California Apparel News

Under construction. That’s a familiar sign around Las Vegas as developers spruce up existing retail properties, such as the $1 billion Fashion Show Mall revamp, or develop new properties, such as the $95 million Las Vegas Premium Outlets center.

The same could be said for the city’s apparel trade shows—including the massive anchor, MAGIC International.

Visitors to the Aug. 25–28 run of MAGIC International and the smaller satellite trade shows got a glimpse of the changes around town—and within the trade shows themselves.

bull; MAGIC, the menswear marketplace at the Las Vegas Convention Center, added new sections for Contemporary Streetwear and fabric sourcing.

Fabric@MAGIC featured a range of importers and converters, as well as high-end Asian and European fabrics. The intention of show organizers is to make this area, along with the Sourcing Zone, launched last edition, a one-stop resource for all points along the production process.

bull; WWDMAGIC, the junior and women’s section at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, expanded its contemporary offerings and hosted a group of designers and xmanufacturers from Turkey.

bull; Relative newcomer Pool, a collection of young designer and contemporary streetwear lines at the Alexis Park Resort, hit its stride with a larger-than-ever show and an energetic buzz on the show floor.

bull; Westcoast Exclusive (WCE) continued to add fashion-forward, notable labels to its lineup of upscale menswear at the Rio All- Suite Hotel & Casino.

bull; The International Swimwear/Activewear Market (ISAM) launched in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Resor t & Casino’s new massive convention center with a strong first day. ISAM plans to move the show to Caesars Palace next year.

bull; Women’s Wear in Nevada (WWIN) added a childrenswear show, Kidshow, to its upscale misses and plus-size offerings at the Rio.

bull; The ASAP Global Sourcing Show, at the Las Vegas Hilton, added a day of sourcing seminars for both novice and veteran offshore producers and importers.

bull; The International Western & English Lifestyle Market (IWE) moved its dates and venue to take advantage of MAGIC’s buyers. The show, held at the Riviera Hotel & Casino, included a series of lunchtime retailing seminars and evening fashion events and mixers.

bull; The 8-year-old Off-Price Specialist Show returned to the Sands.

bull; The new off-price apparel contender, the International Apparel Show, returned to the Las Vegas Hilton.

Men’s business mixed at MAGIC

Slow traffic and cautious buying by many retailers characterized the MAGIC men’s sections at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Still, many growing brands reported huge increases in business, and some buyers said an audacious rather than stodgy approach was the best way to deal with the lagging economy.

After struggling through a soft year in the retail business, Dan Davis of Royal Oak, Mich.–based Funky 7 had not even planned to attend MAGIC. But he came at the last minute for fear that he would be “missing something.”

He packed a careful strategy for the trip.

“People are hoarding their money,” he said of himself and other buyers. “You used to be able to try things you’ve never tried before and see what would happen, and now you’re getting the things you know you can sell.”

However, many larger retailers found that the trade show offered little that was exciting.

“There’s not a lot of newness out there, so tried-and-true is the best way to go,” said Ryan Yarnell, a buyer for Troy, Mich.–based Kmart Corp.

Yarnell regularly scouts MAGIC for new trends. “We’re not looking to take anything specific—we just want ideas,” he said, noting one trend—the proliferation of embellishments, such as patches—in the urbanwear section.

Josh Goodelman, a buyer for Lord & Taylor in New York, said there was a dearth of new products. “You’ve got to constantly offer new things, and that’s why this market is getting a little stale,” he said.

Still, Goodelman said his store is willing to take risks.

“The economy isn’t great, but it’s turning around,” he noted. “People who are staying safe aren’t going to get anywhere.”

Some MAGIC veterans said that consistently coming to Las Vegas can eventually yield a jackpot. Santa Ana, Calif.–based Steady Clothing, which has been exhibiting at MAGIC for half a dozen years, was busier than ever. The company picked up many new vendors, including a number from Florida and other parts of the East Coast. Partner Joshua Brownfield said he also found buyers were more willing to take chances.

“The market has been so slow, everybody’s willing to try new stuff now,” Brownfield said. “Six months ago, the economy was so bad that everyone tried to stick to the same styles.”

The company showed Rock Steady, a new fashion-forward line aimed at better stores.

