Men's Fashion Week: Is LA Ready? - California Apparel News

Burton Snowboards has been one of the recession’s
success stories—experiencing several years
of financial growth and even paying out bonuses
to its employees over the last two years. While
this might have made some companies cocky or
complacent, Burton is heeding the message that
has resounded loud and clear during this recession:
Focus on your core business or, ultimately,
pay the price.
To that end, it recently announced a company
realignment that will see the relocation and downsizing
of its Analog brand, currently based in
Southern California. Analog will return to its roots
of being a pure snowboarding brand and will move
back to its original home in Burlington, Vt. Analog
has a deep heritage in snowboarding, from the time
when Greg Dacyshyn, Burton’s chief creative officer,
and the late Jeffy Anderson, team rider, created
the brand. Analog will now revert to being a
winter-only brand.
Analog was created in 1999 as a more progressive,
style-conscious outerwear collection, led by
a handful of top pros at the time, including Anderson,
Trevor Andrew and Gigi Ruf. Since then,
Analog continued to drive many of snowboarding’s
outerwear style trends. In 2003, Analog added a
streetwear component to its line, followed by surf
apparel, a surf team and an Analog skate platform.
Burton will ultimately transition out of Analog
surf and skate apparel by next fall, although this
apparel will be shipped through spring/summer of
2013 and will be marketed and supported. The new
Analog will only design and distribute Analog out-
6 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS November 2–8, 2012
SuRF REPORt
Burton Realigns Analog for Snow, Moves Brand to Vt.
By Deirdre Newman Contributing Writer
FMNC Continued from page 1
Sunday through Tuesday. It might have been the
reason there were more out-of-state buyers—including
those from Oregon, Washington, Arizona
and Idaho—than normal. There was even one
buyer from Dubai.
The airy space provided the perfect setting for
the better women’s and contemporary lines of
merchandise. With a diverse selection of apparel
and accessories, there was an overall positive experience
for retailers and representatives alike.
That was the case for designer Julio Santiago,
who two years ago introduced his Santiago Knits
line, made for the weekend vacationer or the world
traveler at heart. All his garments and handbags are
made of fine linen and bamboo fabrics imported
from Italy but manufactured in Los Angeles.
Charlie Pomkyal, Santiago’s sales and marketing
representative, said he got positive feedback
for his first appearance at the show. He saw a
number of orders with existing and new accounts.
Overall, having the opportunity to debut the line in
a warm and open environment, rather than a hotel
setup, proved to be a good fit for showcasing the
resort-inspired clothing.
For designer Vanessa Vallarino, it has been a
brief seven months since she introduced her selfnamed
line. As a first timer at the show, she was
realistic about how many orders and note taking
were going to be made.
The Spring/Summer 2013 collection consists
of pastel-colored, hand-dyed and hand-painted
garments that can be worn in multiple ways. They
are versatile, with shirts that can be worked from
front to back. There are different lengths and angle
constructions for skirts. Basic tops wholesale for
$15 and go up to $60 for jackets.
“Our purpose is to tweak a modern silhouette
where it is still contemporary but new—where
art meets fashion with structure and architecturalinspired
elements. Everything serves a function,”
she said.
Vallarino’s main objective was to receive feedback
and expose her brand. “We are really new,
so we did not expect much as far as orders. But
we received really amazing feedback. What we are
doing is daring, and it may take a minute to find a
erwear and tech apparel, which will be known as
ATF, along with basics.
The Analog snow team—made up of Danny
Davis, Mikkel Bang and Zak Hale—will continue
on as Analog riders. For the Analog surf and skate
teams, Burton will work with the team riders individually
on an exit strategy to transition them out
of the brand.
Other aspects of the company-wide realignment
include Burton’s Gravis brand ultimately moving
its headquarters to Tokyo and being solely distributed
in Asian markets that sell lifestyle shoes and
bags; the development of protective headwear under
the Anon brand name; and transitioning out
of the company’s program brands (Foursquare,
Forum and Special Blend). Burton will continue
to offer its RED helmets on a limited basis, but
the bulk of helmet and optics product lines will be
combined under the Anon brand.
