For more than 40 years Judy Stein’s SwimShow has served as the destination for serious buyers to get down to business with the industry’s most sought-after labels.
SWIM/SURF
Judy Stein Sets Swim-Event Trends as the Category Evolves
For more than 40 years SwimShow has been the must-visit destination for conducting serious swim-category business in the United States. As its founder, Judy Stein continues to set the bar high with each edition. Stein’s show formula established the standards for attracting a global audience to an alluring U.S.-based swim-industry trade event. She has also identified how to successfully evolve with a changing business amid shifting demands from her exhibitors and attendees—who want to learn how they can most effectively reach consumers.
Newcomers and competitors have entered the swim-event space over the years, yet Stein has established SwimShow as an integral presence on the calendar. California Apparel News spoke with Stein as she looks forward to how the swim category’s transition unfolds as an apparel segment across seasons—rather than a summer and holiday business—and the influence of these changes on SwimShow’s evolution.
CAN: What are you most excited about for SwimShow in 2025?
JS: We are excited to continue celebrating the new collections in swimwear but also in accessories, resort, cruise and ready-to-wear collections. The industry has shifted in so many ways, and we find offering a multitude of categories that fit well alongside swimwear has been a winning success for the exhibitors and retailers at SwimShow.
For 2025, we’re seeing trends evolve and classic styles become prominent fixtures in collections from Australia, Canada, Colombia, the U.K., Italy, Brazil, Greece, the British Virgin Islands, Indonesia, Peru and, of course, the American brands. We’re excited for a variety of new partnerships this season and to be hosting SwimTalks, a series of compelling conversations, panel discussions, trend seminars and more right on the SwimShow floor.
CAN: Why did you decide to expand by adding an October 2025 show?
JS: We’ve had a big demand from our exhibitors to produce a show in the fall in South Florida. While the summer show during Miami Swim Week is typically focused on orders shipping Early Resort/Spring, we believe developing an October show will leave room for buyers who are visiting to shop a mix of Summer and even Immediates.
Adding a new show simply continues to celebrate the industry and traditional retail methods, which are lately overlooked and being shifted in various directions. The truth is that consumers want an in-store experience, so we’re simply helping the industry pivot with the times.
CAN: What should attendees expect from the October 2025 show?
JS: We expect October to be a curated show that helps buyers discover new brands and meet with veteran exhibitors with ease. During the summer, it’s an extremely busy show and time of year during that particular market week.
Miami Swim Week has become a staple since we’ve held SwimShow in the summer for so many years, and, with that, Miami sees an influx of programming from mass D2C brands, but our trade-show model will always celebrate the brands that are ready to be at retail.
We’ve always held events for buyers and brands to come together, but lately we have elevated the experience with education, having experts, editors and buyers sit on panels, and this is something we’re truly seeing as a win for our show and its attendees.
CAN: What is one industry-wide challenge faced by the trade-show business that you have overcome?
JS: While we market our show as a swim-focused trade show, this segment now comes with several other categories, and, with that, there are a lot of brands on the market. We take our time to review each and every brand and collection—new exhibitors must send samples for our review. We want to see the quality of the fabric, construction, composition, craftsmanship, execution, design and branding.
The biggest challenge is deciphering the new brands that are ready to not only receive orders but also present well to buyers, make appointments and deliver orders. Some brands just think that if they show up the buyers will come—and it’s simply not the case. It’s a science, and, if it’s mastered, it leads to great success of many brands that have been with us for years.
