TRADESHOW PREVIEW

TRADESHOW PREVIEW DENIM PREMIÈRE VISION

BERLIN IS CALLING

After four years of preparations and a pandemic, Denim Première Vision will be taking place at Arena Berlin for the first time on 17 and 18 May 2022. When we catch up with Show Manager Fabio Adami Dalla Val, he and his team are busy preparing the finishing touches for the event. More than 80 renowned exhibitors, exciting trade fair highlights and new innovations are ramping up the anticipation among the visitors. And Fabio himself seems pretty excited too.

Fabio Adami Dalla Val, Show Manager, Denim PV

INTERVIEW CHERYLL MÜHLEN

You have the crème de la crème on your exhibitor list, including Isko, who last participated in a fair around five years ago. What message are you sending with this?

Yes, we even have some digital exhibitors as well, but I’m very happy that we are returning with our partners from all over the world. It means a lot to us because it shows that they recognise the importance of our show. We are very honoured that they trust us and want to be a part of our comeback.

You’re celebrating your return in a new city for Denim Première Vision: Berlin. What does the German capital have to offer you that other cities don’t?

Berlin is cosmopolitan and has huge creative potential. Creativity can be found all over the city, which you don’t often get elsewhere. This is also what makes Berlin so inspirational. We see a lot of opportunities here, which is why we also hope to come back again after this show. We like to create synergies and make a strong connection with the city. And I expect that it will be very attractive for German brands too.

Are you expecting more German visitors than ever in Berlin?

Our experience has taught us that no matter where we are in Europe, it’s always around 50 percent national and 50 percent international visitors. So since we’ve already noticed a big increase in the number of German registrations, we are expecting the same in Berlin. Another reason for this could be that Denim PV will be launching the season in Germany (as Bluezone unfortunately won’t be taking place), so we are currently the only denim trade fair in the country.

What highlights do you have in store?

For the first time at Denim PV, our list of exhibitors will include 10 ready-to-wear and accessories brands from all over the world who are specialised in denim and will be showcasing their own capsule collections inside the venue. They each had the opportunity to work with our exhibitors’ materials to create a connection between their own brand and our partners. We offered them the opportunity to look around, explore and form new partnerships. Also in terms of sustainability, this cooperation gives them the best opportunities and direct access, which they wouldn’t have had otherwise. Everyone is running around frantically trying to get finished right now because they’ve only had around two months to create a collection that would usually take up to six months, plus they are working remotely with people that they may have never met before. That’s very challenging but interesting, too. And in my opinion, it’s part of our duty as a trade fair to promote young, new brands and be a platform for everyone – exhibitors, brands and visitors – where everyone can find new partner collaborations and research new materials or new production methods.

Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons!

What is your advice to anyone coming to Denim PV?

Usually, people go to the show and only visit their current partners. But I would say: don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons!

Like many others, you have started a digital alternative show that you’re planning to continue. How will the symbiosis of the physical and the digital trade show work?

The concept of the physical show is easy to understand and therefore easier to execute. The digital format, on the other hand, needs to be better developed because the physical contact is also missing. For the Berlin edition, we will have a live sourcing event that will be a mix between physical and digital. The exhibitors can showcase their products and each product will be connected directly with their page in the marketplace. We see it as a synergy or a complementary interface between the physical and digital worlds. Unfortunately, some exhibitors can’t be with us physically so they will present themselves as purely digital exhibitors. And during the digital week we will also have some interesting presentations, perhaps two a day where we highlight specific themes like traceability in short 10-minute videos. But overall, the connection between our digital and physical platforms is really important to us. Last year alone we had five million page views on our digital platform. Whether online or offline – there are so many things to look forward to.

DENIM.PREMIEREVISION.COM

The 10 ready-to-wear and accessories brands include Denzilpatrick, Fade Out Label, Peppino Peppino, Blue Of A Kind, Gimmi Jeans, Milena Andrade, Von Dutch, Braves & Co, Jonathan Christopher and A New Kind Of Blue.

TRADESHOW PREVIEW TEXWORLD EVOLUTION

DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF TEXTILES

Twice a year, Texworld Evolution Paris brings around 1,500 exhibitors from the global fashion industry to the French capital. The event offers buyers from all over the world a sourcing platform with a wide and varied product palette, ranging from basics to the most creative and high-quality products. After a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, it is returning from 4 — 6 July 2022.

TEXT CHERYLL MÜHLEN

The special thing about Texworld Evolution is that it encompasses four exhibitions: Texworld, Apparel Sourcing, Avantex and Leatherworld.

Once again, Texworld is presenting a swathe of international weaving mills from Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Turkey and many other countries. And the whole gamut is covered: cotton, draping and tailoring, embroidery and lace, jacquard, knit fabrics, linen and hemp, prints, shirting, silk, silky aspects, sportswear and outdoor, trimmings and accessories, as well as wool and woollen fabrics. It also has a large denim area where around 70 leading manufacturers will be showcased. The organisers have set out to bring the entire spectrum of denim together in one place: from the raw materials to the finished product, from sportswear to leisurewear.

