Spotlight on B2B Events: Where to Place Your Bet This Season

Less travel, more aim. The trade show season kicks off with this slogan in the minds of many professionals and with a certainty that runs through the backbone of B2B: people no longer go to trade shows out of inertia and very few are committed to omnipresence. In a market where the buyer arrives with shorter agendas and more specific objectives, where collections no longer sell themselves and where brands have gone from being there to justifying themselves, mass exposure loses its appeal. Not because there is less need to sell, but because the cost of selling has become more expensive in terms of time, personnel, logistics and, above all, strategy.

The trend is selective across the board. The buyer wants to resolve more in fewer days, to compare better without multiplying trips and to return with orders that make sense for his location, his customer and his margin. And the exhibitor, if he signs the booth check, does so looking for more than just traffic or mere visibility. Companies are aiming to approach a specific market, a specific type of store, new buyers or agents who will deploy their business.

In this context, trade shows compete to facilitate the work and continue to defend their indispensable role in an increasingly connected world with less budget that tolerates a low ROI(return on investment). Some reformulate their creative proposal to remain relevant; others rely on synergies with neighboring formats or widen the perimeter to universes such as decoration or beauty, not so much to appear larger, but to retain the visitor with a more useful route and approach the new golden target: lifestyle and concept stores.

The first weeks of January kicked off with Expo Riva Schuh once again concentrating the volume footwear in Riva del Garda, the Florentine Pitti Uomo once again measured the pulse of menswear in a less effective edition than the previous ones and Heimtextil inaugurated the textile year in Frankfurt, pushing an approach of more pavilions by neighborhoods to shorten searches and organize the offer. With that start, the rest of the quarter is almost like a survival manual for businesses.

PRÊT-À-PORTER

Who’s Next (Paris)

• When: January 17-19
• Where: Paris, Porte de Versailles.
• What to see: focus on fashion and retail solutions, with areas dedicated to sustainability (Impiact and Neonyt Paris), lingerie (Salon International de la Lingerie, decoration with a new format (Shoppe) and innovation (Traffic).
• You will be interested if: you buy for multi-brand, ecommerce or concept store and you are looking for French and international brand mix (with Mediterranean focus) and business tools.
• Why it matters: it continues to be one of the major shopping venues for the start of the year in Paris and one of the shows that continues to work best for the professionals who attend.

Modefabriek (Amsterdam)

• When: January 18-19
• Where: Expo Greater Amsterdam.
• What to see: Alohas, Copenhagen Studios, Fabienne Chapot, Marc O’Polo, Mos Mosh, Indi&Cold, Guess, Lola Casademunt, among others.
• You will be interested if: you buy contemporary womenswear for the Benelux and Northern Europe region, or if you are looking for efficient entry to that circuit.
• Why it matters: a change of location and an extensive list of commercial and contemporary brands that often functions as a regional hub.

Ciff (Copenhagen)

• When: January 27-29
• Where: Bella Center Copenhagen.
• What to see: Nordic fashion platform with access to an extensive representation of Northern European, British and German brands.
• You will be interested if: you are a multi-brand buyer with a Nordic sensibility and are looking for suppliers with a focus on design and sustainability. If you are a brand looking to enter these markets, but already have a strategic plan for agents and showrooms.
• Why it matters: it maintains the role of unique Nordic reference appointment after the absorption of Revolver to connect brands and international buyers in a few days. In addition, it coincides with the capital’s fashion week, betting on synergies between industry and design.

Momad (Madrid)

• When: February 5-7
• Where: Ifema Madrid.
• What to see: mix of national and international brands in the last edition under the joint format with other fairs before making the leap to July alone in its next edition.
• You’ll be interested if: you’re shopping for retail in Spain and are looking for a practical, budget-friendly fair with a local business component and emerging brands.
• Why it matters: it is the Spanish platform for fashion, the key event to expand the multi-brand network and a meeting point with regional agents.

Scoop International (London)

• When: February 8-10
• Where: Olympia National.
• What to see: curated event with more than 200 brands and an offer that already includes fashion and lifestyle, as well as beauty.
• You’ll be interested if: you buy premium contemporary and want to discover emerging international brands in a highly curated environment.
• Why it matters: it is positioned as one of the most “edited” British events, useful for shopping with little noise and a lot of filter.

TheOneMilano (Milan)

• When: February 21-23
• Where: Fiera Milano (Milan)
• What to see: ready-to-wear and accessories, coinciding in dates and venue with other shows of the Milanese system (including Micam in the same trade fair center).
• It will interest you if: you are looking for mid-high-end brands and access to shopping in Milan by concentrating your agenda.
• Why it matters: its value lies in synergy. Traveling to Milan those days allows you to cover several categories in a single route.

White (Milan)

• When: February 26-March 1
• Where: Tortona Fashion District.
• What to see: selection of contemporary(womenswear, menswear and accessories) in the Tortona axis.
• You’ll be interested if: you buy contemporary and want to combine showrooms, events and fair in the same district.
• Why it matters: it coincides with the Milanese pulse at the end of February and maintains its position as a contemporary showcase.

Tranoï (Paris)

• When: March 5-8
• Where: Palais Brongniart.
• What to see: selection of contemporary designers and brands during Paris Fashion Week.
• You’ll be interested if: you buy designer labels with international ambition, special focus on Asian names, and combine with Paris agenda in flat fashion week.
• Why it matters: it claims to be a B2B event with high attendance of international buyers, brings curated and design visibility and brings unusual names in the trade show scene.

