The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the fashion calendar, and the industry must now work out how to re-create or reinvent its most important events. The latest installment of FN’s virtual roundtable series will look at trade shows during this unique summer season.
Next week, “FN Live Presents: The Future of Trade Shows” will take place on July 7 at 1 p.m. EST, presented by the Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY), Micam Americas and Atlanta Shoe Market. Hosted by FN women’s editor Nikara Johns, the conversation will consider how both digital and physical events might take place in the new reality.
To register for the roundtable, please click here.
Johns will be joined by a panel of speakers from FFANY, Micam Americas and the Atlanta Shoe Market, all of whom are hosting trade shows this year. John Heron, executive director at FFANY, will bring over 20 years of industry experience to the discussion and draw on his career learnings from both FFANY and H.H. Brown.
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Representing Atlanta Shoe Market is executive director Laura Conwell-O’Brien, who manages all operational aspects of the semi-annual shoe trade show held in Atlanta. The event hosts over 1,300 brands spanning men’s, women’s, juniors’, athletic and children’s footwear, and Conwell-O’Brien will speak to how shows can incorporate safety precautions into in-person exhibits.
The final speaker will be Kelly Helfman, president of WWDMagic, Project Womens, Micam Americas & Sourcing at Magic. With over 14 years of experience at Magic — which was also named the top U.S. trade show in 2018 and 2019 — Helfman will share insight into the digital tools and approaches that are being introduced this year.
The executives will also discuss contingency planning, the lessons learned from this pandemic experience and the changes created across retail and events as a result, with a particular emphasis on the trade show format.
This roundtable is the latest in a series of FN Live events. The most recent installment was the virtual roundtable “Women Empowered: A Defining Moment for Female Leaders,” which was presented by Klarna and featured speakers from Nordstrom, Naturalizer, Merah Vodianova and Klarna.
Previous events have included webinars with Foot Locker; Deckers; Fila and Klarna; Zappos.com; and New Balance and A Ma Maniere.
Tune in on July 7 at 1 p.m. for a look at the future of trade shows, with executives from FFANY, Micam Americas and Atlanta Shoe Market. To register, click here.
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