Tiny start-ups were also on the show floor. At the show’s alternative section, The Edge, sisters Jina and Sun Lee of Walnut, Calif.–based Cranky Design wrote their first order, which was from a Texas retailer who wanted 30 T-shirts.

Chad Honeycutt said Roial International Inc., a company in Huntington Beach, Calif., that calls itself the “Prada of surf,” made its first appearance at MAGIC because “all the heavy hitters” were there. “It’s exposure, and that’s what we need,” he said.

Jade Howe launched his Howe brand a couple years ago at the Pool show, but this time he exhibited in MAGIC’s new streetwear section. Business was phenomenal, he said. “It’s been nonstop since the moment we came here,” he noted.

Los Angeles–based Lisa Kline agreed to take on the line, which had been previously anchored by Ron Herman at Fred Segal Melrose and San Francisco–based Villains. Howe said he plans to be in the designer section at the next MAGIC show.

Another Southern California company, Da Nang, was also busy. Owner Albert Dahan said business was “way beyond expectations.”

Previously, Dahan had exhibited primarily for exposure, but at this year’s show he wrote orders for a wide range of international buyers. He said he plans to rent a larger booth and prepare earlier for next year’s event.

In past years, Dahan had exhibited at WWDMAGIC, but this time he was in the streetwear section on the men’s side. “We’re basically a women’s line, but the better customers come here,” he said.

’80s influence at Sands

Foot traffic at WWDMAGIC at the Sands Expo & Convention Center got off to a slow start, according to vendors. But show organizers said buyer preregistration increased by 5 percent over August 2002.

The show, which occupied nearly 200,000 square feet in the Sands, featured 1,000 exhibitors. Ernae Mothershed, media relations spokeswoman for MAGIC International, said this turnout was on par with last year’s exhibitor attendance.

Among those exhibiting were Los Angeles– based labels Hot Kiss and Tag Rag, which both offer edgy denim styles. Also exhibiting was better junior label Tokyo Denim Bank, which eschewed denim altogether and headed straight for the fashion speedway with sleek and sophisticated satin racer jumpsuits with groovy patch details.

In the juniors retail category, Hot Kiss’ Back-to-School sales are 20 percent higher than they were last year, said owner Moshe Tsabag.

For Spring ’04, Hot Kiss is offering a mixture of street glam, Gothic-punk and Greek goddess looks including denim bottoms and miniskirts with heavy hardware details and feminine deconstructed shirts and over-theshoulder blouses with braided-cord details.

At Tag Rag’s booth, buyers saw a plethora of trendy junior styles for Spring ’04. The company has expanded its offerings by 35 percent, according to Tag Rag President Orly Dahan.

In addition to the apparel line, Dahan owns two retail businesses in Southern California. Retail sales were flat this year, he said, noting that business conditions prompted the company to refocus.

“The economy forced us to change our marketing strategy,” he said. “Tag Rag got involved in too much volume, and we kind of forgot our core customer. We used to be itemdriven— now we’re brandconscious.”

Tag Rag’s Spring ’04 line is inspired by all things ’80s.

A fitted, Asian-inspired cotton- and-satin baseball jacket, a black V-neck mesh tank top and a hot-pink hardware-embellished long-sleeved shirt made with jersey fabrication were a few looks Tag Rag offered at the show.

The line’s nostalgic, offbeat styles are attracting the attention of specialty boutique buyers, Dahan said.

Novelty-driven sportswear in solid fabrications is definitely going to be a big seller for holiday, predicted Mayren Viray, a junior buyer at The Wet Seal Inc.

At the show, the Foothill Ranch, Calif.–based teen chain nearly finished wrapping up its holiday orders, which include geometric metallic tops, lace dresses and skirts, and burnt-out velvet, Viray said.

Wet Seal’s merchandise mix will have a color palette of burgundy, red and gold. Viray said less than 30 percent of the company’s holiday inventories will be made up of printed styles.

“We’re going for a cross between fun, sophisticated holiday looks and semi-athletic ski-bunny trends,” she said.

Not all buyers were pleased, and some voiced that the show was a disappointment or was becoming less vital to their buying strategy.

