SWIM/SURF
2016 Newsmakers: Emerald Expositions Buys Swim Collective
Emerald Expositions LLC, the San Juan Capistrano, Calif.–based owner of Surf Expo and Outdoor Retailer, expanded its foothold in the swim and active businesses with the August acquisition of Swim Collective and its sister trade show, Active Collective, the Santa Barbara, Calif.–based trade shows founded by Shannon Leggett.
Founded in 2010, Swim Collective showcases swim collections from companies such as L*Space, Manhattan Beachwear, SGS Sports, Mara Hoffman and Indah at a biannual trade show in Huntington Beach, Calif. In 2014, Leggett launched Active Collective with a focus on activewear and athleisure brands such as Beyond Yoga, ALO Yoga, Breath by Body Glove, Colosseum, Gaiam, Koral, MPG, Lucy and Prana, also showing biannually in Huntington Beach. Active Collective will also host its first East Coast show in New York in January. A new show for upscale, contemporary swim and resort brands called Beach Collective is slated to debut alongside Swim Collective in July 2017 in Huntington Beach, and a third edition of Swim Collective is planned for November 2017.
The acquisition news came as Surf Expo celebrated its 40th anniversary. The show, held biannually in Orlando, Fla., was acquired by Emerald Expositions in 2013.
Surf Expo, Outdoor Retailer, and now Swim Collective and Active Collective are part of Emerald’s stable of more than 80 trade shows, including GlobalShop and the Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS).
