California Apparel News

In spite of rough waters dogging the swimwear industry this past year, the Swimwear Association of Florida’s Cruise 2002—the first major preview of the season—staged its biggest show in 19 years, with attendees hungry for innovation and lured by the wave of international players, particularly the Brazilian market.

Nearly 2,000 visitors—almost one-third more than last year—braved rain and thunder to attend the show in Miami and view the offerings of 400 exhibitors representing more than 1,500 lines of swimwear, beachwear and resortwear. The number of South American manufacturers and swim label exhibitors swelled this year from about five to 15, including Pisces, Rosa Cha and its newest offspring Sais by Rosa Cha, Wet Samba and Cia Maritama, according to Judi Stein, executive show director.

“This has grown to be an international show as the word gets out that we’re the first place to introduce the Cruise season,” Stein said. “And right now, the influences from Europe and South America—especially Brazil—are hot.”

Indeed, the lackluster economies abroad, from the real to the lire, are pushing ahead a strong American dollar, creating a domestic market foreigners are eager to tap.

Cruise 2002’s diverse offerings sparked the interest of many buyers and sellers who have grown weary of the same product, said Lynn Koplin, president and chief executive of Apparel Ventures, parent company for Anne Klein, Nautica, Sessa, La Blanca, Op and Citrus.

“This year’s show is strong compared to last year’s,” Koplin said. “There are more international buyers because there are more international lines offered at this year’s show. The international variety of manufacturers is drawing all kinds of attendees.”

Added Susan Crank, president and chief executive of Anaheim, Calif.-based Lunada Bay, parent company of Becca and Rebecca V, “The products feel right, buyers are excited, there’s a lot of energy in booths and it’s raining, but great things are still coming.”

Undercurrent of Caution

Still, there was an undercurrent of caution as manufacturers and buyers tried to shake off the industry doldrums caused by chilly weather, even in the warmest parts of Florida, and unfavorable economic conditions, including factor consolidation. The bywords heard by attendees were “cautiously optimistic.”

And that caution is reflected in sales. David Burnett, president of Liz Claiborne Swimwear, said sales were down by 5 percent.

“Because of the changes in our economy, buyers are making informed choices,” Burnett said. “They want to view the market first before putting the pen to paper.”

Others, like Kari Kramer, sales manager for Irvine, Calif.-based Rusty, said they were receiving steady orders from local retailers, as well as some catalog business.

For Joe Falls, owner of Sea Stable, a three-store chain in Florida, budget was top-of-mind. Falls planned on spending his dollars after the show, keeping his budget on par or less than last year’s commitments.

“We’re down 30 percent year-to-date,” Falls said. “It’s a little tougher to budget this year between accessing credit from factors and slower sales.”

Faring better was Fort Myers, Fla.-based Beach House, which operates eight stores, including one in Las Vegas and one in Scottsdale, Ariz., with two more planned to open later this year.

“This is the first year we posted a 10 percent increase in comp-store sales—typically we’re in the 25 to 30 percent range,” said President Don Bauer, who was looking for scenic and conversational prints, especially those at Tommy Hilfiger and at XOXO’s first collection under licensee Gottex. “Typically, our customers this year were buying one to two bathing suits, down from three to four.”

Swimwear giant Los Angeles-based Authentic Fitness, whose parent company Warnaco recently filed bankruptcy, maintained a positive outlook, with executives stressing the company’s overall strengths in the industry.

“The show is well represented by all of our customers,” said Warnaco chief executive Linda Wachner. “Traffic has been strong and steady. We’ve had an extremely good response from retail. They’re looking for newness—we’re giving it to them.”

Styles Mix and Mesh

Along with the mixing and meshing of styles, including shirred bandeau tops, tie-dyed tankinis, low-rise denim-inspired bottoms and draping one-piece suits, key trends that manufacturers and retailers highlighted were:

bull; Retro prints bull; See-through mesh bull; Pop-art and geometric designs bull; Tropical, oversized floralsbull; Pinwheels and bubble prints bull; Side ties bull; Short, flirty matching micro-mini skirts steadily replacing board shorts

“We did a lot of Brazilian suits this past season, and they were really successful for us,” said Alison Johnson, vice president and buyer at Diane’s Swimwear, a Torrance, Calif.-based company with stores in Southern California from Santa Barbara to Palm Springs, as well as a recently launched Web site. “I’m a firm believer in their swimwear. They’re tiny, they’re sexy and they’re a lot of fun.”

A few of her favorites included her top Brazilian vendors, Salinas and Vix, as well as new additions Miss Bikini, from Italy, and Jet Set Swimwear, out of Switzerland. Johnson said she dropped paper at those accounts.

“Miss Bikini had lot of great tops and bottoms for our two-piece business, which is easily 60 percent of our sales,” Johnson said. “And, Jet Set had some great photo-tropical prints and incredible colors like pale banana yellow and textured whites. It was all so forward and so new.”

Lee Prosser, buyer for Marks & Spencer, the United Kingdom-based department store chain, said she was eyeballing the tropical and safari looks of vendors.

Prosser said the company, which earlier this year announced a radical restructuring plan, is looking to forge partnerships with new American suppliers as it realigns the business.

“We’re working with Apparel Ventures and hope to continue that trend with other new opportunities,” Prosser said. “Our core customer wants classic, modern looks, and we’d like to expand the age range [to] 17- to 70-years-old. Even our older customer is dressing younger.”

At the bustling Jantzen booth, buyers and visitors alike watched fashion shows with 40-something, Bo Derek-esque models sporting sorbet-stripe tankinis and Pucci-inspired bikinis.

Meanwhile, manufacturers found new twists to keep past trends front and center.

“Anything goes—what’s out is saying something’s out,” said Patricia Osmanson, Lunada Bay’s vice president of design and merchandising. “Animal prints are hot. It’s just how you take it forward.”

Some designers, like Miami-based Twin Sisters, took camouflage tankinis and put shine on them. Others, like Ce-Doox of Miami, transformed the swimsuit style into a tie-front.

Tommy Hilfiger swimwear, in its second season, debuted a complete line of 85 styles that included junior plaid tops matched with snap-top denim hipster briefs, ruffled bandeau bikinis and hoodie swimsuits.

On the runway of the Cruise fashion show, looks varied from black and white contrast tankinis to keyhole one-pieces. Solids were also on the catwalk in vivid orange triangle bikinis and racy red halter bikinis.

Cover-ups continued to be strong as the beach-glam look pushed manufacturers and designers to provide coverage in and out of the swimming pool.

“I can’t keep cover-ups in my stores long enough,” said Robin Masker, buyer for the five stores in Marriott Marco Island in Florida, noting that she planned to spend about $200,000 in orders for the show.“Everyone wants more resort, more fashionable looks—no T-shirts.”