[amended 1/31/12] Unfortunately, it has become necessary to close comments to this post (hopefully temporarily). Here is the cheat sheet for people who post questions instead of reading the entry and comments that answer the questions people have asked:
There will be a special meet up for F-I members who will have an identifier on their badges. If you’re already a member (click on this link ->) please post here (<-click on that link) to let us know to expect you (see this to become a member). If you cannot login at the link above, you either aren’t a member or your membership has expired (please renew). At the first link you will find meet up information and suggestions for accommodations, transportation etc. If you want more information on the show itself, go to the show’s website. [end amend]
You’re hearing it here first, the first public announcement of a new wholesale fabric trade show designed specifically for independent designers who need to source low minimum fabrics, leathers, trims, guts etc. The show is so new that it doesn’t have a name, a website or way to register for it. Considering everything it took to organize and pay for it, those are very minor details. Trust me. For now, all you need to know is this:
Hotel Pennsylvania
New York City
February 6-7, 2012
Hours: 9:30 to 6:00
I strongly suggest posting a comment (even if it is lame) or these vendors might get the idea this is not such a good thing to do. More importantly, it is critical that this go viral -promote this show to all of your friends, colleagues and contacts because not sharing the details can kill a show like this faster than anything. If you don’t make an effort to tell -oh let’s just say ten other people- don’t be dismayed if this is the first and last year this show is held. If you don’t tell ten other people, I never want to hear you complain there aren’t any shows for small designers.
You should promote this show even if you don’t live in NY or plan to attend! If this show doesn’t succeed, the vendors will not be convinced to do it anywhere else. Meaning, if you want a show like this to open in a location more convenient to you, the best way to make it happen is to do what you can to make a show you’re not even going to, a rousing success. Make sense?
This is something we’ve been privy to in the forum so I can only post a partial vendor list from there although our henchman tells me more have signed on since he last updated the thread. Speaking of, you should let us know if you’re coming by clicking that link; F-I members get members only perks at the show (Jay is taking names). Here is a partial list of vendors, see the comment thread for still more:
Appliques with Glitz
Barbie International
Buttonology
Carr Textile
Dill Buttons of America
Elliott Berman Fabrics
Fabric Avenue
Fishman’s Fabrics
Global Leather
HWC/ Hamburger Woolen
Labels IG
Kendor Textiles
Novatex Int’l
One World Button
Oriole
Philips Boyne
Products From Abroad
Robert Kaufman Company
Sextet Fabrics
Shannon Fabrics
Solid Stone Fabrics
Stylecrest Fabrics
W and W
Zinman Textiles
Our contact says:
I remember Kathleen writing something about fabric vendors not doing you a favor in selling you because the independent designer market is one that can be maneuvered profitably for a fabric resource. Fabric resources sell to DEs because they make money at it.
Like any business segment, there are ebbs and flows. DEs must be flowing because something pretty cool (and expensive to produce) is going to happen -a trade show. This show will feature quite a few fabric, button, zipper, label and many other types of vendors. These vendors almost all target independent designers so sampling and small production purchases will not just be “tolerated”, they will be encouraged. So far, over 30 vendors have put up some serious cash and the show is now a certainty.
The vendor list is pretty impressive. From my point of view, what is terribly exciting about this is that it is not a rep show. So far, everyone that has signed up is a vendor and not a sales rep. This show is happening because DEs are not just a viable segment. This show is happening because DEs are an important segment.
Obviously the meet up possibilities are endless. I lived in New York during all of the 1980’s and I am anxious to spend some time there. I would be more than willing to take F-I members to all of the cool places I hung out except I don’t remember any of them. When I lived in NYC I spent an extraordinary amount passed out or explaining why I would not provide markdown money to big department stores. It was not the scenic tour!!
Did I just print that last paragraph? Well, better you know what sort of people you’re likely to meet there. Speaking of, I might be one of them if I can work out the logistics of it (help?). And yes, there will be a special meet up just for F-I members who know the secret handshake. Just kidding, we’d be happy to charm you if you come. How else to better convince you that you need to join us? If you’re already a member, please post here to let us know to expect you and also, maybe some of the locals can help with hotels, transportation and all of that.
Stayed tuned for more updates. Till then tell your friends, lovers, enemies and frenemies.
