On Our Radar – Tradeshows by Region

Direction & Printsource
By Andrea Praet, Trend Director - New York



The first few months of the New Year may be synonymous with a fresh start, but in the world of fashion it is all about the New York print shows. Kicking off the design development process for North American designers and manufacturers alike, shows such as Direction by Indigo and Printsource act as one-stop shops for viewing and buying the freshest prints. From ethnic influences to abstract nature, variety was plentiful for S/S11. This year's trend forum at Direction showcased several prints that were innovative takes on important ideas.

First, there was a multicolored print of crayons and pencils shooting out in the same direction. This could easily be interpreted as a new, haphazard stripe for the kids market. As an abstract alternative, one fantastic print had geometric fractals of sheer pink, red-orange and fuchsia layered over charcoal grey and black – perfect for spring's woven tops. Another unique highlight that would be fantastic for board shorts or even a beach tote was a photo print of swordfish against a background of algae. So far, it looks like spring is going to be anything but dull. 

Maison et Objet
By Sandrine Maggiani, Trend Director - Paris

Maison et Objet, Paris’ premier interior design and home fashion trade show, redefines atmospheres and environments with the coming together of the who's who of the interior fashion world. This season, new mixes of classic materials (leather, wood, glass, metals) and harmonious color palettes were key elements seen at the show.

Bleu Nature shifted gears a bit this season – expanding their offerings beyond the usual range of driftwood pieces – to showcase single logs of wood encased in acrylic glass cubes. Volevatch, on the other hand, stayed true to form with the usual range of metal bathtubs but presented a few contemporary shapes perfect for the modern, classic home.

Ceramist Rina Menardi provided a fresh update for her clean and simple aesthetic with new harmonies of soft pinkish and orange-hued combinations.

Agenda
By Amber Prettyman, Trend Director – Los Angeles

When it comes to tradeshows on the West Coast, active and street lead the line up. From SIA to Outdoor Retailer, cities of the west welcome active-inspired vendors to show off their goods.  Newer to the active show circuit, Agenda matured this year with its first stand alone show (previous main events included the Hurley US Open for Surfing and the Action Sports Trade Expo), mixing well-established brands with garage startups on the verge of exploding into the mainstream.

Agenda blended continuations of current trending items including ethnic prints, military inspired jackets and crop tops, with new inspiration that complimented the recent runway shows. New beach inspirations were characterized by the wear and tear of sun and sand, giving a new vibe to the washed-out, worn-out aesthetic.  Sci-fi and futuristic themes in accessories mixed clean lines with pops of color. And the budding concept of hybrids was found in both apparel and accessories as the classic hoodie was updated into a jacket style and sneakers got outdoorsy hiking boot details.

With a focus on music, art and culture in addition to sport and style, Agenda was the perfect stop for buyers to connect with vendors who specialize in youth culture, action sports and street subcultures.

Intermoda
By Camila Toledo, Trend Director – São Paulo

This year’s Intermoda tradeshow in Guadalajara offered a glimpse of the Mexican and Latin cultures that have been infiltrating the fashion world in the past few years. A standout at the show was Lydia Lavin, a Mexican fashion designer who mixes Mexican Latin American culture and modern shapes to build her collection. She never forgets the sensuality of the Latin woman with her rustic fabrics combined with earthy colors, so you can find a variety of silhouettes from pencil skirts to ruffles. She can create an emotional bond without making clothes very ethnic or dated.

In her latest S/S10 collection, featured at Intermoda, we see embroidered pieces with bright colors, embellishments full of indigenous culture references and full skirts. This ability to maintain the heritage of ancient cultures works well for today's consumer who connects emotionally with her clothes. The color bases used were nude and black, with accents of pink, orange, turquoise and lilac.

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