Happy New Year! I though I'd start off with this
comment re: trade shows since we're getting into the tradeshow season next month. It might be of reassurance to designers who are trying to get out there but cannot afford the astronomical fees for the shows.
Hi Karen ... I'm going to less and less shows/markets. They're also expensive, time consuming, wasteful, etc. for buyers as well. I'm relying more and more on great images from lines/designers I know & trust. For new lines/designers, I try them out but just order really small so I don't get stuck if it's not that great. I realize I'm an online shop so I'm very comfortable with the virtual. I've had designers contact me and I love it. It takes no time just to glance at their online look books, or pdfs and I can tell very quickly if it's something I want to look deeper into or it's a no-way.
Post in the comments section if you have questions or replies...