Fantastic Idea… Shame I’m in Australia so probably won’t be making it but would be great if they had something like this over here. Sure the North American DE’s will jump on the opportunity =)
What a great idea! I’d love it if they did one in my area (Tampa, FL) where the fabric options are so very scarce.
Can you define low minimums? Are we talking 10 yards or 100? 50 buttons or 500?
If the answers are the lower of the above numbers, I would be very interested. I live in the area, so it’s easy for me to get to.
Would love to know more about this!
Good question Claudine. Here is a good answer. Here are the ones that I know the specifics about.
Barbie International some in stock buttons with a 5 gross minimum but the price is very low.
Buttonology Very small minimums (like maybe a dozen)
Carr Textile I know that these are good guys but I do not know the specifics. Many DE’s work with them.
Fabric Avenue This is a pretty awe inspiring line. I believe the minimum is in the 50 yd to 80 yd area.
Fishman’s Fabrics A retailer with little or no minimum
Kendor Textiles 10 meters
Novatex Int’l 10 yds
One World Button small minimum (cool line)
Oriole 25 yds on most fabrics (really amazing prices and selection)
Philips Boyne 3 yd minimum on about 3,000 choice woven cottons As good a shirting line as you will find. 3.5 million yards of fabric with a 3 yd minimum.
Robert Kaufman Company I don’t know but again, many DE’s work this them
Sextet Fabrics 10 yds
Shannon Fabrics 10 to 25 yds depending on the fabric.
Stylecrest Fabrics small
W and W 14.90 for 1,000 size tabs $84.00 for 1,000 thermal paper care labels.
Jasco No minimum
I don’t know the details on every line but no one (vendors) is going to throw their significant amount of money into a show where the main players are DE’s. Remember, YOU ARE THE TARGET AUDIENCE!!
Post your questions and I will answer them as best I can. This is not my show but I have a completely reliable source of info on this. Website and sign up info to come shortly.
Thank you SOOOOOOOOOO much for this information. Where would we be without this kind of insider and supportive grassroots? Cheers!
How would the vendors feel about home sewers who are willing to meet minimums? Too much trouble, or a few more sales?
Kay, if you make the minimum you make the minimum. Bring a credit card. Just say you do custom work and I think you will be cool. Nobody will be trying to hold down the amount of attendees!!
If nothing else let me know you are coming and I’ll get you a pass but I doubt you’ll have to do that.
Lauren – Agreed, I’m an envious Aussie too. Perhaps these types of fabric show will start up here too… please?
Hi I am so glad I found this on my MSN homepage fashion blogs ands sites. I am individual dressmaker and just making dresses for a short time 2yrs or so, I am male and I have always wanted to sew, so couple yrs ago I jumped and started out buying inexpensive machine, and some patterns and books etc, I fell in love with the feel of the fabric and how satisfied i feel when I take a flat piece of fabric and cut and sew and fit it and it comes out sexy or stylish, I am hooked, I only make women’s clothes because I think men’s clothing is too complicated, cuffs, collars, plackets, breast pockets, tto much for me, maybe someday. I like making things that will make a lady feel and look sexy and confident.
I am always looking for sources for reasonably priced dressmaking items, from fabric to zippers, to attachments like rhinestones and belts shiny stuff gems to make dress catch everyones eye.
So I am looking forward to attending this new show. You shoul dpost the customer service or owners email addresses so people could send notes to encourage them that this is sorely needed by the single designer or individual dressmaker or the person that has a 4 or 5 seamstress colthing business. I cannot afford or do I need 1000 or 3000 meters of one pattern or color fabric or 1 to 5 metric tons of fabric. I usually only buy 5 or 10 yds depending on price, zippers and other items in small quantities would work.
Please post addresses for people to send encouragement to vendors.
Thanks Doug
Foxy Fashions
great list…I’ll send a couple people from Corky…5 of our vendors are on this list. best of luck with the new show.
So great this show is happening! I do know that Carr Textiles will sell you a min. of 5 yards and up as a sample cut with a cutting room fee of $14 per cut. Once you hit somewhere between 60-100 yards I think that goes away (i.e. a full roll). Carr is a complete pleasure to work with, btw.
