Thursday, August 25, 2022
Curve New York & Curve LA Success
Comexposium USA hosted 2 intimate apparel shows this summer: Curve LA & Curve NY. On July 24th & 25th Curve LA returned back to the Westdrift Hotel in Manhattan Beach, site of their original show launched in 2020. The following weekend at Spring Studios in Tribeca, Curve NY held their 3 day intimate apparel show from July 31st-Aug 2nd.
Curve LA has become the “go to” destination for West coast buyers desiring to shop an international mix of the best Intimate Apparel & Swimwear collections. The July 2022 edition offered buyers the chance to learn new skills with 2 bra fitting workshops hosted by lingerie guru Kimmay Caldwell. Additionally, activations including a complimentary yoga class, free manicures, along with a cocktail party, gave buyers ample chance to network, connect, and have some fun too. “Both exhibitors and retailers have expressed the Westdrift hotel venue is very conducive to creating lasting business relationships. The hotel’s CA lifestyle vibe along with the indoor/outdoor spaces allows everyone to mix business with pleasure in a casual atmosphere. Curve LA has also become a place for brands to test new styles & colors. The West Coast customer tends to take more risks & desire edgy more fashion forward styles.” says Kirsten Griffin, Director of Visitor Promotion.
The 2 day show was attended by 150+ regional buyers who came to preview the Spring 2023 collections of 50 vendors. Prevalent trends included Barbi-con, desert hues especially dusty pinks & terracotta, along with embroidery & petite floral patterns.
Curve NY welcomed 150 brands and 1200 buyers from 16 countries to Spring Studios in downtown Manhattan. 77% of attendees were from the East Coast, with NY, NJ, PA, & CT retailers most prevalent. It was an action-packed schedule with daily conferences, multiple Fit Workshops by Elomi, Freya, Fantasie and Goddess, and a Curve rooftop party with breath taking views of Manhattan. Conferences included Experience based Retail with The Modern Retailer and a well-attended Sexual Wellness panel with the participation of Sara Gold the founder of Beloved, the new intimacy serum. Back by popular demand at Curve NY was The Lingerie Briefs Salon, an area specifically dedicated to “under the radar” intimate apparel designers. At the Meet the Curators event, Ellen Lewis of Lingerie Briefs & Alison Connolly, formerly of Faire Frou Frou walked with buyers throughout the Salon highlighting the features of the 18 participating brands & selling points. A 2nd area called The Studio gave 6 new designers, who had previously participated in the Curve Pitch off design competition, an opportunity to meet buyers & sell their collections. A German Pavilion along with a new trend area by Fashion Snoops were included in the 4 floors of the Curve NY show.
Again, this season, our partner the NPD Group gave the forecast for the intimate industry.“ The intimate and sleepwear US markets has increased by $1.9bn since 2018” said Todd Mick, Executive Director and Innerwear analyst at NPD. Consequently, Retail store owners came to both Curve NY & LA events with larger open to buys. Trends that buyers were reacting positively to included saturated desert hues ( dusty pinks, tangerine, & terracotta), embroidery, & nature inspired prints. Additionally, many retailers were looking to add new designers to their merchandising mix after playing it safe for the last 2 years. “We are returning back to pre-pandemic levels of attendance & participation at our shows” say Raphael Camp, President of Curve. “Our focus at Curve is on value added experiences & opportunities to support new design talent at our shows. New initiatives include specialized VIP concierge services including pre-ordering lunches, travel assistance, & personal shopping for our attending buyers. Customization, customer service & creating community are what sets the Curve shows apart”.
The next lingerie event for Comexposium will be the premiere of Curve Montreal on September 18th-19th at Marche Bonsecours in Montreal, Canada . https://curve-montreal.com/