Femme's Anniversary Show Draws 9,000

More than 9,000 exhibitors turned out for the first-anniversary run of Femme, according to the organizers of the triannual New York trade show produced by MAGIC International.

The show, held May 8–10, featured more than 1,200 lines merchandised in categories ranging from junior and young contemporary through better and accessories. The predominantly women’s and accessories show also features a growing streetwear section, which featured both young men’s and women’s exhibitors as well as a streetwear lounge where buyers and exhibitors could relax on beanbag chairs, review orders, have their futures read by a fortune teller or check out the new BMW motorcycles.

“These [streetwear] lines are always very interesting for all retailers to see what’s going on in street—it’s important for them to see that area,” said Deborah H. Baum, general manager for MAGIC’s East Coast fashion group.

This show also featured the debut of CurveStyle, a new plus-size apparel category, which featured 10 exhibitors, although there were more plus-size resources on the show floor. Many companies carry plus-size lines in addition to their regular lines, Baum explained, noting that the show overall featured more than 60 plus-size resources.

Ace Ross, owner of Los Angeles-based Ace Ross Studios, was flying high after the show, describing it as one of the “most amazing” trade shows he’s attended in years. Ross credited a clear design direction in the marketplace for boosting business for this season’s 1960s-inspired fashions.

“The ’60s look and that whole broomstick look from 15 years ago colliding [with] the mix of crushed poly and faux suede and denim is exciting,” he said. “There’s a new direction that feels good and people are buying it.”

Buyers from the New York area and as far away as Tulsa, Okla., and Pacific Palisades, Calif., dropped by the Ace Ross Studios booth, Ross said.

Traffic appeared to be lighter than at the January Femme show, according to Danny Cook, president of Los Angeles-based Private Clothing. But Cook added, “We killed it in January.”

Private has been exhibiting at Femme since the show’s launch last year, and Cook said organizers are “on the right track...getting new, better brands.”

“Our brand is a crossover brand that transitions into sportswear and contemporary,” Cook explained, adding that his company was well-placed in the show with other contemporary labels including Fred Perry, Pele Jeans and Parasuco. And the company “picked up a couple of decent orders” at the show, said Cook, who noted that the next hurdle for the show is to “get to that contemporary retailer.”

Femme is held three times each year, in January, May and September, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. The September show draws buyers looking for immediate and Fall merchandise, while the January show is an immediate- and Spring-business show. The September show is strong for both apparel and accessories, Baum said.

Organizers also added to this year’s show a seminar series including a Plus Size panel discussion featuring Rachel Roth from the Tobe Report, Barbara Stecher from the Donegar Group, designer Richard Metzger, retailer Lisa Todd, Norman Weiss from alight.com, Meg Clymer from retailer Hot Topic’s plus-size division Torrid and Femme’s Catherine Schuller and Gloria Gelfand. In addition, the show featured a Spring 2003 trend seminar presented by the American Trend and Color Committee’s Lisa Mainardi and a Fall trend seminar hosted by E! Entertainment’s Leon Hall, who pulled items from the show floor to demonstrate Fall trends.

Femme also launched its Profile Awards, presented by E!’s Hall, at the show. Among the award-winners: Los Angeles-based Mighty Fine for best booth, Illinois-based Lobe Strobe from Flipo for special effects, New York-based watch and bracelet maker MPG for most innovative show item, Mary Ann Restivo for best accessories line, Private Clothing for best men’s line and New York-based Ravel for best women’s line. Show organizers struck an irreverent note with their best-dressed male and female awards, which went to Private’s Freddi Rojas and Connecticut-based designer Judi Lee Cole.

The next Femme show will be held Sept. 22–24.