California Apparel News

Las Vegas was busy as buyers traveled between seven apparel trade shows held in five venues during the recent run of MAGIC International and concurrent satellite shows.

In addition to MAGIC International at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and WWDMAGIC at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, the ASAP Global Sourcing Show and the International Discount Apparel Show returned to the Las Vegas Hilton. The Off-Price Specialist Show was held at the Sands, alternative boutique show Pool at Alexis Park Resort, and upscale menswear show Westcoast Exclusive (WCE) and specialty misses and plussize show Women’sWear In Nevada (WWIN) held court at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

The buzz on the show floors was the blizzard that temporarily shut down several major East Coast airports, delaying many buyers from getting to Las Vegas. But in the end, there seemed to be little effect on the traffic at the shows.

“We didn’t see the weather on the East Coast having a huge impact on the show,” said MAGIC spokesperson Ernae Mothershed. “It was minor. We had a few cancellations and some missed the first day but were able to make up for it.”

Still, buyers were proceeding carefully, dividing their spending between proven sellers and new labels in an effort to find items that will spark consumers’ spending.

Street, sports key at LVCC

Urbanwear, boardsports and casualwear drove business at MAGIC’s Las Vegas Convention Center venue, where exhibitors kept fairly busy despite the absence of many weather-delayed East Coast buyers.

Certain sections of the show, such as the South Hall of the LVCC, which displayed urban and casual brands, showed no indication of a decline in traffic as buyers shopped for the latest in streetwear.

Phat Farmand Sean John were typically crowded. The trick for retailers was figuring out the right mix of brands as the saturation point was reached in certain markets.

“Urban’s doing well,” said Tony Chu, vice president of sales for Los Angeles-based Drunknmunky, which just wrapped up a partnership deal with New York-based Peerless Clothing and Fubu. “But if you look at New York, everyone carries the same thing and it ends up being marked down, so the buyers are looking to carry something new.”

Buyers showed interest in Drunknmunky’s new Bambu menswear collection, which features denim, outerwear, cargo pants, knits and polo shirts.

Retailers agreed that selling urban is getting tricky and that it is becoming more difficult to figure out what the young male consumer wants.

“You have to keep in touch with everything that’s going on in this market,” said Nikki Hill of Nikki D’s Urban Wear, a store in Detroit. Hill was seeking Rocawear, Triple Five Soul and sports jerseys.

In other young men’s areas, denim got lots of play. As with urban fashions, denim manufacturers showcased new twists.

Los Angeles-based designer Waldy Santo of 812 West showed hand-painted denim with faux stitching done with acrylic paint. Jeans with metallic or foil trim were popular for Pistol Pete, a Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based menswear company.

“Lots of stores had a rough November, December and January,” Pistol Pete principal Sami Tarrab said. “So we saw them looking to bring in something new to stimulate business. We saw lighter reorders, but a lot of business from new stores.”

Casual men’s lines like Pistol Pete, YMLA and others also showed influences from the junior women’s market, which saw a surge last season in washed and dyed T-shirt prints.

Michael Schobert, of Los Angeles-based YMLA, said the peasant tops that were a hit for women have translated into gauze popover shirts for men featuring keyhole designs and washed looks.

“The stores are chasing it now,” Schobert said. “Basically, anything that is denim-friendly now is doing well.”

Romani Joshi of Los Angeles-based Bullitt Menswear based her new line on that same premise. The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising graduate showed domestically produced, tailored shirts with 6-inch cuffs, T-shirts and Mandarin-collar jackets made from European fabrics.

“We’re getting good reaction to our prices [$20- $60 wholesale] and the fabrications,” Joshi said.

In the LVCC’s North Hall, where lifestyle brands were based, novelty and graphic T-shirts were the main attraction. Exhibitors were—for the most part—pleased with the traffic.

David McWilliams of Atlanta-based Fashion Victim was particularly pleased with the consolidation of the streetwear, boardsports and alternative shows, including the merging of The Edge and Enclave into one venue.

“Moving The Edge here was a smart move—it’s brought the traffic in, and our order-writing is better this show,” said McWilliams, who showed T-shirts with images of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara and pinup Bettie Page.

Others, such as Troy, Mich.-based Trevco, focused on retro T-shirts with images of the Beatles and other icons.

The debut of MAGIC’s Sourcing Zone area in the North Hall was stymied by the delayed East Coast traffic, but some—such as Melissa Adams of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council—said it was busy enough to gain several contacts and networking opportunities.

New lines, new looks at the Sands

Foot traffic at WWDMAGIC at the Sands Expo & Convention Center was moderate the first day due to the poor weather back East.

