Designers & Agents host trade fair at New Mart

Designers & Agents hosted their international trade fair in Los Angeles’ Fashion District. From June 8-10, the fair was open to buyers and visitors located at the New Mart building.

The event returned to Los Angeles this Monday and ended its fair Wednesday. The Fall/Holiday 2015 installment of the fair was showcased this week at the New Mart. The independent fair includes over 1,000 collections and thousands of retailers in fashion. Exhibitors for the trade show included Coatt, Illia, Rewilder, Lous Zeldis Collection, Arc of LA, Aubrey, and Reet Aus.

Designers & Agents hosts trade fair including exhibitors from NYC and LA

For buyers, the show serves the purpose of re-establishing relationships with existing buyers as well as acquiring new ones. “It’s really good to come here to see our active accounts,” said Tamiko White, national sales director of Nesh NYC. The brand fuses activewear and loungewear with luxury in order to create a lifestyle apparel line. As the brand does sales in-house, Tamiko states it’s a great way to retouch with older clients. “It’s good to see our other accounts based out of New York,” said Tamiko. In addition to validating those relationships, ultimately the goal for many buyers is to open new opportunities and accounts for the brand. “We get to see our active accounts, and also gain new doors,” said Tamiko.

Mark Thompson, director of sales and design for Love Heals, shares the same sentiments as Nesh NYC. Thompson remarks how different the show is in comparison to other trade fair locations. “We’re fairly local, [so this] is a place where I get to slow down versus our New York or Vegas markets,” said Thompson. Because of this reason, Thompson states that doing the Designers & Agents fair in Los Angeles is one of his favorite shows. “[It’s great] to see old faces that have been carrying our line from five to ten years,” said Thompson. Love Heals is a unique jewelry line that carries handcrafted luxury pieces. Pieces from Love Heals include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, loomed cuffs, handbags, and more. The Ojai-based company made 26 orders total at the trade fair.

Designers & Agents focuses on sustainability initiatives

The international fair is also known for its initiative stance on sustainability. The fair focuses on three aspects of being “green” including Green Room, Green Leaf, and Green Market. The Green Room includes shows that show selected emerging designers that use eco-friendly processes, sustainable production, and fair trade labor to design and produce their lines. The Green Leaf initiative identifies brands that are leaning towards sustainable and eco-friendly practices when it comes to production. Designers & Agents adds a “green leaf” symbol in their brochure towards brands with this achievement. The Green Market standard means that the brand has achieved ecologically affiliations through their practices and merchandise. Overall, the trade fair is actively pursuing eco-friendly brands and designers to include in its roster.

Designers & Agents has trade shows in the Spring and Fall located in Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. The company has used its platform to focus on sustainability when it comes to fashion and design. The trade fair was co-founded by Ed Mandelbaum and Barbara Kramer.