California Apparel News

Designers and fabric reps turned out for the April 14 –16 run of the Los Angeles International Textile Show atthe California Market Center with a realistic outlook.

Amid sluggish retail sales and a faltering economy, few expected the textile trade show to draw big business. Many exhibitors noted a drop-off in traffic, particularly from larger manufacturers, but the designers who did come to the show said they were pleased with the products they found. And both longtime exhibitors and those new to the show were encouraged by the contacts made and sample orders placed.

Among the companies and designers spotted walking the show were Bebe, Monique Lhuillier, Hale Bob, Raw Earth Wild Sky, Kritik, William Beranek, Tarina Tarantino, Carole Little, Estevan Ramos, Rojas, Lily et Cie vintage boutique owner Rita Watnick and a cadre of former “Project Runway” designers, including Rami Kashou, Sweet P Vaughn, Kit Pistol and Santino Rice.

In between posing for cell-phone photos, Vaughn and Kashou were both shopping the show with very specific fabrics in mind.

Vaughn was on the hunt for upscale fabrics for the contemporary market, more-theatrical items for a costume-design project she’s working on and lower-priced fabrics for a mass-market collection she described as “something secret.” The designer spent three days at the show, browsing the lines and attending trend-forecasting seminars by Peclars Paris and Promostyl.

Kashou was looking for colors, prints, new textures and unusual treatments. Something “clean and modern with new treatments,” he said, adding that he has found several fabrics from Korean mills, as well as items from local and New York suppliers.

“It’s been better than any time so far,” he said.

Kashou spent several days at the show, as did designer Freddie Rojas, who said he was working with a mix of domestic and international companies, including several Korean mills.

“I’m looking for a lot of novelty fabrics— trying to stand out from the mass market,” said Rojas, who said he recently began developing his own prints.

Samantha Robinson and Karen Kananen, designers for eco label Raw Earth Wild Sky, were on the hunt for organic and sustainable fabrics, including Seacell and Sasawashi, a Japanese fabric made from paper and infused with vitamins and minerals.

The textile show featured fabric, trim and artwork suppliers as well as trend-forecasting materials and services in the CMC’s 13th-floor penthouse. Several CMC tenants showed in their own showrooms on the seventh floor. A group of Korean textile mills organized by the Korean Textile Trade Association showed in the Fashion Theater on the lobby level, as well as among the other exhibitors on the 13th floor.

Tony Kim, president of Korean mill Daewoong Global Inc., was among the exhibitors showing in the Fashion Theater. This was the fourth time at the show for the company, which has operations in Seoul, Korea, and Shanghai, China.

“Last time, we had a good show,” Kim said. “This time, it’s also good.” The textile executive said this season he was seeing more potential new customers at the show, including both volume manufacturers and small producers. “We have to participate every time so they get to know us,” he said.

Give ’em something new

Longtime exhibitor D&N Textiles Inc. returned to the show with its collection of novelty fabrics. The Beverly Hills–based company imports textiles from China, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Turkey and Brazil, bringing in as many as 50 new styles a month.

“Business has been spotty, but it started to pick up a week ago—not the breadth of business it’s been, but some orders,” owner Michael Shapiro said. “Business is not good, but if you’ve got something different, something that says, ’Buy me,’ they’ll place the order.”

First-time exhibitor Calik USA Inc. introduced several products at the show. The Turkish denim mill, which has offices in New York and a representative in Los Angeles, was showing organic and recycled-cotton denim dyed with natural dyes and a new group called “Sunrise,” which includes lighter, 1970s-inspired shades of blue. Calik also showed a new resin treatment in which the resin was applied to the warp yarns to give the fabric a cleaner, brighter look, a softer hand and better breathability, said Mahmut Topal, president of the U.S. division.

European textile reps Heather and Kevin Maldonado, owners of Studio Bert Forma, returned to the textile show after several seasons away. The company, which maintains offices in Los Angeles and New York, brought along a new German print and jacquard collection, Hemmers, which was doing well, according to Heather Maldonado.

The weak dollar/euro exchange rate has made the U.S. market challenging for many European fabric suppliers, but representatives for European mills said there’s still business to be had here.

“It’s not too terrible. The level of orders is not high, but it’s okay,” said Agnegrave;s Elisabelar, export manager of Espace Textile, organizer of the French Pavilion, which included five exhibitors. “We must not give up on this market. Times are hard, but they’re hard for everyone.”

Although French mill Deveaux S.A. was one of the French Pavilion’s exhibitors, the company maintains a Los Angeles office.

“It’s a little slower than it used to be, but it’s always interesting for us. There are always new people,” said Emmanuel Rerolle, Deveaux’s export manager for the United States and Canada. “The people in the moderate market, we’ve lost them. [But] the contemporary and higherend guys, they can’t find the same thing anywhere else, and they’re still coming to us.”

“We received very positive feedback from exhibitors this show,” said Joanne Lee, senior vice president of the CMC, which did not release attendance figures.

“The Los Angeles International Textile Show is important to the apparel industry because it is the only trade event in the U.S. that continues to cater to the needs of designers by focusing on fashion fabrics, trims and trend forecasting.”

In addition to trend-forecasting seminars held by Peclars, Promostyl, Design Options, Carlin International and CottonInc. , Lenzing Fibers hosted an eco seminar, and Fashion Business Inc. hosted several business seminars during the textile show. FBI also partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to present the premiere of “Dark Trade,” a National Geographic documentary about counterfeiting.