Whether you’ve opened your own store, started as a buyer in a company or are attending with colleagues, visiting a fashion trade fair for the first time can be overwhelming. FashionUnited offers assistance for your first trade fair visit and gives valuable tips.
Preparation
Good preparation is half the battle. We therefore recommend that you pay attention to the following points:
Entrance ticket and schedule: Make sure you have your ticket ready and check if there are specific times for presentations, networking events or workshops you want to attend.
Goals and focus: Think about your goals for the trade fair in advance. Would you like to discover new brands, expand your network or make targeted purchases? This will help you go about your day efficiently.
Business cards: Whether you have a physical business card or a QR code to scan, make sure you can easily share your information with the people you’re talking to.
Comfortable clothing: Since you will be walking and standing a lot, it is important to wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
In your pocket: Bring your own (filled) water bottle, painkillers, notebook and a charged power bank. The day sometimes flies by without enough breaks, so it’s important to drink enough water. If you do get a headache, have painkillers on hand. Your notebook can contain a list of stalls that you definitely want to visit.
Accompaniment: Do you have the opportunity to take someone with you? Be sure to do this. Often you can see more in pairs than alone, and that can lead to additional insights.
Plan your route: If the exhibition space is large, plan the stands you definitely want to visit. This will help you avoid missing out on important brands or products.
The ideal daily routine
The day has come and you are ready. Here are a few more things to keep in mind.
Be flexible: Sometimes certain exhibitors or an event can present an unexpected opportunity, so be flexible in your planning.
Documentation: Take notes, photos and collect brochures so that you can process everything well after the trade fair.
9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Arrival and registration
Arrival: Try to reach the fair on time to avoid it becoming too crowded. This gives you the opportunity to register (or check in) at your leisure and get a first impression of the trade fair. Most trade fairs open their doors at 10:00 a.m.
Reception material: Take the trade fair catalog with you or download the digital version. This helps you quickly find the exhibitors, presentations and events you want to attend.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Explore the exhibition hall and note what interests you
Start with the big stands: Start your day exploring the bigger brands and designers. This gives you an overview of what the market has to offer and helps you get a feel for the current trends.
Take notes: If you find certain brands or items interesting, take quick notes or photos for later. You can come back at any time for further information.
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Visit specific designers and fashion companies
New brands and emerging talent: Now focus on smaller or emerging brands. Modefabriek is often a platform for young designers, so this is the right time to discover what’s going on in the fashion world.
Compare products: Look for a variety of styles, colors and materials. This will help you be more informed about what’s current in the fashion industry and which products fit well with your preferences.
Ask for more information: Ask for ordering or sales information if you are interested in collaborating or purchasing.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Lunch break and networking
Lunch time: Whether you decide to have a quick lunch or not, use this time to breathe. Note that lunch is free at one fair but not at the other. Therefore, take into account that this may be an expense.
Our tip for lunchtime: Make a few short notes. During a conversation or between appointments, it is sometimes not possible to put your thoughts on paper, but it is possible when you are sitting at the table and eating lunch. By taking notes in this moment, you will ensure that you don’t forget it at the end of the day, as there will be a lot more information added in the afternoon.
Networking: Are you alone at the trade fair? Try sitting at a table with other people or chatting in the food queue. You might come across a valuable connection!
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Attend seminars and presentations
Attend sessions: Not every trade fair offers inspiration sessions or seminars, but if they are on the program and you can choose a time, the afternoon is ideal for them. This means you can already check off various items from your to-do list, but are not too exhausted to absorb information yet.
Modefabriek often offers various seminars, workshops or presentations. So take a look at the schedule beforehand to see which ones might be most valuable to you. This can be an opportunity to learn more about trends, marketing strategies, sustainability in fashion, or other relevant topics.
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Dive deeper into specific areas
Specialization: Now explore the areas that interest you most (e.g. fashion accessories, streetwear, sustainable fashion, etc.). This is the time to dive deeper into the segments that matter to you.
Talk to exhibitors: This is an excellent time to ask any questions you may have about products, production processes or purchasing conditions.
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Networking with other professionals
Final visit: Take one last walk around the fair. This is a good time to visit the stalls you haven’t managed to visit before. Most trade fairs close at 5:00 p.m., although a networking reception is often organized.
Arrange follow-up appointments: Once you have found interesting brands or suppliers, arrange follow-up appointments to have further discussions or negotiations.
Network actively: At the end of the day, many trade fairs become a little quieter, so take advantage of this moment to go to stands that might have been too crowded before. This can lead to valuable contacts, especially if you are looking for collaboration opportunities or future business opportunities.
After the event:
Follow-up: Add the people you met on LinkedIn or send a follow-up email with the topic you talked about. This will keep you top of mind and make you more likely to build a lasting connection.
Difficulty making decisions? Although a trade fair always provides a lot of impressions and information, you should rely on your own memory. The things that really make an impression stick – so be the first to act on that information.
This article previously appeared on FashionUnited.nl and was created using digital tools translated.
FashionUnited uses the AI-based language tool Gemini 1.5 to speed up the translation of articles and improve the end result. They help us to make FashionUnited’s international reporting quickly and comprehensively accessible to a German-speaking readership. Articles translated using AI-based tools are proofread and carefully edited by our editors before they are published.