Traffic Triples at Capsule
Capsule, the fledgling show from New York–based producer BPMW, enjoyed a new home and tripled traffic during its second Las Vegas outing. Held Sept. 1–2 at The Venetian hotel, the show also welcomed womenswear for the first time. The result, said Edina Sultanik, the show’s director, was an eclectic mix of 108 brands that drew nearly 3,000 buyers.
“There was a great energy, vibe and brand mix. But most importantly, people were doing business,” Sultanik said. She credited the leap in attendance to Capsule’s proximity to the Project Global Trade Show, which was held in the Sands Expo & Convention Center, connected to The Venetian.
Paul Conrad of the Medium Concepts showroom showed Spring/Summer 2010 for Orthodox, Warriors of Radness, Rxmance and MB999. “We sold a lot more than we expected. If a brand is performing for them, buyers aren’t being cautious about placing future orders,” he said. Lightweight knits sold well for Orthodox while leather pieces earned buys for MB999, a diffusion line from designer Michelle Berandi. Fun items from Warriors, including neon color-block boardshorts and acid-wash muscle pants, amused buyers enough to place orders.
Rebecca Anderson of the EM Productions showroom sold four womenswear collections at the show and reported brisk business. Seneca Rising, a Los Angeles–based knitwear line; Grey Antics, a new diffusion line from Grey Ant launching for Spring 2010; Society for Rational Dress; and its diffusion line, SFRD, all made their Capsule debut. Anderson reported success with items retailing under $300. “We did steady business and saw a lot of new stores, so we’re happy about that. Buyers were cautious, but they were buying,” she said.
Jackie Brander, owner and founder of Santa Monica, Calif.–based Fred Segal Fun, picked up the Kr3w skate brand at Capsule. “The price points are exceptionally reasonable, so it makes it accessible to all genres. I’m going to test this out in my store because I believe it is a Santa Monica customer, and, as I said, this is the time to truly cater to our customers,” she said.—Erin Barajas
