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New Made in Spain Fest to put the spotlight on Spanish footwear
“My contacts in America tells me that Spanish brands struggle in New York or Los Angeles where there is more competition, that is why we have opted for Texas,” says Ariadna Vilalta, the woman behind the Made in Spain Fest shoe exhibition taking place on 27-29 June in Houston.
The first edition of Made in Spain Fest will be held at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in Houston and will bring together 15 Spanish brands, particularly from the footwear industry but also some specialised in accessories, to present their collections in the US market.
“Our goal is to sell our Made in Spain products, but you have to sell where there is consumption, and Houston is right now a city in growth mode,” Ariadna Vilalta, fair co-organiser told FashionNetwork.com. She and her company Driven Marketing are hosting the event in partnership with CrossRoad services, a US-based firm.
“Fairs are in decline, so we thought our concept had to attack all three fronts of sale,” Vilalta explained. Wholesale, retail and online commerce will be catered for during Made in Spain Fest with dedicated days and initiatives.
The first day of the event on 27 June will be aimed at those who buy wholesale, i.e. retailers, by offering collections for the Spring Summer 2020 season. The second and third day will be dedicated to the end consumer, with brands selling individual pieces from their Spring Summer 2019 ranges.
And to bring the event to the online realm, fair organisers will open an e-commerce platform giving shoppers across the US the opportunity to buy products from the Made in Spain Fest. Participating brands will be offered storage space in Houston for six months as part of the initiative, which will be geared towards the end consumer, Vilalta said.
Currently the fair has secured the participation of brands including Pons Quintana, D-girls, Alpargatas Viguera and a selection of Yute de Caravaca labels. In total, the event is expected to showcase 15 brands. “Made in Spain Fest will be held in Texas, but it is a gateway to the United States and Mexico,” Vilalta announced.
The show, described as a lifestyle event with a strong line-up of food and music brands, is expected to take place every six months in different locations, “to be where sales are.”
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