by Xinhua Writers Tan Jingjing, Huang Heng

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- International exhibitors at North America's premier fashion trade shows in Las Vegas have voiced growing concerns that proposed U.S. tariff hikes will drive up costs, squeeze profits, and disrupt supply chains.

This week, Las Vegas is hosting a series of fashion shows, including the 2025 MAGIC Las Vegas, Las Vegas Apparel, and Womenswear in Nevada. Bringing together thousands of brands, suppliers, and retailers from around the world, the events form the largest fashion marketplace in North America, showcasing the latest trends in apparel, footwear, and accessories while fostering new business partnerships.

Amid bustling trade floors and product launches, exhibitors warned that looming U.S. tariff hikes are casting a shadow over business optimism.

"Everyone is nervous about what's going to happen," said Christine Loule, vice president of sales and merchandising at Tribal Fashion, a Montreal-based women's ready-to-wear, sports and swimwear brand.

"For us manufacturers, it's scary because you don't know what's going to be decided. And how do you mitigate that and try not to pass on the cost to the consumer because you don't want to outprice yourself at the same time," she noted.

Loule told Xinhua her company had already raised prices by about 7 percent for its spring 2026 collection, a balancing act between survival and market acceptance. "Chinese are so great with swimwear and denim. Their fabric quality and sewing techniques are so good. So it's hard to have to pull a program to match the quality," she noted.

For many U.S. brands, the uncertainty is equally daunting. "We expect the government (to) have (a) deal on tariffs," said Sami Saadia, CEO of Kids World of USA, which produces hundreds of thousands of children's apparel items annually for big retailers like Walmart and TJ Maxx. "Customers will bear the cost rise," he told Xinhua, noting that all the company's products are manufactured in China, where about 80 percent of its factory workforce are local employees.

Chris Schnall, president of New Jersey-based Global Footwear Corp., told Xinhua that all the company's products are made in China, citing superior leather, quality, and cost advantages.

He admitted his firm had tested Southeast Asian factories but found that the quality did not meet its standards, and the prices were almost the same, "so we've left everything where it is."

For certain fashion products, relocation is simply not an option.

"The bamboo products have to be in China. It's where bamboo grows. We can't change (manufacturing) to other countries," Nafisa Bawa, owner of Canadian company Orange Fashion Village, told Xinhua. "If it's (tariffs) going up, I think we'll bear it. That means the profit is going down. Because sometimes you have very good customers. You have had that relationship for many years. That's important."

Across the exhibition halls, exhibitors expressed resilience under pressure, while noting that uncertainties over the policy outlook loomed large. "Everyone's in the same boat," Loule told Xinhua. "It's been a tough few months." ■