Fashion Exposed trade fair is pushing the envelope with more designer brands, trend presentations and industry talks introduced at each installment. But as it reaches out to new audiences, is it striking the right cord with the long-term buyers? Melinda Oliver finds out.
As the owner of long-established Echuca-based department store Carters of Echuca, John Carter has been to every Fashion Exposed trade fair since its inception 10 years ago.
"We find it worthwhile," he says. "We can get all of our buying done over three days and having all the ranges in the one space enables us to compare collections."
However, placing orders across menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, lingerie, surfwear and luggage leaves little time for Carter to take advantage of the fair's additional events. He cautions that the boost in catwalk shows, trend presentations and industry talks may distract buyers from its core purpose – the exchange of business.
"For supplier benefit it should focus more on being a purchasing fair,” he says. “The excess [events] shouldn't cost the suppliers. Some suppliers have left the fair – it needs to try and get those people back in.”
At the forthcoming Melbourne installment, to be held from August 29 to 31, action away from the buying floor is stronger than ever. There are no less than 14 Live Look Book modeling shows, 10 Salon Shows, a number of Hot Half Hour retail talks by the Australian Retailers Association and the Debut designer competition.
A series of seminars covering seasonal trends, marketing, social networking, sustainable retailing and how to sell to savvy consumers are all on offer, presented by cutting-edge industry players.
Key to the mix is a new Retail Tour of the city, which will explore the visual merchandising of directional boutiques such as Alice Euphemia, Leopold's Empire, Swensk and Glitzern. While the number of activities is large, Australian Exhibitions and Conferences managing director Marie Kinsella agrees with Carter that the key purpose of the event is buying.
"We have the Salon Shows and because of the music we have to move them out to the far end of the floor plan," she says. "That is because our foucs at Fashion Exposed is the writing of business directly on the show floor or immediately post the event."
Kinsella says that of the 556 exhibitors showing, 28 per cent will be new, or existing companies that are releasing new brands. A new precinct, The Designer Studio, has been introduced to offer fashion-forward contemporary labels for women in their twenties.
Brands including Body by Dainy Sawatzky from Melbourne and Stitch Ministry from New Zealand will feature. Also set to launch is a formal arrangement between Fashion Exposed and Parisian trade fair Who's Next Premiere Class, which will see a select group of directional French brands on show. However, Kinsella says there will also be a strong return of established suppliers.
"All the traditional big names are back, such as Hard Yakka, Bisley and Gloster," she says. "For women, there will be Threadz, Meredith and Orientique. Pacific Brands are there of course with Jockey, Holeproof and Red Robin and they are bringing in Antz Pantz."
Elleran Lingerie owner Narelle Fury says the shows, talks and new brands are of interest, but admits it is challenging to fit them in. She has attended Fashion Exposed in both Melbourne and Sydney since it began, to buy underwear for her two Sydney-based stores. It is how she gets the bulk of her orders done, although she does reserve some budget to buy at trade fairs in Paris.
"By the time you walk around and do all of your orders, there is no time to watch parades," she says. "Even when I am at the Paris shows I don't get time."
Fury says the big exhibitors such as Pacific Brands are a drawcard, although she does take a look at emerging labels. Ideally she would like more major lingerie brands such as Berlei and Triumph taking part, to reduce her need for external appointments.
Pearls manager Judy Hayhoe has been to Fashion Exposed every year, seeking classic brands for the mature clientele of her Albury, NSW, store.
"I go for the regular brands, including City Club, Gloster, Pacific Brands underwear, Black Pepper and Breakaway," she says. "It is easier to see it all in one place."
Hayhoe recognises that designer labels are becoming a stronger part of the fair, but would like to see even more long-standing labels involved, such as Black Plum and Lavender Road.
She finds the ready to wear shows useful to see how the collections work on the body, or to scout potential new labels. Also of interest are the Australian Retailers Association talks, which she believes are a vital element.
"They are a good way to keep up with changes to retail and industrial relations laws," she says.
Owner and director of Ronald King, Andrew King, has also been to numerous Fashion Exposed events, seeking "a fair price for a fair garment " to fill his Melbourne men's and womenswear stores. Breakaway, Huski and Yarra Trail are key brands on his hit list.
"We don’t buy the high-end, edgy stuff, but it's good to see what’s going on," he says.