Top Eastern fashions hit Las Vegas MAGIC clothes show

Everything in Las Vegas is glitzy and gargantuan, and February’s MAGIC clothing tradeshow was no exception. Thousands of exhibitors filled up two convention centers with clothes and accessories -- and I was among the 100,000 over-stimulated attendees stumbling from booth to booth. Here are my favorite new items from the Asian fashion companies I met at MAGIC.

China: Accessorized

Accessorized’s Frank Bechstein worked in Germany’s garment industry for 20 years, then moved his family and business to Guangzhou “because the prices are lower and the system is more open. To survive and do business, you have to be in China.” Every season, Accessorized produces several “color concepts” -- clothes and accessories with a unified color scheme and look -- that retail in Europe at H&M and Zara. “The biggest challenge is coordinating with different factories in China. I have to be sure the fabrics match and the pieces are delivered in time. That’s why it’s important to build long-term relationships with the factories.”

Fashion highlights: White and pink floral prints paired with straw hats; summery blue tie-dyes.

Hong Kong: H.O.U. (Habit of Urban)

After graduating from Vancouver’s Emily Carr School of Design, Maggie Hou started up H.O.U. (Habit of Urban) in Hong Kong last year. “I travel a lot, and I wanted to design clothes that save space and make economical sense,” she says enthusiastically. All her designs can be flipped, or worn in multiple ways: turn a jacket inside out and it becomes a different color; tie up a pant leg and you’ve got a new style. Hou says, “I want my clients to play around with our products and let their creativity flow.”

Fashion highlights: Short skirts with buttons on both sides. Wear the grey side for work, then turn it inside out and it becomes bright blue for play.

Japan: CLVR hats

Mad hatter Toshi Ogata is the manager of River Up, which represents high-end Japanese hat company CLVR. He praises the designer Kano: “She has a devoted following. Her styles are entirely designed, cut and sewn in Japan for the best quality.” The line is doing well in the United States, where it’s sold at United Arrows and Fred Segal.

Fashion highlights: Fedoras made of woven cotton and slouchy rimmed hats, which can be bent into new shapes.

Japan: Shigoto Fashion

When Jasper Momma moved to Japan, he was inspired by the balloon-legged tobi pants worn by construction workers. “Shigoto Fashion takes a high-end approach to traditional Japanese work clothes,” he explains. The satiny fabric is sourced and stitched in Japan, and Momma is preparing to debut his line in New York City.

Fashion highlights: The designer added rubber soles to ninja-like tabi shoes for durability.

Japan: Evisu

Evisu was the “it brand” of jeans in the late 1990s, a time when there was a waiting list for the twelve pairs that arrived at Barney’s every month. Samantha Kain, vice president of PR and marketing firm Syndicate, is eager for the brand’s re-launch. “For the first time, Evisu is offering a line for women and for men’s sportswear. The new designs celebrate the craftsmanship and detail that the brand is known for.” Look for Evisu in stores this July and August.

Fashion highlights: Fishtail coats for men, cropped black skinny jeans for women. The ladies tops are slouchy and casual, with deliberate mothholes and vintage-worn patchwork.

Japan: Edwin denim

Julie Yi, brand architect at The Foundation agency, tells the fascinating story of Edwin’s origins. “In the 1940s, Mr Tsunemi went to America and bought old, torn jeans that were not available in Japan. He restored and sold them, then figured out how to replicate the look with better materials. He invented stone washing and other techniques used by denim companies today, which is why Edwin is known as the Levis of Japan.” The jeans are spun on individual shuttle looms and hand-washed, and the quality is reflected in the retail price of US$250-700.

Fashion highlights: The latest collection replicates the burns and holes of lived-in jeans, but on beautiful Japanese denim.