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Following on the news that Italian group Pitti Immagine will return to in-person events in June, Liberty Fairs and Cabana have announced a new partnership that will launch with an event at the Miami Beach Convention Center July 10-12, the first US-based group to schedule a live event.
For Liberty Fairs, a trade show catering to contemporary and mid-priced fashion labels that typically stages physical events in New York and Los Angeles, the team-up with resort and swimwear-focused Cabana marks its Miami debut. Liberty expects to host about 150 brands, while Cabana will bring in 250-300.
Trade shows have gone 100 percent digital during the pandemic, automating much of the ordering process through buying platforms. However, the once-stable business model relies upon physical events to generate a significant portion its top-line revenue.
The question lies in whether travel budgets for store buyers will be reinstated for such events post-pandemic. It’s likely that buyers, who are anxious to once again touch and feel garments before they place bets on them, will want to attend at least a few trade shows each year, but will pare back.
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Liberty Fairs and Cabana will host a digital show to coincide with the live event, but are hoping that an increase in vaccinated adults in the US will encourage people to attend in person. (Most recently, President Joe Biden has said that he wants all to be eligible for vaccination by May 1, and that July 4 could mark some return to normal life.)
To make still-wary attendees more comfortable, the convention centre will employ air filtration systems, while guests will be asked to wear masks and follow social distancing rules.
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