Venue Trade Show, June 28 2013 - A New Marketplace for Streetwear and Lifestyle Brands

"Not another trade show?", I can hear you say.

Yes, the fashion industry calendar is blessed with an abundance of opportunities for buyers and sellers to interact. Many people think that this familiarity breeds, well not contempt, but let's say confusion - especially if you are new to the game.

Which show should I do?

When should I do them?

Will the right buyers for my styling be there?

Will there be any buyers at all?

Which location suits my brand?

Can afford it?

Are there more important priorities to be spending my money on?

How will I sell my brand if I don't do trade shows?

All these questions and many more need to be considered before plunging on a trade show booth.  As I have said many times before deciding on a new or different trade show to attend can be like reading tea leaves ... you see what you want to see.

So I was very interested to attend the one-day brand new streetwear and lifestyle trade show, Venue Trade Show, at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, June 28.

With Spring/Summer 14 breaking in Las Vegas in mid-August, it seemed way too early for Spring/Summer selling and a little late for Fall/Winter.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I met the President of Venue Trade Show and the show creator and director, the very youthful looking Miles Canares, in the registration area.  Miles came to the fashion business through his photography and entertainment company, Mirror Images Entertainment which does photos shoots for many independent brands.  His relationship with these independent brands was the genesis of Venue.

Miles took me on a tour of the 40 booth show located in a conference hall in the West Hall of the LA Convention Center. 

I immediately thought of a proto-Agenda Show with streetwear/liefstyle staples such as logo caps and tees, hoodies, jackets, and bags dominating the show.

Miles is a passionate advocate for young and start-up brands.  He wants Venue to be "a new dynamic marketplace and hub for new things".  He stated that he is creating "an environment for independent brands to grow ... a space that caters specifically for the young brands to showcase themselves in a comfortable and affordable environment where they can network and create relationships, and most importantly, conduct business."

Conducting business = attracting the right buyers.  Miles had great success in getting the these retailers to the show, including:

• Attic (Buena Park)
• The Hangout Boutique (Glendale)
• Fresh and Nameless (Online)
• Krewshal Xposure (Rancho Cucamonga)
• BGSK (LA)
• Icons of Surf (San Clemente)
• Legends Boardshop (Whittier)
• Crown Roots(Pasadena),
• Drip Hollywood, (Hollywood)

The brands were selling their Spring 14 collections and immediate goods.

The stand-out collections for me were:

Equilibrium USG (Urban Survival Gear)

Build Your Own Bag! Equilibrium USG designs, manufactures, and sells modular gear and accessories, primarily bags and backpacks.  It's like Legos for bags.  Each piece can be used independently and interchangeably.  Configure your bag to conform to your lifestyle.

The modular P.A.C. (Portable All-Purpose Containment) System consists of the following: Harness, Payload, and Skyn.  Choose from several different base harness sizes and types, muliple styles and sizes of payloads or messenger bags, and a smorgasbord of skyns.  You can even customize your skyn for a more personable look or use it to advertise your company or product.  Build your bag out with our wide selection of accessories.

This is one of the more exciting new ideas that I have seen in a while.  Keep an eye out for this brand.  Some lucky licensees, distributors or sales agents are going to make a lot of money selling this brand into the worldwide market.

Woodruff Apparel

Woodruff Apparel is a cool, clean collection of black and white cotton basics for men and women. Manufactured in Peru exclusively using beautiful Peruvian PIMA cotton, this brand does not have US distribution as yet.

The tees, tanks, tops and dresses have clean contemporary lines and fits as excellent price prices.  I can definitely see this brand being available at your local boutique or department store in the near future.

Be Inhabited

Edgy and wearable, Be Inhabited logo tees, hoodies, beanies and snap-back caps are worth checking out.  The range needs expanding before it makes a name for itself.  Owner/designer, Caitlin Berger tells me that they are growing steadily and will be growing the brand organically.

Marillest

Women designing mens streetwear ... I love it.

The Marillest website says it best: Marillest has embedded itself into a male dominant industry as one of the few mens' street lifestyle brands to design, run and be operated by women. Marillest self taught themselves every aspect of the industry from making patterns, marketing, product placement, photography, videography, html coding and merchandising by challenging their skills to a level of their competitors.

"There is so much to do, but so little time. Not one day can go by without making something happen." - Marillest

Marillest is a Los Angeles based mens'  street lifestyle apparel brand inspired by art, culture and every day life of Southern California. Designs are inspired from the creative adventures of the three founders, Mari Nazaryan, Arpa Sarian, Piruz Dedeyan, who started the brand in 2009.

