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Brands Aim to Beat the BluesBy Marc Karimzadeh

NEW YORK — While most experts on the economy are forecast-ing continued difficulty, contemporary designers and executives at fashion labels see glimmers of hope as they prepare for the Fashion Coterie show.

Many exhibitors at Coterie, which is being staged at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from Sept. 21 to 23, are por-traying a level of confidence not seen in fashion since before the financial crisis began in 2008. They based their mood on myriad factors, from recent summer trade fairs where buyers placed healthier orders than in past seasons, to trends that home in on color — just the kind of stimulant many say is needed in these grim times. That said, the reces-sion blues aren’t going away quite yet, and a slew of executives said caution remained high when discussing their spring outlook.

Many concurred that there is business to be had, but it takes much more work to get it. As a result, several Coterie exhibitors are using the show to introduce new elements to their busi-ness. They include:

• Expanding the range of wholesale prices to offer retailers lower entry price points.

• Increasing the size of their booths to height-en exposure, bring more samples and en-hance the comfort level for executives.

• Adding more items to the collection to allow buyers more versatility in their buy-ing strategy.

• Incorporating special details such as embroidery and embellishment to heighten the perceived value of clothes.

“For events or something special, women are still willing to spend,” said Los Angeles-based designer David Meister, who is known for his ex-travagant evening gowns and dressed reality TV star Whitney Port for her red-carpet moment at the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards in June. “It really has to look new. The clothes have to have something to make it the wow factor. I am finding that clothes need to have a little embellishment. Simple, chic, understated doesn’t fly out of stores.”

Spring looks range from vintage preppy styles to pieces with innerwear details, such as lace trims.

Show produce ENK International is launch-ing its “Tomorrow” concept at Coterie. A spokes-man noted that initially this section was origi-nated at the ENKNYC men’s show and was a highlight of the show for retailers looking for emerging talent. Tomorrow at Coterie will in-clude 12 new and emerging U.S. and interna-tional designers in a select atmosphere where these new talents can meet and present their collections. The designers were hand-picked by a select jury of industry notables.

Cynthia Rowley’s spring lineup, which she unveiled during New York fashion week, featured many clean shapes in sherbet colors, accessorized with bright sparks of geometric jewelry.

“Based on the preliminary responses from our whole-sale accounts, we’re feeling very positive about spring,” Peter Arnold, president of the New York-based label, said of his anticipations for Coterie, where the New York brand will be an exhibitor.

Pricing, he noted, continues to be a key issue for most stores.

“Like the buyers, we are very price sensitive,” Arnold said. “We are showing a broader assortment than in the past and including more specialty pieces, as well as bags, shoes, eyewear and legwear, at a variety of price points. Our retail customers are very item-driven and, as we’ve seen in our own stores, that merchandising model has proven successful.

Arnold added that, “e-tailers like Gilt Groupe and Rue La La have made the customer more price-conscious,” noting that this environment requires such moves as a sharper pricing strategy, a wider assortment and quicker production turns.

Nicola Guarna, chief executive officer at Los Angeles-based Robert Rodriguez, the contemporary sportswear and eveningwear label that was acquired by Jones Apparel Group in February, expressed a sense of optimism.

“Our businesses are positioned well in the market and we have looked at each collection as an opportunity for growth either by expanding into new product categories or intensifying existing categories that are consistent with current trends,” Guarna said.

He added that the Robert Rodriguez collection will showcase a strengthened focus on tailored dressing and will launch suiting at Coterie.

“We feel suiting is a natural extension for the brand and Robert has added some amazing design details that make them special,” Guarna said.

The Robert Rodriguez Black Label, which Eva Longoria Parker recently sport-ed on the red carpet, will be at Coterie for the first time, and the company will also be showing its lower-priced Robbi and Nikki collection.

Meanwhile, New York-based, multiline showroom The Isabella Co. is bringing nine European lines to Coterie: Annette Görtz, Bianca, Gerald Darel, Creenstone, Javier Simorra, JA by Simorra, Marc Cain, Phard and Sita Murt. Howard Aubrey,

president of Isabella Co., noted a “slight improvement” in the overall mood, with greater increases in the Southeast and Southwest.

“We are coming off August regional markets in Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas where we enjoyed significant increases in our spring

2011 orders and noted a more optimistic attitude amongst retailers,” Aubrey added. “In light of the orders already received in our New York showrooms and at the regional markets, we are anticipating an enthusiastic reaction to the collections. In addition to benefiting from the in-creased weakness of the euro, our brands are presenting exceptionally strong collections. This should translate into increased orders.”

