At some of this week’s fashion trade shows in Las Vegas, you wouldn’t think there was a recession going on. Top fashion players peacocking with latest high-end denim at Project, for example, indicated that it’s still the place for Bread & Butter-type apparel manufacturers and buyers, while the South Hall of MAGIC International Fashion Trade Show split in two with the downstairs dedicated to a new show-within-a-show called S.L.A.T.E. for an “edited” crew of street fashion brands, and upstairs continuing with straight-up streetwear, including the kingpins such as Baby Phat, New Era, South Pole, and others.

Pool, for artistic brands, and smaller more niche fashion subcultures continued to be strong with its new layout in the Central Hall. However what’s also been interesting is the plethora of new chic “suites” showcasing core new styles and brands not interested in being in any trade show currently on the market but there because all of the buyers and media are there. Finally, there’s buzz about the trade show boldly named When I Move You Move representing Ed Hardy and the rest of Christian Audigier’s labels plus a few others, who decided to take his big booths out of MAGIC and start his own show altogether.

Label Networks’ team of reporters have been roaming the halls of all of the fashion shows, including the new chic suites and gathering interviews and photos of what’s about to take over fashion for Spring/Summer ’09, and Fall ’09. In-between, we’ve delivered 2 capacity-crowd presentations about Global Youth and Street Culture Fashion Trends, and still have one more day to capture the rest of the scene going down now in Las Vegas.

In the next 2 weeks, stay tuned for trade show overview stories, latest fashion news from top brands in street and contemporary fashion, and sneak peaks at our presentation.