Preface: A Very Unusual Week in New York
Before discussing the trade shows themselves, it is important to mention something that had a significant impact on the entire week in New York.
During the days of the events, the city was hit by a major snowstorm that disrupted travel across the United States. Thousands of flights were cancelled and many visitors, buyers and exhibitors were simply unable to reach the city.
I arrived one day before the storm and had the rare chance to see New York completely covered in snow. It was beautiful, but also extremely cold, with temperatures dropping to around –7°C.
Unfortunately, the situation created serious difficulties for many brands.
Several exhibitors were unable to arrive at all, while others, particularly those traveling from Europe, faced major delays. I spoke with a few Italian brands that only managed to reach the fair on the last day, which unfortunately meant that a large part of their investment in the event was effectively lost.
And this is something that genuinely made me feel sorry for them.
Participating in a trade show in New York requires a significant effort. Many brands invest substantial resources, time and energy to attend these events, so seeing their participation compromised by circumstances like this is never easy.
Among the events I visited, the ones most affected by the storm were COTERIE and MAGIC New York, where the lower attendance was clearly noticeable.
Inside the New York Fashion Trade Shows: MAGIC, COTERIE, Designer & Agents and Assembly
After spending several days visiting the major fashion trade shows in Las Vegas, the following week I continued my trip in New York, where another important group of industry events takes place.
New York hosts several fashion trade shows during the same period, each targeting a different segment of the market. Walking through them in the same week offers a very clear picture of how the North American fashion ecosystem is structured.
Some fairs focus on volume and fast-moving products. Others try to position themselves closer to the premium and contemporary segments.
MAGIC New York: A Very Different Experience from Las Vegas
Having visited both editions, my personal impression is that MAGIC Las Vegas is clearly the stronger event.
The New York edition felt much less structured and far less visually curated. In many booths, products were displayed in a rather chaotic way, often piled on racks without much attention to presentation.
To be fair, this is not necessarily the responsibility of the fair itself. In many cases, it is simply how the brands choose to present their collections.
However, the overall result can feel more like an accumulation of products rather than a curated fashion environment.
During my visit I was only able to stop and seriously evaluate a couple of brands.
It is important to clarify that my perspective is influenced by the type of scouting I normally do. When I visit trade shows, I look for brands that stand out in terms of design, product quality and positioning. MAGIC operates in a very different segment.
The show largely serves a market that sits close to fast fashion dynamics, where speed and price competitiveness play a major role.
Personally, this is not the segment I usually focus on. But the fact that the fair continues to grow confirms that there is a very large market for this type of product.
COTERIE: The Main Reference Point of the U.S. Market
Among all the shows I visited in New York, COTERIE remains the most important trade show in the United States.
The event attracts brands and buyers from across the country and is generally considered the main platform for contemporary and premium fashion in the North American market.
This year, however, the experience was strongly influenced by an external factor.
During the days of the fair, New York was hit by a major snowstorm that disrupted travel across the country. Thousands of flights were cancelled, which obviously had an impact on visitor attendance.
I arrived the day before the storm and had the chance to see New York completely covered in snow, which was beautiful but also extremely cold, with temperatures dropping to around –7°C.
Despite the weather conditions and the lower visitor numbers, something interesting happened.
Many of the brands I spoke with were still satisfied with the event because they managed to place orders and open new accounts.
This says a lot about the quality of the buyers attending the show. Even with fewer visitors, the people present were clearly serious industry professionals.
From that perspective, COTERIE proved to be a very effective platform.
Comparing COTERIE with European Trade Shows
That said, I have to be honest.
In terms of design innovation, trends and overall brand level, the difference between COTERIE and the main European trade shows is still quite visible.
Events such as those in Italy or Paris generally present stronger collections and more distinctive design directions.
At COTERIE I expected to discover more new brands, more innovative collections and more emerging trends, and that expectation was only partially fulfilled.
Still, the fair remains the central hub of the North American fashion market, and anyone working in the United States should absolutely consider visiting it.
One thing that stood out very clearly was the strong presence of Italian brands, while French, Spanish and other European brands appeared to be far less represented.
On this point I also think it is fair to recognize the work done by Italian institutions, which clearly invest significant effort to ensure that Italian companies remain highly visible in international trade show environments.
And yes, I know that most Italians, myself included, often complain about institutions.
But when something works well, I believe it is only fair to acknowledge it. In this case, the visibility of Italian brands in this context is certainly something worth recognizing.
Designer & Agents: The Best Selection of the Entire Trip
If I had to choose the event with the best overall product selection during my entire U.S. tour, it would be Designer & Agents.
The show is much smaller than COTERIE or MAGIC, but the level of brands present was significantly higher.
Here I found several interesting collections and brands that stood out in terms of design identity and product quality.
Of course, the scale of the event is much more limited. Booths are generally small, often around 9 square meters, with only a few slightly larger spaces.
The ceilings are relatively low and the overall environment feels more intimate and compact, which actually creates a warmer atmosphere compared to larger convention halls.
Another positive aspect is the careful selection of brands at the entrance, something I always appreciate.
As someone who organizes a B2B fashion trade event myself, I know how important brand curation is. When organizers apply a strong selection process, the overall level of the fair improves dramatically.
Not surprisingly, there was a strong presence of Italian brands, which in my experience almost always correlates with a higher overall quality level.
Assembly: A Mid-Range Market with a Familiar European Feel
In the same building where Designer & Agents takes place, another fair called Assembly is organized.
The two shows share the same venue, making it easy to visit both during the same trip.
Assembly operates in a mid-range segment, which makes it quite comparable to the French trade show Who’s Next, although on a much smaller scale.
The size of the event is significantly more compact, but the type of product, brand positioning and general aesthetic direction are quite similar.
Obviously, the Paris edition still presents a larger number of brands and generally more creative diversity.
That said, Assembly still offered a few interesting discoveries.
The layout is very open, with booths separated mainly by clothing racks rather than traditional structures, which creates a more fluid and informal environment.
One detail I particularly appreciated was the presence of free healthy snacks for visitors and exhibitors. It may seem like a small detail, but it actually contributes to creating a more welcoming atmosphere.
And yes, I probably ate more of those snacks than I should have.
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