Strenesse ceo Gerd Strehle cited ongoing growth for the German label in the U.S. market. Strehle

said last season Strenesse was “able to gain sev-eral new accounts and our existing customers increased their orders, which has had a posi-tive influence on this year’s preorder mood. Buyers are entering our showrooms with num-bers showing that the product is performing

and their loyal customers are beginning to come back to the stores.”

He added that compared to the past, the term “crisis” is less common in conversations.

“We are now focusing on the future and our potential,” he added. “This time has given us the chance to think of new ways to gain market share and spread further into international markets. We have done our re-search and communicated with international sales managers to build on a collaborative relationship. This work helps us and our cus-tomers have a more positive outlook for our future.”

Proactive outreach continues to be a key strategy for many contemporary sportswear labels.

“We have noticed in all the markets that atten-dance is down, but we are making our numbers by selling bigger orders to fewer people,” said Monica Belag Foreman, president of Magaschoni. “We have to make it up one way or another and often visit the buyers we are not catching. We have to study our customers’ shopping habits more closely.”

Nicky Zimmermann, head designer and cre-ative director of Australian label Zimmermann, said the mood is brightening.

“We will be looking to build on some of our existing relationships and develop some new ones that can keep our business building,” Zimmermann said. “We aren’t ever in too much of a hurry so we would just like to build on what we were able to achieve from Coterie last year.”

Cashmere label White + Warren is expand-ing its space at Coterie to accommodate for an increased assortment of sportswear and “to in-crease both domestic and international distribu-tion through exposure at the show,” founder Susan White said.

Pauline Nakios, owner and creative director of Lilla P., said that her contemporary brand will also be launching a larger booth, which will have features such as video streams and the space to accommodate two sample sets for buyers. Lilla P.’s spring collec-tion has grown 25 percent with an increased dress offering.

Nakios said last year “was a very touch-and-go year for all, and luckily we ended year down just a

stitch, but we have so far had a fantastic 2010.“I feel a great sense of improvement overall,” she added. “Certain areas of the

country are having a harder time and we feel the housing market, and the Gulf Coast region was affected by the oil spill because they didn’t get the tourists they normally do. But it’s a totally different ball game this year. Consumers are not buying as much, but they are spending again.”

Twenty8Twelve’s cotton dress, Line’s cotton

vest (worn backward); Cassandra bag; Stuart Weitzman shoes. Right: Genetic Denim’s cotton

bustier and cotton shirt, Bishop’s Cupra trousers; Erickson Beamon necklace.

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NEUTRAL GROUNDSpring’s neutrals offer lots of playing ground and layering them seems to be the name of the game.

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Twin-Set’s polyamide raincoat; Redacted

by Jay Godfrey’s silk button-down; Splendid’s

polyester, cotton and rayon top, and Apart’s

suede trousers. Erickson Beamon bracelet;

Sigerson Morrison shoes.

PHOTOS BY KYLE ERICKSEN

THE WAIT IS OVER…

COME SEE THE

UNVEILING OF OUR

KNITS COLLECTION

SPRING ‘11COLLECTION

COTERIE - NEW YORK

SEPTEMBER 21 - 23, 2010

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Gryphon New York’s cotton and metal blazer, Twinkle by Wenlan’s cotton and silk skirt, Kova & T’s silk georgette blouse, Riller & Fount’s rayon and spandex tank and La Rok Luxe’s cotton and viscose vest. Deepa Gurnani’s scarf; Giuseppe Zanotti shoes.

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Laundry by Shelli Segal’s nylon and

polyester dress and Only Hearts’ nylon

mesh top. Erickson Beamon necklace.

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Mackage’s polyester and spandex jacket, Dallin

Chase’s linen dress with silk bodice and Only

Hearts’ nylon mesh top. Cassandra bag; Giuseppe

Zanotti shoes.

NUE BY SHANIDESIGNER SHANI GROSZ SAID MUCH OF THE inspiration for her new line, called Nue by Shani, comes from “the important women” in her life and the kinds of things on which they base their fashion decisions.

“I knew that women want to ‘hide their flaws,’ but without [it] being obvious,” said Grosz, who is introduc-ing the Nue line of dresses for spring and will be show-ing them at Coterie for the first time.

When the designer found a special compression fabric woven with spun Lycra spandex that has shaping quali-ties, she knew she had found the perfect material for her line. Grosz designed a collection of dresses based on the compressing fabric, and each look features a form-fitting inner construction that, quite literally, gives the wearer the appearance of being a whole size smaller. Grosz un-derscored the illusion with precise darting and ruching.