Hitoshi Hattori, whose Silver Star Co. opens in Honolulu on Sept. 15, was on only his second buying trip. He placed orders with Fornarina, Allen B. and Von Dutch but said he doubted he would become a MAGIC regular. The show was too large and the clothes were too casual, he noted.

Hattori said he preferred Los Angeles Market Week, which he considers more fashion-oriented, to MAGIC, which he said is “too businesslike.”

Christian Toth, owner of nine Off the Wall stores in Vancouver, Canada, said this MAGIC show seemed “slow, quiet and not too exciting”—especially compared with a vibrant apparel show he recently attended in Berlin. After 10 years of attending MAGIC, he is considering not coming anymore. He said he would prefer the show to be more casual and lifestyleoriented and “less corporate feeling.”

In contrast, Toth noted that the Pool show had a “great vibe.”

“They’ve really got to do something to bring people back to the show,” he said.

New Kidshow at WWIN

More than 2,000 buyers turned out on the first day of Women’s Wear in Nevada to view some 400 exhibitors representing 1,500 lines.

WWIN producers Jeff Yunis and Roland Timney said exhibitor attendance was flat with last year’s, but they reported strong optimism regarding the overall turnout at the show.

“Our exhibitors said they had a fabulous first day,” Yunis said. “Exhibitors had their thumbs in the air and wanted to know where all the buyers came from.”

This year marked WWIN’s sixth consecutive sold-out show. It also marked the debut of the show’s children’s category, Kidshow.

There were 250 preregistered buyers for Kidshow, which featured 60 exhibitors in a 20,000-square-foot outdoor space, said Yunis.

Traffic was strong on the first day and continued to be consistent throughout the show, exhibitors said.

Manufacturers’ rep Stacey Kanar said she saw several dropin appointments. Specialty store buyers from Rags to Riches in Los Alamitos, Calif., and Special T’s in Pasadena, Calif., placed orders for knits tops and pants by Iridium and Usindo.

“I try to promote our booth as a one-stop shop,” Kanar said. “We don’t take on lines that look the same. The point is to increase business, not compete with myself.”

Many exhibitors and buyers remarked positively on the show’s clean, orderly layout—not to mention the free meal tickets and shuttle service for registered buyers.

“MAGIC had great offerings, but WWIN is the icing on the cake,” said retailer Veronica Johnston of Johnston’s Clothiers, a small retail chain in Wichita, Kan., that caters to professional men and women with upscale apparel lines. “WWIN’s displays are very visual, and there’s a nice feeling of intimacy between the buyers and retailers.”

Strong debut for ISAM

After a widely publicized move from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica, Calif., the International Swimwear/Activewear Market tried its luck in Sin City during the latest run of MAGIC International.

Some 1,500 buyers came to the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the hunt for Cruise 2004 swimwear, resortwear and beach accessories, according to ISAM Director Barbara Brady.

The show featured more than 144 lines—including Authentic Fitness Corp., BCBGMaxAzria Swim, Christina Andrade, Malibu Dream Girl, Sauvage Swimwear and Lunada Bay—that displayed their wares in a 50,000-square-foot exhibitor space.

Several exhibitors said the show was busy on opening day.

According to Alex Bhathal, executive vice president of planning at Raj Manufacturing in Tustin, Calif., first-day bookings were strong; many were new specialty store accounts, he said. Gone Bananas, a specialty swimwear boutique in San Diego, placed orders for immediate and Cruise 2004 items.

Raj did not just conduct business with specialty boutiques, however. The company also took orders from the majors—including Robinsons-May, Dillard’s, Macy’s West and Gottschalks, said Bhathal.

“Many retailers finished the season strong due to great weather in July, so we’re entering 2004 on strong footing,” he said. “This was a successful show—we’ll do whatever we can to duplicate the same results next year.”

Reps said many of the retailers who dropped by ISAM in Las Vegas skipped the large Miami Swim Show.

Richard Battaglia, president of sales for Robin Piccone Swimwear in Santa Monica, Calif., said he received last-minute orders from specialty retailers including Dizzy, East Bank Club and Houstonian.

Holly and John Storms placed orders for halter tops, Brazilian-cut bottoms and miniskirt coverups by vendors such as L*Space and American Rebel for their Long Beach, Calif., swimwear boutique, Naughty-n-Nice.

