GOTSTYLE Blog

Read Melissa’s NYC Buying Trip for Fall 2010: Day 1

Woke up to a beautiful Spring day in New York – I have attended market in NYC every January for the past 15 years (before as a wholesaler, now as a buyer) and I have never seen weather like this! Usually we’re snowed in or it’s at least super cold, today I was wearing a blazer with no coat. Figured it was a sign that I should enjoy the day and do “research” instead, so the day started with brunch with the girls at a place called Public. It was the first time I have ever seen a caesar (the drink, not the salad) on the menu in New York, and they had an amazing dish called “turkish eggs”. YUM!

Walking around the city, I checked out the menswear stores (and maybe a few ladies shoe stores that had some crazy sales – 70% off Marc Jacobs boots!!).

It’s amazing what a great mood everyone is in when it’s nice out in January. Of course all this walking and shopping made us hungry. For dinner we headed to Staton Social in the Lower East Side, and all I can say is that each bite of food was an explosion of heaven in my mouth. At the end of the night we ended up in some tiny underground club that was also home to some interesting art installations, and they played some great 80’s retro tunes (that I don’t understand how all these kids know all the words to!). One thing I noticed is that the crowd wasn’t hipster, but they were all very well dressed, without the baggy jeans or sloppy t-shirts or shirts. All the guys were wearing cool knits pieces, slim fit shirts or shawl collared sweaters with dark denim or slim fit chinos.

Read Melissa’s NYC Buying Trip for Fall 2010: Day 3

Read Melissa’s NYC Buying Trip for Fall 2010: Day 1 Day 2

Time to hit the shows! The first one was the ENK NYC show that was in a cool venue that, back in the day (way back), used to be a well known underground nightclub called the tunnel. Heard some stories of what used to happen in the rooms from the sales reps, who used to go there underage 20 years ago!

Found a few great new lines amongst the 110 brands that were showing there:

The Company of We, a collection by two young guys who want to offer fashionable, well priced clothing for fashionistas that can’t afford it. They originally started on-line but generated so much buzz that they expanding their collection internationally. We are very excited to have this line in for Fall 2010. The styling is amazing (softly pleated pants with a ribbed bottom, double layered sportcoats) but with prices that will allow you to be a fashion leader without breaking the bank (plus, the collection starts at size XS). Check out an article and slideshow on the NY Mag on The Company of We.

Tailor Vintage is the perfect washed down, comfortable clothing to wear on the weekend. Love the reversible patchwork chinos (the new walk of shame pants!). Picked up a hot new line of bracelets from M. Cohen (the sexy designer helped sell me on it!) that are all hand made and will be coming in for Spring.

Also connected with Rory from Sharps Barber (who happens to be a Canadian and also from the Maritimes!) so we will be bringing the product line into the store for Spring. See their website here.

I wandered the show for a few more hours, it’s always about finding the next big brand or cool items for my customers.

After the trade show ended, ENK was having a party at this new venue called Spin NYC – it’s a hipster ping pong hall (co-owned by Susan Sarandon) that has bleachers, drinks, food, great music and about a dozen ping pong tables!  By the way, Susan is my personal hero, she is 60-something years old and is dating the the other owner of Spin who is 31!!

At the end of the night, me and my girls bar hopped to each of the Thompson Hotels(left) – can’t wait for them to open in T.O.!
Ended up having omelets and frites at 4am at Pastis (right).

Keep an eye out for Day 4, out next week! You can also see Melissa’s tweets while on her buying trip on our Twitter page.

Customers are always asking about the merchandise in the store – do we get to send the product back at the end of the season? (I wish… once we buy it, we own it until it sells), do designers just send us product? (no, I personally buy everything in the store, at any given time we have over 3,000 units or half a million dollars worth of inventory on the floor – it’s enough to give you the cold sweats at night!)

So how do you make sure you are buying properly? Research, analysis, research and a little guess work! We definitely buy with certain customers in mind and also with a vision of how we want our guys to look (edgy sophisticated) and for their lifestyle needs (casual, social, casual business and formal business). Then we add in accessories, shoes and grooming.

I started my buying for Fall 2010 with the trade shows in New York – there were four different shows going on and I also had some showroom appointments.

Landed in Newark on Friday, decided to take the train in and save myself the $60 cab fare. Surprise, surprise that I did not get lost (people who know me know that I still get lost in Toronto!). I did however write down the wrong address for my first appointment at Jack Spade. I have always loved their ladies bags and have been keeping an eye on their menswear collection, so I was very excited when I heard that they had launched a men sportswear and suiting collection as well. The collection is a cross between Paul Smith and J. Crew – preppy with an attitude!

My next appointment I arrived at the address to find a butcher shop, cursing that I had again wrote down the wrong address, only to find that it was one of those hipster showrooms with no sign and I had to go through the red door. I saw the Howe collection, and was happy to see that they are doing their funky blazers again and reconstructed sweatshirts. I also picked up a wicked new basic line for immediates – all in bamboo fabrics in rich colors tones.

Finished for day 1 – went to the new Standard Hotel in the meat packing district for dinner and drinks… saw A-Rod and some of New York Yankees having dinner there as well.

Read Melissa’s NYC Buying Trip for Fall 2010: Day 2