Reps | Retailers

To all our buyers,
PLEASE WRITE IN YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FOLLOWING:

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE TRADE SHOWS? BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER.
HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE YOUR TIME?
DO YOU PLAN BEFORE YOU GET THERE?
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON STYLE?
WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST STYLE MEMORY?
WHO INSPIRES YOU? WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON?

We will pass your experiences and helpful hints on to other buyers in the industry, helping us all to get through the vast maze of information that hits you when you get to a show.

FROM OUR BUYERS ATTENDING THE APRIL MARKET AT HIGH POINT:

mosaicwares asks their standout buyers to reveal their thoughts on how they work the shows, decide styles & trends, and who their icons are.

"I never make appointments. I know where I want to go" says Suri, the savvy owner and designer of Cradle & All, Englewood, NJ, whose clientelle reads like the who's who of New Jersey. She attends all the shows with her sister and co- owner Shira, who just had a new baby. Our congradulations! "I love fabrics." says Suri when asked how she decides on styles and trends. "I am inspired by fabrics. I can design an entire room around the fabrics. My favourites are Osbourne & Little, Stroheim & Roman, and Christopher Hyland. I don't have any icons or stars that I look up to. Except Oprah that is!" Mosaicwares works closely with Cradle and All with custom designs that are exclusive to them.

The slender, elegant and charming Suzanne Farris of Panache in Amarillo Texas recommends "comfort" as your choice of dress code when walking the exhibits. You don't want to overdress. When in doubt leave the tiara at home. Her itinerary before the show is to carefully note what the store needs. Suzanne prefers to work the shows on her own without the distractions of assistants where her decisions are her own,trusting my decisions and buy with a positive attitude. It is at the show that she finds the "nutrients" for trends and styles. "I buy what I fall in love with at first sight". When asked who inpirses her, Suzanne's gurus cross over all genres. John Baayless, pianist with a G-d given talent; Michael Weems, table top and hand etched glass artist; Liz Claiborne, fashion designer; Matthew White, another table top designer with studios in New York and California. At mosaicwares we are honoured to be on her list of companies.

When Susan Lindeman walks by you ask "Who's that Girl". She is of course, one of the Posh Tots execs; a company who has dressed the kids rooms of film stars, models, athletes and musicians. They're renowned for the extraordinary and timeless collections they offer. "At Posh Tots we divide & conquer." The Posh Tots strategy is prepared well ahead of time. To cover the show their design consultants set out in 2 person teams. Their goal is to see all their top vendors, - "especially those we have great relationships with" says Susan. Before the show the team considers holes in categories and researches venders on the IHFC website. What inspires you? "I pull pages from magazines for inspiration. We subscribe to mags from Costal Living and other Lifestyle issues to celebrity mags like In Style and People for the pulse of whats trendy and timeless." When we asked Susan her earliest memory of fashion the answer was automatic. "My first pair of GO GO Boots, 1972! Black patent with embroidered flowers and 2 inch heels that I got in Lynchburg, VA; totally influenced by The Partridge Family - Danny, was my favorite. I'm sure I have a picture somewhere."

Well Susan, here's to our GO GO Days. See you at the show!