Trendy items included halter, triangle and bandeau bikinis with polka-dot and stripe prints, as well as suits with novelty fabrications such as faux suede and leather.

Pool increases numbers

Approximately 1,800 buyers turned out for Pool—up from the 1,500 who attended the trade show’s February event— said show organizer Ronda Walker, who attributed the growth to word-of-mouth advertising and her direct relationships with buyers.

“The voice, the thrust behind the show is really the buyers that attend and take it back to their respective regions, and then it grows from there,” said Walker, who has been a sales rep for 15 years for companies such as Girbaud and Diesel. She currently represents lines including Penguin and 2K out of her Los Angeles–based Republica Party of Style showroom.

Susan Boyle and Donavan Powell, buyers for the new Michael K store opening this month in New York, looked for the “new hot thing—the next Von Dutch.”

Loraine Hanley, co-owner of Noise, Noisey Girls and Decibel in Toronto, searched for graffiti-art T-shirts for her three street-and-skate stores. Hanley said she and partner, Susan Ditchburn, “try to keep to smaller companies who are trying to be innovative.” Their stores carry lines including Freshjive, Volcom, Lithium and Geek Boutique.

“This is the show where the fashion forward are coming to find the next new look,” said Larry Balag, sales rep for Canadian line Scribe, housed in the Blue Print Showroom in Los Angeles.

According to exhibitors, not only did boutique buyers such as Xin in Los Angeles, Jigsaw in London and Yellow Rat Bastard in New York attend the show but also larger companies such as Urban Outfitters and Macy’s.

“All the players are coming here,” said Bobby Benveniste, owner of Los Angeles–based contemporary men’s and women’s label Eisbar.

“Pool is much more focused on our buyers,” he added. “It’s an even playing field. Buyers who come here are just really looking for our lines. They’re here for a reason, and they’re here to buy.”

Walker said the show was originally conceived as a venue where young designers could show their lines, but now that Pool is in its fourth season in Las Vegas, larger, more established companies exhibit at the show.

Major brands—including Adidas, 55DSL and Fila—had booths at Pool as did X-Large, Gentle Fawn, Lemon Twist and Nisa. The show has grown considerably since its premiere in 2001—from 50 vendors to 125 apparel, handbag and accessories companies. This year also saw an increase in Canadian apparel lines, according to Walker, who said 20 percent of the companies exhibiting at the show were from Canada.

This year, Pool added a separate shoe show featuring 50 shoe lines, including Vans, Reebok, C Label and Etnies Plus Collection.

“There’s a lot more great lines out there that we just don’t have room for in the show,” said Walker, who selects all the exhibitors. “I want the show to get as big as the boutique market will allow.”

Westcoast Exclusive opens early

Los Angeles–based trade show Westcoast Exclusive opened the doors to its fourth Las Vegas run a day before MAGIC to accommodate menswear buyers before they headed over to the trade-show giant.

The strategy seemed to work. Organizers said traffic seemed to be up about 25 percent, and many of the buyers that navigated showrooms in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino spent their entire first day at the show. They took advantage of the complimentary breakfast and lunch and attended the openingnight party at Rio’s Bikinis nightclub.

“It’s a nice, personal show,” said Vernon Webster, a buyer for Houstonbased upscale men’s store Michael’s Clothier. Webster said he has attended the WCE since its launch and typically shops the show before heading over to MAGIC.

“MAGIC can be a little overwhelming,” said Dennis Walker, a buyer from Pebble Beach Co., which operates 11 men’s stores in Northern California.

Walker said he has been shopping the WCE in Los Angeles since his days as a buyer for Nordstrom. He said his customers are looking for better, exclusive brands—which makes the WCE’s offerings compelling.

“This show is becoming a little more designer- driven in the better end,” he said. “MAGIC is really catering to the mainstream brands.”

Some of WCE’s exhibitors, including Brooklyn, N.Y.–based Italian suit maker Alpetora Imports, hedged their bets by showing both at the smaller show and at MAGIC.

Others showed exclusively at WCE.

