Insights from the Preview Men

Preview Men is the official start of the Dutch trade fair season. With the new date at the beginning of January, the fair will now take place before Pitti Uomo. “This is the new fashion factory for men’s fashion,” was the unanimous opinion of various visitors and exhibitors. After almost five years, the trade fair has secured a permanent place in the trade fair landscape, especially in view of the many changes.

The organizer Cast’s preview trade fairs are known for their relaxed atmosphere and product focus. This menswear edition is no exception and this feedback was heard from many exhibitors. The trade fair now has over 170 brands presenting (part of) their collection. Various new trendsetters have been added, attracting retailers who normally only shop in Paris. The additional brands resulted in the exhibition space being expanded to include the corridors between the showrooms on the first floor. Visitors therefore come across a dozen brands immediately after leaving the escalator.

The tour first takes visitors past mainstream brands such as Cast Iron, Lyle & Scott and Chasin’ before they encounter more sustainable brands on the first floor. Anyone who hasn’t taken a look at the trade fair plan may miss this fact, as there are no signs such as “Sustainable Area” or green colors. The plan only shows a green leaf, indicating the more sustainable nature of the brand. The trade fair lets the brands speak for themselves, but places them relatively high up in the tour so that visitors cannot miss them. In an interview with FashionUnited at the end of 2024, Marijn Verschure announced that the trade fair wanted to put more emphasis on sustainable brands, and this seems to have succeeded with this subtle method.

Preview Men heralds an exciting trade fair season

One of the agencies that is represented with brands in this area is Sole Agency. Xenia Oppier from the agency represents brands such as Kapten & Son, Rotholz, Faguo and Klitmøller on this day. “I could talk about sustainability all afternoon,” she laughs. She explains that the brands in this section at Preview Men all tell their own story about sustainability and that it is the agency’s job to do this. No green leaves on the stand or other markings. “All retailers see sustainability differently. I have people who shop completely vegan and therefore don’t use any wool or leather in their product range. There are others who only want brands with production in the Netherlands or Europe. The criteria are different for everyone.” Each brand will therefore appeal to buyers in a different way. Of course, it’s about the degree of sustainability, but also about the product design and the price – after all, most consumers also pay attention to this.

The family business Roosenstein Wolke also presents its wool sweaters in this area. Hessel van der Laan, the fifth generation, can be found at the stand there. It is the first time that the brand is represented at the trade fair. “We are currently present mainly in sports and sailing stores, largely due to our brand’s heritage with the fisherman’s sweater. We still see a lot of opportunities in the fashion sector and that’s why we’re here today.” Van der Laan is positively surprised and has already been able to arrange many new appointments with potential and existing customers.

If you follow the marked path on the floor, you will automatically pass some niche brands in the direction of streetwear and on the second floor you will find more classic brands such as State of Art, Zuitable, A Fish Named Fred, Zilton and Barbour.

Preview Men doesn’t feel any competition from newcomer Shift yet

At State of Art, one of the things we ask about is the type of clientele that visits the fair. They are mainly Dutch, which is also reflected in the conversations at the trade fair, but also some Belgians. The brand hasn’t really seen any Germans yet, although Preview Men is also promoting the event in German.

The fact that there are more Belgians at the trade fair can be heard at several stands. It “helps” that Belgium no longer has its own fashion fair, so buyers basically have to go abroad. Buyers from E5, the well-known chain for men and women, are also on site. They are there to discover new brands that complement the range. “We already have various brands for women that attract customers to the store, and we are also looking for such brands for men’s fashion. The preview is a good trade fair to get an idea of ​​what is happening on the market. It’s not too big, but there’s enough to discover.” The buyers will also go to Pitti Uomo later in January.

The trade fair agenda ultimately also directs the discussions towards the newcomer shift, which takes place at the end of January at the same time as Modefabriek. The fair is not yet very well known because not everyone who has been asked about it knows it. Many brand representatives say they want to wait and see how things develop and will not present their collection in this edition at Shift. However, they say that they will visit Shift with colleagues to see whether the fair might be an option for them. Since the trade fair is so new, not everyone knows what to expect. “It’s going to be Modefabriek 2.0?” is one answer, while another is: “You watched the preview, so you’ll definitely have copied a few things.”

The timing of the shift is also a topic of discussion. At the end of January, retailers have mostly already spent most of their budgets, including Oppier from Sole Agency. “This also applies to the Danish trade fair CIFF. This is actually more of an orientation for the following season.” The earlier the trade fair takes place in the season, the better. That’s what it sounds like at Forét, where Preview Men’s decision to bring the date forward is being received positively. “On the one hand, it’s just after Christmas, which can be difficult, but this early in the season people can get their bearings in the local market.”

Preview Men reveals some difficulties in the men’s fashion segment

While the mood on the Preview Men always seems relaxed, there is a different mood beneath the surface. Men’s fashion has had a more difficult time. “The weather last year was of course nothing at all. Winter lasted until May, then suddenly it was summer, which lasted until September. “The winter collection has been in the house for several months,” said The Good People. The Rotterdam brand has had a good year itself, but is noticing that a divide is emerging among retailers. The stores that know how to address their own target group also manage to retain them.

The fact that more and more shops are specializing in a niche – not just streetwear, but also clothing with Japanese influences or quite Scandinavian with a sustainable approach – is a statement that is often heard at the trade fair. The middle class seems to disappear in between.

Added to this is the delayed corona effect. Retailers have to repay Corona aid, but many rental contracts that were concluded during the Corona years also expire. These were often concluded for five years, meaning that retailers stuck to this term in order to keep the business open. “I have already had several retailers announce that they will close their business as soon as the contract expires. That’s a real relief for them,” says Oppier.

The difference between women and men is also commented on. “There can be a war going on and women are still buying clothes. They go into a store, see if they like something and only look at the price and brand at the checkout, to put it bluntly. Men are brand loyal and only buy when they need something.” This difference is reinforced by the fact that consumer sentiment is deteriorating, as E5 buyers also note. “When you follow the news, you don’t suddenly think: Man, I should go shopping.”

In short: there is a lot going on in the (Dutch) men’s fashion industry. It promises to be an interesting season. How this will turn out is still uncertain, but let’s hope that it will be a little sunnier than the stormy outside world on the day of the trade fair.