TRADE SHOWS
June Apparel & Accessories Market: Largest Show Since 2004 Welcomed Buyers From Coast to Coast
Held June 14–17, buyers from all 50 states, Canada, and Mexico attended the Apparel & Accessories trade event in Dallas, which featured expanded space to accommodate new brands.
“Our summer shows have become must-attend events,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “With the support of thousands of brands, we have created the largest marketplace in the U.S. for apparel, accessories, and footwear—and we are just getting started. Our August show will be even larger.”
Attendance at the show by new buyers was up dramatically: The June market had a 163% increase in new buyers versus pre-pandemic June shows. The show also continued to expand its national audience: Attendance by stores from the Midwest was up more than 100%, the Southeast was up 140%, and the West was up 170%.
Aron Straus, owner of Julie’s in Charlotte, N.C., commented: “The Dallas show was great for an early start and jump on Fall and Transitional 2022. They have all the L.A. temps there with a great ‘open’ booth to view and buy. I’m looking forward to coming back in August for another great buying trip!”
Dallas Market Center has more than 400 permanent showrooms and for June had more than 500 temporary exhibitors. In 2022, the number of exhibiting brands has grown by more than 10%, accommodated in additional permanent showrooms and expanded temporary space.
Exhibitor Marty Leon with the L&A Showroom, noted: “Dallas was a huge success based on the quality and amount of traffic we saw come through the showroom. Buyers were eager to shop all categories from apparel to accessories, and we ended up working with over 300 clients that included multiple majors and many independent boutiques from across the nation.”
New for June was permanent showroom D Element Style showcasing Celia B, Las Surenas, Vero Alfie, Kleid, and Neubyrne. Owner and founder Doris D’Angelo commented: “As a new permanent showroom we had a good show. We had steady traffic, all our appointments showed up, and we did get a handful of new customers. My buyers are all now coming to DMC to buy my brands and browse other showrooms. It’s exciting to see.”
Additional new showrooms included Golden, LeLaLo, My Girl in LA, Sal & Pimento, and Wolverine. Expanded showrooms included the 2Fourteen Showroom, Miss Me, and Rita Harris.
Temporary, expanded space on the 11th floor featured young contemporary and Immediate goods. In the young-contemporary section, new exhibitors included Dress Forum, Hidden, and Mica Denim. Immediate goods included Candles & Cream, Golden Lily, Hello Happiness, Hippie Chic, Sunwest Silver, and Zingy Boutique. The temporary trade-show space on the 12th floor was once again sold out with hundreds of brands. On the 13th floor, featured brands included Barbour, Coastal Grit, DNM City, Jeffrey Campbell, Kinsley Armelle, and PWR WMN.
New Buyer Applications Continue to Soar
In addition to new exhibitors, the number of new buyers continues to set records. New-buyer applications remain 50% ahead of 2019, reflecting both the marketplace’s position as a center of inspiration and its momentum as a national marketplace attracting buyers from coast to coast.
Supernova Fashion Show Tops Market Events
On Tuesday evening, hundreds of buyers attended a market party and fashion show with the theme Supernova. Space exploration–inspired styles from throughout the marketplace appeared on the runway for a comprehensive presentation of more than 100 looks.
For upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center mobile app. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the DMC Daily Dose.
