With the FW25 shopping season just around the corner, there are plenty of new events on the agenda. One of these is the new men’s fashion trade fair Shift, which is taking place in the Netherlands for the first time. According to the company, it will cover the entire men’s segment – from fashion and beauty to sports and travel. The trade fair also relies on an interactive program and aims to inform and inspire not only retailers, but also sales staff. What can visitors expect at the trade fair? FashionUnited spoke to co-founder Lucel van den Hoeven.
Van den Hoeven brings extensive experience in the trade fair sector. He is a co-founder of Modefabriek and was its managing director for 25 years. In 2020 he passed the baton to Caroline Krouwels. Van den Hoeven is still involved in the women’s fashion trade fair and is a member of the board. Modefabriek’s focus on women’s fashion and the new location have left “a gap in the men’s fashion market,” says van den Hoeven.
The demand for a new men’s fashion trade fair arose after the topic came up repeatedly at shareholders’ meetings. “There is a strong signal from the industry that there is a need for something new and fresh. New paths have to be taken,” explains van den Hoeven. He joined forces with Rick van Rijthoven, also co-founder of Modefabriek. “This new trade fair speaks to the feeling and need that exists in the market,” says van den Hoeven. A market research company was not hired to assess industry needs.
Shift focuses “on the basic things” and serves as a meeting place where authenticity is paramount. The men’s fashion fair aims to promote collaboration in the industry by “providing a platform where all players in men’s fashion can find, inspire and empower each other”.
The starting signal for Shift will be given in January 2025: “A raw, authentic place for buyers of men’s fashion”
The first edition of Shift will take place at the Taets Art and Event Park venue in Zaandam. The trade fair will fill a hall of around 2,000 square meters. “We deliberately didn’t choose the largest location. We focus on quality, especially in the first edition,” explains van den Hoeven. The trade fair will have a “based decor” so that visitors and exhibitors can concentrate on the products. “This is not a trade fair where you have to build castles and hire DJs. It will be a fresh, raw, authentic place for business,” van den Hoeven continued.
According to the co-founder, the prices for exhibitors are also at a basic level: brands can rent a stand for 175 to 200 euros per square meter. “My approach, especially at the beginning of the trade fair, is not primarily to make money, but to offer the men’s fashion world an inspiring platform.”
The focus of the new trade fair is on the entire men’s segment. “We hope to see not only clothing at the fair, but also brands offering beauty, sports and travel products. Anyone who walks into a good store these days will notice that you can find everything from head to toe. That’s exactly what we want to reflect: a complementary offer.”
In addition to the regular trade fair activities, Shift will also offer a supporting program. At the time of the interview, van den Hoeven explains that he cannot yet share many details as he is waiting for the final confirmation from the partners. However, it will be about lectures and workshops aimed at retailers and sales staff.
Men’s fashion fair Shift wants to appeal to an international audience
But how does Shift differ from other men’s fashion fairs? “By focusing on what we do. If I thought the market was already complete, I wouldn’t start this trade fair. We offer more than other men’s fashion trade fairs, both in the short and long term. We reflect the changing market, and that’s exactly what Shift stands for,” explains van den Hoeven.
The founder hopes that visitors and exhibitors go home satisfied after the first edition. “It’s not just about purchasing, but also about collaboration, exchange and support. I hope that people have the courage to dive in and build a platform for men’s fashion.” Shift is not only targeting the Benelux countries, but also Germany and Scandinavia. “At Modefabriek we see that a significant proportion of visitors come from these markets. I think this could work for us too as these markets are close to how we approach fashion.”
The new men’s fashion trade fair will take place on January 26th and 27th, 2025 parallel to Modefabriek. “There is a practical reason for this. We are examining the possibility of setting up a shuttle service between Shift and Modefabriek. We are working on it and it will probably work,” said van den Hoeven.
This article previously appeared on Fashionunited.nl and was created using digital tools translated.
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