PARIS — Buyers at the Texworld fabric fair last week said the strong value of the euro against the dollar was their primary concern as they purchased textiles for upcoming seasons.
“There are not words that exist to say how much the dollar is affecting [the bottom line] for us right now,” said Elizabeth Gregory, president of design at TSY Consulting, a New York firm.
As a result, many buyers said Texworld, where most exhibitors priced goods in dollars, has become more of an alternative to the concurrent Première Vision show, which features high-end European fabrics — mostly priced in euros.
“The effect of the dollar really hits home at PV,” said Hope Sanford, design director at Susan Bristol, a Boston-based contemporary women’s line. “You definitely get more bang for your buck at Texworld right now.”
On Friday, the show’s last day, the dollar was worth 74 euro cents, down from 81 euro cents a year earlier.
Texworld, with 622 exhibitors, ran for four days at the CNIT complex at La Defense, the business area just west of Paris. Organizers said 16,820 people visited the fair, 647 more than a year ago, despite a one-day transportation strike on Thursday that made it difficult traveling to the show. The show traditionally attracts bargain hunters with less-expensive textiles from more than 40 countries around the world, including China, Turkey and India, whereas PV caters to more luxury-geared designers.
But buyers said the continuing weak value of the dollar meant the show had become more attractive as a first-stop destination. They were shopping for fabrics for both fall 2005-winter 2006 as well as spring-summer 2006.
While beading and embroidery remain in fashion, buyers and exhibitors said demand for ethnic styles had waned, replaced by feminine lace and flower embroidery. Denim was still important, buyers said, with shoppers looking for complex washes.
American buyers reported good business through the early months of the year, but most said that they would keep their fabric buying budgets at last year’s levels, mainly because of the value of the euro.
“We’re pretty confident about business,” said Joe Biello, president of Hollywood, a Canadian jeans company, who noted that the company’s fabric budget would remain the same as last year.
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For their part, European buyers reported a mild upswing in business. Most said they would keep their budgets on par with last year, too.
“On one side, we reap the benefit of the high value of the euro when we buy textiles in dollars,” said Anja Gockel, a women’s wear designer based in Mainz, Germany. “But on the other side, we lose because our finished products are 20 percent more expensive when they are sold in America.”
Lourdes Ragas, president of Asia Embroidery Inc., a Philippine mill specializing in embroidered and beaded textiles, said, “Last season was better. There’s a lot of competition and people are looking for cheaper and cheaper products.”
Though black is making a comeback, buyers said bright colors, including turquoise, fuchsia and green, looked fresh. Trends continue to be soft and romantic, with a lot of embellishment.
“Jewelry effects on fabrics is very interesting,” Gockel said. “But it has to look very light and supple. We’re moving from ethnic embroidery to more elegant jewelry-style embroideries.”
Vishal Wadhwani, president of Indian mill Fair Lady Exports, said, “Embroideries are not restricted to beads and sequins. We’re getting more requests from buyers for unusual mixes of fabrics, patches and fringes.”