The fashion fair opened its doors for the first time on Sunday, January 26th, at the Expo Greater Amsterdam in Vijfhuizen. After years at the usual location in the Rai Amsterdam, visitors had to take a little further way inside. However, the new location aroused great curiosity and gave new impulses.
However, each change requires a certain acclimatization. This can already be felt on the bus, which drives from Schiphol to Expo Greater Amsterdam. German, Flemish and Dutch can be heard on the bus. “Are you also driving to the fashion specification?” Is asked the bus driver. He shakes his head in confusion. A group of German buyers: inside shows the location of the fair. “Expo Greater Amsterdam! Yes, I drive there. ”Just when the bus ride seems to take too long and you feel like driving to a remote place, the exhibition center suddenly appears. The people on the bus take a relieved manner: they found it.
Admittedly, the event location is certainly less impressive from the outside than the RAI. It looks like a large greenhouse that could be easily overlooked without the banner of the fashion feeder. However, the violet carpet already reveals that this is the right place.
As soon as you are inside, you feel familiar thanks to the characteristic design of the fashion feeder and are greeted with various trend presentations before the actual admission. These were often found in the middle of a hall in the RAI, but have now been relocated to the front.
Anyone who enters Expo Greater Amsterdam is surprised by a very open appearance. The large glass facade of the location ensures that the rising sun throws a warm light on the collections on Sunday morning. This beautiful natural light actually remains all day, which the representatives were very pleased with: inside the Danish fashion brand Aware.
New location, different division: The first impression of the fashion specimen January 2025
One of the larger changes next to the location is the design of the trade fair area. The organization of the FashionFabriek has decided not to work with long, straight corridors. In contrast to the old layout, a ‘department store’ layout is now being used. This means that you have to stroll along the stands. Those who follow this path slowly go over the exhibition area and always find long tables with refreshments, inspiration or meeting points. These tables should serve as meeting points – a successful initiative that is well received on the first day of the fair. Anyone who follows the pink and yellow must leave it one time or another so as not to miss two parts of the fair.
This new approach found both fans and criticism. “Due to the new room layout, you come across things faster,” says the stand of the Dutch fashion brand Ivy Beau. Fortunately, she does not mean the literal toast of things, but the spontaneous discovering of brands. “I think it takes some getting used to,” says Graciela Pedreschi from Allegra Collective.
It is striking that you can find many visitors on the first day of the fair: in the inside with the site plan in your hand. Admittedly, it is easier to lose orientation. While one goes on a journey of discovery, the other wants to find the fastest way to one of the brands. In the corridors there is a certain frustration about the lack of clearer route. If you want to watch the entire fair, you will probably have to do several rounds to really get the feeling of having missed nothing.
Despite the winding paths, mostly there is mostly lively operation on the indoor edges. “Actually everyone takes the outdoor courses. “This also happened on the RAI,” says Pulz Jeans stand. Many of the brands with larger stands are also represented here, such as coffee curve, Aaiko, Esqualo and Pom Amsterdam.
The collaboration with the Fashion Gallery received a more prominent place in the layout of the fashion feeder. With a location in the middle of the halls, these brands cannot be overlooked. Spotlight has disappeared in the back of the halls. With all the new brands and initiatives, it is actually a shame that these brands may not be reached by everyone.
At the start of the fair, a thread shows in the feedback that exhibitors: inside and visitors: give inside on request. “There are many brands and the location is nice and open,” say two buyers: inside the Fashion Store in Texel. “There is a positive mood, everyone is curious,” says CCS. “Nobody really wants to miss that, you want to have a say,” is the conclusion of Pulz Jeans. “That’s why it is good that it is a new location, even if it feels a bit out of the way.”
The Modefabriek runs until Monday, January 27th. Fashionunited will publish a final report on Tuesday, January 28th.
This article previously appeared on Fashionunited.nl and was used with digital tools translated.
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