Swim Diary: Show Girl
Catching up with SwimShow’s Judy Stein
Judy Stein, executive show director of the Swimwear Association of Florida’s annual SwimShow, has grown the association’s 26-year-old swimwear trade show into one of the industry’s most influential events. Each July, more than 2,000 buyers from around the world descend on Miami Beach to peruse a comprehensive offering of approximately 2,000 brands from more than 350 exhibitors. Under Stein’s ever-watchful eye, SwimShow has expanded every year, adding upstart brands to its roster and giving established brands a platform to debut their latest collections. In 2005, fashion-show producer IMG Fashion launched Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim to coincide with SwimShow. The addition, a testament to SwimShow’s must-attend status, gave designers an opportunity to showcase their collections on the catwalk at night and cemented Miami Beach as the hub of swim fashion.
WaterWear’s Erin Barajas caught up with Stein as she prepared for the July 12–22 run of SwimShow 2009 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
How did you first get involved with the swim industry? I was the advertising and public-relations director of the Miami Merchandise Mart and worked very closely with the Swimwear Association. When the ownership of the building changed hands, I ventured out on my own, and the Swimwear Association of Florida hired me as their first executive show director.When did you join SwimShow? I am happily celebrating my 10-year anniversary.SwimShow is the most influential swim trade show in the country. How have you seen it evolve? It originally started out as a very small regional trade show 26 years ago and has evolved into the largest and most important swimwear trade show in the world. There was always potential; however, there was never anyone to maximize that potential. That was my challenge when I came on board.It seems every season ups the ante in respect to SwimShow’s annual fashion show. How do you approach organizing the runway presentation?I work very closely with my fashion-show producer to make sure that not only are we presenting the swimwear that the manufacturers want on the runway but that we are presenting it so that it tells a story and makes sense to the retailers. My hope is to always make sure we do justice to the swimwear and retailers are given a true overview of the market.What are some of the ways you keep SwimShow fresh every year? I am always looking for new, up-and-coming designers who bring interest, creativity and a sense of uniqueness to the show. [New brands this year include] Jocomomola, Dosed, Elizabeth Kosich, Belusso, Lunazul, MB Beach, Roser Muntane, lilibon [and] Marysia Charleston, to name a few.From your vantage point, how is the swim industry, as a whole, evolving? More and more companies are getting involved in the swimwear industry, [including brands such as] Badgley Mischka, Ed Hardy, Tibi, Steve Madden, ABS by Allen Schwartz and euml;a Soleil. If they’ve never ventured into swimwear, they are now. New divisions are being created, there are more licensees, [and] many of the coverup lines can be worn not only to the beach but in the evenings to dinner, a club, etc. It’s an exciting industry, and everyone wants to be a part of it.Are there any changes afoot at SwimShow? We are always trying to change and evolve to keep us on top of our game.What have been the effects of having Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week piggyback on SwimShow? We are the trade show that brings the swimwear industry together. We are the opening trade show of the swimwear season in which the buyers and manufacturers are here to conduct business under the very best forum. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week enjoys all that we have worked so hard to produce and offer.
