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Las Vegas - City of Lights.
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Over a four day period, August 27 – 30, Las Vegas was home to thousands of fashion industry players from around the world. Accessories The Show, ASAP Global Sourcing Show, Curve NV, Lingerie Americas, MAGIC, POOLTRADESHOW, Project and United are some of the fashion trade events that drew in the numbers despite the Nevada heat. On Monday, August 27, the early morning weather had specs of light rain which made way for the blazing sun round ten o’clock that morning. The influx of taxis, limousines, pedestrians, shuttles and cars were going bumper to bumper close at the intersection of Convention Center Drive and Paradise Road, all part of the atmosphere which lent itself to fashion time in Vegas.
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MAGIC, Las Vegas Convention Center - Grand Lobby.
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As attending press, the MAGIC press lounge was a gem. Complimentary breakfast, lunch, internet access, faxing, printing option, interview lounge, work space, the quick intermingle with other attending press and the designer press kits in the lounge made the hectic schedules a little lighter. Of the many lines that were available to view, the Heat Swimwear Collection Spring 2008 Fashion Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Grand Lobby was stimulating to the eye. Some of the highlights to the collection were the prints, the bold colors and the “James Bond all black cut-out” swimwear with metro sunglasses reminiscent of DKNY.
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Swimwear Collection - MAGIC Grand Lobby, Spring 2008.
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POOL 14 - Las Vegas Convention Center, Gold Lot.
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At the POOLTRADESHOW located in the Gold Lot, Las Vegas Convention Center, participating designers had the unique opportunity to benefit from one of the key sponsors, My Space.com. According to Kimberly Goodnight, PUREconsulting, "the collaboration with My Space.com started when we first launched the POOLTRADESHOW in 2001 which was the first trade show with a cross over market. Since the My Space.com presence at POOL, the participating designers have seen an increase in buyers participation as it relates to orders been placed via the My Space.com route. The designers saw a 20% increase in orders together with a 40% marketing increase as a result of the collaboration. Also, returned traffic at POOL 14 was up 94% since August 2006 at POOL 12”. While at POOL, I had the chance to interview some of the participating designers who have a My Space website and obtained their impression from the services offered.
The short list of My Space.com designer websites are -
About two miles south from the main action, The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino offered a wide array of fashion trade shows to attend. Due to time constraints my Photographer, Johnny Sims and I only hit the Lingerie Americas and Accessories The Show for a quick overview. Moving from the blazing Nevada sun into the indoor scenery of the Italian landscape at The Venetian enhanced the sensual setting that make fashion come to life given the right location.
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Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.
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Lingerie Americas.
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A mix of international designer names such as Betsey Johnson Intimates, Oscar de la Renta, Elle Macpherson as well as established names in the lingerie industry such as the Bendon Group, Calida, Carole Hochman Group, Eveden, Natori and Van de Velde were on display at The Venetian. Lingerie Americas spun over the Zeno, Marcello, Lando and Delfino Ballrooms. According to Patrice Argain, CEO, Lingerie Americas, “after two years of working to make the launch of Lingerie Americas Las Vegas a huge success, the entire team was thrilled to see our event launch. We are excited about offering a professional platform where exhibitors and West Coast buyers can connect”.
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Lingerie Americas. Olvis Trend C15.
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Press kits in MAGIC press lounge.
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Back at the press room at MAGIC, I noticed the brochures on Design South Africa, WWDMAGIC North Hall, Booth #WS 16531, South African Consulate General, Cocktail Reception invitation, Tuesday, August 28th at 3:30pm, which made me curious enough to view the design lines of the South African fashion designers at MAGIC. Participating designers included: Darkie, Eco Trend, Forever Young, Funeka, Helon Melon, Maya Prass, Misfit, Ruby, Malick by Lunatique, Clotex and BabyMo by Momento’s of Africa. The cocktail party was well attended, the fashions were fabulous and as a Fashion Critic, I spotted pieces that were ready for United States fashion glossies.
Highlights at Design South Africa were:
- Top Women Awards: Linda Smith, BabyMo – Top Engendered Company
- Export Numbers to China: Helon Melon
- International Market: Misfit collaborated with Iron Fist at POOL
- Preparedness Overview/Design SA Exhibitors: Debra Stevenson, The Skyline Studios.
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Attendance: Design South Africa.
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Darkie.
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WWDMAGIC, Booth #WS 16531.
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As a tie-in to South Africa’s fashion industry, I interviewed Lucilla Booyzen, Director, Sanlam SA Fashion Week about the next phase of South Africa’s premier fashion event, Sanlam SA Fashion Week. Booyzen responded, “that amongst other things our focus is to maintain the standard that we have set, to keep on building the creative fashion industry, continue to have it export ready and that the designers will build an identity that will continue to make the South African fashion brand able to stand up in any world fashion arena”. In my opinion, I have seen the level of fashion competitiveness and marketability improve from the South African designers as I have viewed their lines in Las Vegas over the years. The current Design South Africa exhibit was a testament to Booyzen’s statement as I viewed the designs in comparison to the thousands of other lines at MAGIC, Spring/Summer 2008.
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Global fashion brands at MAGIC. Slip dress, Misfit.
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POOL 14 & MAGIC: gift bags & sample t's to attending press.
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Attending Las Vegas this season was fun, hectic and busy. Soon it will be time for Los Angeles to show their Spring/Summer 2008 Collections, October 14 – 18, 2007 at the Smashbox Studios during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and then it will be “fashion show time” in Tinseltown. It’s a wrap. Veronica Viljoen, Fashion Critic.
Photos: Johnny Sims
Links:
www.accessoriestheshow.com
www.asapshow.com
www.betsetyjohnson.com
www.chewoodesign.com
www.darkieclothing.co.za
www.ellemacphersonintimates.co.nz
www.funeka.com
www.helonmelon.co.za
www.lingerie-americas.com
www.magiconline.com
www.mbfashionweek.com
www.misfit.co.za
www.momentos.co.za
www.myspace.com
www.oscardelarenta.com
www.pooltradeshow.com
www.projectshow.com
www.pureconsultinginfo.com
www.sanlamsafashionweek.co.za
www.theskylinestudios.com
www.unitedtradeshowusa.com
www.venetian.com
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