ASR Holiday Gives It a Second Try
A typical Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo it was not. But ASR Holiday’s two-day second edition May 23–24 in Costa Mesa, Calif., seemed to be a step up from its debut show last year.
Targeting the increasing number of surf, skate, motocross and streetwear brands that offer Holiday lines, ASR Holiday received mixed reviews when it opened in 2006 in a large tent on the grounds of the Newport Dunes Resort in Newport Beach, Calif.
Critics of the inaugural show cited sluggish traffic, difficulties with the tent venue and less-than-optimum timing. Supporters liked the low-key, business-friendly environment and the opportunity to see multiple accounts without battling the freeways. Still, one ASR executive said, “We had a lot to make up for.”
This time around, ASR pushed the dates up a week to accommodate more brands’ order deadlines and settled on a hangar on the grounds of the Orange County Fair Grounds, growing the show from last year’s 7,400 square feet to 8,600 square feet. Approximately 100 brands filled 71 booths, and buyers from 250 stores shopped the show.
“Generally, the show has been well-received. And the consensus is that the show is much stronger than last year. There was a 20 percent increase in overall attendance, and we have 15 more companies exhibiting than last year,” said Andy Tompkins, ASR’s show director.
Some exhibitors from last year notably sat out the show, including Vestal Watch, Nikita, Ocean Pacific and Cult Industries. But Volcom, which didn’t exhibit at last year’s show, commandeered one of the biggest booths this year, and brands such as Quiksilver and Billabong significantly grew their presence.
Key West Coast retailers shopped the show, including Macy’s West, Sun Diego, Jack’s Surf Shop, Pacific Sunwear, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Becker’s Surf Shop and Tilly’s.
East Coast retailers, including 17th Street Surf Shop, also roamed the aisles. Exhibitors saw retailers from Mexico, Ecuador and the Caribbean and from online stores, including Zappos (www.zappos.com).
Despite the regional diversity, exhibitors reported mixed traffic. Dutch Schultz, a sales manager at Volcom, said traffic at his booth was steady. Jeremy “Snowy” Lonsway, O’Neill’s national sales manager, said the show was unexpectedly busy. “It was a good turnout, and some good stores were here,” he said.
Pro surf legend Sunny Garcia drew attention to Hawaiian surf brand Da Hui’s booth. Still, Bree Nielsen, president of the brand’s Costa Mesa–based apparel licensee, Da Hui North America, said it was challenging to set up appointments for the show. “A lot of my West Coast contacts said they weren’t coming to the show,” she said.
Jillian Leeman of Paul Frank Industries Inc. in Costa Mesa said many of her accounts were busy preparing for the upcoming long weekend and didn’t make the trek out. “Traffic seems a little slow, but I’ve still got time to see them in our showroom, so I’m not worried,” she said.
New stuff, new faces
Buyers looking for new and emerging brands or unexpected finds were not disappointed. Several brands took the opportunity to launch new categories and collections at the show.
Quirky up-and-coming brand Ambission debuted its first-ever Holiday collection. “It’s been pretty gnarly adding a whole new collection. Designing 13 new pieces is a lot for us, but we’re really excited about it,” said Dustin Odbert, who runs the San Luis Obispo, Calif.–based brand with his brother, Dylan Odbert. “We’re just trying to fight the good fight.” Next up, the brand hopes to add boardshorts and knit tanks for Spring 2008.
Making its West Coast debut, New York–based streetwear brand Brinca showed its pop-art hoodies, graphic-driven T-shirts and dark denim. The brand, which sells in stores such as Up Against the Wall and Urban Outfitters, hoped to appeal to crossover skate and surf shops, co-founder Jack Sales said.
Da Hui bowed its new Da Hui Athletics line, which features antibacterial sparring shorts, sweat suits and T-shirts. Wholesale prices for the new line range from $9 for T-shirts to upwards of $25 for hooded sweat shirts.
Newport Beach, Calif.–based Atwater debuted its first denim style and a heavy outerwear category at the Holiday show. Despite the company’s identity as a surfinspired brand, Atwater’s coolweather offerings seemed to strike a nerve with buyers. “The response has been pretty great,” said Scott Madison, the brand’s design director. Classic flannel shirts, knit-lined sweater hoodies and a striped cardigan sweater also did well.
Rip Curl added swimsuits and boardshorts to expand its Holiday collection. “It’s great for our warm-weather and South American accounts,” said Michel Schnaas, Rip Curl’s international-accounts manager. The brand also offered a series of boardshorts, cover-ups and summery dresses in warm tones to complement the new Holiday bikinis. “It’s almost like a Resort collection,” said Sierra Fitch, the brand’s Southern California sales rep. “The response has been unbelievable,” she said.
Surfer magazine-branded apparel, which debuted in 2006, showed its “Falliday” line and wrote orders for its vintage-inspired T-shirts.
MAP, an imported British streetwear line, made its stateside debut with quirky-cool T-shirts, bottoms, hoodies and accessories for men and women. “The clothing is really unique and artdriven, but it’s the bags that are making buyers stop and pay attention,” said sales rep Tim Bernardy. Sheer, all-over print dresses and fitted plaid shirts screen-printed with birds and mismatched buttons gave MAP’s juniors apparel a little edge. MAP’s menswear featured jacquard jackets screen-printed with skulls, slim plaid pants and music-inspired T-shirt graphics.
Nao Takahashi, a buyer for Garden Grove, Calif.–based Intransit Design shop, roamed the aisles looking for vintage-inspired and core surf brands. Wearing a fitted vintage T-shirt and sporting a long, curly Afro, Takahashi said he wanted goods that appeal to his old-school aesthetic. Tops on his list were Tshirts from Surfer emblazoned with old magazine covers.
Deborah Hoyt, a buyer for Pacific Beach Surf Shop in San Diego, shopped for Holiday and immediate offerings from Paul Frank, RVCA and O’Neill. “There is a lot to look at, and I’m looking for a little of everything,” she said.
Becker’s Dave Hollander found so much to look at that he stayed much longer than planned. “I came with 14 appointments and ended up seeing and writing orders for two or three brands I hadn’t planned on seeing. I just wandered in, and look what happened,” he said with a laugh.
