MAGIC adding a touch for kids

Bob Shemeligian

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997 | 10:08 a.m.

America's clothing exhibitors and retailers are very serious about kid stuff.

At this week's Men's Apparel Guild in California (MAGIC) convention at the Las Vegas Hilton and the Convention Center, everything from children's casual wear to formal attire is taking center stage.

Boys wear has been a part of MAGIC since the show's inception in 1933, but the recent acquisition of the Children's Trade Expo means that this year all types of children's clothing and accessories are being exhibited.

The annual show, considered the largest apparel exhibition in the world, is closed to the public, but industry professionals who attend are seeing fashions that should make it to store shelves by next spring.

This week the "MAGIC Kids" portion of the show is featured before an estimated 70,000 industry experts and guests.

Indeed, the company names of the exhibitors are just as bold as many of the patterns and colors in the clothing. They include Kidz Rule, Lil' Jealous by Kathy of California, Little Flirt, Mischief Makers and Mello Smello.

But, other exhibitors, such as wholesaler Baby Lulu, opted for more of a traditional approach.

The Los Angeles manufacturer offers Victorian swing coats, Mary Jane dresses, Cardigans and jumpers, many with rich, colorful flowered patterns.

"We're the high end of the authentic antique print label, and we're growing 70 percent a year," company spokesman Jeff Smith said. "A lot of people want the fresh face look for their children."

Other customers opt for a satisfied and silent look on the faces of their children.

That's why Vision Products offers sandals, jelly shoes and other children's accessories that sell for under $10.

"Some call them, 'shut me up items,'" joked Robert Shiff of Vision. "There's a scream factor when you shop with children, and they know what they want. If an item is $20, you might not buy it. But if the child wants it and it's $4.95 ..."

Another clothing manufacturer that markets directly to children's tastes is Shaw Creations in Edison, N.J., the largest umbrella manufacturer since 1946.

While umbrellas for adults are not considered to be a hot market right now -- the children's market is something entirely different.

Debra Martowlis of Shaw explained that the kids love the colorful plastic umbrellas with handles shaped like their favorite cartoon characters, and parents love the prices, which range between $5 and $10.

"Kids see them and they want them, and the parents want to buy them for them," Martowlis said.

Dawn Rosone of U.S. Wear agrees.

"Kids have their own opinion about what they want to wear," she said. "It's not like it used to be."

Indeed, U.S. Wear offers everything for little girls from sportswear to -- lingeries?

"Kids see what their parents wear, and little girls want to look like their mothers," said Ira Glasser, president of the New York-based company.

With Glasser and Rosone was Brooke Ellison, an 8-year-old blue-eyed, blonde model, who, when asked about her favorite outfit, immediately pointed to a hot pink, two-piece belted halter outfit on display.

While most of the children's styles are colorful and bold, men's fashions are more subdued.

Western and casual styles are well represented this year by such notable names as Tony Lama, the El Paso, Texas, boot manufacturer, and Field & Stream, which offers everything from fishing vests to "authentic outdoor watches."

The watches, which sell for $50 to $150, are actually produced by Suntime International of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for Field & Stream, and representative Thomas Clarkson notes they are the hottest thing right now on the pro golf tour.

"These guys can afford Rolexes, but they love the Field & Stream watches," Clarkson said. "Our watches have a performance and functional feel to them."

Speaking of a functional feel, men's lounge wear is hot right now, according to Don Hubbuch of Nap.

The New York City-based manufacturer distributes loose-fitting cotton ensembles that can be worn around the house.

The idea, Hubbuch says, is to make the lounge wear comfortable enough to sleep in, yet fashionable enough to be worn during a quick ride to the grocery store.

"Five or six years ago, there were few lounge wear manufacturers, but since then the industry has exploded," Hubbuch said. "There are younger, more fashion conscious customers who don't want to wear pajamas and housecoats."

Annual sales by Nap is nearly $15 million each year, Hubbuch said. At prices that range from the teens to the mid 20s for each piece, that translates to hundreds of thousands of ensembles being sold each year.

Another successful exhibitor is TSR, a division of Capital Mercury Apparel, that manufactures stylish and affordable clothing that's not quite dressy, and a little better than casual.

"We call it 'third wardrobe,' or 'social casual,'" said Susan Klapkin, national sales manager. "You have dress up and casual. This is something in between."

Stylishly patterned jacquard or chenille sweaters by TSR that sell for under $100 can be worn either with dress slacks or denim, Klapkin explained.

The sweaters can be worn, she said, at Monday's early morning business meeting as well as on dress-down Friday.

One manufacturer who wouldn't be caught dead in denim is Norman Berle of Berle's, the Charleston, S.C., manufacturer of tailored slacks.

"I think the dress-down look has peaked in corporate America," Berle said. "We find that people are beginning to dress up more."

After all, Berle noted, there's nothing like a pair of traditional herring bone-patterned woolen slacks when it comes to making a good impression at the office.

"It's a look that's here to stay," Berle said.