Fresh from fashion week, better boutique and department store buyers gathered at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City for ENK Coterie, Sole Commerce and TMRW this week. The global trade fair showcased ready-to-wear brands such as Alice + Olivia, Erin Fetherston and Ted Baker (which is in the midst of a North American expansion) with leading accessory and footwear brands including Steve Madden, Vince Camuto and Pour La Victoire.
Footwear was fully integrated with apparel, a change from the February edition. “The show is not a primary footwear show for buyers, it’s secondary, but we’re offering buyers a well-edited selection of the most in-demand shoe brands to coordinate with their apparel orders,” President of ENK Footwear Group David Kahan explained. “A lot of business happens here. A lot of orders are being written,” he added.
For many, the show was a unique opportunity to check out lines from the likes of See by Chloe and United Nude, the latter which brought its avant-garde styles to Coterie for the first time. Other first-time exhibitors included Tommy Hilfiger and designer Alejandro Ingelmo’s diffusion line, Ingelmo. The collection’s futuristic materials and intense metallic colors fell in line with the number of metallic footwear seen on the show floor. London-based Miista captured the look with crystal heels and holographic silvers, while DKNY and Donald J Pliner took a more traditional turn with metallic flats and strappy sandals.
For a softer, less edgy look, brands offered pastels in a range of forms, from Jorge Bischoff’s peep-toe patent pumps to Australia Luxe Collective’s expanded spring line of pretty mint sandals. Designers took a tropical turn with vibrant exotic florals and beading, including Bettye Muller with a standout floral wedge that beckoned the tropics.
