Viva Las Vegas!! We had SO MUCH fun in Las Vegas this month. No, we weren’t there for a month, but it sure seemed like it! We travel west to Las Vegas twice a year to buy for our new upcoming collections. We go to a trade show called MAGIC and it’s literally the best time ever. It’s where buyers, brands and bloggers all come together to celebrate the new trends, forecast the future and party…just a little.
We left Metro Detroit on Sunday February 11, anxious and excited to smell some fresh air and enjoy a little sunshine. We stayed at the Flamingo right on the strip. The Flamingo is one of the oldest hotels on the “New Strip” and was recently renovated. Our room had cute tufted headboards and a nice view of the High Roller, which is at the Linq. Sunday night we settled in a met up with a few other boutique bosses for a laid back dinner at Guy Fieri’s restaurant in the LINQ. CoCo Tip: Order the Trash Can Nachos and thank me later!
Monday morning came early and we were really like kids on Christmas. MAGIC is so much fun an we were just very excited to see all of the new items we were getting for the truck! It’s also so exciting to be in a room full of people who are just as energetic about fashion as you are, and you get to see all of the future trends! Monday we grabbed our Starbucks, put on our walking shoes and we were on our way! Basically the trade show is set up in little sections: clothing, accessories ( jewelry/bags), shoes, service providers and gift ( think cute coffee cups and notepads). When you enter a booth it’s similar to “shopping” but there is a representative that A) walks your through the line, shows you best sellers and explains the information on ship dates B) if you’re lucky they’ll offer you free swag or wine (or a fun temporary tattoo). There are HUNDREDS of these brands and vendors and it’s extremely tricky and time consuming to navigate the show floor.
We visited a few seminars, met a few boutique bosses and shopped our hearts out! I have posted a few sneak peaks below for you ladies. Once that was all said and done, between the time change and the desert heat, we were dead. We made a pit stop at the House of Blues and grabbed dinner before taking a little snooze. One really awesome thing about these trade shows is all of the free stuff we get to see/learn and the places we go. Yes, we are there for work but a little nightclub action doesn’t hurt right? I mean we are our own bosses haha! Monday night, there was an opening night party at Marquee nightclub which is inside of the Cosmopolitan. The Cosmo is gorgeous, so I could only imagine what the club was like! And of course it exceited all of my expectations. It was purple, full of lights and jewels hanging from the ceiling. I may have had too many vodka sodas but it was well worth it.
Tuesday, things really got exciting! We finally found a denim brand we love, we ordered new printing shopping bags and found the cutest button down skirts. We were really feeling the spring and summer vibes and I was dreading going back to our horrible Michigan weather. Tuesday evening we went to a cocktail hour that was sponsored by the Boutique Hub. There we listened to an awesome panel give us great advice for new and old boutique owners, we discussed the future of mobile retail and how to compete with amazon. With a full head and empty stomach, we headed to the Tilted Kilt with the owners of Vogue Society Boutique. We love meeting other owners, swapping ideas and connecting with amazing women across the nation.
Wednesday things were getting serious, it was our last day at MAGIC and we had to place the rest of our orders. We were really starting to get exhausted, the excitement and energy was way lower since it was the third day and we knew that we had to return to the snow on Thursday. Wednesday we placed a couple more orders, got these amazing rayon and then we decided to end the week on a great note!
We met with with the owners of Avabelle Boutique for dinner and a show. Since it was Valentines day, we all decided to pep up and treat ourselves to an amazing dinner at BLT Steakhouse inside of Bally’s. CoCo Tip: order the lemon cheese cake and don’t feel guilty eating the whole thing!
We spent dinner laughing and catching up. We reviewed our buying trips and shared stories of what we were so excited to order. After dinner, we headed to Treasure Island and went to see Mystere. After going to Vegas roughly ten times, I had never seen show ( yeah I know its crazy) but I was so excited to see Mystere and I was intrigued because it was a Cirque show. I will say, the show was really entertaining and theatrical. Clique shows don’t really have a story line, they captivate you with the live music and acrobatics! Wednesday night, we decided to enjoy the sixty degree weather and walk the strip a little bit. We headed over to the Bellagio Fountains and I really just enjoyed the time I had to spend with my mom. I was very sad that we were heading home the next day and I just wanted to take these moments in and relax.
After some much needed rest, we got up early Thursday morning and walked over to Paris for breakfast. I will hands down admit that Mon Ami Gabi has THE BEST breakfast on the strip. Plus all of the staff is extremely friendly (and I like to pretend I am in Europe for a few hours). Their coffee is undeniably smooth, the fresh cream is amazing and the crepes are to die for! It beats my Starbucks addiction every time. Once we were done with breakfast, it was time to head to the airport, but you can’t go to Las Vegas without a little gambling!! We played a few rounds of black jack, unfortunately we weren’t winners but it was time to head home.
There is something about Las Vegas that is so magical to me. I think its all of the lights and I can’t help but love the energy! I have been traveling to Las Vegas since I was 13 years old, and every time I find another reason to come back. We hope you all adore our spring and summer collection, and we can’t wait to shop again in August!
XO,
Collette
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