How to Make the Most of Fashion Industry Events (Even When You Aren’t There!)
The biggest fashion trade show in the industry is in full swing in Vegas as we speak. While MAGIC historically has been a show dedicated to connecting buyers and brands, blogging and social media have added a whole new perspective to the trade show floor. Bloggers are hired to cover specific categories at the show (i.e. footwear, women’s contemporary apparel, menswear, emerging designers, textiles) and most likely, they’re flooding your Instagram and Twitter feeds with shots and snippets of the show.
If you’re not in attendance, what might this have to do with you? Aside from being a passive observer over social media, there’s a lot you can take away from what’s happening at MAGIC and other industry events (like NYFW.) More than anything, there’s a ton of fodder for future blog posts coming out of these events! Here are just a few event happenings you can make sure to pay attention to while scrolling your feeds:
Get ahead of trends
NYFW and other fashion weeks strive to show you what’s going to trend in upcoming seasons. Trade shows like MAGIC give you some insight into what buyers are interested in bringing into their stores even sooner. Both of these events are prime time for you to take a look at what’s coming to your favorite stores! Take notes and get ahead of the curve with trend reports from the shows.
Engage with exhibiting brands
Even though the target audience for brands at these trade shows is retail buyers, that doesn’t stop them from sharing what’s going on in their booths. Be on the lookout for special contests or promotions that you can win even if you aren’t at the event. You can also track down the PR or in-house marketing contact to ask for a lookbook of the collections they’re showing on the trade show floor.
Discover new and upcoming brands
My favorite part about trade shows, fashion weeks and other industry events is discovering emerging (or new to me) brands. Being there gives me the chance to talk to the designer face-to-face, but I’ve also reached out to brands I’ve found by searching the #WWDMAGIC or #POOLTRADESHOW hashtags and/or following the trade show’s accounts.
Who’s sponsoring?
Pay attention to the non-fashion sponsors of the trade show, fashion week or other industry event – because they’re looking to reach a fashion-conscious audience. If you’re looking to branch beyond working with fashion brands on your blog, these sponsors (representing automobile, food/beverage, tech and other consumer brands) are a great place to start scouting.
Plan for next season
Dying to get in on the action next season, maybe as an official blogger for the show? Follow the ones who have those duties right now, and it won’t be hard to track down the coordinator (usually an agency or PR firm) through their posts. Make sure you’re following the trade show or event’s official social media accounts and subscribe to their newsletter, so you’ll be in-the-know when applications go live for the next season. You might even email the coordinator to ask what it takes to be considered for covering future shows.
A little strategic thought can get you on the front lines next season!
Image credit: paul prescott / Shutterstock.com
