USA -- In the world of fashion, competitive companies are still actively participating at fairs to meet new and existing partners. If there is one good thing that has come out of this still prevailing financial recession, it is distilling successful businesses from failing ones.

Many of those thriving companies were present at Fashion Access in Hong Kong. The 3-day fashion fair, best known internationally for bags and footwear, as well as unique lifestyle accessories and some clothing, brought together over 350 exhibitors from 25 countries and 4600 professional buyers from 58 countries to buy and sell high quality, well-designed fashion items.

Exciting news reported from the fair grounds is that buyers were active and returning customers had placed larger orders this year.

Buyer Vincent Perez of French retailer Jaqueline Riu,for example, with over 200 outlets in Europe, ordered over USD 750,000 worth of merchandise at Fashion Access. “I have placed provisional orders for 36,000 clutch bags from one supplier and 7,500 handbags from another, and just under 62,000 pairs of shoes…I like Fashion Access. It’s trendy and has very good product selection,” he noted.

“I am so glad that I made it to this event as one of my clients doubled their previous order with us”, said Filipino exhibitor Vicky Amalingan-Sales of S.C. Vizcarra, famous for its eco-approach basket weave bags made with leather and other natural materials.

Meanwhile, Bernard Bultemeier from first-time exhibiting company International Colours from South Africa noted Fashion Access as the “ideal platform” to launch its premium all-leather Jekyll & Hide branded goods to the world. At the fair to find worldwide distributors Bultemeier met a handful of potential distributors from Southern Europe, Turkey, Canada, India, Singapore and Hong Kong - and that’s only on opening day.

Compared to last October, this year the fair saw an expanded footwear sector from Hong Kong, 60 new exhibitors and increased buyer participation from Argentina, Egypt, Germany and Malaysia. Fashion Access also unveiled a new area dedicated to high-fashion, eco-friendly products and a new Korean Pavilion.

“I am very happy to meet such a diverse range of buyers,” exclaimed returning footwear exhibitor Rachal Man, Creative Director of Hong Kong-based Pink Philosophy who received inquiries from Japan, Greece, Turkey, Poland, Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. “I am also quite excited that my brand is generating interest from a new generation of buyers - an online retailer from Shanghai.”

Korean exhibitor Dohue concurred, and was pleased with the number of Japanese buyers interested in their range of Korean-designed, Chinese-manufactured handbags and footwear.“Over 60% of inquires come from Japan, and our aim at Fashion Access was to find international buyers,” said Sueng Hwan Lee, the company’s Senior Director.

Shedding light on Japan’s strong visitor participation at Fashion Access, a buyer from trendy Japanese multi-brand retailer Nano Universe said: “I found more than 10 new suppliers at Fashion Access.I am satisfied with my visit as I found decent suppliers, ideal prices and good delivery of products from order.”

Exhibitors greeted a number of important names in fashion on an international scale, including Spanish retail giants Cortefiel Commercial and Mexican chain store CLOE., Established Hong Kong and China retailer Veeko placed a sample enquiry with Cristofoli, the Brazilian footwear exhibitor said. Cristofoli, whose aim is to expand into large Asian markets considers Fashion Access as a ‘must-attend event’ if they are to succeed in Asia – and China in particular.

Fashion Access is particularly strong for bags and footwear, although the organisers continue to expand in other categories. Senior event manager Perrine Ardouin said: “Fashion Access is ready to welcome a larger scope of products to further strengthen the fair’s ‘Total Look’ offer. Step by step we are growing to meet all the needs of fashion professionals. The fair is moving up in the fashion world”.

Said buyer Brigitte Almond from Australian fashion accessories brand, Condura: “We are very happy with the range and diversity and are pleased to have found quite a number of good exhibitors at the fair”.

“Fashion Access is on my schedule every year. I like its range of good quality products and reliable suppliers. I can find nice and elegant handbags and designs,” noted Italian buyer Alessandro Maroni from Principe Spa.
 
APLF Limited