Apparel Sourcing is one of the biggest meeting places for sourcing in Europe, from the finished product down to apparel and fashion accessories. It brings together international manufacturers who combine quality, creativity and competitive pricing – for menswear, womenswear, kidswear and accessories.

With a more progressive and sustainable focus, Avantex is a hotspot for start-ups, innovators and the industrial gamechangers who are committed to innovative solutions as well as efficient, transparent, circular and ecological fashion. From upstream to downstream chains, Avantex brings together the players shaping tomorrow’s fashion and also hosts the Avantex Fashion Pitch every year.

And last but not least, the fourth event is Leatherworld. Dedicated to leather and the leather goods industry, around 60 manufacturers of raw materials and finished leather goods are represented here. To make it easier for visitors to find the products, many areas and sections are highlighted with signs, such as the ‘Handmade’ category that aims to elevate the finest artisanal products by Texworld Evolution’s exhibitors. There is also a ‘Small Quantity’ category, which lists exhibitors who offer the option of selling smaller quantities to designers, while the ‘Sustainable Sourcing’ category speaks for itself, offering environmentally friendly, ethically manufactured textiles.

It’s obvious that the trade fair has really made the best of the past two years to further establish its position as a renowned hub for sourcing and inspiration. Miss it and miss out!

TEXWORLD-PARIS.FR.MESSEFRANKFURT.COM

FLORENCE: THE BEST PLACE FOR MENSWEAR ON THE PLANET

From 14 — 17 June 2022, the 102nd edition of Pitti Uomo will be taking place live and in person in the Tuscan capital. Pitti’s Communications Director Lapo Cianchi is predicting an exceptional event and expecting a slight rise in exhibitor and visitor numbers compared to the previous edition.

TEXT WOLFGANG ALTMANN

MALICK BODIAN PHOTO

Grace Wales Bonner is guest designer at the 102nd Pitti Uomo.

French Vogue recently declared Pitti Uomo “the most important men’s fashion tradeshow on the planet”. An accolade that even COVID couldn’t take the shine away from. On the contrary: despite the pandemic, the most recent events in January and last July attracted many visitors. While all fashion fairs here in Germany were cancelled due to COVID, the Florentine team confidently went ahead with their in-person events. And they were a resounding success, even though exhibitor and visitor numbers didn’t quite match pre-COVID levels. “Around 600 brands exhibited in January. We are expecting a slight increase at the upcoming edition,” says a cautiously optimistic Lapo Cianchi. The next edition will run over four days again, like it used to. “We believe that the exhibitors and visitors really need these four days,” Cianchi says.

A LOT GOING ON

And that’s no wonder, considering the many exhibitions and presentations that are taking place alongside the actual tradeshow. “Our schedule is packed full of events that start as early as the evening before,” says Cianchi. A particular highlight is the fashion show by special guest Grace Wales Bonner. The English-Jamaican designer, who has already won numerous awards, will be showcasing her menswear collection for spring/ summer 2023. “We have been familiar with the work of Grace Wales Bonner since she first debuted and have followed the evolution of her menswear fashion proposal, the gradual grafting of the elegant sartorial structure on the development of fashion design and sportswear elements,” enthuses Cianchi. “A style which, if borrowed from the world of music, could even be called soul.”

Another highlight is the presentation by Ann Demeulemeester, which was actually supposed to take place last January, but ended up being postponed to June. Pitti Uomo knows exactly how to attract all the right attention on social media and the ‘Pitti Peacocks’ – the extravagantly dressed, style-obsessed men who flock to the streets of Florence to show off their preenedto-perfection looks – are meanwhile famous in their own right. Pitti Uomo has successfully positioned itself as a mix between a men’s Fashion Week and a traditional fashion tradeshow.

THE FIRST PORT OF CALL FOR PROFESSIONALS

But, more than anything, Pitti Uomo is a B2B platform for international retailers on the lookout for stylish menswear. Around 8,000 professionals visited the last event – mainly buyers from Italy and its neighbouring European countries. Cianchi is also expecting visitor numbers to increase and promises an interesting portfolio. He’s especially pleased about the large numbers of Italian designers who are participating. “A lot of the big brands will be there,” says the Communications Director, including Brunello Cucinelli’s team, who cancelled at short notice last time. The ‘Sustainable Style’ area is expected to be very popular too. This is where interesting newcomers like Figure Decorative, Junk and Ukrainian label Ksenia Schnaider will be presenting their sustainable styles. “Sustainability is a topic that can no longer be ignored,” says Cianchi, predicting another strong edition of Pitti Uomo ahead.

