Fashion Exposed Now founder Marie Kinsella gives us the scoop on what's ahead at the next event. It will run from February 2 to 3 at Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne. Head here for more.
Fashion Exposed Now is all about connecting boutique brands to boutique buyers. What do you see as the greatest change/development in the boutique market recently?
The independent boutique market is crucial to the fashion industry and key in supporting niche labels within the Australian market. At our last event, we saw an increase in e-retailers attending the trade show. For the independent boutique retailer, they face increasing pressure to implement a multi-faceted business model incorporating a digital presence.
What can the industry expect from the next instalment?
The next instalment of Fashion Exposed Now has some exciting elements. We are the first trade fair to lead the way on sustainable and ethical sourcing. We are expecting to showcase over 100+ womenswear labels including accessories and are expanding popular categories such as Australian made, ethical and sustainable.
There is a strong focus on emerging designers based on feedback from retailers who are wanting to discover new labels. Retailers also tell us that accessories are their "bread and butter’’ so Fashion Exposed Now has a focus on a quality ranges on offer.
For the first time we will introduce roundtable discussions on hot topics affecting independent boutique retailers. This will be a great way to share ideas and learn from others who are high performers . Retailers can continue to develop their skills and knowledge of ecommerce and creating a digital presence through a free series of seminars presented by industry experts.
What are the most strongest performing product categories at the event?
We are Australia’s only dedicated fashion buying event so the emphasis on womenswear has always been strong and this has proven to be the most popular category with buyers. Fashion Exposed Now is the only buying experience that offers retailers the chance to discover 100+ womenswear labels, under one roof .
Are there any areas you would like to continue to evolve and grow?
Fashion Exposed Now is a dynamic show, it is our aim to identify changes within the industry and adjust the Show accordingly.
This year we have aimed to expand the sustainable and Australian made sections – to really capture that growing audience of people experiencing a growing social conscience of their impact on the planet.
There is also a focus on growing our international category with labels showcasing collections to the Australian market for the first time, such as Ireland’s Eye Knitwear an exciting new Irish label.
What do you predict will be the biggest change ahead for retailers in 2020?
There’s no doubt the retail sector is a very challenging environment, this coupled with the growing demand for categories such as slow fashion with a focus on sustainable and ethical production, set the scene for an evolving landscape in 2020.
The changing environment in the industry provides all the more reason for retailers to stay ahead of latest developments that can assist them in their retail offering.