During the fashion trade shows in Las Vegas last month, across the street from the mega-MAGIC show is a large white tent that hosts an eclectic group of brands known as the Pool show. It was thought that when Advanstar, owners of MAGIC, purchased Pool a couple of years ago (along with Project), that the show was on the way out. Momentum slipped slightly a year ago, but it can be said that last August, the show seemed revitalized and fresh mainly because of it’s eco-section called s(eco)nd which brought in a wide range of eco-friendly brands, plus sneaker pimps in the back, and a cross-section of brands from apocalyptic Skin Graft Designs, and Saville row tailoring of Elmer Ave., to punkers Pretti Vacant and Lipstick Prophets, to classics such as John Fluevog, and recycled vintage such as U.S. Rags.
Pool, which goes by the mantra of “Creating fashion freedom worldwide” often cators to up-and-coming brands that are on the cusp of a specific genre, whether they be art inspired such as Obvious Clothing and Tokidoki, music-inspired such as Andrew Hanson and Soundgirl, or nature, such as Linda Loudermilk, Brown Sound’s Big Sur theme and of course Livity Outernational. The show this year also debuted several new menswear collections such as Killian Kerner , wrath arcane, and new twists on classics such as watches from Andy Warhol 15 and Her Majesty’s Secret Studio withNew Balance.
Of the 6 shows taking place during August 27-30, Pool was the only show that created an on-site recycling program with various refuse containers featuring recycling areas, plus re-creating small, cool art books from the left-over trade show guide. And while we are on that subject, the Pool “show guide” while of course includes the names and contact information of it’s exhibitors, is a keepsake publication (created on recycled paper) for the incredible artwork within its pages expressed from various brands exhibiting.
Art pieces could be found throughout the venue including up front near the magazine section, and in the back in the MySpace lounge where Readymade magazine had actually set up shop for live painting on T-shirts. Unfortunately when we were there, the Sneaker Pimps section wasn’t really happening, but the art display was incredible with sneaks painted as art pieces and staged on a chain-linked fence. In a side tent, the show also offered vegetarian and vegan lunches which completely changes-up the concept of trade show convention center food.
A main feature of the show this time was thes(eco)nd section which profiled environmentally friendly brands on a bamboo floor. The brainchild of show director Mindy Wiener, this section, which was in the smack middle of the trade show, had a great deal of traffic. Not only was the legendary eco-friendly brand Linda Loudermilk present (who was also featured on the Sundance Green Channel) with her women’s and men’s collections featuring sawashi, bamboo, and sea cell fabrics and designs, but there were other spectrums such as Livity out of Topanga Canyon, CA, with their straw, hemp, bamboo, organic cotton, and soy reggae-styled collection of apparel, socks, hats, and accessories. League of Lovers in this section featured organic intimate apparel including vintage fabrics, and Melissa shoes, which we featured at Bread & Butter Barcelona, was on hand from Brazil with their recyclable PVC shoes. Quiet Hero T-shirts with graphics made from international artists captured a lot of people’s attention because of soft organic cotton and sustainable bamboo materials. Interestingly, a part of their proceeds go to an organization called Operation Quiet Hero towards healing the mental and spiritual effects of the war.
The show map also placed green dots next to each brand that in some way, had an eco or environmentally conscious connection, and/or fair trade practice, and when you looked at it, there were many brands at Pool even outside of the s(eco)nd area that are already practicing such principles.
Soundgirl continues to bring out fun elements of streetwear for girls mixed with new contemporary pieces, as well as Lipstick Prophets, which takes its punk roots and completely revitalizes hoodies for girls, and intimate apparel. Next to Lipstick Prophets, Michelle Ponce’s PrettiVacant jewelry pieces mixed-up plastics, metal, and wood for one-of-a-kind pieces including boom boxes, pirate ships, anchors, hearts, owls, and unicorns.
Elmer Ave upfront brought a rockstar aesthetic to the show with their punk men’s tailoring of suit jackets, denim jeans, and vests. They have a classic cowboy quality but with the high-end mix of using graphics, stripes, and colors that has made them one of the leaders in men’s street and contemporary designs. As the featured brand, Skin Graft Designs had an installation for their incredibly detailed leather and couture gowns, vests, and their popular holster bags. This section captured the attention of the show. Designers Jonathan Cota and Cassidy Haley borrow their ideas for their collection from their former tribal circus roots, mixed with the state of the world today, and what they hope to be an inventive future. The results are pieces that look post-apocalyptic with Blade Runner-esque vision, even Tank Girl aesthetics, and combined with other elements such as Victorian, pirate, Aeon Flux, nature, and outlaw cowboy, producing an incredibly romantic high-end streetwear collection. In the details include metal studs and embellishments of thrashed leather, sewn scraps to create ruffles and layers, painted, antique canvases framed on the back of jackets like a storyboard, and a heavy assortment of corsetry—even in the sleeves—resulting in the invention of a style that could be the look of things to come. (See also our June story on the featured brand, “Post-Apocalyptic Couture Streetwear Brand Skin.Graft.Designs. Premieres Otherworldly Runway Show at Pool Trade Show Offices Providing Inspiration from the Alchemy of Style, Textures, Art, + Fantasy”).
Overall, Pool was a bit of a reprieve especially after walking through the South Hall of MAGIC and the domination of urbanwear and streetwear brands all trying to capture a slice of the pie. At Pool, buyers, media, distributors, and manufacturers could catch their breath, yet see progression and innovation from a mixture of inspirations ranging from the environment, art and music worlds, and even the fantasy of couture streetwear design.
