Capsule Claims New Niche With the Underground Elite

New trade show Capsule is on a roll.

The New York–based trade show launched last season with an exhibitor mix of innovative, emerging menswear brands on the hunt for a creative trade-show venue that highlighted a preppy-meets-hipster sensibility.

The show then packed its bags for Paris, where it hosted another show June 26–28 at the Hotel Libeacute;ral Bruant.

For the show’s second run in New York, held July 21–22, organizers retained the format—directional men’s fashion—and returned to the Angel Orensanz Foundation building, a five-story former synagogue built by noted architect Alexander Seltzer. The Norfolk Street location in lower Manhattan lent a cool cachet to the Capsule experience.

“This is the best show for finding unique Spring and Summer men’s contemporary wear,” said Billy Stade, founder and owner of California-based retail chain The Closet. “It is boutique-driven, with designers who have strong points of view. Basically, Capsule is where you go to find new blood.”

There was a 25 percent increase in attendance from last season, according to show organizers BPMW (Brand Pimps and Media Whores) and We Are The Market, which reported that more than 2,000 retailers, editors and fashion-industry insiders from around the world dropped by the show, which ran concurrently with the Project Global Trade Show and ENK International’s premium-denim show, Blue.

“Capsule is growing in influence in an emerging niche menswear market,” said Edina Sultanik Silver, who co-owns BPMW with Deirdre Maloney. “People are starting to get to know what we do and what we represent. And more people are putting us on their calendars.”

The show featured a mix of up-and-coming and international menswear brands, including April 77 from France; Our Legacy from Sweden; and Save Khaki’s S.K.U. and Loden Dager, both from New York. Buyers were clearly smitten with these lines, and reps had little downtime at the show.

“Capsule is not focused on quantity as much as quality,” Silver said. “We are proud to say that we are by invitation only and are shopped by the most influential, most directional buyers of the world’s best stores.” Among the retailers in attendance were Opening Ceremony, Scoop, Blackbird, Bill Hallman, Untitled Chicago, Odin, Saks Fifth Avenue, Brigade, Fred Segal, Barneys New York and Bloomingdale’s.

West Coast representation

Mitch Moseley, chief executive officer of Los Angeles–based Endovanera, participated in the Paris show as well as the most recent Capsule show in New York. Moseley said that Capsule is the best domestic venue for Endovanera. “The buyer list is strong, the other collections are top-notch and buyers come to leave paper,” Moseley said.

For Spring/Summer 2009, the Endovanera collection consisted mainly of specialty trousers, tailored suiting, vests, knits, wovens, denim and outwear, which was well-received by attendees, according to the executive.

Moseley said the company plans to keep an exclusive domestic account list of select clientele while slowly building the brand to attract major players. “We see vast opportunities in the international marketplace due to our particular stylings and the weak dollar, and [we] are working closely with various distribution outlets to expand our foreign business,” he said.

California-based The Smooth Co. appealed to buyers looking for upscale, mid-priced surf apparel. Owner and surfer Groovy Singh is deeply passionate about the line, which reflects a way of life. “Extreme sports were popular for so long, and the surf industry was quiet for a few years. Now, there is a major resurgence in the surf community, and it’s really exciting on a personal and professional level,” Singh said.

The concept of The Smooth Co. is to blend aspects of the East Coast and West Coast to create a modern California surf style. The Closet’s Stade said he appreciated the high style of the collection, which was price conscious of the economy. “The Smooth Co. is directionally strong, with a colorful line that embodies contemporary California style,” he said.

Emerging and returning

The show featured both new exhibitors and returning brands. Among the newcomers was Naked & Famous Denim, a Canadian label started six months ago by owner and designer Brandon Svarc. The concept behind the company is virgin denim that is free of washes and embellishments. Svarc said he saw a need in the marketplace for “luxury basics,” and his team is dedicated to minimizing expenditure by purchasing raw materials in Japan and producing the line in Canada. The line emphasizes fits, cuts and unconventional fabrics, including silk, natural indigo organic selvedge and super-thick indigo selvedge.

“We are hellip; turning out a high-quality product that is marketed to denim purists,” Svarc said. “We are doing something really different, and the buyers here are progressive enough to recognize the value in our line.”

Founded in Sweden in 2003 but now based in Australia, Mjouml;lk garnered serious attention from big-name buyers by showing updated and decidedly edgy suiting. The company’s new take on formalwear was all about rock ’n’ roll with a slightly glam feel.

Returning to the show was Andy Salzer, the designer behind Yoko Devereux. Based in New York’s Brooklyn borough, the label features minute details that help craft a story that runs through each collection. This creativity has garnered a loyal following, and buyers at the show lingered over the brand’s jerseys, cardigans and blazers. Brand representative Jeff Corrado said retailers were particularly interested in the woven pieces.

Another repeat exhibitor was Jayson Santos, co-owner and designer of Fiber & Fellow. Santos said he received “an amazing reaction” to the Spring/Summer 2009 collection, which blends preppy Americana pieces with unfussy casualwear. “This season, we’re featuring checkered woven shirts layered with light knit cardigans or sweaters and coupled with lightweight walking shorts or fleece bottoms,” he said. Fiber & Fellow reworked silhouettes to be comfortable yet sleek and defined. Going forward, Santos said, he expects to continue doing business with repeat accounts but hopes to expand the brand. “Despite the struggling economy, we’ve managed to position our pricing so that retailers and customers can both benefit from our price points,” he said.

Silver said plans are underway to continue Capsule’s Paris and New York shows for Fall 2009.