Nevertheless, MAGIC’s buyer preregistration figures were up 38 percent over February 2002, according to MAGIC’s Mothershed.

“It’s a good sign because our international attendance is back to pre-Sept. 11 levels,” Mothershed said.

The show, which occupied nearly 200,000 square feet, featured roughly 1,000 exhibitors. Mothershed said this number is on par with last year’s exhibitor attendance.

Many exhibitors came with new lines in tow. New contemporary collections included American Groove, Angel Batist, Ted Baker London, Blue Tattoo, Majestic/Catherine Brule, Tokyo Denim Bank, BGN/Beggonsarl, Freedom Eleven, Yen-Cheeky Brand and Boudoir Paris.

Many of the show’s returning exhibitors also unveiled new and revamped collections.

Los Angeles-based denim maker Z. Cavaricci was hoping to clear its spring inventory to make room for new styles—such as pinstripe corduroy, pipe jeans in peach twill, lightweight stretch poplin pants, linen utility looks, corduroy cargo pants with karate belts, and satin military pants. The collection wholesales between $14 and $30, and initial deliveries start May 30.

The privately held company had $40 million in sales last year, according to Carlos Vieni, director of sales. Vieni said the company hopes to expand by breaking into a new line of distribution. It already sells branded apparel to Charlotte Russe, Rampage, Saks, Marshall Field’s and Nordstrom.

The company recently signed a licensing agreement with a New York-based apparel manufacturer to produce a childrenswear collection.

Just weeks before the show, David & Goliath, a T-shirt, pajama and accessories company based in Tampa Bay, Fla., scrambled to put together a junior swimwear line geared toward specialty retailers. The collection, which is produced by Anaheim, Calif.- based Lunada Bay, uses cartoonist/owner Todd Goldman’s signature animal logos with catch phrases such as “Chicks Rule,” “Paws Off” and “Boys Are Smelly.” Initial deliveries begin May 30. With wholesale price points ranging from $30 to $44, the line will sell at retailers such as Hot Topic, Gadzooks, Delia’s and Bloomingdale’s, Goldman said.

At Hot Kiss’ booth, buyers from Rampage and Charlotte Russe wrote immediate orders for the company’s signature denim collection. For Spring/Summer, the Los Angeles-based manufacturer offered items such as short-sleeved denim rompers, denim overalls with karate belts, candy-striped V-neck shirts, string bikinis with hardware embellishments and sexy high-heeled sandals.

Hot Kiss also gave buyers an early glimpse at First Kiss, the company’s new junior subdivision. The new division is made up of moderately priced sportswear and accessories that will be sold through specialty retailers and mid-level department stores.

The youthful collection is geared toward customers between the ages of 15 and 25. It features trendy styles such as low-rise and pin-tucked denim jeans, cargo pants and novelty tops.

First Kiss’ sales projections for 2003 are between $10 million and $12 million, said Steven Kail, director of sales.

Novelty-driven sportswear is still in demand, according to Nicole Jensen, a better misses and junior buyer at Nordstrom.

Jensen said karate-style trousers and hatch-tattoo T-shirts with blanket stitching by Blue Tattoo piqued her interest.

Roger C. Wigginton, president of Don Rodgers ltd., a men’s and women’s lifestyle specialty store, said he planned to book goods and leave plenty of orders.

Wigginton and buyer Linda Watson searched for new men’s and misses lines at the show—something “unique and fun, yet saleable,” Wigginton said.

The Belleville, Ill.-based retailer said 2002 sales were up 15 percent over 2001. Wigginton said he was planning to dedicate 20 percent of his fall inventory to new resources.

“We’re not planning to under-buy for next season,” he said. “Our philosophy is, if you don’t have it, you can’t sell it.”

“If consumers are concerned about traveling,” Watson added, “chances are they will shop closer to home.”

WWIN focused

The Fall 2003 installment of Women’sWear In Nevada—the women’s, misses and plus-sized apparel and accessories trade show—opened Feb. 17 at the the Rio All- Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to focused buyers and exhibitor growth.

Preliminary attendance figures were not available at press time, although co-producer Jeff Unis of Specialty Trade Shows Inc., which produces the WWIN show, said he anticipated that attendance would be affected by the East Coast blizzard. Despite this year’s attendance setback, organizers said the show is steadfastly becoming a point of interest to buyers in the misses market.

“The show is getting bigger every year to the point where we will have to be more selective with our lines,” said Unis.

