Pardon my absence these past few weeks. We just wrapped on trade show season!

I will maintain that one of my favorite aspects of this industry is the collaborative nature. Fabric houses need manufacturers, manufacturers need sellers, sellers need clients, clients need options, sellers need options, and the crazy web is spun.

Bards Clothing is classified as a “direct seller”, meaning I go directly to the client and sell. I do not have a brick and mortar location, nor am I e-commerce based. I carry no inventory so my reasons for attending these shows is limited, but what I reap from attendance is belonging in this interdependent community.

New York

In New York City, it was trade show weekend, different shows, all with their unique offerings take place on one weekend and depending on your niche you attend those applicable to you. In years passed I would attend MRKET at The Javits Center, a truly massive building with thousands of vendors. Buyers could find everything from jeans and hoodies, to mid-level designer brands. Walking around I felt as though I was in a medieval bazaar. People yelling out to each other, vendors stopping you to show you their fresh catch of the day. I was hooked.

We have evolved since then. Now we attend the DFNY Show hosted by the Custom Tailors & Designers Association located in the Conrad Hotel. Brands rent out suites to create and have more intimate conversations. I met several people I had only ever seen on instagram and YouTube videos, these titans were now sitting across from me on a couch asking me about how I got my start.

The last night in New York I was in a suite with a few people I had become friends with, ages ranging from 28-70, sales rep from prestigious fabric houses, premier manufacturers, sellers, and a few dealers. Maybe 8 of us total, we sat around a table playing cards, they had some drinks, and we watched the football game. I will take that memory with me for a long time.

Chicago

Chicago was de ja vu all over again. It was the New York show on steroids. This is roughly 7,000 vendors on one floor. Anything and everything related to the menswear industry attends this show. In years passed, Las Vegas was the premier show, then New York and now it seems that Chicago is here to take the crown.

Hey look, an amazing company with product made in the USA! Trade Show Season is a string of shows happening every weekend for a mont; New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Vegas is either before or after but I can’t remember. I only did New York and Chicago this season. This summer I will probably go to Dallas.

Chicago is a blast, its a lot of work because people come here to work. They “saw” in New York and now want to sit down and write orders. Having everyone in one place dealers can shop price and also get perspective from other attendees.

There is less of that after-hour fun but during the day everyone is walking around the booths talking too each other so we can still maintain great relationships.

My love of peoples stories is not restricted to my clients, it also comes down to the people I work with. There are so many people I have met who I’d never expect work in this industry, military vets, career fabric suppliers, people like myself who have journeyed all through the world of retail; everyone comes with a very unique perspective. This is a creative industry and it thrives on the individuals joining together to establish a nourishing setting for clients to feel the want to express themselves.