California Apparel News

Continuing to report growth with each new edition, the Dallas Market Center’s most recent Apparel & Accessories Market saw increased traffic, enthusiastic visitors, new buyers and a refreshing interest in bright trends that afford hope to a recovering industry. During the Jan. 11–14 installment of the show, the DMC saw the event’s total attendance rise by 30 percent over 2020. New-buyer attendance rose 60 percent over 2020 figures. The largest increases in buyer attendance were recorded among visitors from the West, Southeast and upper-Midwest regions of the United States.

“There’s tremendous momentum in Dallas,” said Dallas Market Center President and Chief Executive Officer Cindy Morris. “Not only was it the largest January show in years, but we also welcomed buyers from coast to coast. Our new-buyer applications from across the country continue to set records, and more brands are seeking space inside our marketplace.”

Visiting from Maquoketa, Iowa, Von Maur General Merchandise Manager Joanna Powers was shopping for Immediates and Back-to-School items. Noting that cost is not an issue for Von Maur as the department store carries a variety of price points, Powers did mention that pricing had increased across categories. According to Powers, the temporary floors experienced busy traffic during her visit. She enjoyed the streamlined organization of the market.

“Dallas market is a great place for efficiently shopping all your vendors and seeing what is new. Everyone who works at the DMC is so nice and super helpful if you have specific needs or questions,” said Powers. “It’s a nice balance of walking the temporary floors to pick up Immediate goods but also have actual vendor appointments in showrooms to view further-out deliveries. As a GMM, it enables me to see a lot in a short amount of time to keep a pulse on all my areas.”

During the event, Powers searched for updated designs on the shacket, the fall style that has been popular for a number of seasons. While observing the looks of other attendees who visited the show, Powers noted trends toward bright hues such as hot pink in addition to Golden Goose sneakers.

This trend toward striking fluorescent colors was also observed by Accessory Concierge co-owner Amy Coffey, who exhibits at Dallas Market Center during every Apparel & Accessories Market. Coffey noted that the ideal wholesale price point for buyers seemed to be under $30. The statement pieces offered by Accessory Concierge spoke to a trend toward showy goods that befit an emergence from casual clothing into more stylish, fashion-forward aesthetics.

“We did a lot of neon. Bright pinks were definitely the No. 1 trend for us,” Coffey said. “All of our jewelry is a stainless-steel base. Even though we plate or coat different colors, it’s still a very quality piece.”

For Coffey, whose business is headquartered in Dallas, the market was extremely busy with many buyers placing orders. The brand saw local buyers in addition to attendees from Louisiana and an increase in visitors from Florida.

“It was a wonderful market. I felt like people were really out to stock up and buy. They were also very ready to buy statement pieces again, which is exciting because that is a mainstay of our business. It gave us a lot of hope,” Coffey said. “It was very busy. Almost every day there were two of us writing orders consistently.”

The affinity Coffey feels for Dallas Market is not limited to local-business camaraderie but also stems from the variety found within the pool of buyers who visit the events. Reaching a group comprising varied attendees from retailers of different sizes is a major attraction.

“This market is very diverse in the clientele that comes and the shops. It is a lot of the mom-and-pop boutiques, but you also have some very high-end shoppers who are willing to buy very deep,” Coffey said. “Dallas also attracts a lot of the younger buyers who are into selling on social media. And they can move some inventory. They are the deepest buyers—the ones that sell on social. It’s a nice mix of clients.”

Photos courtesy of Dallas Market Center.