New Lingerie Trade Show Curvexpo to Launch in Las Vegas in February
The intimate apparel industry has its eyes set on Las Vegas.
Just a week after Lingerie Americas announced it will debut a Las Vegas edition at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino next August, new show Curvexpo, headed by industry veterans Jean-Luc and Laurence Teinturier, will beat them to the starting gate with its own intimate-apparel trade show, bowing Feb. 13–15, also at the Venetian.
Both lingerie trade shows are scheduled to run concurrently with the massive MAGIC Marketplace, Pool trade show, Project Global Trade Show, The Exclusive, ASAP Global Sourcing Show, Women’s Wear in Nevada show, Accessories The Show and Off-Price Specialist Show.
Lingerie Americas, which originated in New York in 2001 and is now the largest lingerie trade show in North America, announced in a statement that it plans to exhibit twice a year. The show chose not to launch its first Las Vegas show in February 2007 because the dates conflicted with the important Valentine’s Day selling period. Curvexpo’s founders carry a wealth of trade-show experience and relationships with lingerie manufacturers as former consultants for the Lingerie Americas trade show and top textile trade shows.
Through research conducted within the Teinturier’s company, France Ligne, which specializes in consulting in the fashion industry, they found there was a demand for an intimate-apparel trade show for the West Coast market, specifically in Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas fashion week has become the network place,” Laurence said. “Obviously the target is specialty stores from the west part of this country. But also in a show like Curve, other business is happening. You have the top managers of top distributors traveling to MAGIC. There is another layer of business happening than the pure wholesale business.”
Curvexpo’s criteria for higher-end exhibitors include international and wellrecognized brands and commercially active labels in the North American market. For the August edition of the show, swimwear exhibitors will be included. There are no plans on the horizon to expand the trade show to New York.
Noah Walsh, director of sales for Los Angeles– based Underglam, said that there is “absolutely” a demand for West Coast intimate apparel trade show. Lingerie, sleepwear and loungewear lines exhibit at the MAGIC Marketplace, but not in a central, categorized area. It’s not guaranteed that ready-to-wear buyers in town for the surrounding shows will write orders at the lingerie trade show, but Walsh points out, “You can only lead a horse to water. At least [if there is a lingerie trade show in Las Vegas], you have an oasis to bring them to.”
Many lingerie buyers on the West Coast are ecstatic to have a lingerie trade show close to home. Alison Rubke, who owns and buys for Faire Frou Frou in Studio City with her mother, Gail, said that one season she skipped the Lingerie Americas trade show in New York because of the traveling expense. “I’m definitely going to check out Las Vegas,” Rubke said. For more information about Curvexpo, call (203) 698-7470. —Rhea Cortado
