California Apparel News

The better-grade to luxury class of apparel historically has been somewhat immune to economic downturns, but the current state of the market may even put a dent in that end of the business, said retailers and vendors attending the Jan. 27–28 Westcoast Trend show, a new menswear event staged at the EmbassySuites hotel in Los Angeles.

The show has taken over dates formerly occupied by the Westcoast Exclusive show, which was purchased last year by the publishers of MR magazine, Business Journals Inc. Westcoast Exclusive annually operated two smaller shows in Los Angeles in January and August as well as larger shows, called the Exclusive, in Las Vegas in February and August. Business Journals renamed the show MRket and decided against continuing the Los Angeles shows.

Sales representative Ken Haruta decided to relaunch the event under a new name and gathered about 40 exhibitors for its first run. The menswear show featured mostly European casual and dress shirts, suits, denim, leather and accessories.

“We received nice support from the retailers here,” Haruta said. “Even in the rain I was busy all day on Sunday. The combined efforts of everyone involved made it a respectable show.” Haruta reps Island Soft, a division of Tommy Bahama, as well as Scott Barber, Dion, Sanyo, Corneliani and Leather Island.

He was candid about the state of business. “There’s less traffic in the stores, so customers and buyers are trading up in price points to make up the difference,” he said. “The stores are looking for items and partnerships.”

Haruta said there still are some home runs to be had with particular items. Corneliani’s “Identity” jacket, priced to retail at $1,200, posted sell-throughs of 80 percent to 90 percent, Haruta said.

Buyer Reza Shekarchian of Robertson Boulevard boutique Avedon said buyers will be looking high and low for those home runs at the upcoming Las Vegas shows.

“It will be twice as hard,” he said. “You have to find something different to offer the customers. They need incentives.”

Shekarchian, whose store deals in high-end European apparel, said the weakened U.S. dollar against the euro, along with other factors slowing down the U.S. economy, is dealing the usually stable high-end boutiques a double whammy.

“It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re rich or poor. It’s tough,” he said. “On top of it, all you hear everywhere you go is about the bad economy. It’s having a domino effect.”

Larry Hymes, former producer of the Exclusive show and now sales manager of the new MRket show being launched this month in Las Vegas, was on hand at the Westcoast Trend show, selling Italian shirts line Poggianti 1958. He said he does not expect much resistance to the company’s $80 to $150 (wholesale) price points. “It’s the guys just below the luxury level that are being hurt right now,” he said.

“People are finding most of the interest in our embroidered shirt with more vibrant and visual patterns,” he said.

Matt Becker, repping Eton of Sweden, said he hopes the down trend does not hamper the company’s momentum, as it has posted two years of strong growth. The company is opening a Los Angeles showroom on Sunset Boulevard next month to cater to its growing productplacement activity as well as sales growth in the United States.

“We’ve had lots of crossover appeal with dress shirts and dressy sports shirts,” Austin said. “We’re also supporting retailers with merchandising packages.”

The company’s high-performance easycare shirts in deep rich colors gathered interest at the show, he said.

Rep Mary Ann Pickens said the current dilemma that European brands are facing has opened opportunities for American-made items.

“There’s a lot of talk about keeping Americans working right now,” she said, referring to the economy and elections. American-made items are more competitive now because of the weakened dollar, she added. She saw strong interest in brands such as McKenzie Tribe, which makes denim and chinos inTupelo, Miss., and Gitman Bros. shirts, which are made in Ashland, Penn.

McKenzie’s clean looks are gaining favor over the distressed and worn looks in denim, she said. “Stretch and dark hues are here. The tatters, tears and abrasions are going away.”

Joe Puskarich said the current demand for items is playing into his favor. He was doing well with printed sport shirts from V-Luxe featuring graphic prints based on mathematical equations, priced to retail between $130 and $195.

“Nobody wants your commodity [products] right now. The buyers are saying, ’Just give me something different,’” he said. Robin Sekiguchi of New York–based knits line Anthology agreed. “Everybody has to reinvent themselves,” she said.