The highlights from Curve L.A.’s first two-day show
The inaugural Curve Los Angeles trade show was held at the Westdrift Hotel earlier this year, bringing 60 curated lingerie, intimates, swim and sportswear brands to mix and mingle with buyers, press and industry influencers.
Fresh off Curve New York, the largest lingerie show in North America, CEO Raphael Camp said that the show was “designed to be more intimate, like the intimate apparel industry itself, with abundant opportunities to network and socialize in a meaningful way.”
At Curve Los Angeles, the first two-day Los Angeles show that Eurovet Americas has produced, Curve partnered with local and national intimate brands to share what’s new and next, including athleisure, body positive and sustainable labels, as well as shapewear and muscle-enhancing garments.
“A major focus of the L.A. show is supporting retailers with education — everything to support a store owner’s business while introducing them to key brands,” Camp said.
Featured workshops included a seminar on “The Right Stuff: What to Buy, When to Buy It and How to Maximize Your Lingerie Store Sales” with Lynn Switonowski and “Your Values Are Your Brand,” a public relations and in-store activation workshop with Marcy Clark.
“Curve Los Angeles was a perfect complement to the sunshine, fun and glamour that California is known for,” said Kirsten Griffin, director of visitor relations for Curve. “The show at the modern, light-filled Westdrift Hotel featured indoor and outdoor programming, including morning yoga, three meals a day, cocktails, live music and a paella party in the evening, educational opportunities for retailers and more.”
The Los Angeles show offered a chance to mix and mingle in a playground of celebrities and fitness fanatics. According to NPD, over the last year, sports bras have grown four times faster in the Los Angeles area than in the New York City area, making Los Angeles and the West Coast a major economic force in athleisure. Los Angeles is home to some of the most elegant and high end lingerie retailers in the country, from Luxe Lingerie in Beverly Hills to A Perfect Fit in Tustin. Key trends and themes explored at the show included body and size inclusivity, fabric innovations, storytelling and versatility. Hybrid designs in categories such as “innerwear as outerwear,” “festival wear” or the growing “loungewear-meets-sleepwear” segment were plentiful.
Support & Shape for All Sizes
“Size inclusivity is a requirement for brands to succeed in the intimate industry,” Camp said. “Exciting brands are innovating at both sides of the spectrum, expanding the glamour and refinement available in larger sizes as well as the nuances of style in petite-focused brands.”
Elila, recognized for producing solution-driven garments for the plus-sized, full-figured and full-busted woman with unparalleled support, continued to expand its offerings. The brand now carries “O” cups, effectively providing the most comprehensive lingerie sizing range in the market. Among its recent launches is its sexy tanga style, which goes up to a true 5X.
Leonisa is another brand that opened accounts at Curve with stores that plan to carry shapewear for the first time. Natori also received an enthusiastic response to its Avail convertible lace plunge bra, which has a double-lined, buttery fabric band and supports up to an H cup.
Organic, Sustainable & Natural Fibers
Sustainability continues to be a major talking point for the last few seasons, with retailers and their customers keen to hear about the industry’s overall environmental impact. Exhibiting brands are making a variety of changes in the manufacturing of their garments, including where fabrics are being sourced, reducing the amount of water used, producing locally, changing packaging to have less or no plastic, creating garments in safe working environments and using recycled and eco-friendly goods.
At Curve L.A., Hanro stood out as a sustainability leader. The brand continued to focus on natural fabrics, expanding with Lyocell for its Natural Comfort collection. San Francisco-based sleepwear and loungewear brand Karen Luu also featured an organic cotton lounge/lifestyle collection.
High Performance
High Performing Fabrics are an exciting growing segment of the market. Wacoal introduced an exciting “Keep Your Cool” capsule collection, which launched at the end of April, that includes an underwire bra, tank, three panties and shapewear. The lightweight, breathable and cooling fabric is designed for women in warmer climates or who experience body temperature shifts during menopause.
What’s Old Is New
Many brands found success with classical glamour and by returning to their roots. Simone Pérèle, for example, showed its Orphée collection, featuring beautiful circular hardware that was seen on its collections in the 1970s. Journelle, known for its elegant, classy aesthetic, was a huge hit at the show with their silk sets and classic garters.
Elevating the Everyday
Maison Lejaby got a rave reaction for its “no bra” concept, which features sexy, see-through mesh, a daring take on a basic cut.
Another crowd favorite was Clo Intimo, which introduced an “Abierto” boudoir line with criss cross lace elements in front and back to facilitate peekaboo styling. The looks can conceal or reveal depending on how they are worn. The collection channels the current bondage trend in a comfortable lace that can be worn everyday.
For more information on the Curve Expos, visit curve-newyork.com. As of press time, Curve New York is scheduled for August 2 through 4.
