California Apparel News

In its first edition, the Launch LA trade show made good on its promise to showcase young and new brands chosen with a curated eye. For many exhibitors, it was their first trade show ever. The heavy surf-lifestyle angle was a draw for the brands and buyers to attend the show, held July 25–26 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

Brands such as Mara Hoffman swimwear signed up for Launch to meet more surf and swimwear stores. Riviera Club, which sells to Ron Herman, rushed from Capsule in New York, which ran July 23–24, to make it to Launch. Riviera Club’s Derek Buse said it was worth it to test new waters in the boutique surf market. Karli Bell of Skargorn denim, which is sold at American Rag and Madewell stores, said she was pleased with the “good-quality” buyers, such as Need Supply Co., and potential new accounts, such as Sun Diego. Surflifestyle line Tallow from Australia showed for the first time. Tallow has won the fashion crowd at Urban Outfitters, but Shannon Clynes said she wants to go deeper in swim and surf stores. “I’d like to work with surf-oriented retailers, surf boutiques,” Clynes said.

Some of the stores that attended were Zumiez, Swell, Pacific Sunwear, Hobie, Fast Forward from Texas and Tilly’s. Stores in the contemporary crossover markets included Blackbird Ballard, Aloha Sunday in San Diego and Shelter Half in Los Angeles.

Josh Hunter of Launch said he made an effort to reach out to a variety of retailers. “Those image accounts—aspirational—they are important with both sides of the 50-yard line,” Hunter said. The majority of buyers were regional because of the conflict with New York shows, but Hunter said he’s confident that “the word of mouth will be good enough to get [out-of-town buyers] out here next year.”

Coco Tihanyi of Surf Diva boutique in San Diego was happy with the offering of younger brands, including Seea, Indosole and The People’s Movement. “What’s important is that buyers want to see what’s cutting edge and not in the mass market,” Tihanyi said. She plans to attend Agenda as well, which runs Aug. 1-2.

“This is different than Agenda; their vibe is more skate, and this vibe is more boutique and unique,” Tihanyi said. “A good buyer is open to going to all shows to see what’s out there in the different industries—whether it’s Outdoor Retailer, skate or boutique—because we all influence each other and everyone has their own version of Ikat print.”

Wellen said it was one of their best shows and wrote with stores it has been trying to get into for seasons. “It’s smaller; we are not as lost. We operate on a level playing field,” said Wellen’s Shawn Swanson.

There was lots of additional activity to keep browsers busy with complimentary haircuts by The Blind Barber, an art gallery and live music space curated by Arts & Council, and trend reports presented by Stylesight.

New and made in America

Whether they were established brands or new brands, “made in America” was an important sentiment amongst many of the exhibiting companies. Jeff Yokoyama, who founded Maui & Sons and Modern Amusement, showed 7-year-old brand Generic Youth, which he started with his daughter. All of the newest pieces are made from repurposed vintage beach towels and sweatshirts that otherwise would be shipped and sold by Goodwill to third-world countries.

The line is made and sold at its own store, Yokishop in Newport Beach, Calif., and wholesales to stores including Maxfield. “Little by little is how we plan on getting our brand out there. We don’t believe in doing a big ad campaign and pounding our chest in telling how much good we do. Its more a natural way that people find out about us,” Yokoyama said of his first trade show for Generic Youth.

Joey Benaron of Red Wing Shoes, manufactured in Maine, said the skilled handcraftsmanship of making leather boots has been embraced by a new generation. “There’s a growing consciousness of people that are looking for crafted products made strictly in the U.S.,” Benaron said. New leather-boot company Broken Homme was an example of young minds using traditional techniques to make modern product.

Michael Quinones of new brand We Are Runts (WAAR) made a point to source and manufacture everything in America. The classic styles that embody “freedom of youth, refinement of age” range in retail price from $90 to $120 for wovens, $140 to $170 for denim and $40 to $80 for knits. Quinones grew up surfing, skating, riding motorcycles and working for action-sports brands. “We’re trying to create that ideal and moral to the action-sports industry and culture—being able to buy U.S.- made goods and being stoked on what’s on their back,” Quinones said. “There are some retailers that we met with that we will price out of—but after hearing the story are a lot more receptive to that price point.”

New accessories brands that made their debut at Launch focused on merging style, functionality and environmental friendliness. Indosole shoes are made in Bali out of local motorbike tires that are repurposed into soles on men’s slip-on shoes and women’s sandals. Mission Workshop from San Francisco uses a modular system in its travel bags so that its pieces can expand and contract in capacity. Corona, Calif.–based Klen socks and underwear, started by the husband-and-wife duo of Mark and April Froke, uses bamboo fabric.