Trade shows: “Sometimes the value cannot be beaten”

In the shadow of the Eurovision Song Contest arena, a week after Outdoor by ISPO, the UK Outdoor Industry gathered in Merseyside in greater numbers than ever before. There is much discussion around the validity of a trade show aimed at retailers, but sometimes it can not be beaten. For all the representatives visiting shops and brand showrooms, the community of the industry needs such a chance to come together.

It is, of course, important for brands to have distinctive character; otherwise, it all becomes a rush to see who can supply product at the lowest cost. And as everyone’s world has become more and more virtual, it is too easy to forget the importance of “retail theater”: Celebrating what brands are bringing to the table to enable customers to enjoy the outdoors and sports.

There is still demand to experience what our product brings to the user, especially in terms of touch and fit (and someone who can distill hypermarketing down into realistic proportions), which means that the best physical selling locations will always be in demand.

OutDoor by ISPO set the tone for trade show events 

Held the week before the British event, Outdoor by ISPO in Munich still brings in the numbers and the European crowd. 

As so many brands now have dedicated sales teams and showrooms, there is a lot of pre-show selling and order taking, but for the shopkeeper especially, nothing beats the trade show experience of being able to see the range of one brand and then a few minutes later, dip into their rival’s collection, to see which one has their finger more on the pulse of the customer who appears on their doorstep. 

OutDoor by ISPO 2023 gave visitors this effect, with almost every main brand exhibiting either downstairs or in one of the showrooms on the upper floors. But I personally did not spot a single English buyer at the European gathering. 

For me, it was “the gathering” itself that marked the real justification of the event.

The Outdoor Trade Show: A well-focused business show 

If numbers are an indication of success, in terms of visitors, the UK’s Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) recorded 920 unique visitors over the three days, an increase of 11 percent on last year’s visitor attendance, with more visitors staying for a second day, too. A total of 1,191 (including repeats) visitors over the three-day period represented an 11 percent increase on the previous year. Some brands even scheduled their busier days for Thursday so that they could remain available to welcome new inquiries on the opening day. In total, 136 stands with a mix of both brands and agents targeted a range of retailers.

Like its Munich counterpart, OTS included a full program, exhibitors and awards. There was the Sustainability Breakfast to plant better practice ideas in minds; there were social events; there were the regular stands; there was a chance for the industry to whittle down the best designs to be put forward for final public judging. And there were brands that did not exhibit in Munich.

Events guided by the concept of collaboration

No matter how strong brands get, utilizing common ground for collaboration remains the most effective and efficient way for progress to happen. In my opinion, OutDoor by ISPO has moved alongside ISPO in delivering what the Outdoor industry needs: Leadership.  

At OutDoor by ISPO, the European Outdoor Group had a full program of events that concentrated on practice in the circular economy. Whereas Fashion has highlighted the end-of-life of garments (recycling textile-to-textile and biodegradable yarns), EOG focused attention on the more effective steps beforehand.  

At OTS, the UK’s Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) and CEO Andrew Denton hosted various meetings of both the main board and the development board to help steer the trade towards maximizing the potential offered by Outdoor activities to the population, whether through health, sport, or tourism lenses. 

The progress made in achieving better practice was clear from Aku’s Giulio Piccin at the OTS Sustainability Breakfast. The Rab-sponsored event triggered much discussion, with Aku’s presentation alongside the Material Facts labeling, the Waterbear platform and an overview of what aspects of the circular economy had been already adopted by the Outdoor industry from EOG’s Jane Turnbull. 

Two key takeaways from OTS: Footwear and Gorpcore 

In addition to the expected, there were two main takeaway themes from this year’s OTS: Attention to detail in the Footwear sector and Gorpcore. 

Footwear was everywhere, ranging from the most technical to the Sport Fashion varieties. At this year’s show, the Running Industry Alliance was gathering support as it brings the whole category into working together. 

It was interesting to see KMD Brand-owned Oboz with its version of Material Facts swing tags, although the UK distributor did not think they could influence the brand to adopt the British version. Ron Hill showed their brand-new product line to much acclaim, whilst Timberland and Grubs brought in both fashion and festival customers. 

Teva and Vasque summed up the best of footwear and Gorpcore with products that made their customers smile.

The Gorpcore customer is relatively new to Outdoor and ranges from those inspired by Gucci’s collaboration with The North Face to those who think festival tents are single-use. There are many who now experience the outside through this medium.

However, many in the Outdoor Industry are shunning them. The combination of being protected in the outdoors and having an enjoyable time is not something that “hardcore” Outdoor brands want to be associated with, favoring instead perfect, clean, family camping pitches. 

Brands like Cotopaxi, Duer, Swanndri and Eddie Bauer, however, came across as having their finger on the pulse of this customer. 

I suspect that Gorpcore will become even more popular. Highsnobiety was in Munich at the start of June, although they did not exhibit. 

Trade shows still have a place 

In addition to showcasing products and making deals, the main shows now offer a chance to share good practice; to bring up the level of the industry so that it will keep leading best practice in the Fashion and Textiles industries. 

As well as the vibe and the social opportunities these events bring, sometimes nothing beats seeing a product up close.

Case in point: The one product I discovered at OTS that made me think, “Why hasn’t this been done before?” was the Sierra Designs’ Nexus reversible daysack that becomes a pillow cover. A product that demonstrates that the best design can be original by keeping it simple.

The virtual world might be more convenient, but you still need a physical event to get into detail.