ATLANTA — Specialty store retailers shopping the Atlanta Apparel Market last week projected a robust 2017 after ending 2016 with increased sales.
The show, held at the Atlanta Apparel Mart for four days ended Sunday, “started out with a bang and finished strong,” said Mary Sullivan, senior vice president, leasing, AmericasMart. “There’s a lot of positive energy going into 2017.”
Permanent showrooms reported a record number of appointments and buyers with strong open-to-buys, she added.
Charlie Brown, president of Karlie, said, “Buyers are buying deeper into their better selling lines, and they’re testing new lines.” He added that the show was steady and strong.
Caron Stover, vice president of apparel trade show sales at AmericasMart, said the temporary showroom area was up 17 percent over the show a year ago and that 26 percent of the increase came from new companies. The Mart expanded temporary exhibitors, mostly young contemporary, onto the fifth floor, adding 7,000 square feet of space. The Mart opened three new showrooms and had three showroom expansions.
Buyers focused on summer, but a few also bought fall.
“There are a lot of the same trends from last year,” said Morgan Ramage, fashion manager at AmericasMart. Key trends, she said, include stripes and florals,
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