California Apparel News

NEW YORK—The Big Apple was bustling as buyers, manufacturers and sales reps convened for the trade shows that followed New York Fashion Week. There was excitement over the new selection of Spring clothing offered at Fashion Coterie, Designers & Agents and The Train, which took place Sept. 18–22.

Elyse Kroll, executive director of ENK, organizers of Fashion Coterie, attributed the high traffic flow to the scheduling of the show directly after Fashion Week and the strength of Coterie’s offerings. Kroll said about 15,000 people attended the event at the Show Piers on Manhattan’s West Side. The show expanded this season with the addition of a fourth pier and featured 1,218 exhibitors including the shoe exhibitors in Sole Commerce.

Kroll said Pier 88 was added because of its availability and to accommodate new exhibitors. “We found some very cool pioneers who wanted to come with us, and it’s working,” said Kroll. She said retailers today want more resources and more diversity. “One of the good things at our show is the depth of selection,” she said. “There is tremendous selection in the marketplace right now. Buyers need to have options.”

They had lots of options with four piers of clothing that included everything from denim and casual tees to feminine dresses and eveningwear. Navigating the piers meant uncovering the new season’s trends. For Spring, the aesthetic is soft, feminine looks with cleaner styling and subtle, natural details.

Bobbi Raffel, owner of the Runway boutique in Deerfield, Ill., found a variety of options. She said she was looking for crochet pieces, long tunics, vests, long peasant skirts and bottoms in every shape including cargos, Bermudas and gauchos. She was booking short shorts anywhere she could find them. For her denim choices, she was toning down the look by buying pieces with less glitz and embroidery.

According to designer Joe Pham of Los Angeles–based label Jak & Rae, romantic-inspired and feminine looks were popular. “That’s what we’ve been selling all week, a much softer look. They’re over the sequins,” he said. Important styles included gauchos, soft Victorian jackets and denim pants that converted into capris. Pham said denim hadn’t been booking that well unless it had a fashion spin to it, such as a flared leg or embroidered back-pocket details.

For Petro Zillia designer Nony Tochterman, cleaner silhouettes and dresses were key. “I’m still selling a lot of color, but that’s what I’m known for,” she said. “We’re selling more dresses than ever before.” Strapless styles and a white dress decorated with lace were strong looks.

D&A expanding

Designers & Agents, also experiencing growth, added an additional studio to accommodate exhibitors. According to Show Organizer Ed Mandelbaum, D&A grew 19 percent from February, with a total of 195 booths. The show, which attracts buyers from the U.S., Europe and Asia, continues to push the envelope for new contemporary resources. Organizers said 2,139 people attended, representing a 21 percent increase over February. Mandelbaum said the show has the potential to grow another 30 percent, but the focus is on quality, not quantity. “Our goal is to continue to upgrade and make it better each time so that a buyer comes back,” he said. “We don’t want to sell out its integrity.”

The show featured a variety of new and established contemporary designers with a U.S.and international focus. D&A is the show that specifies to that market, Mandelbaum said. “I think people realize that what they find here is the best contemporary, young designer lines and also the new ones.”

The show is edited each season to keep it fresh and relevant. According to Mandelbaum’s business partner, Barbara Kramer, important trends for the season include organic fibers, knitwear, shine and tunic tops to layer over pants. She said she noticed that ethnic looks have become more refined, and dresses are soft, feminine and less fussy. Important looks for denim include pocket details, new silhouettes and stitching details. For accessories, Kramer said she noticed bigger, slouchier bags, lots of color, layered looks, a wide variety of sandals, and jewelry that is either refined or extra large and gypsy-like.

’Done with bedazzle’

According to Eddie Marquez, a sales representative from the Los Angeles–based Hatch showroom, buyers were shopping for cleaner looks with less embellishment. “People are done with bedazzle,” he said. The sweet, feminine looks offered by Los Angeles–based contemporary line Tree were doing well for Spring. According to Kimberly Hartman, director of sales for New York–based Rachel Roy, buyers are also looking for new silhouettes. She cited the modern pumpkin skirt shape, slouchy short shorts and vests as key looks from their line for Spring. Other important looks included sophisticated bohemian styles, cami tops, Victorian styling and details like fagoting, smocking and tonal embellishments.

Terence X. Bogan, vice president, divisional merchandise manager for Barneys New York Co-op, agreed that the focus is on fresh. “We’re always on the lookout for new things,” he said. Going forward, Bogan said he is looking for cleaner denim looks that are a little more sophisticated and higher-end. In general, he said he’s searching for less glitzy styles that have a more modern aesthetic, including shirring details. He mentioned Los Angeles–based lines Wyeth, Loy and Ford and Rozae Nichols as great choices for casual offerings.

Train draws a high-end crowd

The Train, in its third season, continued the upward trend in buyer attendance. The trade show, which is organized by the French Federation of Women’s Ready-to-Wear (FFPAPF), owner of the Precirc;t agrave; Porter Paris and Atmosphere shows, drew 3,019 buyers, 27 percent more than in February. Exhibitor numbers were on the rise as well. In 90 booths, 104 labels represented 17 countries, with more than half hailing from France and the United States. The show has become a platform for such high-end lines as Los Angeles–based Linda Loudermilk and French designer Afshin Feiz. Among the jewelry offerings were forward looks, including gold chains, large beads, wood and fabric-covered beads.