California Apparel News

Ritual Events & Marketing took its twice-yearly local apparel and music expo nationwide this past fall. The Ritual Expo made stops in five cities—New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco—after a kick off at the Shrine Exposition Hall in Los Angeles.

The Expo debut was by all accounts a success, with about 50 streetwear and clubwear companies signing on to the tour and attendance figures reaching a high of about 4,100 visitors at the Los Angeles show. (The San Francisco and New York shows came in close seconds in attendance with about 3,000 visitors at each.) California Apparel News asked Jed Wexler and Patrick Courrielche, co-founders of Ritual Events & Marketing and co-creators of the Ritual Expo, to be our correspondents from the road. Wexler and Courrielche checked in with some Expo exhibitors as well as a few buyers and merchandisers who stopped by the show to gauge the future of streetwear and clubwear. —Alison A. Nieder What is the next direction for streetwear/clubwear?LOS ANGELES 10/08

The influences and the looks of streetwear and clubwear are becoming more diverse. They’re beginning to take cues from high fashion and incorporating it into street sensibility.Jed Wexler, co-founder, Ritual Events & Marketing, co-creator, Ritual Expo

Many companies are maturing. They are starting to go to the next level by creating better product—using better material and better cuts. The ones doing that are really poised to make some serious money.Patrick Courrielche, co-founder, Ritual Events & Marketing, co-creator, Ritual Expo BOSTON 10/29

Clubwear is going in the direction of more form-fitting but super-comfortable stuff; clothes you can wear to dance, to dinner, to the beach—just stuff that is really functional. All of our clothes are made with natural fibers. The streetwear market is becoming conscious of the benefits of natural clothes that break-in really comfortably, are really soft and are a lot easier on the environment. I am hoping we are going in that direction. Styles are simpler, with cleaner lines rather than a lot of pockets and big, in-your-face designs—things that are a little subtler; clothes that fit the body. Our clothes are functional and have a little more stretch to them. You can pull on them and make them fit the way you want. They are not in-your-face styles, [they are] really subtle, some have hidden labels, so that if someone wants to know what [label] you are wearing, they are going to have to come up to you and ask you rather than seeing a big fat label.Frank Anguilli, owner, Natural HighComing out of Canada—where the company is based—we see a lot of the American brands and the Canadian brands that are doing well in the U.S. look just the same. They all seem to copy each other [with similar] zippers [and] pockets. Our stuff is a little more simple and clean. We started with the basics and that’s what has gotten us to be so popular in Canada. Now it is time to use more technical designs and newer fabrics to appeal to the clubbers. We [are considering] marketing to the electronic music scene in particular because it is so global. You get your clothes on the right DJs, they go everywhere. We are really going to focus on this market—it’s big and it is global. We are going to get more and more involved with sponsoring DJs and emcees, especially Canadian artists who are making big headway. We are in discussions with several to enter sponsorships with them. We are going to use that as a big tool to push Modrobes.Sara Graham, communications and ad coordinator, ModrobesI think the day of the rock star is dead. It’s all about the DJ right now. Whether it’s hip-hop, electronic music, everyone is coming to see the DJ play, spin the records and push the tunes. We are a very clean label, clean clothing and a large following in Canada. Obviously, we are looking to push it here in the states using what we have done here in Canada—guerrilla marketing schemes, attacking the music scene, we try to attach ourselves to emerging DJs, artists. We are all about lifestyle.

You have DJs coming out of Canada, out of Europe. The DJ is like a god—they have the following.And they push everything. They push the fashion. They push the lifestyle. Opie, field rep, Modrobes CHICAGO 10/15

I think streetwear is going back to reforming, becoming a little less commercial-looking, a bit more underground and selective—back to the beginning like the way it was in the early 1990s. People want high-tech clothing in the sense of the materials, function and features. [They want] flexibility in terms of washing and taking care of their clothes because the person wearing these clothes is a lot busier than they were—no time for dry cleaning. They want cell phone pockets, pager pockets, hidden pockets, hidden money belts and hidden stash compartments, stuff that you can take to the streets and you don’t need a bag—you have a place for your sunglasses. It’s about function and form as opposed to fashion and style. Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Gucci are relevant because people are starting to take beat-up, faded, messed-up jeans and throwing Gucci shoes, a Gucci belt and a little sweater with it; it’s very European. It’s about mixing and matching; its about having the right look, taking something new, something old, something expensive, something from a thrift store or from a garage sale—definitely more of a custom look. Atousa Ghanizadeh, owner, A Liquid Affair, partner, HI-Roller rolling DJ casesClubwear is becoming very futuristic and cyber with high-tech materials mixed with natural—combining the two is pretty much where it is headed. People really want something new, stuff that hasn’t necessarily been done before, whether it is just in the details. They want more than just a basic garment. Right now we are going cyber with some cuter, more playful kidlike qualities, mixed with some superhero, toning it down with some blacks, but still using some fluorescents and trying to do things that have not been done yet.Geoffrey Mac, owner, Geoffrey Mac ClothingStreetwear and clubwear are definitely heading into the mass market. There is a huge gap between what someone like the Gap does and what we do. When it comes to the street, it comes down to how the kids view themselves, what the kids want to wear in the clubs. For example, a kid who was shopping today was wearing Triple 5 Soul, geared up from the top to bottom. He said he wanted to wear some stuff to work so he bought a shirt and pants from Triple 5 Soul to go to work—clubwear to go to work.Elias Matar, owner, Storm of London, Storm boutique at Beverly CenterNEW YORK 10/22

