California Apparel News

For the second time in a year, Pooltradeshow moved venues.

Last February, the trade show for emerging brands at MAGIC was located at a ballroom in the lower level of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. For its Aug. 18–20 run, it moved upstairs to the Mandalay Ballroom on Level 2 of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Pool shared the ballroom with MVMNT, MAGIC’s streetwear-focused trade show.

A curtain divided the two trade shows, but Freddie Rojas, a veteran Pool vendor, said Pool benefited from being next door to MVMNT. Pool vendors enjoyed retail traffic from the street-focused show. “The most important thing is new stores,” Rojas said. He is the founder of the Los Angeles–based Rojas brand. He has exhibited at every Pool since the show’s beginning more than a decade ago. For the most recent show, he exhibited more jewelry and accessories, as well as clothes.

Los Angeles–based boutique JapanLA shopped at the Rojas booth, said Jamie Rivadeneira, owner of JapanLA. “You can find diamonds in the rough here,” she said of the trade show. She ordered jewelry and T-shirts for her boutique. Established companies such as American Apparel and Jeffrey Campbell also exhibited at Pool.