@Claudine: Continuing from where Jay left it, here’s the policies of some more of the suppliers listed regarding their minimums, as far as I know:
-Robert Kaufman: their minimum is 15 yards. You can order less for sampling at a surcharge
-Zinman Textiles: their minimum is 25 yards. They ship from Canada, so this may add a bit to shipping costs
-Dill Buttons of America: they sample by the tube, and different button styles come in different size tubes (anything from 12 to 40 buttons in a tube). So if you want to sample X style, you’ll have to order the whole tube this styles comes in – breaking the tube is not possible. They still price it at wholesale prices though, even if you order just one tube of one style, which makes it affordable
Hope this helps. All three of them have very nice local sales reps (I live in LA).
I met a few of the companies listed at the LA Textile Show back in October, and they all seemed quite welcoming to new DEs.
The show sounds like a very good initiative and I’m sure lots of DEs will find great resources through it!
Best of luck and I hope it’s so successful that you expand it to other cities and states!
I’d definitely attend if there was one in the LA/Greater LA area.
I’m not a DE but I am a fabricholic and this sounds like fun. Jay, you are a jewel!
Carr Textiles is a good one. I met with them at TexWorld this summer. I’ll be checking out the vendors on the list as I’m sure my brothers- and sister-in-law (-laws?) in NY would love to see their baby niece again!
This is brilliant! Wish such an event could be held in Vancouver.
This certainly got my attention. I recently moved away from the area but this sounds worth a special trip. I’ve marked the calendar. Thanks, Kathleen.
Boy, do I wish I lived in NY at least. I agree that’d it be cool if there was ever a west coast version.
Bit too far for me to travel,( this year at least!) but what a great opportunity for all DE’s who can make it.
As a home sewer with no time right now for sewing, this is not for me … but I did post to Facebook to help spread the word. I’d love to go, if only to look at the fabric — I live in a quality fabric desert.
Oh goody! Lead-free buttons in multiple sizes with low minimums. Could mean I go back into business. Well!!! (channeling Jack Benny)
I’ll be there. And, I’ll think of people to tell who aren’t on FI.
Marguerite
Just so you know this has gone viral, read about it in an independent designer group I’m in on facebook. Members are all over but quite a few are in nyc, myself included and I’ll definitely come by. When I’m attending a tradeshow I will browse companies based on fabric, so knowing who offers cotton, modal, tencel, silk… jersey, sateen, etc would help a lot.
Will alert several other DE’s who’ve been looking for stock/lower min programs as well.
If I hadn’t be living in the wrong part of the world I would certainly be attending! It sounds fantastic and I really wish I had been closer.
I am so new to all of this that I don’t even know who these companies are. But this sounds like a perfect way for me to learn a whole lot, really quickly, with some great mentors. We are in Ithaca, NY so while not exactly close, if anyone is driving in and needs a half-way house to/from the city, we have an lovely guest bedroom.
Hmm…would love to go and may well do so. Just went to a show in Vegas. I found that a lot of the vendors there were jobbers, which doesn’t usually work for me. Sounds like some of the vendors I already work with will be at this new show, which is great & more convenient location. Do you know if any vendor will offer knits – specifically baby rib or cotton interlock??
Exciting development!
Fantastic! please come to Canada and do this. Im in Calgary Alberta but I know many who would be willing to travel to Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal. We need this opportunity to come our way.
This is so exciting….don’t know if I’ll be able to make it, but will definitely promote it!
This sounds amazing!!! I live in NYC and even with all the resources I have in my backyard, I always find it difficult to source from reliable vendors and stay within low minimums – and I am especially interested in eco fabrics (hemp, bamboo, organic cotton, etc.)…does anyone know off-hand if any of these vendors carry these types of fabrics? or if there will be a group of vendors who specialize in eco-friendly fabrics and sustainable manufacturing practices?
This is really fantastic news! I want so much to be there. I don’t know who started this, how or why this is finally happening, but I am thrilled at the direction! Thank you, Jay and Kathleen for bring us the information.
Sounds like a great opportunity. I’m going to try to attend. Thank you for giving us this information!
OK, here are a few loose ends and answers to questions.
This weekend the show promoter is working on attendee promotional materials, email blasts, social media, including setting up a Facebook page for the show. I will let F-I know when this is done.
All in all, everything will be done over the weekend.
