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Back when I first began operating an online baby boutique, I used to visit Las Vegas (a quick flight for me) to attend trade shows.  My goal was to learn about cut-and-sew companies that might be able to help me manufacture a couple of the ideas I had, as well as to see companies that had already found ways to do that and were now selling clothing, toys, or other baby gear that I could re-sell to my customers.

Because my focus was so narrow – organic and ethically-produced goods – I soon found the internet to be a more affordable and broader way to find companies whose stock I wanted to carry.  Those initial experiences, though, were definitely interesting, if not educational.

What’s a children’s clothing trade show?

Children’s industry trade shows are one of the ways that kid’s clothing, accessory, and product brands and manufacturers market themselves to the stores that you shop at.  They are a place for brands – new and established – to announce news, exhibit their collections for upcoming season(s), take wholesale orders, and create new or foster existing relationships.  They are also a place for buyers, distributors, store owners, etc. to see new products and clothing collections before they are available to the public, as well as to order items that you, their customer, might like.

Most consumers never get a chance to attend these shows – to gain entry, you typically need to be able to prove that you represent a company that is licensed to re-sell products to consumers or other sellers.  Parent expos are probably the best way for the public to see what new kids’ products are out there; they are also an interesting way for the companies who make those products to talk with and get feedback from the people who ultimately buy and use them – something that doesn’t really happen at an industry trade show.

Children's Club Exhibitor

How do new clothing brands and manufacturers know which trade shows to exhibit at?

Participating in a trade show is an expensive proposition for exhibitors – travel, marketing materials, clothing samples and displays, booth rental, etc.  A company first needs to decide if attending a show is the best way to introduce their clothing or other product line (online marketplaces, sales reps, social networks, etc. are other ways to do this).  They then should try to participate in a show that is most suited to their type of product and the buyers they hope to appeal to.

It’s not always clear what to expect from a show based on their website’s “About” page.   So, a new company could:

• Look at a show’s past exhibitors/brands list to see if there are any that are in the same market (price point, style, etc.) as their own.
• Contact the show’s staff to find out which market(s) and buyers the show caters to and if their product is a good fit for those buyers.
• Talk to representatives of the stores they hope to sell to in order to find out which shows they attend.
• Seek representation from a children’s apparel sales rep who has insight into and experience with shows.
• Talk with their peers to find out what shows they had success with or not.
• Learn from experience – a show may turn out to be a poor fit for a brand, but it is a great place to learn from others (and from one’s own effort).

If you’ve participated in a trade show as an exhibitor or buyer before, what’s been your experience?

What children’s fashion trade shows are out there?

There are a number of kids’ apparel trade shows and events around the world, each with a slightly different focus and different participants.  Here’s a list of some shows by country which cater primarily to the children’s apparel and accessory market:

For an up to date schedule of these and other children’s apparel trade shows, visit the Dashin Fashion international children’s clothing blog or James Girone’s online guide to the children’s marketplace.