Retailers Name Pure Best Exhibition

Strong spring 04 collections, a bout of glorious weather and good sell-throughs produced a buoyant mood among buyers at Pure last week. Some claimed it was the best Pure in its six-year history.

Pure has a creative edge that is unmatched by other trade fairs. Many exhibitors produce contemporary and wearable clothes, making it a great scouting ground for the adventurous boutique buyer. More independent buyers than ever before have added Pure to their shopping list for spring 04, indicative of the mood for stores to offer something different to their customer.

Independents need to stay ahead of the high street and Pure provides the perfect atmosphere for finding a new profile of brands. With George at Asda bringing in a premium-priced range and the high street copying catwalk collections within days of release, independents must gear their buying in a more directional fashion in order to stay competitive.