Need Help Selling Your Collection? Meet Aya Morimoto, Sales Rep. Part 2

Another designer who Morimoto beamed about was Japanese brand Sacai. Morimoto flipped through The News’ published mock newspaper from this season, looking for examples of Sacai’s work. The May issue of Essence magazine also sat on the coffee table in front of us and she pointed to first lady Michelle Obama.

AM: Actually Michelle Obama wore one of our belts, she’s been shot everywhere with the belt that we sold to a retailer [Ikram] in Chicago.

BG: So what is the best selling brand right now?

AM: It could be Alexander Wang. Maybe the second could be Clu.

BG: How does it work, are you in charge of certain designers or regions?

AM: I’m in charge of Clu and I have two other partners; one is in charge of the Japanese market. I’m in charge of the U.S. and overall, and then another one is in charge of overseas territories. But we work together.

I think different showrooms have different ways. A lot of the showrooms in this type of business they go by the region. So for example, let’s say I’m in charge of the west coast and I sell everything to the west coast. This showroom is not like that, we stick to the designers and we have a strong communication and we build the business that way.

BG: The showroom looks pretty empty right now.

AM: The busy time is in February/March, and for the Spring market, it’s September. February is New York Fashion Week. So right after the runway shows, people come here to place orders. You don’t even know it’s February because it’s gone! Really, really busy. With foot traffic of 500+ companies, you have no idea!

BG: What is the one thing you enjoy most about your career?

AM: I think listening to people. I like listening, that’s my style. There are different styles of sales and I like to make people talk.

BG: Have you ever thought about being a designer?

AM: No.

BG: No?

AM: I’m a salesperson. I can sell a banana, I can sell a computer, I’ve sold a lot of things. I’m a salesperson and I like to hear people’s stories and figure out what they need and go buy the right product, whatever it is. But yea, I could never be a designer. I don’t have that visual magic.

BG: How do you feel the recession has affected sales in the fashion industry?

AM: I’m very hopeful that it’s closer to the end of the suffering. To me, and the good thing about fashion, is it’s always looking forward, next- next- next. I remember when the mood was so dark and after awhile people can’t be dark anymore and people start dreaming. And that’s where fashion comes in full force because they can make something crazy and fun and make people happy. Whenever the economy is bad, I remember prints, colorful prints come. Bright colors! In the beginning of the recession everyone is dark but they can’t stay that way and they look up to fun things. Right after the down is always the floral.

The entire 5th floor of 495 Broadway is a sparsely decorated loft. However, it is clear that it is more that just a place of work. In the kitchen there is a bulletin board of photos acting as a scrapbook to Morimoto’s family and legacy. The room right off the kitchen was setup years ago to be an office nursery. Both of Morimoto’s sons grew up playing and mingling with the many people who have come through the showroom.

As Stella Ishii traveled, she began collecting snow globes which had an avalanche effect because clients and buyers began bringing her ones of their own. There are roughly a hundred globes sitting on shelves of a tall bookshelf in the gallery.

The News has managed to create a family. Some move on earlier than others but there is definitely a sense of unity and support within the company.

Currently there are 12 New York designers, three from Los Angeles, one Swedish, Japanese and British with fashion lines in the gallery. The News is always looking for the exciting and innovative perspective, and they believe that concept has no borders.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 at 3:43 PM and is filed under Interview, Q and A, Vendors and Products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.