Men’s brand Coogi bowed at the show with new owners and a new multitiered strategy. The 33-year-old sweater company, recently acquired by Norman and Bruce Weisfeld and Jimmy Khezrie, unveiled two new collections— Coogi Luxe, a high-end Italian line designed by former Donna Karan designer Victoria Graham, and Coogi, a line of competitively priced sportswear—in addition to the company’s signature patterned sweaters, which will be renamed Coogi Authentic. The company plans to roll out two more lines—CIII, a diffusion line, and Coogi Australia, a resort line—as well as a freestanding store in New York’s Soho district.

Coogi Managing Director Bernt Ullman said the company chose to show at WCE in order to target the upscale men’s specialty store buyer.

“Where would we locate ourselves at MAGIC?” Ullman asked. “That was our dilemma. The action is in Streetwear, but we didn’t want to pigeonhole ourselves. We want to make ourselves available to all customers.”

Making connections at ASAP

Traffic was sparse on the show floor at the ASAP Global Sourcing Show at the Las Vegas Hilton. But the seminars drew several hundred attendees, and lines formed for the matchmaking sessions that paired U.S. companies with offshore producers.

The show featured manufacturers from more than 30 countries around the world, including China, Taiwan, Macao, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Mauritius and South Africa.

This was ASAP’s fourth show. Organizers added a full day of seminars aimed at helping U.S. businesses understand global production, from trade agreements to tracking issues.

“We’re building our reputation with attendees and buyers—we are really trying to serve both sides,” said Frank Yuan, chief executive officer for Pasadena, Calif.–based technology company Cyber Merchants Exchange, which organizes the ASAP show.

One seminar, sponsored by international trade specialist Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, focused on the global view of trade and the quota system between now and 2005, when quotas are scheduled to be lifted for all countries belonging to the World Trade Organization. The show also featured seminars sponsored by the National Retail Federation and Microsoft Corp.

Donna McCleod—a designer with Atlantabased Bleyle Inc., a high-end misses line, and Willi of California, a dress line—walked the show looking for resources for full-package knits.

“Our production manager asked me to come,” she said. “We do a lot in China and also produce domestically.”

Off-price shows add up

Traffic was up 10 percent at the Off-Price Specialist Show, which typically draws 12,000 attendees, according to organizers. The show is a draw for big discount retailers such as Burlington Coat Factory, Ross Stores, Big Lots and Value City, as well as smaller retailers who are looking for deals.

Last year, the Off-Price Show moved to the first floor of the Sands, downstairs from WWDMAGIC, and has since drawn a competitor, the International Apparel Show.

A sparse number of buyers browsed the offerings at the third International Apparel Show. The show at the Las Vegas Hilton featured moderate to high-end men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, as well as shoes and accessories. The 32 exhibitors included a variety of importers, wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and jobbers.

About 4,000 attendees registered for the event, said International Apparel Show Director Ramon Montez, who noted that attendance on the show’s first day was beyond expectations.

However, aisles were empty on subsequent days.

The show competes with the Off- Price Specialist Show but offers higher- end goods, Montez said, adding that the current state of the economy makes the show especially appealing.

“China and other countries are over-producing for this economy,” he said. “And things change fast, so there’s a lot of excess inventory out there. Manufacturers don’t just want to dump it on jobbers—they want to sell directly to retailers.”

IWE changes dates

Organizers of the International Western & English Lifestyle Market were hoping to capitalize on crossover traffic from MAGIC International and the other Las Vegas shows when they moved the 3-year-old event from September to August. The show started on Aug. 27, and visitors with a MAGIC badge breezed through registration.

One of those buyers was Sherrie Eaton, owner of Jetts, which she described as a “small-town department store” in Anthony, Kan.

Eaton and her husband were in town for the MAGIC and WWIN shows, but Eaton also hunted for “gifty items,” dresses and other apparel at the IWE.

“My husband would rather gamble [today],” she said. “But this is a gamble, too.”

Among the exhibitors were boot line Luchesse, high-end embroidered-shirt maker Ranchwear of California from Gardena, Calif., and Chula Vista, Calif.–based J&A Leathers Inc., which manufactures Western-themed apparel under the names Arella and Cowboy Club.

This was J&A Leathers’ first time showing, according to sales rep Alex Sidransky. The 23-year-old company typically turns out for regional shows in Denver and Reno, Nev., and occasionally shows at WWIN.