This should be a terrific show. F-I will be on the front line of all of the info.
Regarding Lesley’s question about jobbers. Most of the vendor’s signed up are mills, converters and importers. Fishman is a retail entity so acts somewhat like a jobber. Almost all of the rest have inventory continuity which is what really sets one apart from a jobber. The Las Vegas show attendees are 75% retailers.
Again, this show is targeting DE’s.
Susan (Mann) asks about the educational value of this kind of show. Kathleen can comment about the educational value of this kind of show. I would imagine that you would get quite an eyeful.
Layla, what design group picked up on this?
More to follow.
How do I become a vendor? We specialize in small businesses.
that is awesome news!
This sounds great – any chance of extending the hours to accomodate those of us w f/t jobs?
Such great news. I’m sure this has been a long time in the making. A really good sign for the future of the industry.
I think this is such an amazing idea!! I hope the show is a huge success and that they will consider doing one in Canada next year!!
How can a vendor register to exhibit?
No Sarah, I do not believe that the show hours can be extended as the contract with the facility locks the show into certain hours.
For those of you in other parts of the country (or the world), it would be several years before this kind of a show could replicate itself. There are all kind of people (including me) working on virtual showrooms but that is a very limiting manner in which to buy fabric.
I would love to go to this and I will definitely spread the word to anybody I know who might be interested. Thanks!
Awesome! I’ll spread the word as much as possible. Not sure if I’ll be able to attend, but I’ll certainly try.
Posted to Facebook for my NE friends.
Thanks so much Kathleen and Jay, I really want to go to this, will try my best. Also will contact some of the vendors I work with who aren’t on the list. Finding suppliers willing to work with me on low minimums was the ONE BIG THING that made my work possible. And be sure to thank those suppliers who were instrumental in your early success.
And I will add that Carr Textile has been great, will sell as little as 5 yards.
Very interesting, exciting and long overdue! Kudos to the brainchild!
This is fantastic, and I hope it is super succesful, so it happens yearly!!!!!
This has me excited, I’d love to go, But, I’m afraid to see how much plane fare is to fly almost across the crountry.
Celeste, From most major cities, flying to NYC is one of the cheapest airfares you can get. Hotels are another thing, but I think that time of year is the low season so it could be as affordable as NYC gets. One of my favorite travel tools is Kayak.com. Try it!
Thank-you for all your work.
To anyone who is interested in vending at the show. Please click on Jay’s name; the hyperlink will take you to his site and you can contact him there.
This is brilliant! I’ve already let several of my DE friends know about it and a bunch of us will be there.
Here we go.
Eco Fabrics will be represented by 3 or 4 vendors at this time. If you have not seen Kendor, you’ll flip!! One amazing line is considering the show and would be a great eco addition. Also faux fur and faux leather/suede in a big way. Carr has been mentioned a couple of times here. They have a terrific reputation and will give the show a superb bottom weight supplier.
I would really prefer a call since I have 15 teens sleeping at my house tonight and it isn’t like you have to worry about waking me. Maybe you can distract me from the debauchery for a few minutes.
The fact that I have teen daughters is the sure sign that there is a God and he/she is sure a trickster! Nice to know that my late parents are laughing their asses off right now!
OK, back to the show. Some nice vendors who will be selling the “guts” as Mrs. F-I says are coming in. Also, some very good consultant types and launch specialists will be their in an official or unofficial capacity.
More soon. Post questions and I will answer. Lots of info coming in.
I’ll be there. Thank you for posting Kathleen, and Jay. It sounds great. It will also be nice to put faces to some of the F-I names :)
This is a great idea! I’ll be sure to pass the word on
Any chance of getting Henry Bertrand interested?
Great concept. Can’t wait to get registered. Looking forward to meeting with new vendors.
I would sure love to attend a show like this in Tampa. I’ll pass along the information to my NYC friends.
Great idea! It would be fantastic to have something like that on the west coast, like Vancouver or Seattle!
I’m starting up a small outerwear fashion line in Rhode Island and god knows it is practically impossible to afford retail prices on fabrics for sampling let alone finished product. I’m going to post this on the URI Textile/Fashion Design Alumni page! I know I’m going to be there and at least 3 other designer friends I know wouldn’t miss it.
