LAS VEGAS PREVIEW: EDITOR’S PICKS

With the many trade shows coming up in Las Vegas next week, retailers will have thousands of brands to check out and see what they have coming up for fall. Here are six of my don’t-miss suggestions.

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Blue Lion Apparel (Kroon) has been around for the past four years but, according to president Jeffrey Ammeen, it’s just this past year or so that they’ve mastered partnering online with the right retailers to sell the right products at the right prices. Famous for a fabulous softcoat business (i.e. a 100 percent cashmere sportcoat wholesales at $245 for a suggested retail of $595), they’ve also got a great-looking collection of well-priced outerwear.

A hybrid sportcoat-outerwear piece made from Italian fabric, with zip-off bib (perfect for transitional weather) wholesales at $175 for $425 retail. (Check out too a slightly upgraded version of this style with suede elbow patches/trim and hammered metal buttons.) A double-faced camo-printed hybrid sportcoat, half lined and styled with patch pockets (modeled here by Ammeen) wholesales for $195 for a $475 suggested retail.

There’s also a strong assortment of vests ($75 for $185 retails) and multiple offerings in lightweight down-filled jackets. We loved the water-resistant quilted herringbone with removable hood ($160 cost for a $425 suggested retail, also modelled here by Ammeen). Check them out at MRket.

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Over at MRket’s Vanguards Gallery, the Cullen collection looks better than ever! This brand produces fabulous affordable wardrobe staples that are both fashionable and functional. There are so many must-have items here, we can’t list them all.

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One of the most exciting new collections to enter the market is the latest from award-winning designer Alex Julian. This menswear veteran is back with some very special items that combine the best of sartorial tradition with modern digital design. Targeted to better specialty stores, the line offers tremendous value: sportcoats from $195-$350 wholesale and shirts from $65-$85 (our favorite is totally reversible!) What’s more, Alex is now working with his 23-year-old son Huston, who has added youthful inspiration to this new upscale business. Check them out at MRket’s Vanguards Gallery.

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For its fall/winter 2016 collection, Beretta headed to Brooklyn, New York to reinterpret its 500-year-old Italian essence and imagine the brand through a modern lens. Culture is at the center of the brand’s luxury lifestyle collection, reflective of its rugged history designed for the urban dweller who is a true outdoorsman at heart. The collection is filled with gorgeous heritage fabrics, luxury details, and technological enhancements. Key items you must check out are the St. James Blazer ($775 retail) and the Active Mars Jacket ($699 retail). Go check them out at Liberty.

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Speaking of comebacks, Lucky Nahum has returned with Vluxe. It’s not just those fabulous V-Spot shirts (with a one-piece trim that extends from the collar stand to below the collar) that you’ll want, but also his great collection of luxury sheepskin nappa leather gloves, lined in dyed-to-match wool ($35 cost) or cashmere ($39), and available in fashion colors with contrast stitching. Consumers will buy them as a fashion accessory rather than a cold-weather accessory (as evidenced by strong bookings from southern buyers.) In addition to the V-Spot, key shirt models are the 2Fer (a beautifully engineered reversible shirt) and the Spiral. Wholesale prices range from $48 to $82, averaging in the mid $60s. Check them out at Project.

Also at Project, don’t miss the Trask collection of fabulous footwear. This great selection of made-in-Nashville shoes and boots is perfect for stores with a made-in-America focus. There’s also a lower-priced division with some terrific offerings in the $295 to $325 retail range. We loved the workboots with comfort features, the alpine boot, the vibram sole drivers, the bit loafers, the wingtip boot and an amazing union boot lined over the ankle in double-faced shearling!