California Apparel News

NEW YORK—The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center was a buzzing hub of activity Aug. 6–8 with a tripartite trade show organized by Business Journals Inc. staking out some 140,000 square feet—a 40 percent size increase overall from the August 2005 shows.

AccessoriesTheShow took over the lower floor with more than 1,600 lines. Upstairs, the concurrent Moda Manhattan and FAME shows presented 400 and 700 lines, respectively. Each show has grown considerably over the last year—FAME by 26 percent, Moda Manhattan by 97.9 percent, and Accessories- TheShow by 40 percent. All this growth meant that the physical size of the show almost doubled. August 2006 was a very big show, attracting more than 14,000 retailers over its three-day run. Attendance also was up from last year by 10 percent.

With more than 600 booths, AccessoriesTheShow was certainly the largest of the three, with exhibitors from all across the country, including the West Coast’s Tokyo Bay watches, Liz Soto handbags, Origin jewelry, and ElizabethW home wares and candles. New York’s Talulah was at the show with its retro-chic handbags and Carolee also was exhibiting with its simple and sophisticated jewelry. Georgia’s Designs by Minna brought its beautifully delicate jewelry and Portland, Ore.–based Mixx showed a line of fashionable iPod and laptop covers and sleeves.

A great number of international brands also were showcased, including Fonsi from Italy, Atlantis from Germany and Philippa from Sydney, Australia, whose collection included elegant magnetic resin bangles.

“AccessoriesTheShow was extremely well-received,” said Britton Jones, president and chief executive officer of Business Journals Inc. “We were cautiously optimistic about the show, as regional markets had been a little soft,” he explained.

“But I think the show exceeded the expectations of the customers, and this has been the first really good market since January. Even though the economy is a little unstable right now—with buying maybe not at its highest—business was still brisk at the show, and a lot of orders were made.”

Brands that Business Journals found did very well at Accessories- TheShow were New York’s Anne Koplik, Sondra Roberts, Tano and Grace Hats, and Seattle-based Karin’s Garden.

Rachel Morgan, senior sales executive with Los Angeles–based AJ Morgan Eyewear, said the show was “a little slower than it had been before, but still very good,” with plenty of interest shown in its eyewear range. Morgan also said that she had noticed that the quality of vendors was much better. “They are so much more fashion-conscious,” she said.

AccessoriesTheShow next heads to Las Vegas, where more than 450 lines show during the Aug. 28–30 run at The Venetian. AJ Morgan Eyewear won’t be in the lineup, but only because the show will be running concurrently with the MAGIC Marketplace at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Las Vegas Hilton. “MAGIC is just simply a much more established show,” she said.

Other accessories companies—including hip Californian handbag designer Melie Bianco, Los Angeles– based Corina Collections, vegan bag company Cleo Roos and handmade jewelry line Green Halo—also will be skipping AccessoriesTheShow in Las Vegas, choosing instead to showcase their lines at MAGIC or one of the other satellite shows going on at the same time.

But Corinne Burke, owner of Corina Collections, was optimistic about the accessories show’s future in Las Vegas—particularly after the good response she saw at the New York show.

“It has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year or so,” Burke said. “I think it is one of the best trade shows to attend from both an exhibitor’s and a buyer’s perspective. Once Accessories- TheShow gets more established in Las Vegas, we will definitely be interested in joining it.”