Optimistic mood at Moda

During the spring fair of Moda in Birmingham earlier this month, buyers and exhibitors were in an optimistic mood. The fashion fair attracted a record number of first-day visitors, on a whole attendance was up by two per cent in comparison to last year.

“Retailers are a lot more positive this season. They are doing better than expected, and they are ready to buy again into the ranges” said Michael Black, agent for Libra. “We wrote some good orders, especially from new customers which was great. It was good to be back.”

Buyers from department stores including Harrods, Fenwicks, Allders, Arnotts and Debenhams attended the event, as well as independents including Psyche in Middlesbrough and Alizari in Chester, plus online retailers ASOS and Children’s Salon. The show August show received 25 per cent more brands than in August 2008.

Robert Burgess, agent for Claudio Campione said: “We enjoyed a very successful return to Moda Menswear, picking up a number of new accounts and re-establishing contacts with several others.” But he added that buyers were being more cautious. “In difficult trading conditions on the high street, buyers are playing it safe. However they have been impressed by the quality and price of the collection and even more impressed with the colour and vibrancy of the spring Range.”

Moda Footwear featured new brands including first-time exhibitors Fly London, Feud, Firetrap and Strutt Couture. “Moda Footwear is a growing show which is encouraging more premium-placed brands,” commented Strutt co-founder and designer Ian O’Connor. The August edition also offered a new swimwear catwalk show as well as its regular menswear and womenswear catwalk show and a seminar programme giving retailers and brands expert advice on how to trade successfully through the current downturn.

Event director Sarah Moody said: “The attendance overall is up on last year and the quality of visitors has been very high. The new initiatives we introduced to the show this season have been very well received and feedback from exhibitors has been incredibly positive. We are pleased that Moda August 2009 has enjoyed such a positive result despite the difficult economic environment and that many retailers are looking ahead with cautious optimism.”

Next season’s Moda takes place on 21-23 February 2010 at the NEC in Birmingham.

Image: Moda August 2009