Premiere Classe (Paris)

• When: March 6-9
• Where: Jardin des Tuileries.
• What to see: seasonal trends in ready-to-wear and accessories with mid-to-high positioning.
• You’ll be interested if: you’re looking for accessories and complements to complete your shopping in Paris during PFW.
• Why it matters: Works as a quick, on-trend shopping layer in the Parisian March calendar.

CHILDREN’S FASHION

Pitti Immagine Bimbo (Florence)

• When: January 21-22
• Where: Fortezza da Basso (Florence)
• What to see: children’s platform of the Pitti ecosystem, parallel to the Filati pole those days.
• You will be interested if: medium-high and premium children’s shopping, with the intention of connecting with international chains and brands with a long history.
• Why it matters: it reinforces the Florentine cluster in January, useful to maximize your trip if you were already at Pitti. The creative direction of the event is inspirational for industry professionals.

Bks+Fimi (Valencia)

• When: January 21-23
• Where: Feria Valencia.
• What to see: Wide representation of Spanish children’s fashion and childcare brands such as Kiokids Ibérica, Canpol, MiCuna, Olmitos, Bebe-llo. The calendar also includes a proposal of fashion shows.
• You will be interested if: you buy childcare, infant and accessories with a focus on commercial products and exports. The concentrated proposal and its proximity make the fair the most relevant in Spain for the sector.
• Why it matters: it concentrates Spanish children’s products with an international vocation at the start of the season.

Playtime Paris (Paris)

• When: January 24-26
• Where: Parc Floral de Paris.
• What to see: The New Society, Nobodinoz, Gray Label, Studio Noos, Pèpè, Forivor, Pom d’Api, La Canopée or True Artist.
• You will be interested if: you buy premium/lifestyle children’s fashion and are looking for brands with narrative, design and international positioning.
• Why it matters: it defends creative and lifestyle proposal in children’s fashion, and maintains calendar stability in January.

FOOTWEAR AND COMPONENTS

Micam Milano (Milan)

• When: February 22-24
• Where: Fiera Milano (Rho)
• What to see: international footwear fair in the great Milanese trade fair hub. It is the sector’s major event par excellence for mass-market proposals.
• You will be interested if: you buy footwear for chains and multi-brands with a broad supplier agenda.
• Why it matters: it is the event to attend at least once if you are a footwear company and it coincides with other fairs in the system, allowing you to compact meetings.

Lineapelle (Milan)

• When: February 24-26
• Where: Fiera Milano (Rho)
• What to see: leathers, materials and components for footwear and leather goods, organized by positioning of the show.
• You will be interested if: you are a brand or manufacturer and decide on collections from the material.
• Why it matters: it is an appointment of reference for the upstream of footwear and leather, in the same pole of Micam.

Futurmoda (Elche)

• When: March 25-26
• Where: IFA-Fira Alacant (Elche)
• What to see: components, leathers, soles, heels and offer related to footwear and leather goods.
• You will be interested if: you buy components or produce in Spain and want industrial proximity.
• Why it matters: it connects directly with the Alicante footwear cluster and its supply chain.

TEXTIL

Milano Unica (Milan)

• When: January 20-22
• Where: Fiera Milano (Rho).
• What to see: fabrics and accessories for women, men and children.
• You’ll be interested if: you buy medium-high and high fabrics and need a concentrated European panorama.
• Why it matters: It is the great Italian textile thermometer.

Pitti Immagine Filati (Florence)

• When: January 21-23
• Where: Fortezza da Basso.
• What to see: spinning and knitwear supply for styling teams and manufacturers. In addition, its coincidence with Pitti Bimbo facilitates intersectionality.
• You’ll be interested if: you work in knitting and yarn development or define the collection from the raw material.
• Why it matters: it concentrates the conversation of yarn and knitwear in a very specialized format and with the Pitti ecosystem around it.

Munich Fabric Start (Munich)

• When: January 27-29
• Where: Moc Munich.
• What to see: up to 1,100 international suppliers.
• Will interest you if: you buy fabric and accessories with a focus on innovation, denim and sourcing, plus international suppliers in Germany.
• Why it matters: one of the major Central European textile stops, with volume and area segmentation.

Première Vision Paris (Villepinte, Paris)

• When: February 10-12
• Where: Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte.
• What to see: Europe’s largest offering of materials, trends and inspiration forums for collection development.
• You will be interested if: you design and buy fabric or trimmings with a need to read about trends and suppliers. Aimed at large companies, medium-sized businesses or small designers.
• Why it matters: It remains a key node of the European upstream, especially useful for collection decisions and establishing first contacts with suppliers.

Filo65 (Milan)

• When: February 11-12
• Where: Fiera Milano Rho.
• What to see: high-end yarns and fibers selected on the basis of quality, innovation and sustainability criteria.
• You will be interested if: you buy or develop knitted and woven products and need raw material suppliers with technical conversation (product, composition, traceability), or if you want to take advantage of your trip to Milan to also cover leather materials and components via Lineapelle.
• Why it matters: in the midst of the “less travel, more aim” wave, Filo presents itself as a value chain fair: compact, specialized and with an argument of collaboration and efficiency.

Texworld / Apparel Sourcing Paris (Le Bourget)

• When: February 9-11
• Where: Paris-Le Bourget (Parc des Expositions).
• What to see: textile and apparel sourcing with a large weight of international suppliers.
• Will interest you if: you are looking for manufacturing and sourcing with a focus on price and lead times, or supplier diversification.
• Why it matters: it complements Première Vision from the most operational sourcing.