Conversely, one California brand has been
saved. Burton’s Channel Islands brand, acquired
in 2006, will not be affected and will continue to
design, develop and manufacture best-in-class surf
hardgoods products out of Carpinteria, Calif. Burton
senior management are content with their relationship
to Channel Islands. Burton acquired this
brand in 2006, when it was called Channel Islands
Surfboards, after founder and CEO Jake Burton
forged an agreement with owner Al Merrick over
their similar mindset and passion for their respective
sports. They shared a vision of putting the sport
of surfing in the hands of the team athletes and for
the product development.
tRAdE ShOW REPORt
FIRST TIMERS: Owner Julio Santiago
and sales representative Charlie
Pomykal of Santiago Knits were at
Fashion Market Northern California for
the first time.
niche market, but the people who understand what
we are doing love it,” she said.
Exploring the specialty market is familiar for
Nataya, a Los Angeles–based line that offers a romantic
nod to “The Great Gatsby” and the Roaring
Twenties. The dreamscape-inspired garments
have a loyal following.
“Although some customers merely browse the
collection, they appreciate the touch and feel of our
pieces. We have been around for over 15 years, so
our existing customers always return,” said sales
representative Sharon Alcazar.
At this show, Alcazar said there was a combination
of really good orders and some note takers.
“I think store owners are taking into consideration
what they already have in store, so they are a bit
pickier in the ordering process,” Alcazar said.
However, this season proved a promising one
for Nataya. The line introduced a mix of its higherpriced
collection with a lower-priced, youth-based,
bohemian collection called “Age of Love.”
USA sells
For Neetu Malik—whose showroom in the
Gerry Building in Los Angeles represents better
and updated lines such as Bodil, Cynthia Ashby,
Itemz, Kedem Sasson, M Square, Ivey Abitz and
One of the key factors that led Burton senior
management to these realignment decisions, according
to a press release issued by the company, is
the success of Burton’s entry on a year-round basis
into the apparel and bag/pack business, which has
grown significantly in all seasons. The message
Burton received from the marketplace is that for
long-term success, this is the direction the company
should be pursuing, along with its core hardgoods
and outerwear business.
Burton has already made reinvesting in the company
a priority, making significant investments recently
in its headquarters and infrastructure, including
acquiring the building next door to its Vermont
headquarters, where the company built Craig’s, a
10,000-square-foot R&D and prototype facility,
and Area 13, a 6,000-square-foot Burton/Anon/
Analog wholesale showroom. Craig’s (named after
the late Craig Kelly, a professional snowboarder
who was known as the godfather of freeriding) is
known as the most advanced and sophisticated
snowboard-prototype facility in the world, according
to the press release. Ideas are conceived, built
and on snow in less than 24 hours. Area 13 is Burton’s
marquee showroom, where retailers form all
over the world can come to Vermont to see future
product lines.
Burton Snowboards is privately held and owned
by Burton and his wife, company President Donna
Carpenter. Burton founded the company in 1977
out of his Vermont barn. In addition to its headquarters
in Vermont, Burton has offices in Austria,
Japan, Australia and California. ●
Amy Brill—domestically
produced goods were hot.
Six of her seven lines are
made in the United States.
“We have been returning
to FMNC for nearly 20
years now, and I would
say eight out of 10 buyers
want to buy garments produced
and manufactured
in the U.S.,” she said.
Malik had a great response
from returning
accounts, as orders were
taken for goods whose
wholesale price points averaged
$69 to $149.
For father-and-son duo
Leo and David Schnitzer,
the show has always been
a home base for their mobile showroom. Based
out of Los Angeles, the family business has been
on the road for at least 57 years now, but it used
to have a showroom at the California Market
Center.
This market is generally good for the Schnitzer
family, which is well-known in the area. “We have
good apparel lines—Alison Sheri, Bala Bala,
Bali Batiks, Bleu Bayou and Produce Co.—
some of which are resort and more seasonal and
others that are year-round. So, we carry a variety,
and our customers who know us and our line always
return,” David
Schnitzer said.
CMC CENTRIC: Rep et Trois
Showroom, located in the
California Market Center in Los
Angeles, was showing its better
women’s apparel line, Miilla.
There’s more
on ApparelNews.net
The story continues at
ApparelNews.net.
Business was bustling
with traffic for
Luna Luz Showroom,
based in the
California Market
Center. Sales repre-
sentative Susan Burnett, who has been attending
the show for years, had Holiday 2012 and Spring
2013 merchandise wholesaling for $30 to $150.
“I absolutely love the show. Buyers from all over
the region attend the show—Seattle, Oregon, and
Dallas,” Burnett said. “I attribute the growth of my
showroom largely to this specific show.” ●
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