Friday, December 2, 2022
California Apparel – Raphael Camp
A California Apparel News Special Section
The intimate and sleepwear U.S. markets have increased by $1.9 billion since 2018. As a result, retailers came to our Curve shows in New York, Los Angeles and Montreal in 2022 with larger open-to-buys. We expect a similar trend in 2023 as buyers look to add new designers to their merchandising mix after playing it safe the last two years.
We are returning to pre-pandemic levels of attendance at Curve with a focus on value-added experiences and opportunities to support new design talent at our shows. This year we launched the Lingerie Briefs Salon, a curated space by Ellen Lewis that offered new designers the chance to showcase their collections at a reduced participation cost. The Salon was extremely successful, and buyers appreciated the introduction to an international mix of designers they might otherwise not have seen. For our upcoming Curve NY February 2023 show we will be continuing to invest in new talent with the Lingerie Briefs Salon and a curated area of men’s lingerie.
New post-pandemic initiatives we are extending to buyers are specialized VIP concierge services, including preordering lunches, travel assistance and personal shopping. Customization, customer service and creating community are what we are focusing on at Curve for 2023.