THANK YOU!! I hope this event makes it because it could help make my dream of building my own line a reality!
I’ve seen the term DE mentioned several times. What does it mean?
Thank you
It is an acronymn I coined in 1995. It means designer entrepreneur.
Drooling. Wish I lived closer to New York.
I’ll go. Sourcing fabrics for small businesses is amazingly hard in the NYC area… who’d have thunk it?
Just a few answers and comments.
Kata, the problem in NYC and in say Billings, MT is about the same. Most DE’s run to a retail store or an on line store to source fabrics. How do you know whether to go to Channel Fabrics (couple of thousand yard minimum) and say Style Crest (welcomes your business). So in New York you go to Mood or C and J and get a lousy deal and in Billings you go to Near Sea Naturals on line and end up in the same uncompetitive pile of poo poo!
Michelle, outerwear fabrics are one of the toughest things to source domestically. 25 years ago there were so many wool coating fabric producers that it would take you several days to shop say the wool and faux fur offerings shown in midtown Manhattan.
At the DGExpo, you will find faux furs, rain and stain repellent fabrics and technical fabrics that will make your outerwear offerings much more competitive. In addition, you will have a multitude of lining options that will enhance your outerwear offerings.
I will update the exhibitor list within the next day or so. Some cool stuff definitely coming into the show.
http://dgexpo.net/ this is where you can receive a bit of info on the show. You can also reach out to me and I will be glad to assist you.
Paul King from Kendor Textiles here , More from the Left Coast…
Good news there is a new show coming to Seattle in March 11-12th for the folks on this side..
http://spring2012site.eventbrite.com/ . We are excited to be boothing this show too!
Can’t wait for Jay’s tour of NYC…
This show sounds great, so helpful! Thanks!
Pleeeeease bring it to Australia!
Registration is now open.
Go to http://DGexpo.net
It all looks pretty straightforward.
Jay, are you sure that is the correct url? The page is completely written in Russian.
Oof, that was a quick hijacking. Five hours earlier, it was indeed a placeholder page for the DG Expo, with the click-and-email link pointing to “info” at the same domain, and a web link to click out of the site, which link did not automatically activate.
Thank you for this information –I am definitely going to try and get there! I’m not terribly far from NY (about 4 hours) and this looks worth the trip.
Try dgexpo.net
that site seems to be working
Apologies, I didn’t think that through before hitting ‘submit’. Please disregard the prior comment.
dot NET is the proper site, dot COM is the “hijacked” clone site!
(It’s been improved in the past five hours, too. No more Comic Sans font. ;) )
One thing I would ask for, somewhere on the site, is a gentle reminder of what sort of proof of ID/proof of business an attendee would need to bring. Those of us buying in small quantities are kinda new to that sort of thing.
Fantastic! I would love to attend. Thanks for the heads-up.
I fixed Jay’s link. The .com site isn’t a hijack; it’s been there for some time.
Comic Sans is still in evidence… it’s being used for the page title and emphasis in paragraph openers.
I have sent Jay and email and I am interested in being a vendor.
Harmony Art has specialized in supporting DEs since we launched in 2005. Our minimums have always been 50 yard rolls for wholesale and we have in the last 2 years also started a 5+ rebolted program (only available to businesses) as a result of the feedback we have gotten from DEs.
We do sell individual yardage through outlets like NearSea Naturals and I do not think our fabrics are poo poo…… we get lots of compliments and are working on adding even more exclusive design options for small businesses…. for prints and solids in organic knits and wovens.
We ALWAYS welcome feedback, suggestions, requests and look forward to supporting your businesses.
I thought I had the correct website address.
http://dgexpo.net/
Aside from Harmony, I have heard from a number of sustainable type makers so you eco designers should be able to do some productive shopping. I will be sure to post the document requirement, however, everyone using the Fashion-Incubator secret handshake will be admitted.
Oooh, I’m down in FL (Tampa area too), but I’d love to come. I use cotton/lycra knits and would love to see more options than what I’ve been able to find on my own.
This is an amazing idea! I wish had the time/money to attend. I will definitely try to go for the next one…..hopefully the first one will have much success.
This is exciting. it will be my first wholesale fabric show as a DE. Thank you!
I just want to reconfirm that the the entrance requirements will be close to none existant.
