From March 20 -24, 2009 the California Market Center (CMC) welcomed buyers, designers, exhibitors and press from around the globe to the Los Angeles Fashion Market, for Fall 09. This Fashion Market saw steady traffic, throughout the weekend, with peaks on Friday and Sunday. Buyers shopped from hundreds of permanent showrooms at the CMC in addition to five tradeshows throughout the building including, FOCUS| Apparel and Accessories, TRANSIT| The LA Shoe Show, MOM2B, Transmission, and Brighte by ENK. The California Market Center was also home to three nights and one day of fashion shows hosted and produced by Who's Next What's Next Media. Buyers remained busy throughout the Market placing orders, attending events, and participating in various perks, amenities, snacks, and raffles.

 

The Fall 2009 LA Fashion Market saw steady traffic, said Joanne Lee, SVP of the California Market Center. It was an improvement from January buyers were definitely writing.

 

Linnie yen Hhuynh of Thursday Island in Suite C529 agreed, saying, This Market was especially successful for us considering the circumstances of the economy every buyer who made an effort to come into our showroom were quality buyers and serious about doing business.

 

The FOCUS | Apparel and Accessories had the strongest selection of exhibitors since its move to the Penthouse Floor. We really focused on bringing in new, upcoming quality lines. We want to provide buyers with something different than other tradeshows, and additional options to lines in the building, said Sr. Tradeshow Manager, Chelsea Matthews. Corine Grant, Owner and Designer of Hammered Handmade commented, The FOCUS show was really great for me! I picked up a few new stores, as well as a new showroom at the CMC! The FOCUS show also welcomed BuzzFlickr PR, who hosted the "Catch a Buzz" Lounge throughout the show, as well as Wheelers Ice Cream, who provided buyers and exhibitors, with a frosty vegan treat, from their ice cream cart at FOCUS as well as the TRANSIT | LA Shoe Show, across the Bridge. 

 

MOM2B Maternity Show took place in the Penthouse from Thursday March 19, 2009 - Saturday March 21, 2009. Transmission took place Friday March 20 - Saturday March 21, 2009 in Suite A-lobby 3 in the CMC Main Lobby. And lastly, Brighte by ENK took place in the Fashion Theater from Friday, March 20 - Monday, March 23, 2009.

 

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, March 20-22, 2009, Who's Next What's Next Media hosted shows on the Front Patio of the California Market Center. Many CMC tenants participated. On Friday, tenants included, women's contemporary lines, Cynthia Steffe, D.E.P.T., and a 5^th Floor Collective show including Necessitees, Allen Allen, Tulle, Walter, Be Seduced, Maria Bianca Nero and Sue Wong. On Saturday afternoon, the kids floor participated in a "Kids on 6" collective, featuring lines, Eva & Oli, Serendipity, Cackleberry, Appaman, Luna Luna, Mim Pi and Oopsy Daisy Baby. Saturday night featured CMC tenant, French Connection, and was followed by a series of Who's Next What's Next's picks for upcoming designers. Sunday evening completed the shows, with a Street Contemporary showcase opened by CMC tenant, Marc Ecko. The Who's Next What's Next shows, were a new and different type of event for the CMC. It was exciting to have activity going on every night of Market for the buyers, and it was a great to be able to include our tenants as featured designers said Deborah Levine, Public Relations for the CMC.

 

A few top retailers that visited the CMC this Fashion Market were Bluefly.com, Chadwicks of London, Dillard's, Fred Segal, JMR Chalk Garden, Le Bon Marche, Len Druskin, Metropark, MGM Mirage, Nordstrom, Petro Zillia, Therapy, Von Maur, Wendy Foster, Wet Seal, Wynn Las Vegas, Zappos.com and more.

 

The CMC is continually working to keep up the energy and activity during the Markets, regardless of the economy, said Joanne Lee.  And we really did have a lot going on this Market, from our growing FOCUS and TRANSIT shows to  MOM2B, Transmission and Brighte, to the three nights of fashion shows, we kept the buyers downtown, interested, engaged and purchasing.