New York trade shows are set for a robust first half of 2011.
Just as there seems to be a resurgence of shopper activity at retail this holiday season, producers of trade exhibits across the city are anticipating a boost in exhibitors and attendees next year, with some even expecting this to become a banner year after the recession left its mark for several seasons.
Elyse Kroll, chairman of ENK International, which produces such shows as Intermezzo Collections, Fashion Coterie, Accessorie Circuit and Sole Commerce, said the outlook for 2011 is bright.
“When you shop, as a consumer you see that malls are busy and people have made purchases,” Kroll said. “We are already experiencing growth despite high cotton prices and a testy economy.”
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As for special features, “ENK will continue with TMRW, supporting and nurturing new talent by bringing the newest designers to the forefront of Coterie for retailers to meet,” Kroll said. “Sole Commerce is also seeing expansion. We officially have a waiting list at this point.”
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In addition, ENK will be introducing several technology updates to heighten the trade show experience for visitors. They include enhancing the Web site, Web-enabled applications and a focused social media outreach.
“Challenges for the upcoming year are in the hands of the shoppers,” Kroll said. “If everyone keeps buying, we will be in good shape.”
A positive outlook was also forecast for Designers & Agents.
“Our show in September had a 24 percent increase in traffic from a year ago, and compared to September 2008 we were 14 percent ahead,” said Ed Mandelbaum, who co-founded the Designers & Agents show with Barbara Kramer. “The last show was the most trafficked we ever had. We are in a very positive mode.”
Kramer said she anticipates the show’s international following to grow.“We had a Scandinavian initiative at our last New York show, which we will continue with,” she said. “Beyond that, it will be about raising the bar.”
Mandelbaum added, “The most important thing for the trade event is to have great product, and our commitment is to continuously have better product, and that’s happening. We will certainly continue with our green initiative and take it further.”
Kramer and Mandelbaum agreed the challenge for next year is to keep the show growing, including added interest from higher-end designer stores looking for a new, fashion-centric entry price point.
“More brands of ours are being placed in higher-end stores,” Kramer said.
As for trends, “I think it’s a big separates moment right now,” Kramer said. “Dresses are a bit softer, accessories are stronger than ever and there is a big return to tailoring and sportswear. There is this sophistication, with shows like ‘Mad Men.’ I think it’s a really important time for quality, more than ever before. It’s back to investment pieces, but people don’t have to take out a bank loan to be able to buy that kind of quality.”
Business Journals Inc., which produces AccessoriesTheShow, Fame, Moda and MRket, saw a 10 percent increase in attendance in 2010.
Britton Jones, president and chief executive officer of Business Journals, said, “We’re quite bullish about what we’re doing here and the way it’s being received by the industry,” predicting an 11 percent attendance growth over the next year.
The company has undergone a digital media facelift, with “totally revamped” sites for each trade show launching in January, and an increased commitment to social media outlets.
“The goal is to have a much more dynamic presence and real time communication with the industry,” said Jones. “The whole digital strategy will evolve to include Webinars…and virtual trade shows.”
The physical exhibition space at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center remains the same. Jones explained that despite continued growth, significant challenges remain in lessening the considerable expense of flights and lodging for guests. To that end, Jones says Business Journals is “constantly working on our arrangements with airlines and hotels.”
The upbeat outlook is also seeping into the textile sector.
“We do anticipate a strong show,” said Alexandra d’Archangelo, marketing manager for Messe Frankfurt USA, which stages the Texworld USA show twice a year.
“This year we want buyers as eager as we had last time,” said Jacques Brunel, general manager of Première Vision Preview. “Last year was the first season of recovery after a long period of crisis.”
Brunel said Première Vision Preview changed its organizational structure this year, taking over the marketing and management of the U.S. edition of the show from a longtime third-party partner, but no changes will be felt at the show itself.
The January edition of Première Vision is co-located at the Metropolitan Pavilion with Direction by Indigo, a textile design show held on the upper two floors of the venue. Exhibitor space at Direction by Indigo is already booked solid, Brunel said, and between the two shows the event is on its way to offering 200 exhibitors.
At its January show, Texworld is implementing a new system to identify eco-friendly exhibitors, using a system of color-coded leaves on booths and in the show directory to specify any green resources or operating practices a specific company offers. Texworld also uses paper and printers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council for all its marketing materials for the show, d’Archangelo said.
To attract new buyers this year, the show sponsored events and continued its online, social media and direct mail promotions. In 2011, Texworld is launching a newsletter called Zeitgeist that includes interviews and the show guide, as well as a guide to the new eco-labeling system, d’Archangelo said.
Discussions about raw material cost increases, like those seen in cotton, continue to dominate the industry, show organizers said, but the greatest challenge for the January textile shows is their timing. Because the summer season is typically smaller and lower profile, the shows in January that showcase those products aren’t usually as large or well attended as the July editions that feature fall and winter lines.
Planners for the city’s lingerie show, CurveNY, are also anticipating a stronger year, thanks to the expansion of product categories such as swimwear, men’s underwear and boudoir accessories, said Jean-Luc Teinturier, chief executive officer of Curvexpo Inc.
“We will be featuring 250 lingerie, legwear, accessories and men’s underwear brands at the February show in New York, and there’s a waiting list for the first time,” he said. “It’s very encouraging for 2011.”
Laurence Teinturier, executive vice president and wife of Jean-Luc Teinturier, said a primary focus of the August edition will be swimwear along with intimates.
“We launched our first swimwear show in Las Vegas with 70 brands last August and it was very well received,” she said. “So, we plan to continue doing a swimwear show in Las Vegas in August 2011 and will launch the first swimwear week in New York City, with more than 70 swimwear brands, next summer.”
Jean-Luc Teinturier said online marketing and social media also play a big part in capturing a wider audience for the fairs and the exhibitors. Laurence Teinturier noted that the New York venue in February will focus on Curvexpo’s partnership with Fashion Targets Breast Cancer and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, for which gifts designed by CFDA designers as well as intimate apparel designers will be auctioned.
Sizing up the business outlook for 2011, Jean-Luc Teinturier said, “Order writing at the shows last August was strong, and we feel this will continue because of the expansion of swimwear. Specialty boutique business appears to be healthier and sell-throughs at retail are better than a year ago. So all of this makes us very optimistic for 2011.”