LAS VEGAS — Post-recession reality took firm root at WWDMAGIC and its companion trade shows.
Retailers cited the continuation of trends, including military looks, leggings, exposed zippers and other embellishments on tops and bottoms, leather jackets, rock ’n’ roll looks, draped cotton tops and bohemian dresses. Apparel with retail prices less than $150 proved a sweet spot and accessories remained strong.
Despite buying budgets that were a bit healthier and improved holiday sales, retailers and manufacturers said purchasing and production schedules have undergone a fundamental shift. Stores are buying closer to season and remain dedicated to keeping inventory tight. Vendors are turning out less volume overall.
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Amid a more positive mood, the message was clear: Proceed with caution.
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“We buy by the skin of our teeth because we’re following the trends,” said Ann Russick, a buyer for New Jersey-based Spencer’s Gifts, which has about 600 stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. “Our budget has loosened this year, but by about an inch.”
An aversion to minimum orders was also evident among retailers eager to clear inventory.
“Nobody can afford…leftover inventory,” said Andrea Hernandez, a buyer for South El Monte, Calif.-based Baghaus.com, an online retailer of handbags and related accessories.
Retailers switched to buying a little bit of everything, rather than major quantities in a few styles.
“They don’t want to be stuck with one thing,” said Shanon Martin, sales manager for LA Made in Los Angeles. “People are buying much smarter.”
Vendors said they were adapting their selling practices to accommodate the changes. Exhibitors at WWDMAGIC in the Las Vegas Convention Center said buyers were more willing to spend, although value remained of paramount importance.
“People are spending more, but are definitely committed to value,” said Elizabeth Bishop, vice president of wholesaling for Clothing for Modern Times, whose brands include Urban Behavior, Costa Blanca, Delicious and Naked Blue. “We started to place production units between seasons. We spent millions doing it, so our retailers can buy in-between. With delivery time, our wholesale accounts still have to commit in advance.”
The altered ordering practices weren’t the only changes this year.
For the first time, men’s and women’s shows at MAGIC were separated over the four days of expos that started Feb. 15. The men’s exhibitors moved to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, alongside the Project show. To reach the retailers scattered among five locations — WWDMAGIC, Pool and FN Platform at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Project and Workroom at Mandalay Bay, ENK Vegas at the Bellagio hotel, WomensWear in Nevada at the Rio Hotel, and Capsule, AccessoriesTheShow and Moda at The Venetian hotel — several brands chose to exhibit at two different expos. For example, BB Dakota showed in the young contemporary sector at WWDMAGIC as well as ENK Vegas.
Overall traffic was fairly uniform, with even smaller setups seeing a steady flow. WWDMAGIC reported a 9 percent rise in first-time buyer registration and a 13 percent increase in overseas buyer registration. The WomensWear in Nevada show saw particularly heavy foot traffic on Monday, which exhibitors attributed to the expo starting a day earlier than the other shows.
“We’re looking for a mix of immediates and fall right now to be prepared, and the price points have gotten really good, particularly in juniors,” said Kelly Sullivan, co-owner of Athena’s Attic and Bella Donna boutiques in Burlington, Vt., who looked for wholesale price points in the $15 to $50 range. “It’s much better than it used to be.”
The popularity of denim leggings remained strong, mainly because the stretchy fabrics fit a variety of body types and the prices are often the lowest among the styles offered by premium denim brands.
In terms of fashion muses, the biker chick stayed her ground, as seen in the plethora of motorcycle-style jackets and pants and dirty distressing. The soldier girl popped up in military-inspired pieces and the neutral palette of khaki, olive green, brown, black and gray with burgundy, red and blue added for vibrancy. Ladylike dressing with lace and silk was a popular alternative to the moto and military styles.
“You have two extremes: You either have the clean look or distressed,” said Evelyn Ober, design director for City of Industry, Calif.-based See Thru Soul and Kut From the Kloth, which introduced sportswear to complement their young contemporary denim.
Accessories were a robust seller for retailers, and buyers cited scarves, handbags, belts and jewelry among the go-to items in the category, with intricate detailing of particular importance. At the Capsule show, handmade silver accessories from Gentry and waxed canvas and leather bags from Krane were picked up by buyers from Atrium and Barneys Japan, respectively.
Tops and jackets were either cropped or oversize to layer over leggings and skinny jeans. At WWDMAGIC, French Connection displayed an $87.25 moto-style cotton jacket accentuated with leather appliqués spreading over the collar like wings. BB Dakota peaked the shoulders of a $36 olive-colored cotton military jacket. Tulle cropped a $21 mohair cardigan. Velvet Heart layered a silk tank under a lace one in a twofer wholesaling for $26, and LA Made added a lace panel to the back of a $49 purple silk minidress. Mango blended the utilitarian and ladylike trends in an oversize olive green lace blouse.
“In general, people are feeling more comfortable buying things,” said Carolyn Arcella, department store sales manager for U.K.-based French Connection.
But brands didn’t ignore the economic reality for the sake of progressive style. Among the contemporary labels showing at Workroom, a new show from WWDMAGIC’s parent company, Advanstar, New York-based men’s designer Hyden Yoo launched a women’s grouping for fall. Prices started at $20 and the top seller was a $60 fleece minidress with an asymmetric hem and shoulder pads.
“People want more for their money, so multipurpose items and two-for-ones, I think that’s going to stay in style for a long time,” said Christie Cook, who was buying for Berkeley, Calif.-based chain Crossroads Trading Co.