PITTI CONNECT AS AN ADD-ON

The virtual version of the 102nd Pitti Uomo has been online since mid-May. On the online platform Pitti Connect, customers can already discover new trends, research brands and contact exhibitors. This makes it the perfect link between the physical and digital worlds with countless tools to help visitors prepare for and also follow up after the event. And the great thing about it is that Pitti Connect remains open to logged-in users for six weeks after the tradeshow. Around 7,200 buyers took advantage of the digital offer in January. The organisers are also expecting an increase in online traffic, showing that Pitti Connect has now become an integral part of the Pitti Uomo world.

NEW, BUT STILL FAMILIAR

The time has finally come: Frankfurt Fashion Week is taking place from 20 — 26 June 2022. From 21-24 June, the focus will be on the comeback of textile fairs Techtextil, Texprocess and Heimtextil at Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds and, from 24 — 26 June, Neonyt at the Union Halle venue in Frankfurt’s Ostend district. The tradeshows will be accompanied by an interesting line-up of fashion and culture-related events.

After three years, Techtextil, Texprocess and Heimtextil are back, along with Neonyt and a whole bunch of other public events. A welcome addition with added value or a classic case of too much going on at once? As Meike Kern, Director of Heimtextil, puts it: “FFW offers unique synergies under one roof. Exhibitors will profit from cross-selling opportunities and can build new business relationships in brand-new constellations. All together in one place, visitors will be able to find global trends, products and innovations along the textile supply chain, ranging from yarns and fibres to functional textiles, textile technologies and finishing processes to finished products for textile furnishings, performance textiles, functional clothing and fashion. Due to the increasing awareness of sustainable circular economics, modern recycling processes will also be presented.” Awaiting visitors to Techtextil are other forward-looking technologies including various sustainable materials and recycling and upcycling options. Exhibitors at Texprocess will be showcasing their sustainable processing technologies such as water-efficient dyeing processes and innovative cutting technologies with minimum waste. For the first time, a digital extension of Techtextil and Texprocess will also be offered, starting on 13 June and available until 8 July 2022. It will include services like streaming, numerous networking opportunities and digital showrooms – so even if you can’t make it to Frankfurt, you can still take part remotely.

TEXPROCESS.MESSEFRANKFURT.COM TECHTEXTIL.MESSEFRANKFURT.COM HEIMTEXTIL.MESSEFRANKFURT.COM

NEONYT GOES NEONYT LAB

THE ‘BURGER PRINCIPLE’

Bettina Bär, Show Director, Neonyt

TEXT & INTERVIEW CYNTHIA BLASBERG

This will be Bettina Bär’s second Neonyt as Show Director and she and her team have come up with a new concept: the Neonyt Lab – made up of Prepeek, Fashionsustain, including the Showcase and Knowledge Lounge, as well as the cooperation with Greenstyle The Store. The concept here is: ‘Build your own experience’. To find out what awaits visitors and what burgers have to do with it, we asked Bettina Bär in an interview.

‘Build your own experience’ – the upcoming summer edition of Neonyt with the Neonyt Lab follows this principle. What can we expect?

We want this summer’s Neonyt Lab to be a real experience and offer something to suit everyone’s taste. Amongst ourselves, we are calling it the ‘burger principle’. A veggie burger, of course! The Neonyt Lab, the framework for the summer event, is the burger bun, and you get to add your own toppings, i.e. the individual elements of the Neonyt Lab, as you wish. Visitors can take part in the Fashionsustain conference, the corresponding Showcase where there will be practical, more in-depth information on conference topics to do with technologies, materials, change-maker campaigns and research projects, or attend a presentation in the Knowledge Lounge, where standard and certification companies like GOTS and Oeko-Tex will be on hand. Prepeek, on the other hand, is our popular content creator event, where collections are shown off by professional stylists and content creators with a high reach. And last but not least: the cooperation with Greenstyle by Mirjam Smend, where her D2C contacts will meet the cross-section of Neonyt brands.

For the first time, Neonyt is consciously opening itself up to end consumers and positioning itself as a direct-to-consumer event. What’s the idea behind that?

Over the last few seasons, we’ve been seeing a growing interest from consumers and we have made it our aim to constantly develop. With our formats, we want to make it possible for people to share knowledge and swap ideas on the overarching topics of sustainability within the most diverse target groups. That’s why we are opening up our community even more to the end consumers and taking the cross-sector relevance of Neonyt to the next level. Because only together can we drive long-term change in the fashion sector: authentically, directly and transparently. Neonyt and its cross-sector community represent fashion and lifestyle, curiosity and future orientation, an affinity for technology and sustainable awareness – and that doesn’t just include the business side of things, but also the broader public.

‘New Patterns’ is this summer’s motto. Can you tell us what this means?