This may change in the future but we are just trying to get things rolling and rolling means
we need attendees. We are still a few days away before the promoter starts generating email
blasts to solicate attendees. There looks to be about 45 to 50 exhibitors signed up or
almost signed up.
Amanda….great looks at NOLA fashion week. U B rockin’
I will let people know about the show and will do my best to attend the show!!
I will let people know about the show, and also do my best to attend the show!!
This is great information as I have just started!!
I am very excited to attend! I’m very happy that so many valuable resources for DE will be under one roof! Many thanks to the organizers of this event!
This is a way good idea and a long await for DE, I was going to go to text world but I change and will go to this show, I have try over the years to get small minimum from most of those wholesales,
Thank you for the information Kathleen,
I am so there, and will drag as many costume people who want to go in on the road trip!
What a great idea. I will send to other designers and schools.
Sounds great. Making plans now to get there. Thanks!
I wlll def spread the word and attend!!! I am so excited to have this “under one roof”!!! Indie designers are a huge market! Thank you to the organizers and vendors of this event!!!
I’m definitely in! About bloody time someone did this … Yeah! Jay, are we going to need to watch out for you in NY?
This is an awesome opportunity for us beginning DEs to get started. I’m so excited to learn of this – especially since my daughter just moved to NYC and I now have a reason to visit.
You know Dana, you missed my wild days by about 25 years. A damn shame.
Youth is wasted on the young!
Actually, this is getting pretty exciting. It looks like a few people may show up!! Needless to say, a well attended show is a requirement for this show to be more than a one time shot.
I know we are all smart enough to meet all of the exhibitors. Lets also be smart enough to
invest in meeting each other.
We all owe a great debt to Kathleen. Stuff like this show would simply not happen if it were not for the community that Mrs. F-I has created. I have an idea about a gathering spot on Monday night. Details to follow.
I’m so excited for this! Thank you!
Yeay!! I am so looking forward to this event! Can’t wait to get lost in miles and miles of fabrics…also looking forward to meeting everyone here that I have only “read” about.
Huge Thanks for putting this together!
I am so excited for this, I’ve already told four of my friends and I’ll be organizing a roadtrip to go to this.
AWESOME!! FANTASTIC!!! BRILLIANT!!!! Count me in!! Jay, ur a ROCKSTAR!!! Stay FABULOUS!!!
wow! I’m certainly passing the word along!
As a start up clothing manufacturer in Rhode Island I will definitely take the drive to be there! I use vintage fabrics for many of my designs for the bright bold prints and patterns but also for the eco friendly recycling nature of vintage. I would love to venture out into organic and other environmentally sound new fabrics but have a hard time finding viable options that have color and are within my price point. This is so exciting that eco vendors will be there with their goods! I encourage more vendors with eco fabrics to attend as I feel that this is a big market for DE’s. So glad this event was brought to my attention. See you there!
Oooh La La, I will be there bright eyed and bushy tailed!
Oh and I just called six people to tell them to show up too!
I would love to attend and looking forward to getting more details.
Does anyone know if any of the exhibitors will have rayon/spandex jersey knits in prints? Debating whether it would be worth the trip from California. Or would it be better for me to go to the LA Intl Textile Show? Interested in your feedback.
Dana, lots of rayon spandex in stripe, thermal, rib, velour and more but I am not sure about prints in Rayon/Spandex jersey. There are a couple of jobbers showing the typically have a nice selection of higher end prints (London Textile and Fabric Mart). You never know what Elliot Beerman and Stylecrest will show up with. The list on the show website is not complete. I will try and pass more info on when I have some specifics.
Lorraine, go to http://DGexpo.net and drop the promoter a note with your specific questions.
Nicole, you are going to see an excellent assortment of products for the type of things that you are beginning to produce.
I just got back from vacation so I have to catch up on things. Some really cool organic cotton sateen printed and solid came in as well as tons of linings and basic satin, taffeta, and other MOB, Bridal etc. type materials. Also covered will be care labels, woven labels, size tags and other “guts” as Mrs. F-I would say. More info to follow.
Dana, if you are in CA, there is no downside to attending that one that I can see. It will help you develop relationships there where you need them. By all means go to the NY show if you have the means but I wouldn’t want you to think it is your only option. See this entry for links to reviews written by F-I members of the LA fabric shows.
