California Apparel News

Curiosity ran high going into the Project Global Trade Show’s Feb. 18–20 run at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. It was the first show since Project, and its parent company, MAGIC International, announced a streamlined roster with a more directional focus and a new location. The changes are part of the show’s efforts to regain its cool and exclusive vibe—something that had dwindled as the show grew far beyond its original incarnation as a forward menswear show.

Opening day, which kicked off with a noon start time, found the show floor packed with buyers. In all, approximately 750 brands populated Project, which downsized from 500,000 square feet to about 300,000 square feet. Filled with a mix of contemporary, designer, denim, sportswear and crossover brands, Project remained a must-see show.

BCBG Max Azria made its Project debut, hoping to open new contemporary accounts with highlights from its Spring and Summer collections. Its Fall collection was in New York for Fashion Week, said Desiree Thomas, the brand’s national sales manager. Immediates sold well, Thomas said, because buyers are opting to buy as close to season as possible. The brand made buying a no-brainer by bringing only groups of its bestsellers. “Our price point is already competitive, so we focus on giving them a reason to buy,” Thomas said. That meant vintage-inspired silhouettes and soft, flowing fabrics. Tops and knits wholesaling for $48 to $68 seemed to be a sweet spot for retailers.

Los Angeles–based designer Robert Rodriguez also made his Project debut with Spring and Summer offerings. “We were surprised that there is a market for us here,” said sales rep Stephen Carnes. While the brand’s price point is on the high end for the show, some retailers sprung for a few special pieces. “There is some price resistance from buyers who are unfamiliar with us, but those who know us and can handle it are buying—the flashier the better,” Carnes said.

Traci O’Neill of Trina Turk Swim said some bargain-hunting buyers opted to buy coverups and dresses from the designer’s swim line to sell as ready to wear. “It’s a good way to get the Trina Turk name and look in their store at a much lower price point,” she said. Printed tunics and strapless dresses wholesaling at $88 to $95 acted as stand-ins for the designer’s ready-to-wear dresses, which can wholesale for above $300.

Simon Miller, designer of the Los Angeles–based denim brand of the same name, said he appreciated Project’s smaller footprint and healthy flow of international buyers. “We’re still young, and this is a great show for us to meet Japanese buyers in particular,” Miller said.

Beautiful Fuuml;l, a new Los Angeles–based menswear line, made its debut at Project with a tightly edited collection of jackets, shirts and sweaters. “A lot of high-end menswear is just weird for the sake of being weird. It isn’t wearable,” said designer Alejandro Rodriguez. Beautiful Fuuml;l, with its updated classics, is the antidote to that, he said. —Erin Barajas