“Nue designs are about feeling free and comfortable in your skin, with a little secret that no one needs to know,” Grosz said. “A Nue design is like the perfect little black dress. It is something every woman needs in her wardrobe and what makes her feel her best.”

Grosz is no stranger to fashion. Over a decade ago, the de-signer launched a contemporary line called Shani, targeting “the modern woman, celebrating her multifaceted lifestyle that allows her to be both feminine and strong,” she said.

Her new line has similar goals. Among the highlights in the Nue collection is a cold-shoulder sheath dress for $99 wholesale, a ruched bodice and off-the-shoulder dress for $110, a color-blocked dress for $130 and a cock-

tail dress with a large rosette sleeve at $150.The designer doesn’t just have dresses on her mind. Next up, she said she is

planning to add separates, like pants and tops, to her line. — Marc Karimzadeh

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For more Ones to Watch, see page 14.

Ones to Watch Some notable names showing at Coterie.

DECADES DENIMCAMERON SILVER, WHO IS BEHIND THE NEW DECADES DENIM LINE, knows a thing or two about vintage clothes and the celebrities who worship them.

Over the past decade, Silver has become something of a fashion force with Decades, his vintage boutique on Los Angeles’ famed Melrose Avenue that is a go-to destination for celebs and fashion junkies wanting iconic pieces from such houses as Christian Dior and Gucci.

Thirteen years after opening Decades and consulting for such brands as Loris Azzaro and Samsonite’s Fashionaire collection, and serving as an ambassador for Boucheron and Pringle, he is now adding “designer” to his repertoire. He launched Decades Denim, a contemporary line rooted in jeans, in time for the holiday sea-son, and will be bringing the spring selection to Coterie for the first time.

“I was interested in the idea of making a premium denim product at a more affordable price point, but still using the aesthetic that I love, which is glamorous, chic and very day-to-evening,” Silver said.

The spring collection has suggest-ed retail prices of $109 to $159.

Decades Denim has a minimal feel with looks that easily fit into a jeans-based wardrobe, from stretch velvet tuxedo pants to silk or Tencel tuxedo dresses. There is also plenty of denim in the lineup, including jeans without back pockets for a better fit.

“Denim is the first fabric, the foundation of how a man or a woman dresses, and everything gets built around denim,” said Silver, who had sworn off jeans for 10 years but re-discovered them last year — and has since worn them almost every day.

“This collection is really about supporting your wardrobe as op-posed to distracting from it,” he said.

For holiday, Silver has already assembled an impressive retail lineup of some 125 stores, including Opening Ceremony in New York, 4510 in Dallas and Planet Blue in Los Angeles. Spring, meanwhile, is inspired by a Safari theme, and looks include lace-up jeans and a silk wrap pant he coined the “Menage” — because it can be worn in three different ways.

“Everything that I am making has to be good enough for women who buy Chanel couture, and cool enough for their daughters who buy T by Alexander Wang and H&M,” Silver said. “It’s very democratic.” — M.K.

STRONG & DICKERSONSTRONG & DICKERSON IS THE FIRST SOLO EFFORT FROM DESIGNER Heidi Kim, who has previously designed for brands including Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY Jeans, Armani Exchange and Rock & Republic.

The concept for Strong & Dickerson is based on modern wardrobe es-sentials with a focus on bottoms and jackets, said Kim. She has emphasized stretch twill that has been garment washed and dyed for varied surface color. Fabrics for bottoms also include a distressed cotton herringbone; a soft, stretchy, lightweight denim; a soft, fluid sand-washed silk and cotton blend; leather, and suede. Structured jackets form a natural extension of the con-structed bottoms and are detailed with heavy trapunto stitching and leather trim. There is a belted cape silhouette, as well.

“The Strong & Dickerson aesthetic is a bit androgynous, feminized with soft and supple MicroModal jersey and toughened up with lambskin and suede,” said Kim.

Based in Venice, Calif., the brand name comes from the pair of developers who built the only canals in Venice that escaped being filled in as a cost-cutting measure during the Great Depression. It alludes to his-tory, lasting appeal and the dichotomy between art and commerce, Kim said.

The spring-summer 2011 collection was inspired by early 20th-century explorers and travelers, and the British cavalry, with classic equestrian and workwear detailing. These references come through in distressed cotton herringbone, leather trim, utility pockets and the liberal use of khaki. Tribal print, tie-dye and jackets with heavy trapunto stitching give the collection a global traveler feel.