With ‘New Patterns’, we want to make it clear that it’s time for a rethink, to break with old habits and create new thought patterns. Patterns are a learned way of acting, continuing or anticipating something. The inbuilt default system allows us to make decisions intuitively and instantly weigh up the pros and cons. But it can also lead us to jump to conclusions and stay in our comfort zones. So if we can change the pattern, we can also change the path – and nothing is more constant than change. It’s a fact that not only describes the very essence and core of fashion, but also the current sign of the times: systematic change requires us to push the boundaries of (sustainable) fashion and to join forces to rethink old patterns and create new ones. And together we want to also help end consumers to rethink their behavioural patterns and encourage them to make more conscious purchasing decisions when it comes to textiles and fashion.

You certainly haven’t had an easy start as Neonyt Show Director. What are the more positive moments you’ve experienced and what are your hopes for the future?

With Neonyt and our aspirations, we – and by that I mean me, the entire team, our exhibitors and partners and everyone involved with Neonyt – have something that we are passionate about and which we are all more than willing to go the extra mile for: regardless of how many bumps there are in the road! Holding onto that enthusiasm, continuously challenging the status quo and keeping our finger on the pulse: that’s what I hope lies ahead for the future of Neonyt. That, and fewer bumps in the road!

NEONYT.MESSEFRANKFURT.COM

TRADESHOW PREVIEW THE GROUND

EVERYONE IS A CONTENT CREATOR

In July, the Premium Group will be back in Berlin with the B2B tradeshows Premium and Seek – not to mention another trade fair concept that will be making its debut at the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds. The Ground is the first D2C tradeshow during Berlin Fashion Week and heralds the start of a new future. In an interview, Show Director Kai Zollhöfer explains to us why it’s so important for the industry to get consumers on board too.

Kai Zollhöfer, Show Director, The Ground

INTERVIEW RENÉE DIEHL

From B2B to D2C: can you talk us through your decision to start directly addressing consumers with The Ground?

Times have changed! After two and a half years of living with the pandemic, we all need a bit of new inspiration, action and fun again. With the integration of the new direct-to-consumer festival for style and culture, The Ground, alongside the established larger B2B fairs Premium and Seek, the entire industry is celebrating the start of a new era of organised industry gettogethers and fashion events.

What makes Generations Y and Z so interesting as consumers? And to what extent is The Ground tailored to the needs of this target group?

These days, anyone who uploads a photo to Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat is automatically a content creator and therefore also a brand ambassador. To get to know the interests, values and lifestyles of these people better and to meet their needs, brands have to enter into direct contact with them. And that’s where The Ground comes in. Here fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands have the unique opportunity to tread completely new paths in terms of marketing and storytelling, to generate attention, both online and offline, and to mobilise young customers and ensure their loyalty. We are working with a big influencer agency, activating our network and addressing the entire ecosystem of the industry. Berlin is dominated by Gen Z and cultural pioneers like no other city in Europe – so in that respect The Ground will be something of a home fixture!

I am sure that the new model offers benefits for professionals too. How will B2B and D2C be merged at the three fairs?

Just to make one thing clear: there won’t be a mix of B2B and D2C within the tradeshows Premium and Seek. The Ground,

There won’t be a mix of B2B and D2C within the tradeshows Premium and Seek.

on the other hand, is open to everyone, which will result in exciting synergies and a whole new dynamic. What makes it really exciting is that different personalities from the industry, the brands, buyers and the press will be coming together with influencers and end consumers in one place. After all, all these groups together form and represent the fashion industry’s ecosystem. And we want to reflect and facilitate that. These days, there are a lot of companies for whom B2B fairs are no longer relevant for various reasons; because their collections follow a different, new rhythm or because ordering isn’t a focus for them. At The Ground, these brands have the opportunity to present themselves in a totally different way, beyond displaying packed rails of clothes. Of course professional visitors will also be keeping an eye on what brands are coming up with to galvanise their communities, so The Ground is just as much a marketplace of ideas and inspiration for our B2B visitors too.

A number of noteworthy brands such as Drykorn, Hugo, MCM and Puma have already confirmed their participation in The Ground. How did they react to the new concept?

The aforementioned brands have one thing in common: marketing and communication power! The Ground is an exciting platform for these brands to showcase precisely these strengths and demonstrate their relevance to the target group.

As far as visitor numbers and feedback are concerned, what are your hopes for the premiere of The Ground?

I can’t imagine anything other than positive feedback! Nobody wants to miss the big industry reunion after the pandemic and the chance to go to all the different events happening in one place. It’s July, it’s Berlin and we’ll be at the exhibition grounds with lots of green spaces and outdoor areas. And so the shows will also be accompanied by plenty of entertainment: a music stage, new food concepts, dinners, parties and so on. The number of registrations is increasing daily and we all can’t wait! It’s going to be amazing!

THEGROUND.FASHION