Venue also put on 2 panels during the day. The morning session was "Marketing Your Brand".  The afternoon was "Building Your Brand".  Both were well attended and very useful to the brands.

I was impressed by the day.  The activity and energy were sustained throughout.  The feedback from the exhibitors was overwhelming positive.

I'll leave it to Miles' own words to sum up: "I was really happy with the outcome of our show. This was our first go at it, and we had a really strong response coming from our exhibitors, guests, and attending retailers. I feel that we really made some noise within this industry, which was exactly what we wanted to do for our brands. We opened the door for our brands with this show, and now we feel that we can be taken more seriously the next time around."

I agree with you, Miles.  Good luck for the future.  I'll be following Venue closely.  See you next time.

Paul Brindley

paul brindley consults

Los Angeles Fashion Market Week Fall II/Holiday, 9-13 June 2013 - Who Knew?

You would have been hard pressed to find anyone that was banking on strong business prior to last week's Fall II/Holiday Los Angeles Market Week.  As well as being one of the slowest market weeks of the year, things haven't been exactly booming this year in fashion retail.  Then again, there hasn't been a hint of a boom around these parts since 2007.  Many people were expecting more out of 2013.  Unfortunately, it became obvious early on that we were in for another flat year.

But talk about a pleasant surprise when agents and showrooms reported better than expected buying activity, particularly on Monday and Tuesday.

The California Market Center was quiet as usual.  I'm not sure why brands choose to do the SELECT apparel show or transit shoe show that are held in the building.  I must just be there at the wrong time market after market after market.  The 4th and 5th floor contemporary showrooms were not busy.  Not helping things, in past few months, the 5th floor has lost anchor contemporary showrooms, Rande Cohen Showroom and Liza Stewart Inc. to the The New Mart.

The New Mart showed signs of buyer life. Though the notoriously difficult to get elevators during market week were coming quickly, there were buyers in most showrooms.

Designers & Agents booth show on the 3rd floor of The New Mart reported a very busy Monday with activity tapering off on Tuesday and Wednesday.  There were 48 booths exhibiting this June which was up slightly from last year.

The Cooper Design Space had a good buzz going.  The Cooper building is the 11-floor center of contemporary fashion showrooms in Los Angeles so it is expected that it would attract the most buying activity.

The new improved Brand Assembly show debuted on the 11th floor event space of the Cooper building. About 30 brands were featured in open space booths in the naturally lit, bright, white space.  Previously, the show was held in two spaces on the Mezzanine floor of the building.

Apparel News quoted Hillary France, co-founder of Brand Assembly on the need for an additional showcase during Market Week, “There’s a need for people who don’t have a permanent showroom or corporate office.  It’s a fresh perspective.  It has more of a shopping environment; it’s more inviting for buyers.”

Brand Assembly has recently launched an edition in Paris in March.

Again from Apparel News, “We’ll be going again [to Paris] in late September/early October,” France said. “We had 13 [exhibitors] and maxed out the space. [In LA] we had 27 brands, and we hope to expand to 40 for October.”

They plan to have 11-12 exhibitors in Paris.  The show will be held at a space in the Marais at the Preview Agency, a fashion and lifestyle agency.

Hillary told me on Tuesday afternoon that by then, they had had a busy 125 buyers through the show on Monday and 100 on Tuesday. The impressive list of key retailers attending included:

• Nordstrom
• Stacey Todd
• Elyse Walker
• Forward by Elyse Walker
• Satine
• NastyGal
• Need Supply
• Aris Laguna Beach
• Heist Venice Beach

Elizabeth Lewis, owner of The SYDNY showroom had been previously doing Brand Assembly's Mezzanine show. When I spoke to Elizabeth on Tuesday, she was very happy with the quality of buyers that she had worked. The SYDNY represent the Australian brands, blessed are the meek, and she was, Tigerlily, Samantha Wills.

The takeaway from the week was that although store owners and buyers are still keeping a tight rein on their buying budgets, many believed this Holiday market was year over year improvement from last year.  It is still all about price point.

With the fashion industry wandering through a new brand world of consumer expectation after 5 years of economic difficulty and the changes being forced upon the industry by ever-evolving technologies, it is difficult to predict what a healthy industry will look like.  Any incremental improvements like last week have to be considered good news.

