Never had I ever been so excited to wake up at 4:30 am and sit on a bus for 6 hours; I was going to my very first trade show. I was lucky enough to be able to attend Coterie in New York. As someone who is big into fashion and has dreams of working in the industry, this was a huge opportunity for me; and the deciding factor that helped me figure out that I want to become a fashion retail buyer!
They had three floors all filled with different vendors and different types of displays: I saw it all, from leafy green tropical types to classy black window walls. There were thousands of people bustling every which way, all on a mission, all with their business faces on.
It was advertised as a fall trade show but the many racks of clothes I saw as I walked the floor were pastel, lightweight, and often textured somehow, reminding me more of spring. Although on the other hand, I did visit multiple vendors who were showing off winter jackets, so perhaps it depends on the weather that the brand is from.
Because I was attending this through a school trip and not as a buyer, I had to be careful not to get in the way of a potential sale. I made sure not to take up too much time from any vendors nice enough to talk to me and swiftly leave the tent if an actual buyer walked in. Because of this, I didn’t get to witness any actual sales up close, but from far away, most meetings seemed to take quite some time and were very serious matters.
For me, it felt a lot like shopping (even though you couldn’t actually buy anything), but every once in awhile a vendor would sit down with me and tell me the story of their company or the inspiration for a certain piece. It helped me appreciate how difficult it can be to design a line or build a brand, and I attained a much deeper understanding of the fashion industry than I thought I was going to get.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this show was the diversity of the clothes even though you could still pick out consistent trends. People really let their culture and passions shine through when designing clothes, and it’s incredible to see these different inspirations when all these big brands are together in a room.
All in all, I think anyone considering fashion as a career path should try to go to a trade show. Not only can they be a lot of fun, but they’re incredibly eye-opening and you learn a lot.