Words by MPDClick’s Trade Fair Editor.
More than 1,000 retail buyers and media attended the very first LAUNCH LA trade fair event on July 25-26 at the historic Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California. Comprising of the latest garments, accessories, footwear and gadgets, for an active lifestyle LAUNCH LA is a highly curated collection of brands, designers and artists at the forefront of design and West Coast culture.
“LAUNCH was never meant to be just another tradeshow, and I think that with our first event we’ve proven our concept”, says LAUNCH LA Head of Sales and Marketing Joshua Hunter. “Now it’s clear that LAUNCH is different than anything else out there and a needed alternative for an exciting segment of the market that was previously undeserved.”
Slotted into the early part of the spring/summer 13 trade fair season LAUNCH LA ensured that each product presented at the two day show was a true debut. The show offered a collection of like-minded brands so buyers were able to connect with exhibitors in a friendly, relaxed environment, whilst gaining access to an extensive network of business-oriented creatives. A large host of influential media, including the Los Angeles Times, WWD and California Apparel News also attended the show.
“In its first edition, the LAUNCH LA trade show made good on its promise to showcase young and new brands chosen with a curated eye.”– California Apparel News.
The event’s location, the historic Barker Hanger also won enthusiastic reviews from media, exhibitors and buyers alike, having once held DC-10 jets in the 1930’s, and the wealthy American Howard Hughes’ personal fleet of aircraft in the 1970’s. The Hanger sets the perfect tone for LAUNCH LA’s select group of exhibitors, blending an edge of technology with a classic, timeless aesthetic, for an atmosphere never before experienced on the West Coast.
Image source: LAUNCH LA
Click here to visit the official LAUNCH LA website.
- E.B
