ATLANTA — Trafik, a new women’s and men’s contemporary and denim show, bowed here with a hip lineup, an artsy venue and a party atmosphere.
The show on April 8-10 was organized by five men who also produce the Atlanta-based line Carpe Denim. With about 85 lines, premium denim represented 30 percent of the mix, mostly in jeans priced to retail for more than $100, such as Kasil, Earnest Sewn and Blue Cult.
Products also included sportswear and accessories lines, such as Emmm Clothing and Jimi Hendrix, for the young contemporary market. Trends featured vintage-inspired and deconstructed jackets, satin camisoles, screen-printed T-shirts and bohemian looks.
Exhibitors praised the show at the Mason Murer art gallery, north of downtown, for its cool ambience and nightly parties. But the venue, off the beaten path in a warehouse district, also worked against the business aspect of the show.
Buyer attendance fell short, said show director James Costa, who estimated 100 retailers shopped, less than half of preshow projections. The event, held at the same time as AmericasMart’s women’s apparel show downtown, which draws about 13,000 exhibitors and buyers, had scheduled shuttle buses to pick up buyers from a hotel across the street from AmericasMart. Costa said AmericasMart officials and security prevented buses from picking up buyers, which reduced attendance.
Lawton Hall, senior vice president of AmericasMart Apparel, said the Trafik show’s shuttle buses didn’t have permission to park on hotel property and violated city laws by parking on the street.
“It’s a free country, but if they want to have a trade show, why do they need to shuttle buyers from our show?” Hall said.
Exhibitor Miriam Brown, principal of Hotline Showroom, based in New York, picked up “a few accounts,” but described attendance as “very slow.” She praised Trafik as a first-time effort, and said she would participate again, though she also shows lines at AmericasMart.
Bill Hallman, owner of three women’s and men’s specialty stores — Bill Hallman Original, Bill Hallman Flaunt and Bill Hallman Flair — described Trafik as “fresh and street smart — my kind of show,” adding that he spent more than he budgeted. He bought printed, embellished shirts from Ed Hardy, fashion knits and outerwear from Covet and denim from 575.
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Jennifer Arrendale, co-owner of Blue Genes, an Atlanta contemporary denim store, bought washed silk pants, jackets and embroidered T-shirts from Da Nang and previewed other lines. She said the show was “edgy and definitely had a cool factor.”
Costa said Trafik will become a biannual event, with the next show planned for October.