The Premium Group trade fairs are about to move again, but this time within the German capital. In July, the two sister fairs Premium and Seek will return to the Berlin station.
The Berlin trade fair organizer announced on Wednesday morning that the decision was part of a complete repositioning of the trade fair. However, the venue at the Gleisdreieck is not new, as this was the home of the Premium from 2006 to 2020. After a planned but ultimately unsuccessful move to Frankfurt, the sister trade fairs were held together on the Messe West site under the radio tower from July 2022 after a break due to Corona. After only a year at the new location, the fair is now returning to its roots.
Even after the move, the trade fairs will remain under one roof. The “Conscious Club” area with sustainable fashion brands will remain. A more sustainable stand system is new: All trade fair stands will be limited to a maximum of 100 square meters and will be furnished with furniture that will be reused over the seasons. The announcement does not reveal whether “The Ground”, the Premium Group’s Gen Z-focused D2C platform, will return to the exhibition center in July.
Many changes in the anniversary year
In January, the Premium celebrated its 20th anniversary, now the fair seems to be in upheaval again. This would be necessary to meet the needs of the industry. According to Berlin, brands, retailers and visitors can expect a surprising and streamlined event for the summer edition in July.
There are changes not only in the venue, but also in the duration of the fair. The event will be shortened and will only take place for two instead of three days in the capital. The Premium Group is now opting for longer opening hours. The fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will include networking events and parties. The fair justifies the decision with the need to maximize business and networking opportunities for exhibitors and visitors.
“We are looking forward to the summer and our events. We curate a brand portfolio that is relevant to modern, high-quality retail – more exclusive, reduced and significantly more dynamic on all levels,” says Premium Managing Director Anita Tillmann. Everyone agrees – bringing the industry together in Berlin is essential. The personal exchange and a new generation of fashion brands are in the foreground.”
Back to old glory in familiar surroundings?
At the end of the January issue of Premium there was still no talk of any of these changes. At that time, Tillmann drew a positive balance. She stressed that the fair went better than some had anticipated, but at the fair itself it became clear that things were not quite back to normal. According to the organizers, around 500 brands showed their collections at the exhibition center in January, only about half as many as in previous heydays.
One could speculate that this also played a part in the move, because while the Messe Berlin site measures a total of around 160,000 square meters, the total area of the Berlin Südkreuz station is just 23,000 square meters.
The Summer Editions of Premium, Seek and Conscious Club will take place on July 11th and 12th, 2023.
This post was corrected at 6:26 p.m. on March 22, 2023 in the information about the stands.