Plus sizes, technology and flavours captured the imagination of attendees at the Las Vegas International Lingerie Show. This year the show attracted a strong contingent of international and domestic buyers as well as brands specialising in lingerie, apparel, costumes and adult novelties. At a time when bricks-and-mortar adult stores are finding it hard to attract trade, there's a noticeable shift towards female sensuality, a shift that was apparent across a variety of offerings.
Amid all the garment and textile shows, the Lingerie Show has established its own distinct niche. Explaining its appeal, Jonny Choi, manning the stall for Los Angeles-based OhyesFashion, said: "We come to Magic (Marketplace) and other events, but this is the best show for our range. At the moment, our best-selling styles are corsets, neon colours and plus sizes."
Assessing the sector in general, he also noted that he has had to lower his minimums to three pieces compared to his usual six, a sign that the market still hasn't quite recovered. Indeed, the lingerie market is yet to bounce back to its pre-recession levels. In 2013, its overall market value was lower than in 2007 and it's not expected to fully recover for another three years. In fact, according to the Just Style's Lingerie: Global Markets and Trends report, Russia and China are projected to be the only two markets showing significant growth for the foreseeable future.
Faced with this stagnant environment, the challenge for many companies has been to diversify. For attendee Bruce Lee Chapman, he's looked to catering more for plus-sized women. He came to the show to source new items for his Always Sexy party kits and was particularly interested in corsets, adult novelties and body shapers.
Explaining his approach, he said: "Larger women want to look sexy and they can't do it if they can't fit into certain things, as a result we're seeing strong demand for body shapers. We organise private parties, and we've been seeing strong growth over the past 12 months. For many larger women, it's hard for them to find the right things at ordinary stores, so we're holding at least one event every weekend."
Angini Singh, the Co-founder of Trindad- and Tobago-based Sensual Distributors, was particularly interested in technological advances when it came to adult novelties. She was looking for suppliers who had adopted a "European, neat and sleek look". She said: "Multifunction and multispeed is what our clients are looking for right now. They are willing to spend upwards of a hundred dollars on such items. Women are now more open-minded, especially if the tech and the look are good."
She was particularly impressed by the offerings of Crave, a San Francisco-based company specialising in luxury adult novelties. The products from its Duet line, for instance, sport a 24-karat gold plating on the band, have a USB drive for easy recharging and offer 8 or 16 GB of storage.
Michael Topolovac, the Founder of Crave, believes the key of its success lies in the unobtrusive nature of its products. He said: "These products are designed to fit naturally into your life, not like some of the more outlandish contraptions you might see. If you're going through airport security or your child finds it in your purse, you won't be embarrassed."
Topolovac also noted the growing popularity of jewellery that doubles as adult toys. He said: "There has been so little innovation and so much stigma in this industry, but it's now full of opportunities for designers."
While the market for higher-end products clearly seems to be driving innovation, there's still a demand for lower-priced items, especially baby dolls, body stockings and lingerie. With boxed lingerie high on her shopping list, Karen Mediavilla, Founder of Pleasure Palace, an Arizona-based adult store, said: "We're looking for more 'one-night-stand' options. Our customers are now looking to cut down on their costs."
Several attendees also mentioned the growing popularity of body paints, edible creams and lotions, often with names more appropriate for the Food Network. Over at the stand of System JO, a California-based personal products specialist, an ice cream cooler was generating a lot interest with attendees sampling the latest lubricant flavours as toppings on vanilla ice cream.
Detailing the flavours currently favoured in the market, Rebecca Anniuk, the company's International Brand Ambassador, said: "Our top-selling flavour is strawberry but pineapple, tangerine and pomegranate also do very well. We introduced a line of organic lubricants at the show and had a good response. These are things you use intimately, so you want to make sure they're safe."
Aside from its flavoured products, the company also distributes a range of other pampering items, including body butters, linen spray and lingerie wash, all of which have proved popular. Anniuk said: "Last year the company had double-digit growth."
While many sectors have undergone a technological upgrade – in terms of both product specifications and distribution channels, when it comes to footwear things have remained a little more traditional. In terms of shoes, glitz, glamour and high street outlets still rule. While other products are finding a variety of distribution channels, retail stores continue to be the platform of choice, said one shoe distributor.
Speaking on terms of anonymity, he said a number of distributors got burnt by "fly-by-night" online retailers and now only allow online sales of their product by businesses that also have bricks-and-mortar stores. He also said that, while order minimums are low, boots and higher-heel shoes are continuing to command the attention of retailers.
On the costume side of the show, Salt Lake City-based Loftus International staged a bustling display of hats, moustaches and wearable novelties. As to what's in demand, David Spiegel, a senior executive with the company, said: "What's hot is, inevitably, what's trending on social media."
From movies to commercials, he believes characters find a new life in masks, hats and others, often selling by the thousand. As proof, Spiegel cites an instance where the singer Miley Cyrus sported a particular Christmas sweater, which then became an instant hit on social media. Spiegel said: "The guys who jumped on it, won."
In terms of trending items, the window of opportunity is relatively small. While Loftus can manufacture small quantities in the US, it turns to China for any orders of a significant quantity. With a current lead time of between 60 and 90 days, he would be keen to see this abbreviated.
When asked about the items likely to prove a hit for Halloween – the major costume-selling season in the US – Spiegel said: "This year, it's on a Friday night, which means it's a good time to sell anything."
