NEW YORK — Despite some citings of slow traffic, most exhibitors at The Fashion Coterie were pleased with the pace of business.
Produced by ENK International, the Fashion Coterie was held at The Show Piers here at Piers 90, 92 and 94. It kicked off Sunday and wrapped up Tuesday. Some 1,240 collections were exhibited, of which 142 were new to the show, which attracted 15,000 retailers.
Retailers buzzed about Jack, a trouser line based here. Stacey Pecor, owner of the four Olive & Bette’s boutiques here, said she uses Coterie to find new resources and was happy to discover the Jack collection. “I thought there was a void in the market for a nice pant line, so I really liked Jack,” Pecor said.
Pecor was on the hunt for styles that weren’t dictated by the trends.
“Our customer doesn’t take her fashion sense directly from magazines or television,” she said. “They are confident with their own styles. At the last two Coteries, I’ve noticed that one or two big trends stand out, and everyone jumps on the bandwagon.” Pecor said, namely the ethnic trend.
“I think people are doing this ethnic trend, which will continue into fall, at the expense of other things that could be out there. These trends get watered down — especially in New York, where you can find trends at a variety of price points.
Olive & Bette’s will undergo an expansion in April. The 400-square-foot shop, on Columbus Avenue between 71st and 72nd Streets, will expand next door, occupying a total of 1,200 square feet. Pecor opened that location 10 years ago.
Seven For All Mankind saw great traffic and even when its booth was packed, there were frequently people waiting outside.
“We’re not looking to expand distribution,” said Jennifer Highman, wholesale manager for the company. “But growth is planned within existing stores.”
Highman said fur-embellished pieces and a boot-cut, floor-length skirt were standouts. The wholesale price range of the collection is between $82 and $193.
On Pier 92, Dawn Mayo, vice president of sales and marketing for the woven shirt line, Fourtys, said business was better than ever.
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“We did roughly $500,000 at the show,” Mayo said. The wholesale price range of the Fourtys collection ranges between $49 and $79.
Some exhibitors complained about the slow foot traffic, which they attributed to both the snowstorm that socked the East Coast, and where the Coterie fell on the fashion calendar.
“Coterie is too late,” said Karen Erickson, founder of Showroom Seven. “It’s right on top of [the shows in] Europe. Coterie needs to be right after fashion week in New York. If fashion week ends on Friday, Coterie should start on Sunday to keep the momentum.”
Twenty-one companies from Erickson’s showroom were in attendance at Coterie, and while she said all of her companies did “well” over the three-day period, she added, “I think we can do better.”
“Sunday and Monday were great, but not Tuesday,” Erickson said of the foot traffic.
Kara Smith, designer of the Karanina collection, said she saw less traffic at this, her fourth, Coterie, but that even when it’s slow, it’s still great business.
“It was a bit quieter, but we still did as much business as we expected,” she said. “Plus, we did a lot of business with retailers from the Midwest, which we’ve never really done before.”
Imitation of Christ, one of the companies Showroom Seven represents, was situated in the exclusive section, The Mezzanine. The 34 companies showing there were invited by ENK International.
“I think retailers and buyers were a bit hesitant at first to come up here,” said Melissa Jaye Dallon-Sbrega, representative for Imitation of Christ. “But once they did, it was really great.”
Dallon-Sbrega thought The Mezzanine made it easier for the buyers to browse the collections of companies that might not have shown at a trade show had they not been invited. “It definitely got us in the door,” she said.
Key Looks at Coterie
- Full skirts
- Prints
- Chunky knits
- Belted jackets
- Slouchy trousers
- Printed Ts
- Military-inspired jackets
- Beaded and embroidered tops