A key item from the collection is a trench dress with an open back. This dress comes in leather or a lightweight woven silk and cotton fabric. Another signature look is a high-waisted, pleated crop pant with self belt, styled with a MicroModal asymmetric tank top. Like the trench dress, the trouser comes in leather and a silk and cotton blend. Rounding out the line is a sleeveless denim blazer jumpsuit.

Wholesale prices range from $40 for a Modal tank to $450 for a lambskin trench dress. The company aims to reach $3 million in first-year sales. — Jean Scheidnes

experience Moda España on the net…www.fashionfromspain.com

for more information;please do not hesitate to contact us at:www.agrupaciontextil.org

Trade Commission of Spain405 Lexington Avenue, 44th ⇓ . New York N.Y. 10174-0331Tel.: (212) 661 49 59newyork@mcx.es

Aldo Martin’swww.aldomartins.com

Custo Barcelonawww.custo-barcelona.com

Diktonswww.diktons.com

Escorpionwww.escorpion.com

Hoss Intropiawww.hossintropia.com

Javier Simorrawww.javiersimorra.com

JSwww.jsbysimorra.com

Nauloverwww.naulover.com

Sita Murtwww.sitamurt.com

FASHION COTERIENEW YORK September 21-23, 2010

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MYRINE & MEAFTER FIVE YEARS OF SELLING IN EUROPE, THE BELGIAN LABEL Myrine & Me has set its sites on the U.S. for further growth.

Company founder Ingrid Fouyn has teamed up with the Miami-based American Traders to sell the collection Stateside. Overseas, there has been a good deal of interest in France, the U.K., Ireland, Switzerland, Norway and Germany, she said. The collection’s U.S. debut is priced competitively to try to encourage multiple

purchases. Wholesale prices start at $35 and top off at $186, with the average order being $85, according to Fouyn.

“Pricing is a top priority,” she said. “We try to offer a high quality-to-price ratio. We like our retail customers to be able to buy several pieces within their budget, so they can put different outfits together for different oc-casions. The pricing enables them to personalize their looks, which is part of the Myrine story.”

Earlier this year, Fouyn changed the label’s name to Myrine & Me from Lino Factory.

“The old brand name simply no longer fit the current look and feel of the fairy-tale clothes collection,” she said. “Myrine is the queen of the Amazons in the ancient Greek mythology and completely stands for the woman we have in mind while designing our line. She knows what she wants and stands for, but in the meantime can be feminine and even sexy. The logo can be [seen as] a sketch or a sig-nature. In our business, it all starts with a pencil drawing and ends with a signature The label now completely cor-responds to our product line, and business is growing.”

With such playful details as polka dot prints and in-verted exterior seams, the collection is meant to have a few unexpected touches “flirting with the fun side in each of us,” Fouyn said.

Myrine & Me offers dresses for city life, as well as linen midcalf trousers, cropped pants, lithe blouses with slim waists and soft-shouldered blazers “for a sim-ple, pure and even professional look,” she said. The line

tries to set itself apart by serving up an extended color range, with an assort-ment of pieces that are designed to be interchanged. For example, shades such as apricot, pale pink and lilac form a synergetic union with shades of khaki green. In addition, the gray tones with shades of blue are well-suited to match the taupe, off-white or white hues, Fouyn said. — Rosemary Feitelberg

HUNTER DIXONBLOUSES AND DRESSES ARE THE KEY categories at Hunter Dixon, a New York-based brand that was launched in 2007 by Hunter Bell and Jennifer Dixon, originally from North Carolina and South Carolina, respectively. The duo ended up as roommates in New York and de-cided to start up the line together three years ago.

“For spring we’ve really expanded our knits program to round out our blouse and dress of-ferings,” said Bell of the upcoming Coterie show. “Our customers wanted some more lay-ering pieces, so we have striped sweaters with a little bit of stretch.”

The overall vibe of the collection is flirty and feminine, with ruffle details on silk blouses and vibrant color options, but the line is also geared toward travel and day-to-night transitions.

Blouses range from $175 to $250, while skirts, jackets and dresses are $200 to $450.

The brand is currently sold at a few Saks doors and about 100 specialty store accounts such as Gallery in Aspen, Colo. The line is manufactured in New York.

“Everything is pretty loose and easy to wear, but we have cutouts in the backs of dresses and lower armholes on tops for a bit of sex appeal,” said Bell. “We want the pieces to have some Southern charm, but also a bit of Lower East Side.”