The show, which ran Feb. 17–20, occupied roughly 100,000 square feet and featured 600 exhibitors with 1,500 apparel and accessories collections. Ahni & Co., Pretty Things, Grace Chuang, Anu by Natural, City Girl, Bodil, Coco & Juan, An Ren, Fresh Produce, Sport-Elle and Private Label Products Inc. were among those exhibiting.

Jaime Stark of Los Angeles-based Salt & Pepper Sales—which reps Susan Robert, T. Elliott, Only in USA, Sandy Starkman and Xiao—said, “[Buyers] are placing orders, but it’s for very close deliveries. They don’t seem to want to go out on a limb.”

For the most part, buyers responded well to exhibitors’ enthusiasm for seasonal merchandise.

Lucy Orr, a buyer for The Source Clothing Co., a women’s specialty store in Wasilla, Alaska, said she expected to order ladies’ career- and casualwear for immediate deliveries. Spring items by Carole Anderson, Habitat and Fresh Produce were at the top of her list.

Orr said her store’s retail sales were up 32 percent from last year and so far this month have increased about 25 percent.

“We’re not suffering from the same economic woes the lower 48 is,” she said. “We just try to offer our customers a nice mix with fashion-forward styles and let it take its course.”

Janis Jackson, owner of Simply SW By Mail in Scottsdale, Ariz., was on the lookout for Fall styles with ethnic embroideries and embellishments from apparel makers such as Rhonda Star, LA Blend, Slinky’s and A Touch of Class.

WCE shows growth

The Feb. 16–18 run of the Westcoast Exclusive expanded from five floors to six at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, adding exhibitors and categories until the show was filled to capacity, said cofounder Hyela Soblosky.

“We had a wait list and were going to open up a new floor, but the hotel couldn’t accommodate us at the last minute, so we had to turn some exhibitors away,” she said. “In August, we want to take another floor.”

Soblosky also said that buyer attendance appeared to be up based on preregistration numbers.

“I think we’re going to be up 20 percent by the end of the show,” she said. “We’re growing because of word-of-mouth—people who have enjoyed the show are telling people, and more people are coming around.”

At the end of the second day, Soblosky said exhibitors had reported good results.

One such exhibitor was Michael Scimeca, a sales rep for New York-based Mario Valente.

“The first day was great, and it’s been a great show,” he said. “We did MAGIC for many years, but it was just too big for us. We’re a small company, so we would always wind up in a corner somewhere, and it was just too overpowering for us.”

Scimeca reported that the second day was slower than the first, which he speculated was caused in part by the storm on the East Coast.

Other exhibitors, such as Dennis Preston, the Western region rep for New Yorkbased Coppley Apparel Group, focused on the variety of buyers at the show. Preston said some buyers had already met with him at WCE’s Los Angeles installment and had come to Vegas to place orders.

“This show is strong because you have the element of people coming from other areas, plus the people coming back to confirm what they reviewed in Los Angeles,” he said.

Buyers such as Vernon Webster, from Michael’s Clothier in Houston, shopped the show for its intimacy.

“It’s busier here this year, but there is still a more personal vibe [than MAGIC],” he said.

Webster said he shied away from appointments and instead preferred to browse for men’s and women’s general items with good prices and quality.

While walk-ins were mostly welcomed, some exhibitors, such as Filip Grozea of New York-based Noni Bon, reported a strong focus on appointments.

“I don’t believe in walk-ins,” said Grozea. “The safest thing is to have a backup plan, which is appointments. In this economy, you have to work hard because the economy is in a stage of wait-and-see.”

Grozea called the show a “decision maker” and commented that buyers are more apt to spend their dollars now than at other times of the year.

Buyers such as Scott B. Strouse of Strouse’s in Evansville, Ind., used the show to shop New York exhibitors without having to make the trip to the East Coast.

“I try not to go to New York if I don’t have to, so this is a good alternative to find stuff that you won’t find at the other shows,” he said. “We are looking for mid-range price points, and some stuff can get beyond us.”

The Westcoast Exclusive began two days before the start of MAGIC. Soblosky said the August showing in Vegas will open one day ahead of the larger trade show.

Events included a celebrity golf tournament and a celebrity- impersonator fashion show with an auction and raffle. Breakfast and lunch were served each day at the show.

Attendance, exhibitors up at ASAP

A new continent participated in the ASAP Global Sourcing Show, which had its third run Feb. 17–20 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Fifteen African apparel factories made their first appearance at the show, which is designed to be a one-stop source for retailers and importers looking for private-label opportunities.

The show has grown considerably since its debut February 2002 at The Mirage. This year, 280 booths represented 180 companies and 25 countries—a big jump from the 125 booths representing 80 companies and 10 countries that appeared at the first show last year. About 8,000 people were expected to attend this year compared with 1,500 in February 2002.

