I just got back from this year's FFaNY shoe show. FFaNY is a huge trade show where shoe wholesalers present their upcoming collection and buyers from boutiques and stores from all over the world come to purchase their inventory for the upcoming season. Bronx/Diba True and Luichiny presented their Fall 2013 collections. I went to handle any press or media and stay in contact with them after the show.
Tuesday was set up day, so we went straight from the airport to the exhibit hall to set up all of the inventory and decorations. I was asked by the wardrobe ladies from BET to go to dinner later that night. We went to Phillipe's, which was DELICIOUS and the ladies were a ton of fun. I will be calling them when I go back to New York.
Wednesday was the start of the show. Our booths were full for most of the day, and our lines had a great reaction from press and buyers alike! Wednesday evening the Diba Reps and myself went to Iguana. They make guacamole at your table and it was so good, I could have just ate that for dinner. Their margaritas were to die for as well.
Thursday was a much slower day for us, but our first cost team said that they were busy non-stop, so I think that most people were doing their rounds in the private label division. I left to come back home that evening, traveling out of New York is a nightmare because traffic is always so bad. I almost missed my flight and then I had a delay in my Atlanta layover, as fifty 14 year olds boarded the plane. :-(
Trade shows are an extremely important part of the footwear industry. It not only racks up sales, but it is the best way to get our brand to reach the maximum number of retailers in a small period of time. With so many new stores that come on to the scene, this is the one time that they will seek our brand out, and not have our reps selling door to door.
Here are some images of our booth set up:
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| My shoes for dinner with BET! |
Have you ever attended an industry trade show? What was your experience like?
