What enticed The Hundreds, Orlebar Brown, Crumpler, and Barbour (plus 96 others,) to descend on Hong Kong at the end of August?
The answer is a new fashion trade show called The Hub.
In all, one hundred brands participated in The Hub’s debut at Hong Kong’s Asia World Expo. The highly curated show took place over three days and is set to take place again February 25th through 27th, 2014.
The Hub is a unique three-day event offering a long list of incentives for fashion brands, retailers, and industry professionals to attend.
In the past, retailers around the region would need to travel to the U.S. or Europe to connect with international brands. As Asia has grown into a massive consumer of fashion, it makes sense to hold a sophisticated trade show closer to home.
Let’s say you’re a foreign fashion brand looking to start selling in Asia. What if you could reach the region’s top buyers and boutiques all in one place, instead of going to each country separately? Or what if you’re a boutique looking for a way to find new merchandise, but without the excessive costs of traveling to the U.S. or Europe? That’s part of the reasoning behind The Hub.
Hong Kong is an ideal choice for such a trade show as it is centrally located, as well as a capital of commerce and cosmopolitan convenience.
On the scene at The Hub!
Put together by fashion industry veterans Peter Caplowe and Richard Hobbs, the first edition of The Hub was well attended by both young upstarts as well as labels with a long heritage.
The exhibition itself is divided into four sections, Heritage, Street, Contemporary, and Indigo, which focuses on denim.
Much like other trade shows around the world, brands rent booths and create their own environment to showcase their lines.
On top of the sales and networking opportunities, there was a constant string of talks and lectures throughout the three-day show that took place on August 28th through 30th. Industry leaders and top-notch consulting firms shared insights on upcoming trends, technology and best practices.
The Hub is being held twice a year, and registration is now open for February’s event. If you’re a brand interested in participating, have a look at their site and apply to be one of the featured brands. They are expanding to 150 spots for their second show.
Walking through The Hub it was possible to see firsthand just how well it worked. Made In Paradise, a new swimwear brand from Hong Kong was constantly getting inquires from prospective distributors and retailers as we stood by taking photographs.
In addition to a contemporary take on patterns that included 80’s and 90’s motifs, the brand also had an interesting wooden display.
As a quick summary The Hub provides the following:
– an ideal way for brands to build a retail presence in Asia
– an efficient way for buyers to meet a range of brands without having to individually contact each one and set up costly appointments around the world
– a great venue to browse and discover quality brands that you never knew existed
– opportunities to learn new trends and techniques from industry experts for free!
– the ability to check out the competition in your sector and see how they go about presenting their collections
– a prime place to meet others in the fashion field for networking or potential collaborations
– bonus: fun parties for three nights at venues around Hong Kong!
The Hub Fashion Trade Show
February 25th to 27th, 2014
Asia World Expo (a quick train ride from the center of the city, located close to the airport)
Lantau, Hong Kong