The show also expanded its offerings this year, said show organizer Frank Yuan, chairman and chief executive officer of Pasadena, Calif.-based Cyber Merchants Exchange. Several seminars—on topics such as importing and manufacturing after 2005 (when many quotas from China will be abolished) and global sourcing—were scheduled for the second day of the four-day show.

Activity around the African booths was brisk as African apparel factories touted the fact that many of their goods can now come into the United States duty- and quota-free under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Buyers and sourcing managers checked out the quality of goods produced by the African companies and peppered the representatives with questions about production costs, shipping and letters of credit.

Nick Quaranta, director of international sourcing for Meridian Textiles in Vernon, Calif., approached the booth manned by Ian Espitalier Noel and Michel Mayer, co-owners of World Knits Ltd. in Cromandel, Mauritius. Quaranta was looking for a company that could make Hello Kitty children’s apparel for a Sanrio licensee.

Quaranta wanted to know what kind of turn-around time the factory would need, how long it would take to ship goods from Mauritius to the United States, and at what price the factory would produce goods.

This was the first time that World Knits exhibited at the ASAP Global Sourcing Show.

“This new AGOA law gives us an opportunity to ship duty-free and quotafree,” Noel said. “We don’t need orders right away because we already produce goods for Europe, but you have to plant the seeds for the future.”

Noel and Mayer, who sell 90 percent of the 12 million garments they produce yearly to Europe, said they are trying to understand the American market.

“When we speak to a European buyer, we can practically read their minds,” Noel said. “But we don’t understand the American buyer yet.”

This was also the first ASAP Show for Quaranta, who said he is always searching for a better deal and a better factory.

“There are factories I have been doing business with for a long time, but you are always searching for the perfect situation,” he said. “It’s always difficult to find a reliable factory and the right people to perform.”

Powerhouse Clothing, based in Durban, South Africa, also made its first appearance at the ASAP Show. The company, which produces knits and woven pants, already has a number of U.S. clients, such as PJ Salvage, Old Navy, Timberland and Rampage.

“The main thing for us to be here is to be seen,” said Terry Gormley, co-owner of the 17-year-old company.

One of the people who saw Powerhouse was Rodney Spears, president of Yendor International Corp. in New York.

Spears, whose customers include Kmart and Target, said he has done business with African companies before and is looking for new sources. He had been traveling to Pakistan for deals with factories there, but he now considers the country too dangerous. Africa, he said, is looking much better.

Africa was the new kid on the block, but Asian factories dominated the show. Fourteen Chinese companies filled the China Pavilion. There were six enterprises from Macau.

Even though many of these firms are well-known in the United States, they were looking for new business with startup companies at the show. Fu Son Garment Factory—a 17- year-old Macau company whose two factories cut and sew knitted garments for clients such as Eddie Bauer, Quiksilver, Express and Polo Jeans—was seeking new business, said marketing director Stephen L.P. Tjan.

Tjan got a few nibbles. Joel Rabinowitz, co-founder of The Hut, a new American licensing company, and owner of The House, a Canadian licensing company, approached him while scouting places to produce Scooby-Doo and South Park licensed goods. In the past, Rabinowitz had worked with factories in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. But he said that he has found China’s workmanship far better than that of other Asian countries.

Another new apparel company, Denver-based Elete Inc., scouted for overseas sources to produce its soon-to-debut sports couture line.

“We’re looking at our sourcing needs and where we can get things produced for our Holiday 2003 line,” said Brian Huebsch, Elete’s general counsel. “We’ve done some stuff out of Vietnam and Taiwan. But we are always looking for new people with whom we can do business.”

Pricing is the secret to selling

Traffic levels at the Off-Price Specialist Show, held Feb. 16–20 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, were about the same as last year, according to the show’s organizers.

But the number of exhibitors increased slightly as organizers decided to expand the event’s scope by increasing the number of participants from footwear and accessories categories. About 15 more exhibitors showed up this year compared with last year, boosting the number of exhibitors to a little more than 400.

“Footwear and accessories give the buyers more of a fullline shopping experience,” said Bob Nordstrom of the Off-Price Specialist Center, which organizes the show. “That is where our growth lies.”

The show caters to discount retailers looking for closeouts, overruns, irregulars and other goods offered by jobbers.

Last year, the show faced new competition from the International Discount Apparel Show (IDAS) at the Las Vegas Hilton, which was started to give manufacturers a direct link to buyers.

