accessories the show

On Tuesday, I hopped a bus to New York City to check out Accessories the Show.  The New York version of Accessories  (there’s also one in Vegas) takes place at the Javits Center – home to many a trade show.  Accessories the Show is actually one part of a bigger show that includes Fame and Moda.  And my apologies to all you home decor designers and stationary makers, but Accessories is a fashion trade show – focusing on, well, accessories.  Jewelry, bags, hats, scarves – you get the idea.

Pros:  I was there on the first morning, and there did seem to be a decent amount of foot traffic.  It looked like buyers were buying.  I would have to say that the side of the show closer to Fame (which focuses on fashion for “juniors and young contemporaries”) seemed to be where the action is (probably because Fame, with its trendy, adorable clothes and upbeat music, was where the action is.)

Cons: I didn’t see a single booth in Accessories that looked like the products were “handmade.”  Lots of stuff mass produced overseas, though there were some booths with goods that appeared to be more quality, American made.  Because its a “fashion” show, it looked like price points were fairly low.  This is not a show if you’re making higher-priced art jewelry.

Would I recommend the show: It depends.  If you’re making work that can fit into that lower price point, it might be worth it.  If people usually ask you why your products cost so much, you should probably stay away.  And if you make cute, trendy tees, or other wearables, I would certainly check out Fame.

Oh, and Designers & Agents.  10 booths in a loft in Chelsea.  (I think there are more booths somewhere else, but I couldn’t figure out where, and was too cold to try and hunt them down.)  From what I did see, it was a nice grouping of work, most likely with a slightly higher price point.  I’m just not sure how many buyers it attracts.  I didn’t see many when we were there.  (To be fair, there could be a lot more going on at D&A that we missed by only going to one building, but I have to wonder about the success of such a spread out show that doesn’t bother to direct you to other buildings.) Have experience buying or selling at D&A – I’d love to hear your thoughts!