Our Spring and Summer Style Finds
Our spring/summer buying trip last week in Las Vegas was a huge success! This particular show features thousands of vendors showing their collections over a three-day period, making it one of the largest retail fashion venues in the U.S.
Like everything in Vegas, this market is over the top! Miles of clothing, accessories, and even a few celebrity appearances inspired us to find the best pieces we could.
Our goals for all of our buying trips are the same: learn what the latest trends are, connect with brands our customers know and want, and find the hidden gems that offer something unique and special that aligns with our aesthetic vision. This may not sound like a tall order, but it’s definitely a challenge to accomplish these things in such an overwhelming and overstimulating environment!
We found several spring and summer trends among the racks of clothing stretching to the horizon. Many designers referenced the nineties in their collections. Higher waisted denim with a straight or flare hem in light washes were everywhere. This style calls to mind the days before low-rise skinny jeans became the mandatory style. Other late 80s/early 90s throwbacks included puffy sleeves, boxy blazers, romantic floral prints (remember Outback Red?), and colorblocked minimalism (it calls to mind Robert Palmer’s “Some Like it Hot” video).
Bright, happy colors were everywhere, even featured in leather! The color of choice for the season seems to be orange. Think of soft peach, terra cotta, and coral, instead of construction-site orange. Many designers also emphasized sustainability by creating clothing from recycled materials or using fewer resources in the manufacturing process.
Whenever we get to visit some of the vendors we’ve carried for a long time, it’s like seeing old friends. We look forward to catching up and checking out the upcoming styles for the season. Over the next few months, The James will be receiving new inventory from old favorites like 525 America, DL1961, Liverpool, Elan, and many other standbys. Buying new inventory from brands we’ve carried allows us to refine our selections using our clients’ feedback.
When we go to trade shows, we love introducing ourselves to vendors and bringing their lines into our store. One of the new lines we’re excited to introduce this spring is Susana Monaco. Susana Monaco is known for high-quality dresses and separates in flattering silhouettes and colors. It’s no wonder they have a cult following! We are the only local store to carry Susana Monaco, so be sure to check it out! We have some other hot brands in the pipeline as well, so stay tuned for more information.
In addition to carrying clothing from recognizable brand names, we like to seek out smaller labels. They may not have name recognition, but they offer beautiful clothing that isn’t available at every store in town. This is the most rewarding part of buying for a boutique—connecting our clients with something new. We have several of these lines hitting our stores in the coming weeks, and we look forward to sharing them with you!
Spring is an exciting time at The James! Because we look forward to sun, fun, and warmth on the waning days of winter, there’s so much anticipation to see the clothes and accessories for those brighter days. Come in and check out what’s new and keep coming back to see as spring unfolds.