Adding to the recent rash of trade show cancellations, Informa Markets Fashion has canceled its in-person Magic event scheduled for September in Las Vegas, replacing it with the digital expo it previously announced last month.
Just a few weeks ago, Informa said it would hold the bulk of its trade shows digitally, with a made-in-America-focused in-person event set to complement the Sourcing at Magic expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Sept. 30-Oct. 2.
Now, the trade show organizer will focus solely on a digital event that will run from Sept. 1-Nov. 1.
“Based on our discussions with partners and stakeholders surrounding health, safety, and travel concerns across the country, canceling our late September Las Vegas event, while disappointing, is the best path forward for our fashion community,” Informa Markets president Nancy Walsh said. “Current climate aside, re-evaluating, re-adjusting, and continually maturing our business model has always been part of our company ethos.”
Magic, the largest domestic fashion trade show in Las Vegas, will join Coterie, Project, MICAM Americas and Children’s Club on a digital platform powered by NuOrder. The wholesale retail platform will also be the new home for the New York City-based Coterie, Fame, Moda and Sole Commerce trade shows, according to a statement released earlier in the week.
Walsh said the digital event will help bridge the gap caused by uncertainties related to traveling during the coronavirus pandemic, with an eye trained on a digital future.
Related Stories
“Our digital trade event is a natural and necessary first step in revolutionizing and innovating our business in a time that is primed for digital opportunity and outlets,” Walsh said.
Magic’s NuOrder-powered digital marketplace will feature brands in the apparel and footwear space for children, women and men, including a “robust” line-up of educational programming and seminars for the fashion wholesale industry, Informa said.
Over the eight-week digital event, buyers will be able to explore shoppable editorials, curated roundups and product discovery sessions, fusing community and content for an retailer-friendly endless aisle experience.
NuOrder’s platform also offers data analytics for real-time merchandise decision making, including digital catalogs, line sheets, 360-degree imagery and “shoppable hotspots.”
“From the very beginning of planning a digital component to our events, back in early 2020, we have been diligently taking strides forward to ensure a meaningful product was developed for our community,” Magic president Kelly Helfman said.
To help onboard exhibitors to the platform, weekly hour-long webinar training sessions are already being held to familiarize brands and retailers with the virtual showroom system. Each session includes a platform tutorial demonstrating NuOrder’s functionalities and is followed by a live Q&A.
Magic Las Vegas encompasses WWDMagic, Project, MICAM Americas, PoolTradeShow, Stitch and Sourcing at Magic.