AmericasMart Steps Hard on Dallas' Feet

On May 2, AmericasMart Atlanta moved the dates of its August show, Atlanta Women's Apparel/Accessories Markets, featuring prom, bridal and special occasion dresses and accessories, from earlier in the month to Aug. 18–21.

The new dates landed right on top of Dallas Market Center's Prom, Quinceañera & Special Occasion market, scheduled Aug. 19–22, putting manufacturers, manufacturers' representatives and retailers — as well as the center itself — in a difficult position.

"Atlanta is showing a lack of respect for the manufacturers, retailers and other markets that have tried to work cooperatively to avoid conflicts," said Cindy Morris, chief operating officer of Dallas Market Center. "A market date change three months out is reckless and irresponsible in our opinion."

Manufacturers who exhibit at both markets will now have to skip one of the markets altogether, or decide how to split up their staff and product samples. Often, staff is limited and only one sample of each product is made and used at both shows.

Representatives who work for either location also face losing buyers. Retailers typically go to both markets, but now will have to choose between the two.

Twice a year, and a year in advance of their markets, executives from the major merchandise marts in Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles meet in New York to collaborate on their calendars. The aim is to avoid overlap in markets that feature the same products.

Morris said, "When L.A. and Atlanta overlap there are no issues," because they represent different market segments. But Dallas and Atlanta compete for the prom market, making the date change troubling for Dallas.

Alan Sealove, president of the New York Fashion Council, which hosts the calendar meetings, said, "We set dates, and we try to do it for the industry so we don't have conflicts. When I heard Atlanta changed their dates, I sent an e-mail representing the council and told them I was quite livid."

According to Sealove, Atlanta gave various reasons for the date change, including lack of hotel space during the original dates and stores in the region asking for dates later in the month.

Representatives of AmericasMart in Atlanta would not comment. However, in a May 9 press release CEO Jeffrey L. Portman stated: "We're not going to sacrifice our August market by adopting dates that are incompatible with the changing requirements of our exhibitor and buyer customers. A majority of customers acknowledged that the previous August dates were too early for their lines and they needed at least 10 more days to be ready for market."

Sealove, who's also CEO of the company that makes day and evening wear lines Victoria Royal and Mary Bays, wasn't persuaded by Portman's reasoning. "I think it's rude, insensitive and an insult to the industry to do what they've done," he said.

Brad Hughes leases 10,000 square feet of permanent showroom space at the Dallas Market Center. The owner of Brad Hughes and Associates represents 40 lines at five markets a year at the facility, including the prom markets.

"By having the markets on top of each other, basically everyone loses," Hughes said. "Seventy-five percent of the labels I represent also show in Atlanta."

As a result, Hughes said he could potentially lose some of his lines in Dallas to Atlanta, where different reps work for the manufacturers.

Buyers, he said, would go where the most labels are, and he thinks that will be Dallas.

"My manufacturers want to stay here," Hughes added. "They always do well in Dallas, and they are not going to miss this party."

Stephen Lang, CEO of Mon Cheri, a special occasion and bridal wear manufacturer, disagreed, saying Dallas would probably be the one losing out, because Atlanta was more established in the prom market.

Lang has showroom space in AmericasMart and the Dallas Market Center, but said he does three times more business in Atlanta. "Last year I did $2 million in Atlanta in two-and-a-half days," he said. "In Dallas I did between $600,000 and $700,000."

Even so, he wasn't pleased Atlanta changed its dates. "It affects me enormously," he added. "It's hard to have staff in two places at the same time."

Lang said he recently hired pageant and prom designer Tony Bowls, a major draw for retailers. "When they come to the showroom they want to see him," Lang added. But Bowls, who has made a number of dresses for the Miss America and Miss USA pageants, will only be at the Atlanta market in August.

Lang said a number of other manufacturers have contacted him and expressed their displeasure with the date change, but even after calling and e-mailing AmericasMart numerous times to pass on their concerns, he has not received a response.

"Their whole attitude is, take it or leave it," he added. "The top 10 to 15 manufacturers are planning on meeting about this."

According to Lang, the problem could be solved easily: "The majors could get together and say, 'Let's switch the prom market to somewhere else other than Atlanta.' It could be in Dallas or even Chicago, where it used to be. They would love to have it back."

Companies like Tadashi, which makes a special occasion evening wear line that sells at Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, are a rarity. "Luckily, we have two lines, and we have enough people so we're able to split everything up," said John Holland, a Los Angeles-based sales executive for the company.

He feels others' pain though. "I know it's going to be a problem for most manufacturers," he added.

Hughes said the future of the AmericasMart Atlanta and Dallas Market Center prom markets is uncertain at best.

"Dallas and Atlanta are both good markets," he added. "Everyone in the industry needs both markets to be successful. Business is great, but every day is a battle."

Lang believes Atlanta's motive in changing the dates was pretty clear. "It's a blatant move to take control of the (prom and special occasion) market, period," he said.