Fashion Tradeshows to Resume In-Person
Kassidy Kelly
Trending Editor
Fashion wholesale tradeshows, a crucial component of the industry, are finally back in person after months of virtual events. Informa Markets Fashion recently announced its semi-annual MAGIC tradeshow will be returning to its home in Las Vegas this August. Over 1,000 exhibitors are expected to attend, ready to showcase their brand’s newest trends, styles, and products for the upcoming seasons.
MAGIC tradeshows are sponsored by the popular fashion trade journal, Women’s Wear Daily, more commonly known as WWD. At these massive events, vendors register for booths that will serve as their pop-up store for the week. The vendors bring only one sample of each style available, and these items are then bought in bulk by the buyers to stock their own stores or boutiques. MAGIC markets attract attendees all over the industry, from Bloomingdale’s esteemed team of buyers to local mom and pop clothing boutiques.
In February of this year, Informa Markets Fashion test drove how in-person tradeshows would succeed in an environment that follows social distancing guidelines at the first MAGIC Pop-Up show in Orlando, FL. All registered attendees and vendors were required to provide a valid negative COVID-19 test upon entrance or received a negative rapid test done on-site. This allowed all participants and consumers to feel safe while enjoying their return to a physical market experience.
The pandemic has also inspired many young and talented entrepreneurs to follow their passion projects and start e-commerce fashion brands of their own. This has broadened the market as a whole and in-person tradeshows allow these new buyers to make vital industry connections that will help them grow their online store while expanding their product catalog.
MAGIC marts are known for being extravagant, and at a venue such as the Las Vegas Convention Center, interested attendees can expect the unexpected. Past years markets have seen panel appearances from celebrities like designer Christian Siriano and actress Jaime King. WWD presents educational sessions throughout the week where participants can listen in on industry tips and tricks from the pros before getting back to shopping.
Though online shopping can be fun, and innovative apps like FashionGo have helped to bridge the virtual gap between buyer and vendor sales during the pandemic, nothing quite compares to an in-person tradeshow.
Contact Kassidy at kellykas@shu.edu