HONG KONG — The latest edition of leather goods fair Fashion Access was dealt a double blow. As if a weak international retail market weren’t enough, the event also had to contend with a typhoon.
Held from Sept. 28 to 30 at The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Asia Pacific Leather Fair’s Fashion Access braved the storm and opened its doors, despite Typhoon Nesat sweeping past Hong Kong on the fair’s second morning.
The typhoon closed businesses, schools and even the stock market. Right next door to Fashion Access, a vessel crashed into a pier, leading to the evacuation of dozens of people from the Wan Chai waterfront area.
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Roberto Rizzardo, from shoe and handbag maker Bruno Premi, summed up the frustration of exhibitors when he said, “It’s a disaster. This typhoon, there are no taxis, everyone has stayed at home.”
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There were 88 first-time exhibitors, as well as regular participants from countries including Brazil, China, France, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Russia.
Karina Chattlani from Sasha & Karina handbags said her boutique designs weren’t suited to the mass market products buyers were seeking.
“There have been a few people interested in purchasing, but for my brand, I don’t think I would come again,” she said.
Danish accessories buyer Kristina Berg had high expectations for the spring-summer preview, but was disappointed with her first Fashion Access.
“We were hoping for more people, more hype…it’s the same as in Scandinavia, everything has slowed down,” she said.
The color green was on display in every conceivable incarnation, from mint to lime, moss to olive. In the handbag sector, school-style satchels continued to prove a strong trend, with an evolution toward saddlebag satchels also on display.
Hong Kong-based buyers, such as Duolog’s Cassandra Postema, described the trends on show as “uninspiring,” but also stressed that Hong Kong fairs were always more focused on manufacturing than trends.
“Retail’s down so no one’s buying,” Postema added.
The rising cost of raw materials was another talking point at Fashion Access. The price of calfskin alone has surged 21 percent in the first half of 2011, on top of last year’s 43 percent increase, which, combined with volatile economic conditions worldwide, made high-end purchases too expensive for most in attendance.
Despite these challenges and the lower-than-expected visitor numbers — final figures were unavailable from organizers — many of the fair’s 375 exhibitors from 24 countries were putting a positive spin on the situation.
The winner of the “Best of APLF, Best Bag Collection” award was Gaya Canada Enterprise Ltd. The company’s design director, Wei Wei, said many of the visiting buyers were looking for bargains, but the best designs were still proving popular.
“This year, new countries are looking to carry our lines,” the eight-time Fashion Access fair veteran said. “I think this show is getting known for new brands and emerging talent.”