It is going to be very interesting to see if the cautious optimism of last week translates to the Spring/Summer 13-14 trade shows that start in Las Vegas in August.

Paul Brindley

paul brindley consults

Welcome home: ‘Made in USA’ on the rise – NBC News.com

Welcome home: 'Made in USA' on the rise - NBC News.com.

Here is more "good news" on the "Made in USA" front.  I have predicted the return of apparel manufacturing to the US as one of the consequences of the now 5 years of economic downtown in the US as outlined in the article.

More and more designers are doing their best to keep their manufacture on-shore.  Apart from the convenience of working in the roughly the same timezones, in the same language, and under the same rules of law, quality control is more assured and turnarounds are quicker which allow longer selling cycles.

And in spite of the federal government's and industry groups' reluctance to go on an all-out "Buy USA" program as they have in other countries, local consumers want US-made for economic, social and patriotic reasons.

International buyers love "Made in USA" labels in their apparel.  They always have  and still do.

So to all budding and established designers out there, if you can fit "Made in USA" into your price points, do it!  Eat that extra bit of margin as advertising, marketing, consumer goodwill or wherever it makes sense in your budget.

Paul Brindley

paul brindley consults

Right Brain, Left Brain | Clouds Looming Over Australian Fashion - BoF - The Business of Fashion

Right Brain, Left Brain | Clouds Looming Over Australian Fashion - BoF - The Business of Fashion.

This is an excellent article from The Business of Fashion detailing the current pressure on the Australian fashion retail sector.

On my recent trip to Sydney for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, there was a lot of talk about the effects that the general economic downtown, the explosion of online retail shopping and the penetration of global fast fashion chains are having on the local market.

While the economic downtown is slight compared to what we have been dealing with here in the US for the past 5 years, it is starting to bite. In particular, independent boutiques are feeling the pinch. Many have closed. As such, the retail fashion market has contracted. Not good news for designers in an already relatively small market.

In search of markets, l can see even more Australian labels coming to the US earlier in their development.

The international online shopping explosion is also having an effect on the wholesale market.

In the past, Australian collections have been able to recycle their previous season's  collection for the US market, e.g. the Spring/Summer 13-14 styles can be offered again in the US for Spring/Summer 14 with some curating and updating if necessary. But with more and more Australian styles available online, the US buyers will resist writing styles that have been out for 6 months. Australian designers will need to internationalize their collections to allow the collection to be ordered in both hemispheres concurrently. Unless, of course, they have the financial power to design and produce new collections as required.

The upheavals in the fashion world continue globally with technology leading the way. The is much more to come.

Paul Brindley

paul brindley consults

It’s Time to Talk About Fashion’s Poor Payors – BoF – The Business of Fashion

It’s Time to Talk About Fashion’s Poor Payors – BoF – The Business of Fashion

This article is about the UK but it applies internationally.  As a fashion designer and manufacturer, you have to be very careful with the payment terms you accept from retailers.

Gone are the days of accepting Net 30 day terms just to get the order.  Do that, and you’re in big trouble, possibly fatal trouble.  I know a number of young designers who were forced out of business by returned orders.  Retailers can simply bounce the box if you don’t have payment before shipping.  It feels fantastic to write that order in September but it feels awful to sign for that returned box in February.  Cover your behind at all times.  It’s not “Trust No One”.  It’s more like “Trust Very Few”.

So what are some solutions?  Get references from buyers and check them, make sure your sales agent knows the buyer and trusts their payment hstory, get credit card details from the buyers at the time of writing the order, attempt to get a deposit from the buyers, insist on COD terms (if the references check out, do “COD hold 30 day” terms if required), and approach factoring and asset lending companies and explore your options.

Of course there are marquee retailers that will insist on terms; some will insist on up to Net 60 Days, and you may have to take back any inventory that doesn’t sell. However, the exposure and marketing cache of being carried by certain retailers can counterbalance the financial risk.  But remember these are the minority.

There is a big difference between sales volume and profitability.  A large part of that difference is cash management.  You have to get paid to have cash.  How will you pay your bills?  Pay for developing your next season?  Pay for sample lines?   Pay your sales agents?  Stand your ground and ensure that you are entering a transaction on fair terms.  If you don’t, you may not be around to write those orders next September.

Paul Brindley

paul brindley consults

Runway ready – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia | The Australian

Here is an excellent preview of next week’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia in Sydney by Damien Woolnough in The Australian:

Runway ready – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia | The Australian.

