Informa Markets Fashion continues to innovate with its just-announced 2021 lineup of events. The organizer of fashion trade show events MAGIC, COTERIE, PROJECT, footwear event MICAM Americas, and apparel sourcing event SOURCING at MAGIC is launching a second edition of its digital marketplace events to online life in January, as well as bringing back in-person events.
The first live event, designed to help support fashion retailers and brands as they work to recover from the pandemic-induced massive global disruption of 2020, will be a more intimate MAGIC Pop Up Orlando experience at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). Scheduled to be held Feb. 9-11, the in-person event will feature an appointment-driven showcase of women’s trend and contemporary apparel, accessories, and footwear, along with select men’s brands. The intent is to draw a U.S.-based audience of big-box, online, specialty, and boutique retail buyers for a diverse group of brands traditionally found at WWDMAGIC, STITCH, PROJECT WOMENS, and MICAM Americas.
“The safety and comfort of all our guests guides our floor planning and event execution,” said Kelly Helfman, Commercial President, Informa Markets Fashion. “Since we are approaching this year in a thoughtful manner as we reintroduce events back to the market, our first live event in 2021 will be a more curated experience with limited capacity, in order to maintain physical distancing and the safety of those attending, as well as staff,” she added. “Featuring a diverse array of product offerings from women’s trend and contemporary, as well as footwear and men’s brands, we are encouraging appointment setting to help manage show floor foot traffic, along with wider aisles and an open-air concept show floor layout.
The event, which will feature a limited footprint of buyers and brands, will adhere to the Informa AllSecure detailed health, safety, and security protocols the company developed in collaboration with industry associations, event organizers, and venues, with input from health, government, and local authorities.
“While we continually monitor official government and local authority guidance, guests can expect temperature screenings at entry, no contract registration, required face masks, physical distancing of six feet both within the show floor and in public spaces as well as a continuous cleaning and sanitization schedule with focus on ‘high-touch’ areas as some of the rigorous health and safety protocols we will be implementing – both for this event and for all future events we will host in 2021,” Helfman said.
New Year, New Lineup of Digital Events
Informa Market Fashions also is launching a second edition of digital events beginning in January. In partnership with B2B ecommerce platform NuORDER, these new marketplaces will include PROJECT DIGITAL, a menswear marketplace; MICAM Americas DIGITAL, the company’s footwear marketplace; MAGIC DIGITAL, Informa Market Fashion’s women’s young contemporary and trend marketplace; and COTERIE DIGITAL, an elevated women’s marketplace. The company also will bring its apparel sourcing and supply chain digital event, SOURCING at MAGIC Online, which is hosted through a separate proprietary platform, March 1-May 1.
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“We are excited to deliver on an as promised hybrid event model throughout all of 2021 and beyond, continuing with our digital events, as well as a reintroducing live events back to the market,” said Helfman. “Our digital events, which we launched for the first time in the fall of 2020, were a great success, and as our data confirmed, the community was eager to convene in order to continue their wholesale business operations. Continuing forward in 2021, we are building on this success and further enhancing our digital offerings in order to offer the fashion community even more opportunities and business options, while also synergistically aligning with our live events. With the ease of access and geographic limitations removed, our digital events will service the need for global connectivity and commerce, allowing brands and buyers the opportunity to interact with products and connect with new and known vendors, regardless of ability to attend live events.”
In-Person Events Coming in Second Half of 2021
Informa Markets Fashion also is bringing back some of its larger scale events later in the year, including MAGIC Las Vegas, which will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in August. COTERIE will take place in person in September at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.
Helfman said, “Understanding it’s a personal choice for many in attending live events, our digital events allow both brands and retail buyers the opportunity to do business without sacrificing personal choice. For those participating in both, it’s a two-fold benefit: Retailers are able to preview brands prior to shopping them live, as well as the ability to reconnect after the live event concludes for follow-up, such as adding additional products. Utilization of both our live and digital platforms is a truly comprehensive experience aimed at maximizing commerce and better serving the varying needs of the community.”
Stay tuned for more details on plans to launch additional, larger scale marketplaces, as well as more curated, intimate events and digital marketplace opportunities, later in 2021.
Reach Kelly Helfman at Kelly.helfman@informa.com.
