TRADE SHOWS

Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami Adds Events to Second Show

Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami recently announced the lineup for its three-day show to be held May 28–30 at the same time as Miami Fashion Week.

The Pantone Color Institute will present a trend forecast for Fall/Winter 2020–2021 to help designers and fashion executives get a jump on creating their collections later this year. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the upcoming trends firsthand and talk with color specialists at the Pantone booth, which will be located on the show floor.

Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute and an ATSM speaker, said that next year’s colors will be reflective of hues found in an oasis. She said rich, saturated shades will sit alongside strong modern pastels and muted natural colors, with texture, reflection and shine acting as integral partners in the way colors are seen and executed.

In the show’s VIP Lounge will be an Asia­–U.S.–Latin America Investment Summit organized with the Investment Association of China. The summit will be focused on local investment opportunities in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in the areas of logistics, ports, commercial/residential real estate, infrastructure and technology. “ATSM is the perfect venue for this summit due to its impressive mix of global manufacturers and location,” said Milly Bu, chief executive of the Investment Association of China.

ATSM also is bringing a delegation of Latin American apparel and textile producers to the show to facilitate sourcing opportunities in that region.

With trade tensions rising between the United States and China, an increasing number of companies are looking to Central America for alternative production locations.

Last year, Guatemala saw its apparel exports to the United States rise by 12 percent. “More work is coming to this region as we can compete with closeness, production flexibility with added value, high productivity and an integrated supply chain,” said Lucia Palacios, director of Vestex Guatemala, which is the industry association for apparel and textile producers in that country.

Speaking at the show will be Julie Hughes, president of the U.S. Fashion Industry Association in Washington, D.C., which promotes global trade for U.S. apparel brands, importers, wholesalers and retailers. She will be giving an update on the latest developments in global trade, tariff and non-tariff barriers, and new sourcing opportunities.

Returning to this year’s show is the ATSM 2019 Fashion Show highlighting the creations of Miami-based and international designers, as well as student collections from Miami International University.

Last year was the first ATSM show in Miami, which had scores of booths, pavilions, trend displays and seminars for apparel, fashion, textile and sourcing companies at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center.

The show is being organized by JP Communications, the parent company of Apparel Textile Sourcing trade shows, which two years ago launched a similar apparel and textile sourcing show in Toronto. The event organizer has since expanded to organize similar shows in Montreal and Berlin.