California Apparel News

Mom2B, the new trade show for maternity apparel and pregnancy-related products, returned for its second season in Los Angeles to the Cooper Design Space.

The show, held Sept. 30–Oct. 1, featuredmore exhibitors, a wider internationaldraw and a slate of runway showswith pregnant models.

At the January launch, the show featuredmore than 85 exhibitors. This season,there were more than 100 exhibitorsfrom around the world, including Californialabels Bao Bei, Maternite, MamaToto Wear, Funkie Baby and BellahMay Designs.

Denim brand Paris Blues turned outto debut its collection of maternity jeans.For the past five years, the Rancho Dominguez, Calif.–basedcompany produced a maternity label with retail chain Motherswork,but it recently decided to launch its own collectionthrough its e-commerce division, said Melia Earle, accountexecutive. The Mom2B show was the official launch of itsmaternity line to retailers.

“The reaction has been great. People are saying, ’Wedidn’t know you had maternity,’” said Earle, who noted thatthe launch includes about 45 styles, from wide-leg and skinnystyles to cropped jeans and Bermuda shorts.

Retailers from Japan, Singapore and Canada were amongthe visitors to the show, Earle said.

“The price point is right on,” she added, noting that thejeans retail between $48 and the mid-$50s.

The show was also the launch of Bao Bei, a line of activematernity apparel based in Oakland, Calif. Designer andprincipal Suzanne Koval, a physical therapist, drew inspirationfrom her own experience—and that of her clients—toperfect the look of the collection.

“I’ve been wearing exercise clothes as long as I can remember,”she said. “We tested it for over a year to makesure it fits and supports and looks good.”

The line features tanks, tees and pants, as well as hoodies,shrugs and wraps. The “My Tai” is a blouson-style tubetop, and the “Mini Me” is a body wrap that can be worn as atube top, a body band or a miniskirt. Fabrics have moisturemanagementand anti-microbial properties.

Glendale, Calif.–based maternity line Maternite wasamong the returning exhibitors this season. ArmenTrashian, owner and founder of the line, said he saw a differencein the turnout. “It’s much bigger, and business isbetter,” he said.

Retailers included local boutiques, as well as buyers fromChicago, Atlanta and New York,” he said, noting that four ofhis five sales reps were in town to work the show.

Next stop: Vegas

This season, the show grew by 35 percent, said AmyDeCamillis, one of Mom2B’s founders. De-Camillis is the chief executive officer andpresident of Denver-based skin care companyBella Mama, which was also exhibitingat the show.

This season, organizers focused on internationaloutreach to retailers and addedan education component to the show.

“We spent time and energy targetingthe international market,” DeCamillis said,adding that retailers came from the UnitedKingdom, Canada, Sweden, Japan andSpain. “We see that as a growth segmentfor us.”

This season, Mom2B added several runwayshows, as well—“so the retailers cansee how to merchandise [the collections],”DeCamillis said.

Next season, the show travels to Las Vegas,where it will set up shop March 3–4 atthe Hilton Convention Center. DeCamillissaid she and the other show organizerswill determine whether to return to Los Angeles, stay in LasVegas or move to another location after the March show.

Designer Limor Pinz will likely be among the exhibitorsat the Las Vegas run of Mom2B. Pinz was at the launch inJanuary and returned this season with her North Hollywood,Calif.–based maternity collection, Juliet Dream.

Pinz’s company has about 300 accounts in the UnitedStates, many of which are in California.

“It’s a really big market for maternity,” she said, notingthat she saw a mix of existing customers and new accounts.

“I saw a lot of my customers, some from Canada and Europewho I’ve never actually met in person,” she said.

Many of Linz’s customers are interested in the Las Vegasshow, the designer said.

“They are so motivated,” she said. “They get to take aVegas vacation, and they can take the family.”

For more information about Mom2B, visit www.mom2btradeshow.com.