To borrow an expression from famed chef Emeril Lagasse, the PGA Fashion Show is kicking it up a notch this year – not only presenting 23 of the industry’s hottest brands but hosting new Designer Roundtables, which give viewers a behind-the-scenes understanding of design, performance and merchandising techniques for the trendiest collections.
The 2008 program – sponsored by 19th Hole Magazine – is being held four times daily: at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. (there is no 3 p.m. show on Saturday). Companies in the procession are Claudia Romana, Iconic, Izod G, Tehama, Calvin Klein, Titania, adidas, Bobby Jones, Lily’s of Beverly Hills, Tail, Nick Price, Puma, Peter Scott, Head, Nike, Sandon Golf Apparel, Gear For Sports, Under Armour, Verdina, Cocchia, Pahr 72 and Blain & Cartwright.
For the third straight year, Boost Marketing’s Tracey Yates is producing the show, which brings a sense of high fashion and modern pacing to the full fashion show runway.
On the men’s side, Calvin Klein offers fresh new looks, including a black cardigan, white polo and khaki pant combination with crisp lines, while Nick Price turned heads with pieces from its lifestyle collection, including a suede jacket, shearling duster and leather car coat, as well as jeans, blazers and fancy sweaters.
“The Calvin Klein line was one of my favorites,” said Jamie Carrigan, a merchandiser for Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville, Minn. “The designs were sharp and clean.”
Some of the industry’s most fashion forward women’s companies also participated, showing the extent of urban influence found in today’s golf lines. Titania’s combination of black fur trim vest, white knit and black pant offered a chic look, while Bobby Jones made a striking presentation with a red jacket shown over a black sweater and paisley cropped pant. And Lily’s of Beverly Hills, making a comeback in the industry with a new design team, showed a modern flair with combinations like pink cardigan, pink bow neck shirt and plaid Capris.
Cocona started the roundtables with Chief Marketing Operator Jon Erb explaining the benefits of the carbon-based technology – aided by a big-screen graphic presentation. Tehama is scheduled to make its presentation after today’s 11:30 a.m. Fashion show.