Inside My First Buying Trip: Atlanta Apparel Market with Salt & Lavender Clothing

My First Time at Atlanta Apparel: A Huge Milestone for Salt & Lavender Clothing

I still can't quite believe I get to write this post. This week, I attended the Atlanta Apparel Market for the very first time as the owner of Salt & Lavender Clothing — and it was, without a doubt, one of the biggest milestones in my journey as a small business owner so far. I want to share the whole experience with you: how I prepped, what I loved, what surprised me, and what it means for the future of SLC.

Getting Ready: My Strategy Before the Market

Walking into a market with roughly 15 floors of showrooms is not something you want to do without a plan. In the weeks leading up to my trip, I used the Atlanta Apparel app to scroll through the full list of brands and showrooms that would be there. I went floor by floor, marked every single one I wanted to visit, and mapped out a route so I wouldn't waste time wandering aimlessly once I got there. If you're a buyer heading to market for the first time, I cannot recommend this enough — it made a chaotic space feel a lot more manageable.

Day One: Temporaries and the Hunt for Hidden Gems

Day one was a full sensory experience. I spent hours in the temporary showrooms, which felt a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack — so many booths, so much variety, and so many decisions to make in real time. It was overwhelming in the best way.

After a while, I made the call to shift my focus toward showrooms carrying more elevated brands: smaller collections, higher quality pieces, and a price point to match. Less fast fashion, more timeless, well-made pieces that I could see customers reaching for season after season. That shift changed the whole trajectory of my day.

All in, I spent about 8 hours navigating 11 floors (I'll admit, I had to skip a few — there's simply no way to see it all). I took photos of pieces I loved, building a visual archive I knew I'd need later.

That evening, I sat down with all my photos and notes and tried to narrow everything down into an actual order list. Full transparency: I was overwhelmed. My brain kept asking, "why can't I just buy everything?" If you've ever built a business from the ground up, you know that feeling of wanting to say yes to every good idea in front of you.

Day Two: Clarity, Coffee, and Placing Orders

A good night's sleep did wonders. I woke up on day two with a clear head and a clear vision of pieces that would align well with Salt & Lavender Clothing. I got to market bright and early and went straight to the showrooms on my list to place my orders. Within just a few hours, I was done — decisive, confident, and genuinely proud of the choices I'd made.

One fun highlight from day two: one of the showrooms was gifting buyers a free pair of jeans, and I walked away with the coolest animal print pair. They're already earning a spot in the SLC Fall lineup — keep an eye out for them!

What I Loved Most

A few things stood out to me as an absolute first-timer:

Meeting brand reps in person. There's something completely different about connecting face-to-face with the people behind the brands versus scrolling through a wholesale catalog online.

The variety. Getting to actually touch fabrics, try pieces on, and feel the quality for myself made picking items that truly align with the SLC brand so much easier.

The energy. Walking floor after floor surrounded by other buyers and boutique owners who are just as passionate about this industry was honestly inspiring.

And as a fun bonus stat: I racked up almost 25,000 steps a day for two days straight. Apparel market is not for the faint of heart (or the tired feet).

What's Coming for Salt & Lavender Clothing

I'm so excited to share that I'll be introducing new brands for Fall/Winter 2026 — pieces that feel a little more elevated. This market trip shaped a lot of what's coming, and I can't wait for you all to see it!

Will I Go Again?

Yes. Definitely, without hesitation. This was just the beginning.

Thank You

I'm also just so grateful. Getting to bring my clients along for this journey through Instagram Stories meant so much to me, and I want to take a moment to say thank you. Over the last two years, you've placed your trust and confidence in me by choosing to shop Salt & Lavender Clothing —  when there are many clothing options out there. That means everything, and it's exactly what pushes me to keep showing up, keep sourcing thoughtfully, and keep growing this brand for you.

Here's to many more markets ahead.