Bill Jage, founder and chairman of the Off-Price Specialist Center, said IDAS has not affected his show’s business. Only one of his exhibitors moved over to the Las Vegas Hilton, he said. Buyers, particularly those who don’t want to purchase bulk items, still showed up at the Sands Expo show.

One of those buyers was Penny Villalba, who owns Penny V’s Treasures in Pismo Beach, Calif. She visited the International Discount Apparel Show but did not want to buy the large number of items required to place an order. Instead, she spent time at the Sands Expo, looking for leisurewear, beach clothing and sandals for her small seaside store.

“The items in my store are reasonably priced, so I am trying to buy exceedingly well,” she said.

While Villalba had no problems getting to the show, several big-name retail buyers arrived late because of the East Coast snowstorm.

A large group of buyers from the Burlington Coat Factory arrived late, Jage said, with two buyers arriving on the second day of the show and the rest flying in later.

Nevertheless, exhibitors were pleased with the amount of business they were writing.

“The last couple of days have been great,” said Kathy Chikato, a sales representative for DLM Off-Price Specialists, a jobber in City of Commerce, Calif., that specializes in brand-name items in categories such as women’s, men’s, juniors and large sizes.

With the economy still limping along, everyone noticed that buyers were extremely focused on the bottom line.

“Retailers are looking for fashion items, but they are being very price conscious,” said Katie Anglin, another DLM sales rep.

“The price has to be down and dirty unless you have something that no one else has,” said Jacob Shalit, president of Pacific Teaze Inc., a Chatsworth, Calif., company that sells men’s, womenswear and childrenswear.

Buyer Arash Danialifar of General Discount, a Compton, Calif., company that has 15 stores in Southern California, was hunting for major bargains that would retail for no more than $9.99.

“For some reason that is the magic price for our customers,” he said.

Danialifar paid no more than $3 to $6 per item. Among his purchases were 40,000 canvas outwear vests.

Anthony Cisneros and Anthony Sprague, buyers for the Marine Corps Exchange in Barstow, Calif., looked for low prices and variety. They made purchases in half-dozen allotments.

“If we buy in large numbers, it turns out that everyone in Barstow is wearing the same doggone shirt,” Cisneros said. “No one wants that because they’re already wearing the same uniform every day.”

Pool overflows in Vegas

Pool, the Los Angeles-based alternative trade show for new and emerging designers, opened Feb. 18 to strong traffic at the Alexis Park Hotel in Las Vegas.

This was the show’s third Las Vegas run. At this show, held Feb. 18–20, there were 120 exhibitors. Early in the show, organizer Rhonda Walker projected that buyer turnout would surpass previous shows.

“It’s going to be a much bigger turnout than last time because I’ve done more to enhance buyer awareness with advertising and promotions,” she said. “Before, it was word-ofmouth and grass-roots advertising.”

For the next installment, Pool will expand into targeted segments such as shoes. Already there is a waiting list of exhibitors, Walker said.

In addition to new and emerging lines, Pool housed major brands, including Reebok, Adidas and Fila.

“A lot of collections have spin-off brands, and they market them differently from their larger brands,” Walker explained.

That was true for Reebok Select, a collection of bags, hats and track suits.

John Spilman, a Reebok International sales representative, said the parent company uses a different approach for marketing Reebok Select.

“We treat this side of the business like an upcoming designer series,” he said. “Being at these types of shows helps us to get into that type of market.

We don’t advertise and we don’t do catalogues. But this show gets us out there with the boutique business.”

Exhibitors such as Melodic Minor and GrnAppleTree focused on boutique buyers to introduce their lines and secure heavy orders.

“I’ve seen a good mix of buyers here,” said GrnAppleTree’s Aaron Levant. “Some people may not buy. But they come here to check the trends and see what’s next.”

Levant and designers such as Daniel St. George of Spice Punch also used Pool as a springboard to larger shows. St. George is planning to show at MAGIC’s new Enclave area next August.

Buyers also used the show to meet emerging designers.

That was true for Craig Leonard, a buyer for Allston Beat and Ozone stores in Boston.

“I shop MAGIC for branded apparel and shows like this for newer stuff, focusing on brands that we can’t see in New York,” he said.

That’s just the kind of buzz that Walker, who represents designers in her Los Angeles Republica showroom, likes to hear.

She only accepts exhibitors who submit a catalogue, samples and an application to maintain the integrity and freshness of the show. And she reserves at least 20 spots for new vendors.

Pool had a Los Angeles run last year during November market week, but there are no plans to bring the show back to Los Angeles.

Instead, organizers will continue with the Las Vegas shows in February and August.