Informa Markets Fashion phases in-person events into 2021 calendar, including pop up Orlando event

Informa Markets Fashion will both evolve its digital event opportunities and reintroduce physical experiences in 2021, starting with a new ‘MAGIC Pop Up Orlando’ event in February and the return of keystone, in-person marketplaces in the second half of the year.

The organiser of fashion trade events MAGIC, COTERIE, PROJECT, footwear event MICAM Americas, and apparel sourcing event SOURCING at MAGIC has announced its preliminary event schedule for 2021 including the reintroduction of live events in February. 

MAGIC Pop Up Orlando will be hosted on 9-11 February at the Orange County Convention Center and will be a limited capacity, appointment driven event showcasing women’s trend and contemporary apparel, accessories, and footwear, as well as select menswear brands. 

The show will feature a limited footprint of buyers and brands guided by Informa AllSecure, a protocol developed with industry associations, organiser, venues and local authorities.

“The safety and wellbeing of our guests is at the forefront of our in-person event planning,” said Kelly Helfman, commercial president of Informa Markets Fashion. “Attendees can expect temperature screenings at entry, mask and physical distancing requirements as directed by local and government guidance, as well as continuous sanitisation and deep cleaning measures.”

Alongside February’s live event, Informa Markets Fashion will return with a second edition of digital events in partnership with B2B e-commerce platform NuORDER. PROJECT DIGITAL, a comprehensive menswear marketplace, will launch on 19 January 2021 and run through 15 February, 2021. MICAM Americas DIGITAL, a footwear marketplace, will also launch on 19 January, 2021 and will run through 16 March 2021.

MAGIC DIGITAL, a women’s trend marketplace, will launch on 1 February, 2021 and will run through 1 March, 2021, and COTERIE DIGITAL - an elevated women’s marketplace - will launch on 16 February, 2021 and run through 16 March, 2021.

Informa Markets Fashion’s apparel sourcing and supply chain digital event, SOURCING at MAGIC Online, which is hosted through a separate, proprietary platform, will also return with its digital event on 1 March, 2021 and running through 1 May, 2021.

Phasing into the second half of the year, Informa Markets Fashion will also return with larger-scale events in Las Vegas and New York and the organiser expects to announce additional curated, intimate event opportunities in the coming months.

“For the fashion industry, it’s about interacting with materials and the tactile experience that is greatly missed - a sentiment that has been shared directly with us by our customers and what drives the want and need for a return to live events in 2021,” said Helfman. “Our aim is to offer a scaled and symbiotic approach in order to convene and help rebuild the fashion wholesale community in 2021. In addition to evolving our digital product offering, our approach will be a phased reintroduction of physical events in a slow and thoughtful manner, as this will allow us to ensure maximum safety while delivering the much-needed opportunities for the industry to come together in key markets in 2021,” she added.

Photo credit: Hailley Howard