DALLAS — Soft, flowing matte jersey, bubble skirts, tunics, Empire dresses and the color red were among the top trends during the market at Fashion Industry Gallery that ended Aug. 20.
Buyers filled in for holiday and booked a bit of spring at the cross-seasonal market.
“They’re buying a little bit of every season,” said Suzanne Collier, owner of S. Collier showroom. “Jeans are still selling, but we’re starting to sell a more sophisticated look. They want a cool pant that’s striped or plaid or in a cool color instead of wearing jeans every day.”
Action at the boutique mart, which specializes in contemporary clothing and jewelry, was a bit sluggish. Several retailers acknowledged sales were tough over the summer but had picked up in mid-August for fall. High temperatures and gas prices have affected customers’ willingness to shop, they said.
Patty Hoffpauir, owner of The Garden Room in Austin, Tex., said the summer was “brutal,” but that her clients had begun scooping up fall cashmere and velvet sportswear.
“I’m buying closer to the moment and [buying] less,” she said. “We have Neiman Marcus, Anthropologie and Barneys Co-op coming soon, and there are four new boutiques that just opened.”
Hoffpauir chose a chocolate velvet mesh Empire dress from Zokai, citing it as a “great travel dress,” as well as a gold-and-chocolate openwork knit skirt by Casting and navy-and-ivory striped jackets, Bermuda shorts and skirts from Renfrew.
Also shopping close to season, Tricia Roberts was looking for immediate deliveries of novelty jackets and holiday silk tops for her boutique, Adelante, also in Austin. Having doubled the size of her store this summer, Roberts liked Parameter’s one-shoulder printed silk chiffon tunic and a cropped charcoal pinstripe jacket with eyelet trim. She also bought Anna Paul’s silk charmeuse tops and Single’s tops and dresses.
“I really strive to have a good price point and search for great stuff,” she said.
Patricia Darocy, owner of Glass Slipper in Dallas, also had an eye out for “the best of the best” for her finicky clientele.
“Business has slowed down,” she said. “People are definitely buying items and not necessarily complete outfits.”
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As Darocy chose Gerard Yosca’s black and silver chain necklaces with clusters of crystal charm pendants, she said she was completing her holiday accessories and looking at early spring. She ordered Sarah Briggs’ gold filigree disk earrings dotted with mother-of-pearl, hematite and onyx, as well as Trina Turk’s soft burlap jackets, Twinkle’s vintage dresses and tunics, and Corey Lynn Calter’s floral-print dress.
Business also is off this year at Karen’s Kloset in Houston, though last month was strong, said owner Karen Darnell. She was in the market for holiday and lamented that some manufacturers have reduced or eliminated those deliveries because it’s such a short selling season.
Darnell was enthusiastic about Renfrew’s tailored fleece sportswear and a striped silk faille two-button jacket with a handkerchief detail back. She also planned to pick up Ronen Chen’s long gray tank bubble dress and Donna Degnan’s Audrey Hepburn-esque black lingerie-strap faille dress.
Linda Haddock, owner of the Spa at the Marlin, sought jewelry, yogawear and Ts for the 900-square-foot boutique in North Dallas.
“Business has really been off since [Hurricane] Katrina and the gas prices,” she said. “People feel like they need to be careful.”
She picked up Double Happiness’ aurora borealis-coated labradorite rings and favored a versatile leather and antiqued brass item from Citrine by the Stone that could be worn as a choker, necklace or belt.