I think clubwear is finally growing up a little. We are the same people who were the first to get into DJ culture and clubs in the early ’90s and now we are getting older and the designs reflect that. We still like to go out to clubs and be a part of electronic music but we also have to work, too. The clothing designs have become more slimmed down, more adult, but still maintain that club-going, funky edge to it. Women especially want something that will make them feel like a woman but that is still freaky enough to go to a hip-hop show directly from work.Christina Ramirez, owner, Plum by Christina RamirezI believe that all of the clubkids have finally grown up. They recognize that the baggy, 18-inch-wide leg and unflattering fad is over and understand old-school classics such as Ben Sherman. Basic oxfords, faded and distressed trousers and vintage, embroidered tees are popular; it’s comfort and style without being so freakish. As for women, we are becoming more feminine with bright palettes, low cut necklines and sexy fitted lines. The next direction is more ’80s-inspired collections. Denim, once again, is the leader. It is timeless and anyone can wear it. Vintage tees and accessories complete any look. Menswear is going more fitted, mod-inspired with a touch of preppy old school.Dana Downham, public relations, Acupuncture Footwear, Ben Sherman, Hard Yakka North America

Streetwear is heading towards a classic feel and more classic styles. Guys want to start looking different. I think old-school brands like Lacoste and Ben Sherman provide the more preppy but still edgy and individual look that streetwear needs.Individuals [are] putting their own twist on the classics and clean looks is where it’s at.

The next direction is probably something that is derivative of what is already going on because we have just scratched the surface with the new wave of streetwear. Nostalgia is going to be a blast again whatever it is, Prada, Gucci, Fendithe old tried-and-true is hot again.Vince Gonzalez, vice president sales and marketing North America, Ben ShermanSEATTLE 11/11

In the last 10 years, streetwear has really come a long way in terms of having a mass appeal. Ten years ago “urban” was really the main genre of clothing coming out. Now with the resurgence of electronic music, house, drum ’n’ bass, techno events like Ritual Events, the big raves in Los Angeles like “How Sweet It Is” that attracts 30,000 people and the “Monster Massive” that attracts 60,000 people or something crazy like that, I see a whole new field of clothing out there called streetwear, which started with companies like Caffeine, Kik Wear, Freshjive. The brand 33 Degrees started about four years ago, so urban is on its way out in a way. I see a lot more hip-hop heads coming over to the electronic scene via drum ’n’ bass guys like Roni Size. You will see department stores and more of the specialty stores will start dropping the urban lines. Urban is typically more of a baggy look and streetwear is more technical. I don’t want to say tighter, but just more of a complete clean look than urban is. I personally hope streetwear goes high fashion. Companies like Mooks Clothing are doing it really well—mixing street and high fashion with European sensibility andAmerican culture. Christian Ablang, marketing director, Mooks Clothing (former marketing director at 33 Degrees)A lot of the independent clothing companies often reflect the club culture on one level or another. It might not be a particular style per se, but more of an energy, a flavor that certain companies connect with. You see it when you go to the clubs. You see folks doing their own thing even if they are into the same style of music. For example, if you go to a house club everybody is dancing to the same beat and you can see that they are into the scene even if they are dressed somewhat differently. What I see—me being a hip-hop DJ, a house DJ and a rare soul DJ—I see a lot of these styles converging. Because the important thing is that the different people and the different genres of music feed off one another and complement each other and all of the styles influence each other in the club environment. You have styles from England—New British Soul movement—that influences hip-hop, and hip-hop influences what is going on in the jungle scene in London musically as well as aesthetically in the fashion world. I see a lot of convergence.Dusk, L.A.-based DJ, journalist (URB, Fader), photographer, musician in genres of hip-hop, house and electronica. Also the emcee of Ritual Expo and Fashion Show DJSAN FRANCISCO 11/18

From my perspective, street- and clubwear is the largest growth segment that we have and is looking like the most exciting as well. Also, if you look at the age of the population—given the demographics—this [category] is totally geared toward the customer and the future customer of the next few years. We do carry some of the lines that are being shown here at the Ritual Expo such as 33 Degrees and Ben Sherman. That’s why I am here looking at everything because that is part of the mix. It’s really the more suburban kid that we’re going after. We already have urban covered and we have the status labels covered, but this is the mixture and where all of them gather. This customer is still into music and the clothes and everything else. Obviously, for us, as a department store, attracting that kind of customer is really key. But the mix is here, the mix is exactly what I see here today. The next step is to have more of this on a bigger scale and have the presentation to attract the street- and clubwear customer and do it right in our stores.

The look of streetwear and clubwear seems relatively simple, whether it’s an evolved cargo pant, or a sweatshirt or a baseball cap, it’s pretty clean, it’s pretty simple and it’s certainly comfortable. It is very sellable yet still fits into this youth market. And it is somewhat ageless as well.Cathy Stracquadanio Councillor, young men’s streetwear buyer, Macy’s WestI think streetcar and clubwear is heading in a functional direction. Technology will continue to have an effect on all of our lives, making communication easier and leisure time more attainable. I see technology helping to make a club scene more enjoyable, such as personal ways to listen to a DJ via headphones that might enable you to control elements of a DJ’s mix to your own preferences (more bass, etc.) with clothing housing hardware. Clothing and technology have already begun to merge—with Levi’s ICD line—featuring speakers and other communication hardware built into the garments. Sheri Timmons, sponsorship director, Levi Strauss & Company, Worldwide Presence & Publicity