We are on the road again! From Vegas ENK show, our HABITUAL sales team is now in New York at the Javits Center for New York Fashion Coterie. We will be there from Feb. 21-23 at Booth 3900. Be sure to stop by and check out our new Fall collection!
We were in New York for Coterie this past week, a twice annual show attracting over 1300 high-end apparel, footwear and accessories lines to the Javits Center. On the racks this time was our Spring 2012 line, the first full collection by our Design Director, Jennifer Wojinski. Some of our favorite East Coast buyers, bloggers and editors got the first look at new styles and washes, including a brand new Italian “crackle coating” (Shhh! Don’t tell!), new colorways for our sold out “Color Coated Denim” from fall, wide leg trousers, colored denim in fresh, solid tones, and shorts in lightweight super soft cotton blends. We were completely thrilled by the reaction to the new styles and we can’t wait for you to see them, too!
But aside from work (and shopping), one of our favorite fringe benefits from a trip to New York is, of course, eating. After Coterie one night, we decided to see exactly what Michelin Star bar food tastes like at The Spotted Pig. This West Village gastropub, affectionately known as ‘The Pig,’ was started by British import April Bloomfield, formerly of Chez Panisse, who also runs John Dory Oyster Bar and the Ace Hotel’s Breslin, and serves seasonal British and Italian fare made with local ingredients.
Décor, assembled by co-owner Ken Friedman, is a mix of dark woods, even darker velvet drapes, walls of porcine artwork, and a pressed tin ceiling, which lends an air of British… intimacy. The place is always packed (the New York Times called it a gastromelee), and it certainly took us out of the airy, spacey comfort zone we enjoy in Los Angeles.
After sitting, we started with their oft-imitated Devils on Horseback – sweet, soft prunes wrapped in crisp bacon (pork seemed like the natural choice) – which are a nice diversion from the usual bacon wrapped dates you can find anywhere. Another famous dish is the fresh ricotta Gnudi, in heaps of butter and sage. For mains we picked skirt steak with summer veggies and chili, along with a juicy pub burger smothered in Roquefort. Even if you aren’t a beer drinker, wax nostalgic and try their true English-style ale, hand pumped from casks hidden behind the bar. Perfect after a long day on your feet.
Opened in 2005, this place is very likely the reason why “gastropub” has entered the food lexicon, and why casual bar meets comfort food establishments have sprouted on nearly every corner. We think it was worth the wait, and the people watching, one of our favorite pastimes, is superb. The “tight” atmosphere only means you get a front row seat.
The Spotted Pig
314 West 11th (at Greenwich St.)
New York, NY 10014
February is an important month for the denim and fashion industries, not only because of the collections showing at Fashion week, but also because of two back-to-back trade shows, ENK and Coterie.
ENK takes place for three days each year at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, and brings together fashion brands from all over to showcase the latest sportswear, denim, dress, accessories, and footwear lines to the buyers who select what shows up in the boutiques and department stores nearest you. Trade shows are where a lot of the hard work of the fashion business takes place. Beyond the glamour of New York’s million dollar runway shows, trade shows are an intersection of salespeople, fashionistas, stylists, buyers, and businessmen, taking appointments and standing in heels for long hours in a massive convention hall.
The Habitual Booth at ENK Las Vegas
Immediately following ENK is Coterie at New York’s Javits Center, one of the largest fashion trade shows of the year, with nearly 14,000 vendors, ranging from the modest booths of new denim startups to the massive, built out fashion experiences from billion dollar global brands. This year we tried to keep things relaxed and open for the thousands of attendees to work through at their own pace.
The Habitual booth at Coterie in New York