I’ll be there as usual.  I attend MBFWA each year to view the Spring/Summer collections and to meet with designers who plan to launch in the US or need assistance in the market if already selling here. For example, this year I will be following up with Watson X Watson, Toi et Moi, Manning Cartell, Roopa Pemmaraju, to name a few.

I will also be blogging daily from the show so keep an eye on this space.

Paul Brindley
paul brindley consults

Los Angeles Fashion Market Week Fall 2013 – Eyes Wide Shut

OK, I must have seriously been walking around with my eyes closed at Los Angeles Fashion Market Week last week in the downtown fashion district.  I just did not see the activity that industry newspapers and bloggers have been reporting.

Apparel News reported, “There was a certain buzz in the air at Los Angeles Fashion Market for Fall 2013, held March 11–14 at the various showroom buildings in downtown Los Angeles.” …… “For the hordes of retailers who flocked to Los Angeles Fashion Market, budgets were up even if shoppers were having to be nudged to make a purchase.”

The press release from the California Market Center had the same upbeat tone.

Hey, I’m all for upbeat.  In economics, many times, perception is just as important as reality.  But I just wasn’t seeing or feeling it.

My general feedback from showrooms, agents, designers and industry types was that the week was flat.
Many think that the trade show schedule at this time of year is so impacted that buyers suffer “trade show fatigue”, particularly if the buyers have done the Vegas shows, then gone straight to New York for Coterie, etc.

Others think that out-of-state buyers are reluctant to come to LA for market week like they used to due to cost and a preference for getting their buying done in Vegas were they can have some fun at the tables or shows.

The international buyers don’t seem to be coming to LA in the numbers they used to. Between Paris, New York and Vegas, there is no need for them to.

I have also heard chatter that LA is not considered the fashion center it once was; that it hasn’t been a fashion destination for a while.  This might be true for now but is definitely cyclical.

It also has to be remembered that California has been hit harder than the east coast by the now 5 year old recession.  Despite glimmers of improvement, retail in CA has a long way to go.

Designers & Agents

Four times a year, on the usually vacant third floor of the New Mart, you’ll find the Designers and Agents showcase.  This is usually my first stop.  Being a destination booth show, Designers & Agents provides a good read on the energy and buyer activity of the whole week.

Known in shorthand as “d&a”, it was close to full with 120 booths and 130 brands of contemporary men’s and women’s basics, separates and denim, shoes, hats, bags, jewelry and accessories.  On Monday, there was excellent energy and buyer traffic.  It was quieter when I dropped by on Tuesday.

One of d&a’s regular exhibitors, Christys’ London debuted their sharp new range of snap-back caps, Brooklyn Hat Co.  The caps come in full cloth crowns and trucker mesh backs.

New York based agents, Paper Mache Tiger were at the show for the first time.  They were showing the stunning Australian swimwear collection, We Are Handsome.

d&a was not as busy as usual for this time of year which pretty much sums up the vibe of the whole week.

The Showroom Buildings

The New Mart and Cooper Design Space buildings had reasonable buyer traffic but not what I expected.

The Coeur accessories booth show on the top floor of the Cooper Building had 50 booths with 60 brands showing.  I liked a lot of the collections.  Foot traffic was slow.

The California Market Center contemporary floors were quiet when I was there.

The Park Showroom in the Lady Liberty Building was busy when dropped by.  Park are now representing one of my clients, the artist designed, limited edition eyewear collection from Australia, COLAB.

COLAB are going to be a huge hit in the US.  COLAB is a unique eyewear experiment. Every season they collaborate with 5 fresh artists, musicians, designers and/or creatives to concoct a completely experimental look for a range of limited edition, high quality eyewear. You might have seen their Anthony Lister Campaign taken up by blogs and magazines around the world. They have worked with some incredible people including Stefan Marx, Kill Pixie, Geoff McFetridge, Jonathan Zawada, Eboy, and The Presets just to name a few. The integrity and always evolving nature of the brand concept has already opened doors such as Colette Paris, Conran Tokyo, Grandpa Stockholm and many more.

I am looking forward to hearing how the Fall 13 selling season progresses.  Let’s hope the optimism expressed by some about last week is real.

I still have my doubts that the industry is sustainably improving as much as reported.  Then again, my financial background and the false dawns of the past few years have made me a skeptic.  Like I have said so many times in these blogs, I’ll believe it when I see it.  But when I do, I’ll be just as happy (and relieved) as everyone else.

Paul Brindley
paul brindley consults