Specialty store buyers shopped the first September Fame show seeking apparel and accessories to spice up their holiday assortments, as well as spring merchandise.
The three-day trade show, held at Javits North, wrapped up Sept. 23 and featured brands such as Ya Los Angeles, Camuto Group, Chinese Laundry, Funky Junque, Kenneth Cole Productions and Kensie Girl.
Lisa Barankes, owner of Kids at Heart, a Livingston, N.J., specialty store, said she was looking for contemporary sportswear that was different at Fame. She was finding a lot of drawstring looks, anoraks and tops with bat wings. She especially liked what she saw at Vintage Havana and Ya Los Angeles and placed orders. She called current fall business at the store “very good.” “Olive and military looks, cargo and camouflage have all sold well for back-to-school,” she said. “Leggings and jeggings were also strong.”
Related Articles
Angela Secul, owner and buyer of Tula the Boutique in Shrewsbury, N.J., said she was shopping primarily for sparkly holiday merchandise. Secul’s boutique carries contemporary clothing, accessories and footwear, including such lines as Rebecca Taylor, Trina Turk, Cynthia Steffe, Tibi and Nicole Miller. In the accessory category, she liked the wrap bracelets at Nakamol Designs that can be worn as a bracelet, necklace or belt, and sell from $72 to $85. “We sold 137 in 18 days,” said Secul. “We’ll buy more for holiday.”
You May Also Like
She and the assistant buyer, Sarah Severance, said they were also searching for handbags and scarves. “We love the scarves at Talani,” said Severance. “We will place orders for scarves there.”
Secul said the fall business has gotten off to a strong start at her Jersey Shore store, which caters to both the Wall Street and edgy customer.
Laura Adamson and Julie Erinc of Brownie International, Reinholds, Pa., were shopping Fame for pop-up shops that the company plans to open in Manhattan. “We’re looking for jackets, hats, scarves and accessories,” said Adamson, who handles e-commerce.
Exhibitors said they were pleased with the pace of business.
Stephanie Nichols, owner of Judith March, a young contemporary dress company based in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., said she’s been in business for a year and has opened 1,200 accounts.
“It’s been incredible,” she said. “We make the dresses in California and India. The show’s been great, and we opened a lot of new accounts and met with a lot of existing accounts.”
Judith March’s dresses, which feature vintage prints that transition from day to night, wholesale from $29 to $49.
A rep for Funky Junque said she was seeing a lot of specialty stores at Fame, and was doing well with winter head wraps in solids and stripes.