Agenda on the Road to Expansion

A new Post "Agenda on the Road to Expansion" was written on the January 17, 2012 at 6:45 pm on "Textile Global - Textile and Fashion News".

Aaron Levant started his *Agenda* trade show nine years ago as a mere
satellite show to the now-defunct *Action Sports Retaile*r event, held
at the *San Diego Convention Center* until more than a year ago.

These days, Agenda, a Los Angeles–based trade show focusing on
streetwear and lifestyle fashion as well as action-sports brands, is
flying solo and growing stronger as it aims to make the biannual
gathering an international event.

For his latest show, held Jan. 5–6, Levant took over 250,000 square
feet at the *Long Beach Convention Center* in Long Beach, Calif., more
than double the 110,000 square feet the August 2011 show occupied at
the *Hyatt Regency Beach Resort and Spa* in Huntington Beach, Calif.
The number of brands exhibiting at the recent show increased to 450
brands, compared with 300 brands in August.

"We are way beyond being a West Coast show," Levant said,
surveying the buyers walking across the convention center's floor.
"We are a national show with international attendance. My goal is to
be an international show."

At its most recent event, less than 10 percent of the attendees hailed
from overseas. But Levant forecast that in the near future, 25 percent
of the visitors will be foreign buyers. That could be helped by the
publicity generated by his biannual Agenda trade shows in New York
City and Tokyo.

Retailers from Latin America, East Asia and the East Coast shopped the
show. High-profile specialty retailers such as *Zumiez*, *Urban
Outfitters*, *Pacific Sunwear* and *Tilly's* also were there.
Well-known independent retailers *Jack's Surfboards*, *Sun Diego*,
*Hobie*, *Spyder Surfboards*, *ZJ Boarding* House sent buyers, as did
*Amazon.com* and *Macy's.*

Also perusing the booths were buyers from *Metropark*, the national
boutique chain based in City of Industry, Calif. The chain declared
bankruptcy and shuttered its 69 locations last May. In August, *The
Weisfeld Group* in New York purchased the intellectual property of the
bankrupt retailer for an undisclosed amount.

*In ASR's wake*

Since the once-dominant ASR trade show closed up shop in November
2010, Agenda has been crucial.

"It went from niche show to industry standard," said Allen Doan,
president of men's streetwear brand *Orisue*. "It will continue to
grow.  I'm seeing a lot of people from the East Coast."

Charlie Setzler, president of *Rusty*, a boardshorts and surf fashions
label,

Read the rest here:
Agenda on the Road to Expansion

http://www.textileglobal.com/2012/01/agenda-on-the-road-to-expansion.html

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