Off to Market

Last Monday at this time, I was in a taxi cab on the way to Piers 92/94 in New York City for Winter/Holiday Market.  This particular market is one of the smaller ones and collections are very focused.  Some notes from my trip:

• They definitely have trouble adjusting the temperatures in the market venues.  When I went to Market there last February, it was so warm!  A complete opposite this time - much of the apparel venue was freezing cold!  When I tried on a couple items for size, I asked if I could keep them because they were just right (winter weight) for the temperature!  I felt sorry for the reps - even though they were moving almost constantly showing the lines, I know they were chilly!
• I've gotten to meet at least one of my designers each of the last two shows.  This one did not disappoint either - I got to meet Chan Luu!  I was so excited, as her wrap bracelets, scarves, and ready to wear are customer favorites.  She was so gracious and kind and I made sure to express your enthusiasm for her wonderful designs!
• This particular season is a hard one.  I didn't find I had huge demand for holiday/winter items in the store last year.  I looked at 14 different lines in my day there (most of which are ones that I already carry in the store).  I didn't write orders everywhere but took pictures and notes so that I could make final decisions in the coming weeks.
• There was one line that I had been investigating through a wholesaler/designer website on which I am a member.  I was eager to see their line in person so I stopped by their booth.  While the line itself was attractive and the price points were reasonable, I hated the way their label looked.  It just looked cheap.  I just couldn't imagine it fitting in with the other brands I carried so I passed on it.
• I still love the "oh, we forgot to tell you" aspect of the business (and I did come up with my brilliant technology idea for the fashion industry during a few sleepless hours one night this past week).  At one of my lines, they tell me "Oh, we've canceled everything you ordered for Fall - we're not going to make those pieces".  Alrighty!  This is the sort of information that would be good to know sooner rather than later!
• You do a lot of walking around the event space.  In doing so, I passed this same mannequin 3 times.  As I was leaving, I just had to stop in to meet with them.  I was in love with everything in the booth!  They are an Italian based company and I'm trying to figure out how to find the money in my Fall orders to bring some of these clothes in.  One of their dresses and belts is in the picture at the top of the post.
• My train was scheduled to leave NY Penn Station at 4:42 pm.  Knowing that it can take a while to get back to the station, I left the show at 3:35.  I first checked into the bus shuttle that the show was running back to Penn Station but found that it was not leaving until 4.  Fearing that it would not maneuver as well in traffic as a cab, I got in the taxi line.  It was a reasonable length but soon fewer and fewer taxis started pulling into the venue.  And those that did were being "demanding" about where they would and would not take people!  The "traffic supervisor" told us that taxi shift change was coming up at 4 pm and they were on their way back to their home base.  Uh oh.  What??  Who ever heard of taxi shift change?  And why at 4 pm?  Then all of the Town Car vultures started descending on the line, charging $100 to go just about anywhere!  I decided to stand my ground, even when the woman behind me and I got thrown out of a cab who didn't want to go where we wanted to go!  We finally found a nice driver at around 4:10.  When he dropped me a block from Penn Station at around 4:25, I was on the run.  I barely had time to get downstairs before they called my train!  I wish I knew the name of the lovely woman who shared my cab with me - she was going a further distance than I was and refused to take my money for my portion of the fare.  She was such a bright spot in an otherwise slightly panicked time!
• For my friend Renee, who always enjoys my Market fashion report, I decided to go with a Rebecca Taylor look this time.  I wore her adorable tan Runway Skirt from last Spring with this Spring's red Summer Blossom Blouse.  I wore tan open toe wedges (and my Cheater Blue jacket).