In 2018, the ‘APLF Leather & Material’, ‘Fashion Access’ and ‘Cashmere World’ events will be moved forward by two weeks to mid-March after the consultation on both exhibitors and buyers: the three events, in fact, will be held from 14 to 16 March 2018, at the usual location of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
The earlier dates, together with the synergy uniting the three concurrent Shows, will be a decided advantage for participants of the fairs, including both exhibitors and visitors, allowing professional buyers to source the needed supplies, materials and components, while retailers will have the possibility to place orders ahead of time for their outlets.
Going more into detail, Fashion Access, the fair dedicated to fashion previews of leather and accessories (bags, footwear, small leather goods, and luggage), will host more than 200 exhibitors in 2018, with the expectation of exceeding the more than 10 thousand visitors recorded at the 2017 edition, since the Show has always experienced a constant rate of growth over the years, with an increased turnout of more than 20% between the 2016 and 2017 editions.
Without a doubt, playing an important role in the positive outcome of the event is the synergy created with APLF Leather & Materials, as underlined by Jayant Malhotra from AEE Overseas in India, who decided to participate for the first time in Fashion Access in 2017, in order to present his new “Members only” line of accessories: “In the past, I participated in APLF as a leather sourcer – confirmed Mr. Malhotra – and when we found ourselves ready to launch our new line of leather accessories for men, we decided that Fashion Access was the ideal event”.
Of the same opinion is South Korean native Kim Chang Hwan, who chose the 2017 edition of Fashion Access to present the products of his new Euletraum brand and to look for new commercial partnerships.
The concurrent dates of Fashion Access and Cashmere World is also especially advantageous, all the more so since the latter represents the only trade fair specialised in cashmere and fine fibres, while the rapport between high-end apparel and luxury accessories is increasingly strong when it comes to creating the total look.
Fashion Access has another important new change in store for its 2018 edition: the division of the fair into three new zones, in order to make the fair more manageable for buyers, allowing them to make the best use of their time. In detail they are:
- Brand Avenue
- Design Street
- Sourcing Zone
The fair offers not only interesting ready-to-wear sourcing opportunities for retail and boutique buyers, but also for OEM manufacturers waiting to produce collections to designers’ specifications. In fact, the combination of Sourcing Zone and the original designs that can be found in Design Street and Brand Avenue will make Fashion Access a uniquely rounded event that caters to every kind of buyer.
To complete the trade element of these three fairs, the organisers have integrated them with a rich calendar of conferences and seminars of topical interest for the professionals present at the events. Among these, will be included the usual appointment with the theme of sustainability at the ‘Sustainability in the Leather Supply Chain’ conference, and the Global Footwear Retail Conference.
For more information, see: www http://www.fashionaccess.aplf.com/en-us/
