Premiere Vision Paris<\/a> a couple of times while developing my handbag collection. \u00a0My experience from the first to the second time I visited was like comparing chalk with cheese. Let me tell you why, and share my tips for getting the most out of attending fashion trade shows.<\/p>\nThe first time I attended PV, I was in the very early stages of my business. At that point, I didn\u2019t have any contacts and didn\u2019t even have a fully-formed idea of my designs yet, or even the type of leather or material I wanted to use \u2013 so this trip was very much about finding inspiration, seeing the scope of the industry, and gaining experience with sourcing.<\/p>\n
Walking into the show for the first time, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed by the amount there was to see and having no idea where to start. It took me a while to pluck up the courage to approach any of the exhibitors, and I started off by just wandering around and browsing the booths to see if anything caught my eye. In the end, I came away with dozens of swatches, a list of contacts and lots of new ideas.<\/p>\n
By my second PV attendance, I had a much stronger idea of what my product and brand were about and, thanks to my first trip, I wasn\u2019t nervous about attending because I knew what to expect. The show was again a great source of inspiration and it was interesting to see new trends that were emerging, but this time my visit was much more focused. I had a list of suppliers I wanted to see \u2013 both current suppliers, and ones that I was interested in sourcing from in future. My experiences from the first trip also made me much more confident when it came to approaching exhibitors and reps.<\/p>\n
I was particularly keen to meet my suppliers in person, because I think that meeting face-to-face is an important step in building my relationships with them. I\u2019ve found that meeting with suppliers can be incredibly valuable, because it gives me a chance to get to know more about them and how their businesses work. In turn, it gives them a better understanding of my business, increases their level of trust, and improves my credibility. I\u2019ve found that people are much more willing to invest in me if I\u2019m more than an email address to them.<\/p>\n
Both trips were well worth the investment and helped me to grow and move my business forward.<\/p>\n
If you are planning to visit fashion trade shows at home or abroad for the first time and feel anxious, not knowing what to expect \u2013 keep reading. Below are my tips for making the most of your next trade show visit.<\/p>\n
Before you go:<\/strong><\/p>\nMake a list of must-see suppliers. Include your current suppliers, as well as any suppliers who have been recommended to you that you\u2019d like to find out more about. Also, take a look at the Exhibitor Directory and note any suppliers that might be worth visiting.<\/p>\n
\n- Create a \u201cshopping list\u201d<\/strong> of what you are looking for specifically. I manufacture handbags, so I needed to source leather, zips, lining, fittings etc. Putting together a list helps you to stay focused while you are walking around. It\u2019s easy to forget things when you get there, so having a list helps you to keep track of everything you need to see or do.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Prepare questions for suppliers<\/strong>. Some useful things to find out from new suppliers include their production and sampling minimums, prices\/sampling surcharges and lead times. If you can, it’s good to have an idea beforehand of the minimums you\u2019re looking for, the approximate costs you\u2019ve budgeted for the various components i.e. what you expect\/want to pay per square metre of fabric. Having this information at your fingertips (write it down \u2013 don’t rely solely on your memory!) will help you to know quickly when you meet a supplier whether they are a good fit, and will also make you much more credible and professional in their eyes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Let your current suppliers know you\u2019ll be attending.<\/strong> I didn\u2019t arrange any formal meetings, but I did let my suppliers know what day I would be popping down, so they knew to expect me.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Be organised.<\/strong> Allocate time both for visiting the suppliers you have identified and for wandering the aisles for inspiration. Don\u2019t underestimate how much time you\u2019ll need \u2013 fashion trade shows like Premiere Vision are huge and there is a lot to see, so make sure you allow enough time for everything. The last thing you want is to leave wishing you\u2019d had more time. Also, If you\u2019re attending for the first time and you\u2019re nervous, find out when the show is open to students and go then. Suppliers will be more understanding because they will be expecting people with less experience in the industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
At the show:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Allow yourself time when you first arrive to get your bearings.<\/strong> As mentioned, fashion trade shows are huge and can be very overwhelming. On your first visit, it\u2019s worth taking some time to soak in the atmosphere. There are inspiration zones at PV, which are a good place to start if you\u2019re nervous. There are caf\u00e9s in the halls \u2013 take a break and people watch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Don\u2019t be afraid to talk to exhibitors if you see something you like.<\/strong> It\u2019s easier said than done sometimes, but this is where it helps to come prepared with an idea of what you\u2019re looking for. You\u2019ll feel more confident when approaching suppliers if you feel like you know what you\u2019re talking about.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for samples.<\/strong> Some exhibitors are happy to give swatches at fashion trade shows, and others will offer to ship samples afterwards. If they ask for courier details this means you will pay the shipping, so be aware that this can quickly become expensive. Be selective. If you don\u2019t have an account with a courier, see if they are willing to send them anyway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Expect to do a lot of walking, standing and heavyweight\u00a0carrying.<\/strong>\u00a0You\u2019ll end up walking miles up and down the aisles and you\u2019ll be on your feet most of the day, so wear comfortable shoes! And if weightlifting is not your sport, bring a rucksack or wheeled bag where you can keep the myriad of catalogues, swatches and samples you will inevitably pick up in the course of your visit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Essentials for Fashion Trade Shows:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- A notebook and pen<\/strong> so that you can record all the information you\u2019re given from different suppliers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- An accordion folder<\/strong> to collect all your swatches and business cards (much better than just throwing them loose in a bag!).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \u00a0A camera or smartphone (that\u2019s fully charged)<\/strong> to keep a visual record of the things you see. Remember to ask for permission before taking photos. At the end of the show, photos will help you marry up your notes with all the swatches, samples and cards you\u2019ve collected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Business cards<\/strong>\u00a0that include your mailing address are useful to have \u2013 if you want to have samples sent to you, you\u2019ll end up scribbling your address on a lot<\/em> of order forms. It\u2019s much easier if all the necessary information is on a card, and also eliminates the\u00a0risk that a supplier won’t be able to read your handwriting. Make sure you bring a good supply of your cards. It will be very annoying if you run out!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Samples (of your product, fabrics and fittings, if you have them)<\/strong>\u00a0are useful to bring for your own reference as well as to show suppliers, so that they can tell you if they have something similar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Your \u201cshopping list\u201d<\/strong>!\u00a0Keep your list handy so that you stay focused, and make sure that you see everything you need to.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
Attending fashion trade shows like PV is a valuable experience no matter what stage you are at in your business. If you have suppliers it\u2019s always good to meet them face-to-face and if you haven\u2019t then it\u2019s a great opportunity to find some or even to just get a better idea of what you\u2019re after. It\u2019s always important to educate yourself and learn more about your industry, so if you haven\u2019t visited any fashion trade shows yet, I\u2019d highly recommend making the investment.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Have you been to a fashion trade show<\/a> before? What are your tips for people planning to attend for the first time? Go to Fashion Insiders Facebook Group and share your experiences.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sourcing tradeshows are almost a right of passage in the fashion industry and they can be a great place to start if you are looking for suppliers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":511,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6842],"tags":[4010,4154],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8752,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions\/8752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}