Earlier this month, the Jacob Javits Convention Center, in New York City, hosted a slew of fashion trade shows. I got to attend two of them, MODA Manhattan and Accessories The Show. Open to the fashion retail trade and press only, MODA and ATS bring the best showrooms of ready to wear (RTW) and accessories together under one roof for fashion retail buyers to map out their stores’ merchandise for the next season. More than 8,000 retailers flock to the shows each season.
MODA Manhattan intimidated me a little, as this was my first trade show of this type. I’m not a buyer, so it felt somewhat strange walking through 140 exhibitors’ booths, pawing their clothes. I felt the target demographic was a little older than my own, so it was hard to feel a connection to most of the clothing shown. The Holiday/Resort season was being exhibited, so there was lots of embellishment: beading, sparkles, fur accents, satin, velvet, and knits.
One particular booth of beautiful handknit and pure cotton items grabbed my attention. The clothes drew me in, and then I learned about the company: Pure & Co., parent company of Pure Handknits and Neon Buddha, employs over 3700 women in Chiang Mai, Thailand. All employees are given full health benefits, including maternity leave, and free English lessons, as well as continuing education support. The company is passionate about their ethical work standards as well as the environment, incorporating as many sustainable practices as possible. Impressive ethics for such gorgeous clothes!
Wandering through Accessories The Show’s 470 exhibitors was a little different. Sales representatives were not shy about reaching out and placing their merchandise right on you: bracelets, rings, handbags, watches, sunglasses, etc. It was at the PlastiChic booth where I first learned that most of the samples present at each booth were for sale at wholesale prices! (In hindsight, it’s probably a good thing I was blissfully unaware of this detail when I first arrived.) I wasn’t a big fan of the “Icecube” watch they wrapped on my wrist, but their “Woody” sunglasses were right up my alley–Wayfarer styling, with super lightweight bamboo arms, and frames in ten different colors (I loved the mint green).
I could have spent my entire afternoon in the Betsey Johnson and Anna Sui legwear booth. Both designers had an array of crocheted, printed, and textured tights. I’m still dreaming about the Anna Sui “Storybook Sheer Print” tights. There were seemingly endless handbag companies represented, but I lingered a while at Vera Bradley (a new personal favorite) and Big Buddha. I got to see new prints and bag styles at Vera Bradley that are just now showing up in stores. A rep at Big Buddha stopped me immediately, as I was wearing one of their previous seasons’ bags, and pulled me into the booth to check out the Holiday 2010 collection: lots of quilting, chains, metal studs, and rosettes, in a classic fall palette, all sumptuous, faux-leather (nearly indistinguishable from real; it’s THAT good). I found MODA and ATS to be a great experience overall, and I’m looking forward to future seasons’ shows! For more photos or information, please visit the shows’ Facebook pages here: MODA Manhattan, Accessories The Show