Bell, 30, studied fashion design at the University of Alabama and then worked for brands like Rebecca Taylor, Nanette Lepore and Vineyard Vines after moving to New York. Dixon, 33, is a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate and originally intended to go to business school but put that off to launch Hunter Dixon. Bell oversees the design aspects of the brand, while Dixon focuses on business.

This past spring, the duo sold a minority stake in the company to Boston-based investment group Integrity Brands. The firm specializes in fashion and retail and its past and current investments include Gymboree, Red Envelope and Caché.

“We’ve been able to use those funds to launch e-commerce and double our deliveries from five this year to nine or 10 in 2011,” added Dixon. — David Lipke

sales campaign from August 25th until September 24th 2010showroom 7 - 263 11th avenue 3rd floor (corner of 27th st) new yorkmr. majeed hemmatt - tel: +1 646 549 1000mrs. nicole c. brown - tel. +1 9170 2513108

MICHAEL STARS

SPLENDID

TWENTY

THREE DOTS

Once upon a time, men and women wore

suits to work and dress clothes to the theater.

Men wore hats and women wore gloves. It was

a formal world.

That was then. This is now. In the workplace,

casual Fridays have gone daily, and fine hotels

and restaurants express their dress code as

“casually elegant” or “California casual.”

Like all fashion trends, the casual look

depends on the right clothes. That means styles

that convey an air of comfort and relaxation. For

work and going out, it also means styles that are

tasteful, chic and trend-right. And it goes without

saying the clothes should actually be comfortable

and feel good to wear.

7`cP LYO 7`^_P] Designers and manufacturers at the forefront of

today’s casual look know that one fiber above all

makes everything possible, and they use words

like “core,” “cornerstone” and “foundation” to

describe the role this fiber – Supima – plays in

their collections.

In demand today for both luxury fashion and

home furnishings, Supima cotton was developed

for industrial use by the Goodyear Tire Co.

when World War I cut off access to high-quality

Egyptian cotton.

Grown only in the Western Unites States,

Supima is a distinct variety of cotton with a staple

length that’s 35 percent longer than regular

cottons. The longer length yields a “cleaner”

surface that feels smooth and has a natural

luster. The longer staple length also means

Supima blends well with other fibers, takes dye

well and keeps color longer and is softer and

more durable.

“Supima is superior to anything else on

the market,” says David Lazar, a partner at

Twenty, an LA-based luxury lifestyle knitwear

manufacturer.”

>ZQ_YP^^ LYO >_]PYR_SLike many knitwear companies, Twenty blends

Supima with other fibers, including cashmere,

micro Modal and micro Tencel. “We want to offer

our customer something unique, and we depend

on Supima to help us do that,” says Lazar, who

believes that consumers have become “much

more fiber conscious in recent years.”

Jonathan Saven, president of Splendid, which

offers “ultra-comfortable styles for the entire

family,” says that all the firm’s fabrics have some

Supima. “We think Supima and micro Modal are

the perfect blend. We blend with other things,

too, but it’s our go-to fabrication because, in

addition to absorbing color really well, it creates

such a yummy feeling when you put it on.”

At the contemporary knitwear manufacturer

Three Dots, creative director Pegah Anvarian

describes herself as “known for mixing wovens

and knits together. The thing I love is the really

beautiful way Supima mixes with other fabrics.”

Anvarian likes more than that about Supima.

“I love that it has a beautiful hand – even after

garment dyeing – and that it never pills. I also

love the way that it drapes, which is one reason

why I’ve been creating dresses out of it. I like to

take fabric to the next level and Supima lets me

do that.”

Susan Peterson, vice president of creative and

design at Michael Stars, which began offering

casual chic tees almost 25 years ago, appreciates

Supima for all the same reasons, but adds a few

of her own. “Supima is easy to use. Plus, it sews

up very well; it’s consistent. When you sew it,

you get exactly what you intended.”

>L_T^QLN_TZY 2`L]LY_PPOAccording to Peterson, designers aren’t the only

ones who love this premium fiber. “Customers

love Supima because of how soft it is, because

the color lasts even after many washings and

because it feels elegant. Plus, garments made

with Supima maintain their shape longer.”

All of these attributes are why consumers are

willing to pay more for tops and other garments

made with Supima. “Supima is not inexpensive,”

says David Lazar of Twenty. “But the consumer’s

experience is phenomenal and they come

back again and again because of the quality of

the fiber.”

Pegah Anvarian of Three Dots knows the

quality has a benefit for the manufacturer and

the retailer as well. “There are no returns on

Supima products because it wears and washes

so well.”

“You add it all up,” says Jonathan Saven of

Splendid, “and Supima’s just the best. Period.”

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