California Apparel News

To Ronda Walker, the next step in the apparel industry’s evolution is online.

Walker founded the Pooltradeshow in 2001 in Las Vegas, eventually selling it in 2005 to Advanstar Communications, which owns the MAGIC Marketplace and the Project trade show.

After several years away from the industry, Walker has returned to launch the The Factory trade show, an online concept that brings the trade show experience online and adds a social-networking component that brings consumers into the mix.

“We’ve been doing business the same way since the ’80s,” Walker said. “With technology, we should be able to do things faster and cheaper.”

The first phase of The Factory is scheduled to launch this summer. Walker has a team of programmers working on the site, but for now, she is keeping the look—and details about the technology—under wraps.

Walker is setting up an office for The Factory at her home in Pasadena, Calif. “I’m trying to build it as organically as I can, so I have room to grow and can make changes during the first year,” she said.

The Factory will feature virtual trade show booths, which designers can easily create and customize. Retailers will be able to review and purchase the latest product in a virtual environment that never closes.

When buyers visit The Factory for the first time, they can visit the different “booths” and view and order the merchandise. The next time they visit The Factory, they will be able to see which designers have new merchandise and jump right to those booths.

Just as she did for Pool, Walker will curate the selection of designers featured at The Factory. “You have to be pre-approved,” she said. Plus, designers will be assured that the retailers attending will be viable prospects. Consumers are invited

The Factory will also be accessible to consumers, who can preview upcoming collections or find retailers who carry current merchandise.

Walker has built in several privacy controls into The Factory’s booths, letting designers choose who can see their collections—including consumers, who will be able to rate the designs they like, giving both the designer and the retailer instant feedback about popular styles.

“It will help build brand awareness before it even hits market,” Walker said.

Consumers will also be able to shop from current lines and find merchandise at the nearest bricks-and-mortar store or e-tailer.

But beyond giving designers and retailers and consumers a place to meet, Walker envisions The Factory helping to change how designers and retailers do business.

Online shopping has peaks but is not “conventionally seasonal,” Walker said.

“Consumers can rate designs which can eliminate some risk for retailers, allowing retailers to buy what consumers like and designers can react to positive ratings,” she said. “Designers can react to the marketplace and do not have to wait to build and sample an entire collection before placing orders, saving money on sampling and creating a virtual sales office which operates 24-seven.” Fashion’s Facebook

The social-networking component of The Factory is what Walker calls The Factory People, a pre-selected group of fashion tastemakers. The virtual fashion community will allow designers, retailers and consumers to communicate online. “The Factory People is a transparent audience where members are encouraged to socialize and stay connected,” she said. “When you log on it’s like joining a party and anything goes. You can post anything on your mind—similar to Facebook. Consumers can comment on their favorite collections, designers can talk shop, have contests for runway tickets and special events, [and] retailers can direct consumers to special sales events happening in real time.”

Walker said she wants The Factory to capture the social aspect of trade shows. “People go to trade shows because they want to party, they want to communicate,” she said. “We need to bring the consumer into the mix.”

Walker also sees The Factory as a way to connect international designers and retailers, as well.

“Let’s build a big international fashion industry,” she said.

For now—and up until the site’s launch—designers can sign up for free. Retailers and consumers will always have free access, Walker said.

For more information, visit www.factorytradeshow.com.—Alison A. Nieder