Let me add something to Kathleen’s comment. After the NY show, there is certainly no reason that info about the show and various contact info cannot be shared. That’s what we are all doing here after all. Learning from each other and sharing our experiences. If it is at all possible, I will see to it that all the show literature is in Kathleen’s hands right after the show. I’m not discouraging you Dana, but I will see to it that F-I has the best info the fastest.
On the other hand, if you go to the show, you will see quite a few lines that do not show in LA.
It will be a winner either way.
I’m there!!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing! Would this be a good place to find printed nylon/spandex swimwear fabrics? (In small orders, less than 100 yards) Or does anyone have information on a better place to find these fabrics? I never seem to like the prints I find online available for wholesale orders. :/
Hello All!
I work for Symphony Fabrics which is one of the oldest names in the game :) I think this show is absolutely a great idea and we have been hearing more and more from our customers that smaller minimums are what is needed. At Symphony we have started a Over the Counter (OTC) program, which means smaller minimums on the basics. We are a New York company and trying to get this program off the ground.The quality of goods and service that has served Symphony since 1939 is something that you will find in this OTC Division.
I have read through a lot of the comments and for those of you that are in far and distant lands, firstly I am jealous, but secondly we can ship to you :) any fabric need that you might have in smaller quanities is something that I want to help you with.
We are looking to fulfill your needs and if you can not find what you are looking for via our website, I would love to speak with you about what you are looking for as many things are coming down the pipe for this OTC Division and I have great access to a sourcing network!
Again ANYTHING you are looking for I would love to be a helping hand!
I look forward to speaking with you all and good luck at the show for those going and participating!
Kristen at OTC Division
Is there an updated vendor list posted anywhere?
Jerry, the promoter of this show is so snowed under that an update isn’t likely in the immediate future. The response has been very good. Since this is a first time show and a first time promoter, things are running catch as catch can.
My guess is that the show will be full of vendors (you will see 40 to 50 lines) and full of buyers. 10 of the lines that I represent will be there corporately. I’ll carry in a couple of others. I’ll have samples from some really cool “little guys” like Cloud 9 Fabrics and Sommers (makes upscale faux leather). Folks like Oriole, W and W and several others are not on the list yet.
Kristen, if you need help getting signed up to exhibit at the show, let me know. I can get you space.
I hope that many of you read the following. YOU (and of course Kathleen) are the reason that this show is coming into existence. Independent Designer/DE is a viable area of fashion expression. It is also populated enough that folks like me a
Huge money goes into starting up a show. The person putting up this money isn’t stupid!! She threw huge money at the show so that she would get a return on investment. Since this is by no means a charity, exhibitors, seminars, attendees and mundane things like chairs, signing, lights, publicity and tables have to be delivered, paid for and managed. .
Laura, at least two of the companies have some form of swimwear but unquestionably, this is a difficult category.
I will be giving out Fashion Incubator ribbons so that we can all identify each other. Either that or us the secret hand shake.
I have several questions.
Very excited about coming if I can swing it.
First, are there any hotels nearby that will give a group rate discount?
Second, I am very interested in lightweight leather for clothing & handbags – will there be many leather companies?
Valerie,
Answers to your questions are on the forum.
I need some crepe wool fabrics and am having difficult sourcing good quality of the same. Will this show will be worthwhile for me to explore, as I live in Chicago. How do I go about getting information on it? Your help is much appreciated.
Aparna, it is beyond anyone to know this. You can try to figure this out by looking at the exhibitor’s list. If it were me and I needed fabric of any kind, I’d go. Even if what I wanted wasn’t there, people can make referrals if you ask. There will also be other stuff at the show.
Alternatively, you should call Jay, his name is a hyperlink just like yours. He’d know better than I would and, he’s from Chicago.
Yeah! I am glad I signed up for FI, in Las Vegas and excited to attend. Checking tickets now!
I am a small new designer in N. Texas. I too am having trouble getting wholesale fabric. They either are too high priced or they require a huge minimum. Are there hotels close to this event and does anyone know if they will be giving discount rates for this event. Also, how much will the admit fee be? Thanks
Really excited to see what the Expo has to offer! Any members producing bras? I’d love to meet with you.
From the post above: