California Apparel News

NEW YORK—Now into its fifth year and its ninth edition, the biannual Lingerie Americas has established itself as the largest lingerie trade show in North America, drawing 2,709 buyers and merchandisers to the show, up 2 percent from last August’s show. Initially, in August 2002, there were 120 brands exhibiting. At its most recent show, July 30–Aug. 1 at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building in New York, the number of brands had risen to 270.

Show organizers are eschewing a too-much-too-soon explosion, instead building the show slowly and steadily. “Step by step,” said Patrice Argain, chief executive officer of Lingerie Americas. “First, we were just in the Metropolitan building and then we added the Altman. And then we took over the fourth floor of the Metropolitan building. Now we have moved up to the fifth floor.”

At the recent show, 53 new brands joined the lineup of Lingerie Americas veterans, including Argentovivo, Huit, Natori and Aubade. Most of the new brands were positioned on the fourth floor and the more recently opened fifth floor. In fact, this was the first time the brand-new floor, with its freshly varnished floors, had been used for a trade show. It housed an eclectic collection of booths, including new maternity wear exhibitor Bella Materna rubbing shoulders with Kidada for Disney juniors, which, in turn, sat next to Playboy Intimates.

Playboy was yet another new addition—the arrival of erotic- sensual wear into the show. A component of that theme was new line Reneacute; Rofeacute; Lingerie, also up on the new floor. “We all know that sex sells,” said Michael Roslin, director of marketing for the New York–based company International Intimates, which produces Reneacute; Rofeacute;, sophie b and Necessary Objects. “But our intention is to make sure that it doesn’t look cheap in any sense of the word.” Roslin said he would have “loved to have been on the first floor,” but added that overall his experience with Lingerie Americas had been a very positive one.

One new exhibitor that did make it onto the first floor was Spoylt—a 3-year-old Anglo-American company based in London and New York. It had a very successful show and was even doing demonstrations in the aisle due to the number of people flocking to its pretty pink and black boudoir-themed booth, complete with crystal chandelier. “Spoylt is all about the entire experience,” said Monica Schenker, senior vice president of public relations and corporate communications. Right down to its lush pink packaging, Spoylt is for feminine but discerning women the world over, she said.

Last year, Lingerie Americas hosted a fashion show in SoHo’s Puck Building. This year, rather than have a separate evening event, it decided to utilize some of its extra space for in-house fashion shows—with brands such as Lavit, Chantelle, Simone Peacute;regrave;le and Hanky Panky taking part. With three shows daily on the fourth floor—renamed the Summer Gallery—the idea was to attract buyers to the higher floors. (In February, the floor will be renamed the Winter Garden.)

“With the fashion shows in the same venue, buyers can see things there and then go straight to the booth with everything still fresh in their mind,” explained Argain. And that did seem to be the case for Rampage, a new exhibitor on the fifth floor, which also took part in the fashion shows. “Actually, we really have seen a lot of people coming up after the shows,” said Melissa Rossetti, senior sales assistant.

Another exhibitor benefiting from the fashion shows was Romeand Toronto-based daywear and swimwear company Chio di Stephania D, which did not participate in the fashion show but was able to attract plenty of attention, thanks to a convenient location. “We are right outside the fashion show—a great spot with lots of people coming by,” said co-founder and designer Maria Christina Di Simone.

However, some buyers bypassed the fashion shows altogether. That was the case for Janelle Kenny, marketing director of the Sol Lingerie store in Denver, who stopped by Hanky Panky’s booth on the first floor.

“I don’t have time to go and see a fashion show when I don’t know if any of the lines I am interested in are going to be showing there,” she said. “And I think that’s the case with a lot of the buyers here.” Kenny added that she actually had found the seminars that always had been a part of previous Lingerie Americas shows, but absent at this one, “much more inspirational.”

Argain said that now that Lingerie Americas had opened another floor, its concentration would be focused on pleasing the buyers, including bringing the seminars back for future shows.