It’s that time of the year again and it’s the most exciting time for any fashion designer, buyer, showroom agent, licensee or manufacturer since it’s the buying season for the latest Spring/Summer collection for next year where shoppers would be gearing up to update their wardrobe with the latest, stylish and new fashion trends. But it is also a lot of pressure on the designers or manufacturers to make sales during this time.
My recollection at my first event in New York known as The Train that was housed in old warehouses along the port. It was rustic but modern at the same time and housed over 500 exhibitors that was segregated into its specialties like RTW, Couture, Street, Junior, Denim, Accessories, Shoes, Bags, etc.
I also found out how the designers prepared their collection for this exhibition with detailed swatches, price list and look books. Imagine there were hundreds if not thousands of designers all over America competing for the same market place.
Not forgetting that it will also be a time for gossip, street fash and general fashion drama and celeb gazing.
Below is a list of events and tradeshows that I personally have attended or have been recommended by reputable fashion buyers that is a must go if you’re thinking of exhibiting your collection or planning to go shopping for new designs and collections for your boutique or store.
New Zealand Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2012 SUNDAY, AUGUST 28 – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2011 |
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| Location | Viaduct Events Centre, 161 Halsey Street |
| City | Auckland, New Zealand |
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The best of New Zealand's fashion designers will once again be on show with this year's schedule featuring a wide range of both established and emerging brands.
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| StyleWeek Providence SUNDAY, AUGUST 28 – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2011 |
| Location | Providence Performing Arts Center |
| City | Providence, R.I. |
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StyleWeek Providence was established in 2009 with the vision of showcasing emerging, as well as established designers in the Creative Capital of Providence, Rhode Island. Modeled after major fashion events in cities such as New York, Paris, and Milan, StyleWeek Providence aims to focus on the business of fashion while producing events to unveil the latest trends to buyers and media. StyleWeek Providence's mission is to create a successful model of a regional fashion event that economically impacts its designers, sponsors, partners, and employees.
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Prêt à Porter Paris SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 |
| Location | VIPARIS, Porte de Versailles, Hall 7, Level 1 & 2 |
| City | Paris |
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PRET A PORTER PARIS®, the leading international fashion rendezvous, is a worldwide recognized brand that signs several fashion events:
PRET A PORTER PARIS® in Paris as a primary show, and special trade shows for different markets, with ATMOSPHERE’S for creators and designers, THE BOX for high-fantasy accessories, THE TRAIN in New York and LIVING ROOM in Tokyo.
| Who’s Next SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 |
| Location | VIPARIS, Porte de Versailles, Halls 1 – 2.2 |
| City | Paris |
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Who’s Next is a platform that showcases four different and distinct elements of the fashion industry which I found to be very interesting and cutting edge but again you’d have to be outstanding and strong in your branding and positioning to catch the eyes of hundred thousands of buyers that come to this place. But it’s a place to discover new or renew acquaintances with the designers that come back annually to show their new collection or products.
| CPM Collection Premiere Moscow (international trade fair for women’s, men’s, children’s, lingerie, accessories and young fashion) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 |
| Location | Expocentre Fairgrounds, Krasnopresenskaya nab., 14 |
| City | Moscow |
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KEY HUB ON THE EASTERN EUROPEAN MARKET
The CPM is the most important key meeting point for the Russian fashion market and was able to confirm its top position with 18,400 trade visitors. Over 1,350 brands of different segments (women's, men's, children's wear, Young Fashion, leather wear, furs as well as accessories) featuring the current Autumn/Winter trends for 2011/12 were presented in Moscow.
| Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (consumer/retail festival) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 |
| Location | Venues around Melbourne |
| City | Melbourne, Australia |
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Now in its 17th year, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week is the city’s most exciting fashion event.
Attracting more than 80,000 people to the city every year, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week plays a crucial role in showcasing the collections of new and emerging designers. This year's program features well over 100 events.
| Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 |
| Location | Lincoln Center |
| City | New York |
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Under the IMG Group of Event Managers, Mercedes-Benz have been hosting New York’s fashion week for some time now since 2007 after Olympus USA dropped out as main sponsor. Mercedes-Benz has been actively and heavily involved in fashion related events through-out the world including Malaysia when they were title sponsors for the Malaysian International Fashion Week back in 2003 and most recently with STYLO Fashion Grand Prix in 2008 (also in Malaysia).
| Off Price Show SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2011 |
| Location | Olympia Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road |
| City | London |
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The Off-Price Show is a unique event bringing together suppliers from across the fashion spectrum with buyers all under one roof for just two days' of busy trading. Products on offer include ladies’, men’s and kids’ fashion, fashion accessories, classic and contemporary jewellery, sportswear, formal, sports and casual footwear and work-wear. Brands supplied by importers range from top designer names such as Armani, Gucci and Calvin Klein, to sports and casual wear giants including Nike, Adidas and Reebok to the best in British high street fashion from all the top names, and of course high quality unbranded imports.
The Off-Price Show is a must-attend for all buyers that want to increase their profit margins and source collections from the best suppliers in the market. The majority of product is available from stock or short order meaning buyers do not have to place large forward orders and can adapt their offering to the seasons’ latest trends and styles at a moment’s notice.
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Couture Fashion Week FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2011 |
| Location | The Waldorf Astoria (Grand Ballroom) |
| City | New York |
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Since 2003, Couture Fashion Week has presented a series of couture and luxury fashion shows multiple times each year in New York City, Palm Beach, and other selected cities. The venue for Couture Fashion Week New York is the Waldorf-Astoria.
More events in my part 2 of this topic.
