August 4, 2017

An Insider’s Look at Fashion’s MAGIC Show

Kelly Helfman MAGIC Trends In just a couple weeks, leaders and tastemakers in the fashion industry will head over to MAGIC, the most comprehensive fashion marketplace in the U.S. Here, insiders will look at what’s to come for Spring 2018 across apparel, footwear, accessories and even manufacturing! We were lucky enough to catch up with a couple executives from the upcoming shows to hear about the latest in trends, emerging brands and everything you need to know about the upcoming show.

Kelly Helfman, Vice President of WWDMAGIC, gave us a sneak peek at the upcoming show’s agenda – SPOILER ALERT: it is jam packed! WWDMAGIC offers the largest selection of women’s apparel and accessories in the industry. The latest women’s and junior’s trends, the most-wanted brands and the hottest emerging designers all head to this vibrant show floor. It’s a can’t-miss shopping experience complete with upbeat music from DJ Quiana Parks and DJ Millie, undeniable beauty and of course, style!

Below are a few highlights Helfman shared with us:

A HOLLYWOOD AFFAIR

Several notable names from Hollywood will make their way to the WWDMAGIC show floor.

· Laura Marano of Austin & Ally will launch new footwear brand, NOT RATED inside the Naughty Monkey booth She will also make a special performance for fan attendants on Tuesday, August 15.

· Famed costume designer, Janie Bryant of Mad Men, will also make an appearance. She’ll participate on a panel inside the WWD Social House followed by a meet and greet to launch her capsule collection with Unique Vintage on Monday, August 14. The meet and greet will begin at 12:30 pm inside the Unique Vintage booth (#76102).

ONES TO WATCH

The emerging designer showcase is back!

· WWDMAGIC will bring back its well-loved ‘Emerging Designer’ showcase, featuring a group of hand-selected up-and-comers. Participating brands include: 2WN, Day & Night, Hers & Mine, Million Bullpup, Style Rack, Simona Maghen and Moh Love.

· A destination for the latest talent, WWDMAGIC will also welcome the following brands to the show floor for the first time: Dream Scene, Naked Zebra, June & Hudson, NA-KD, Astr and Articles of Society.

SOCIAL HOUSE EDUCATIONAL PANELS

Head to the WWD Social House (Booth #73024) for several educational panels led by industry experts. Panels will cover hot topics in retail, marketing, digital and trends. A few include:

Vintage: The New Black

· On Monday, August 14 at 11:30 am, we’ll talk through trends in fashion and how they always seem to come back. Our influencers will be joined by Emmy Award Winning Costume Designer Janie Bryant for a discussion on vintage fashion and how to incorporate unique pieces into everyday style to update your wardrobe.

Instagram: It’s More than Just Posting a Photo

· On Tuesday, August 15 at 10:30 am, we’ll evaluate how the social network has changed from inception; and what it means to be an “influencer” on it. How do we capitalize on the different parts of the app (live, stories, posts, albums) as a brand and utilize each aspect of the app to our advantage?

· We’ll talk with fashion influencers who live in this space to see what type of content their followers respond to the most, ways in which they use each vertical of the app and how you as a brand and retailer can use them too.

WWD PRESENTS: You Know What I Think? With Alex Badia

· WWD Style Director, Alex Badia is back! For many seasons, Alex has voiced his opinions on the latest women’s fashion trends alongside fellow fashion influencers like Joe Zee and Christopher Kim of Yahoo Style. We gave Alex the stage all to himself in February, and to no surprise, it was a great success!

· On Tuesday, August 15 at 12 pm, get ready for another edition of an all-out “Alex Badia Fashion Fest” as he brings us up to speed on what’s hot—and even better, what’s not—for the upcoming season!

OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Industry leaders will meet at WWDMAGIC’s cocktail reception from 5 pm to 6 pm on August 14. Co-sponsored by the Fashion Scholarship Fund, enjoy a preliminary cocktail here before taking a golf cart over to FN PLATFORM’s Opening Night Party, with performances by classic rock legends.

As if we could let Kelly get away without sharing the hottest trends to watch for, below are her favorite upcoming trends in ready-to-wear and accessories!