Cruise 2006 event, the trade show moved out of its former venue at Miami’s International Merchandise Mart and into the Miami Beach Convention Center.

“Being closer to the beach was certainly a factor in our move because South Beach is a destination area—it’s hip, it’s happening and the swimwear trends are sizzling hot,” said Judy Stein, executive show director.

Some 375 exhibitors representing 1,700 swimwear, beachwear and resortwear lines unveiled their latest offerings at the new venue, which, at 250,000 square feet, was nearly twice the size of the trade show’s former space. Buyer attendance grew 15 percent, according to Stein. The convention center location allowed for exhibitor growth as well as changes to the trade show’s floor plan, which included fashion-forward swimwear displays to mark the different categories. Informal fashion shows were held regularly throughout the three-day event, Stein added.

The trade show’s exhibitor hall was abuzz with excitement over Miami’s first official fashion week, Sunglass Hut Swim Shows Miami Presented by Lycra. Organized by IMG, producer of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles and Olympus Fashion Week in New York, the event honed in on the latest swimwear trends, with a strong emphasis on designer and contemporary styles. The lineup featured 12 shows from labels including Becca, Cosabella, Sais by Rosa Chaacute;, Inca, Carmen Marc Valvo Swim and Gideon Oberson. Fashion writers from Vogue, Elle, Lucky, Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press were on hand.

The fashion shows also proved to be a springboard for swimwear sales. Julie McMackin, owner of Newport Beach, Calif.based specialty retailer Molly Brown’s Swimwear, said she was particularly enthralled with Becca’s clean silhouettes. “It was amazing; they really strutted out with some wild numbers on the runway,” she said, adding that she planned to place orders for several key styles, including string bikinis, bandeaus made with metallic or Lurex fabric and ruffle-edged halter tops.

The fashion shows provided a fresh outlook for swimwear manufacturers, as well, after a difficult year for many in the business. Last year, some swimwear makers noted an increase in competition from specialty chains’ private-label brands that left some manufacturers with surplus inventory. Industry sources said many were forced to sell off-price early or dump goods to discounters as a result.

But the trade show was a reminder that swimwear is still a powerful force in retail. The exhibitor list had its share of Southern California heavyweights, including Raj Manufacturing Inc., Apparel Ventures Inc., Lunada Bay Corp. and Beach Patrol. Swimwear behemoth Warnaco Swimwear Group occupied the most real estate with nine lines on display, including Speedo, Ocean Pacific and the newly launched Michael Kors collection. The lines were divided into four areas and situated around the venue.

Design-driven

Buyers opted to take notes on key looks for Cruise 2006 instead of placing orders, according to many exhibitors, who, after listening to retailers’ feedback, predicted next year will be a big season for the designer category.

Raj Manufacturing Inc.—which produces private labels Athena Pick Your Fit and Next by Athena as well as branded labels for O’Neill, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess? Inc., Guess Collection and St. John Knits at its vertical facility in Tustin, Calif.—said sales in its designer category have been phenomenal this year, with some sell-throughs at specialty retail stores. Adding St. John Knits to its lineup has allowed the swimwear maker to build relationships with several high-end boutiques throughout the United States, said Lisa Bhathal Vogel, Raj’s executive vice president.

Trends were broken down into two main camps. There were luxury lifestyle–inspired looks, such as glitzy one- and two-piece suits with crystal and rhinestone embellishments, as well as bohemian looks with tribal and paisley prints, hand-carved beading and Middle Eastern–style coverups. Popular silhouettes in the juniors category included surf-inspired retro-print halter and bandeau tops paired with short skirts.

Howie Greller, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Apparel Ventures, described Cruise 2006’s overtly bohemian-chic silhouettes as part of a “world tour” trend. The veteran swimwear executive listed two-piece silhouettes with African tribal prints and bronze burnished-metal hardware as top sellers.

Everything But Water, an Orlando, Fla.–based specialty retailer with 40 stores, cited both emerging trends as its primary focus. Buyers placed orders for one-piece cutout suits in metallic colors, halter bikinis with hipster bottoms in paisley and ethnic prints, and silk tunics and gauze skirts that could double as tops or dresses, according to Ann Tucker, vice president. The retailer’s resource list included Becca, W Swim and Michael Kors.

San Diego–based contemporary swimwear maker Vix decided to eschew those trends in favor of sexy swimwear basics with unique prints and delicate accents. The 5-year-old swimwear maker offered A-line tankinis with a “meet-and-greet” bottom and one-piece suits in plum, grape, green and off-white. Buyers also responded to stripes and floral prints with embroidered details, according to Amber Delecce, director of sales. “We’re optimistic about strong sales based on buyers’ response to the line and enthusiasm for newness,” she said, adding that the company’s overall sales are projected to reach $5 million in 2006.

Some retailers said sales have been strong so far this year and they want to keep it that way. Molly Brown’s McMackin, whose store’s sales for the first two quarters of this year are up 38 percent over last year, noted with great enthusiasm that the show’s exhibitors did not skimp on luxurious fabrics.

Going forward, companies can anticipate the buzz over swim fashions to continue, as the organizers of Sunglass Hut Swim Shows Miami Presented by Lycra are planning to return next year.

“This is a long-term commitment,” said Fern Mallis, vice president of IMG. “We’ll be back and be bigger and better. Miami is hot all year round, literally and figuratively.”