The MAGIC International Fashion Trade Show February 13-16, 02007 brought out more than 100,000 manufacturers, buyers, retailers, fashion-forward designers, along with the latest up-and-coming styles primarily from North America, as thousands of people in fashion and related industries such as music, electronics, and video gaming gathered in Las Vegas for 4 full days to see the latest trends from the industry. Known as the largest fashion trade show in the world, MAGIC can only be taken in by checking out the divisions of it’s layout, including the North Hall, representing Women’s Contemporary, Juniors, and Casual Lifestyle; the Central Hall for Men’s Designer and Licensing; and the South Hall which is intended for Young Men’s and Streetwear, but encompasses a rich history of the roots of style—coming from the bottom-up, the streets—and representing the latest brands inspired from hip-hop, streetwear, punk, Goth, upper urbanwear, eco-friendly, auto and motocross, and sneaker culture. Notorious for it’s massive crowds, tribal packs of fashion hordes, heavy security (including several roaming metro with dogs), booth DJ’s, cars, bling, booty, mixed with punks, Goths, streetwear fashionistas, eco-warriors, up-and-coming designers, and sneaker-freakers, it is here where we concentrate our themes for the Label Networks’ bi-annual MAGIC overview story.

Urban Street Fashion
Key themes indicate that certain new trends are coming into the forefront particularly in streetwear—and almost always inspired by music--and old-school trends primarily inspired from hip-hop, are moving higher-end and creating new markets of street couture. For example, while the largest booths on the block such as Rocawear, Apple Bottoms, Sean John, New Era, encompass much of the entry space of the South Hall, there are also brands which are also inspired by musical icons such as Omarion and his association with the upper urbanwear styles of the Christopher Brian collection, Grandmaster Caz (see Label Networks TV interview) and Sedwick & Cedar (where is all began in ’73), and DJ Nick Cannon and his “Don’t Hate” messages from his brand Post No Bills (PBN) before moving into smaller up-and-coming hip-hop and funk inspired brands such as Be Priv from Paris and their ‘80’s funk colors and angular playful patterns (think the Galaxy Riders via Paris).

Along this area Mighty Crown Entertainment’s Nine Rulaz Line or NRL showcased in a small booth but with huge props as Akon, the Senegal artist and urban radio staple behind “Trouble” and “Konvicted,” and known for vocal collabs from Eminem on “Smack That,” Young Jeezy’s “Soul Survivor,” and Snoop Dog, popped in during the middle of a Label Networks TV exclusive interview with designer Julian Weng and President Simon Tse Jr. to give props to the brand and the guys behind it (see also Label Networks TV interview with Akon). NRL crew’s influences come from Japan and music inspiration from dub clash and sound clashing in general. The first part of the name is inspired around the number 9, which is lucky in Asia (like 7 in America), while the 2nd part of “Rulaz” indicates that we are all kings or rulers. NRL has collaborated with New Era, Nike, among others, but are seriously known for bringing together DJ and MC battles where people can overtake their “enemy” through sound.

High 5 Campground
The South Hall from here moved into an area called the High 5 Campground which is an odd theme of outdoor camping mixed with small booths of up-and-coming streetwear brands. Highlights included Jeepeney and their crochet-textured hoodies, fresh T-shirt cut-and-sew premiering with the launch of their “Flagship Collection.” Inspired from the detritus of left-over American G.I. military jeeps after World War II in metro Manila which people carefully painted and decorated to represent individual style and flavor, the brand takes it’s inspiration from such colorful jeeps and recycled the concept into urban fashion with various cut-and-sew designs for men and women. You know they’re good when they’re highlighted in the Karmaloop.com Kazbah.

Other highlights in High 5 indicated that Hard Eight out of Los Angeles knew their worth. With skull graphics with metallic studs and embellishments, ragged sleeve polo shirts, and serious inspiration as Victor Mizrahi explained, coming from the LA music and art scenes, Hard Eight is hard to miss. Hard Eight, which also has a unique concept shop, has done collaborations with an upscale restaurant/club with upscale streetwear styled uniforms, and has clothed celebs including Usher and Jim Jones. Evolve Universal, one of the few women-owned urban streetwear brands in High 5 has been around for 9 years, but is just coming to the forefront of popularity their progressive political designs, anti-war statements, and irony--all designed by the owner Jennifer Nagler. As Jennifer explained, the T-shirt graphic messages for women and men incorporates fashion into making a statement that’s about growth, change, and evolving.

Street Culture
While High 5 Campground has a campground feel, straight back deeper into the depths of the South Hall is the Street Culture area with brands such as 10 Deep, The Hundreds, King Stampede, and Mishka. A mix of urban culture and up-and-coming brands from New York and LA predominately, its white-colored angled walls were a bit of an oxymoron given the brands within the space and their OG culture. In a tight and articulate interview delivered from Eric Raymond (Mecca) from 10 Deep (see Label Networks TV). Mecca explained that the brands actually 12 years deep and has been at the forefront of pushing streetwear trends from the beginning. Specifically, it was when Scott the designer, also know for producing a graffiti ‘zine was at the end of his rope and pumped out what’s known as the Chain Gang design that put 10 Deep on the map. His last ditch effort which was intended to be rather funny and ironic catapulted the still small brand into cult status among core shops, and gained mad editorial in mags such as Mass Appeal, and is even worn by NBA Allstar players. Cut-and-sew was a natural progression for them as illustrated by their latest collection of caps, T-shirts, pants, hoodies, and jackets.

Also in streetwear is the oldschool line FreshJive which is also the guys behind the launch of Agenda Fashion Trade Show (see last week’s feature stories). As described by Kellen Roland, the brand started in ’89 with social commentary and humor in its backpocket. Cut-and-sew hoodies, T-shirts, denim, FreshJive also came from unique roots evolving out of the acid jive scene in a strong niche community in Los Angeles.