The PROJECT Las Vegas team is looking forward to hosting you for our most exploration-driven season yet. We are excited to announce the debut of Essential, a new activation that will allow you to experience product interaction from the perspective of a consumer. We’ll also be introducing a ton of newness to re-awaken your senses including Vegas-style events and seminars with partners like Hakkasan and Highsnobiety plus a long list of new participating brands and trends to re-inspire your assortments. (Check out the full schedule of education and experiences here.) This season is all about creative expression and taking risks; according to Guest Merchandiser, Brian Nyilas, “PROJECT Las Vegas is a place where you can really go big or go home; as grand or simple as you want-- the city encourages those extremes.”
Beyond all the excitement on the show floor and in Sin City, another reason why so many brands, retailers, and influencers travel from far and wide to join us is because at the end of the day… It's good for business. “PROJECT Las Vegas is a global show so it really allows you to get high impact and ROI,” Says Nyilas. For new brands, the Las Vegas show is the perfect destination to make their debut, which is why we are excited to announce the next class of the IMFC Incubator Program. This season's program welcomes 10 new Black-owned designers and brands to the PROJECT Las Vegas event.
Here, we feature a few of the stand-out brands showing at PROJECT Las Vegas. Click here to view the full brand list.
Image by CAT WWR
Image by CRUSH Cashmere
Image by Toboggan Canada
Let’s Talk Essentials
This season, PROJECT Las Vegas will be unveiling a new immersive area within the men’s section of the show floor titled, “Essential." Some of the brands you’ll see throughout the activation are Keen, G.H. Bass, Robert Barakett, and 34 Heritage. According to Guest Merchandiser Brian Nyilas, Essential will act as the “nucleus of the show floor which is very inclusive of all categories, and then the show floor will break out into the traditional layout from there such as tailored and denim.” When it comes to the inspiration behind Essential, Nyilas explains, “Over the course of time at tradeshows, we’ve started to get requests by brands saying that they no longer want to sit in obvious silos or categories. At the end of the day, brands sit next to each other in retail settings or in someone's home so it makes sense to merchandise them this way.” Ultimately, the goal of Essential is to promote exploration by showcasing daily essentials used by the end user – your consumer.
Image by Hudson Jeans
NATURE FORWARD
This season, you’ll see more exploration-ready apparel and accessories on the show floor as consumers are more active and outdoor-driven than ever. Brands across categories are responding by redefining key pieces to be more weather adaptive in terms of material and aesthetic. Monique Rivera, VP of Design at footwear brand Dolce Vita elaborates, “We believe that the focus on ‘nature’ and ‘craft’ are moving our casual customer in a unique direction. What was more sports is softening and becoming more core and essential in aesthetic but still built for the outdoors – think: waterproof elements.”
What better opportunity than an industry event like PROJECT Las Vegas to educate and encourage sustainability in fashion? As consumers are becoming more aware of greenwashing, it’s important for brands and retailers to take real steps towards a sustainable future. We are continuing our partnership with Hey Social Good, a data analytics company which measures the sustainability level of a brand and helps to identify where improvements can be made. And make sure to check out for the second season, Ad Infinitum: A Circular Fashion Showcase by PROJECT Las Vegas, an installation dedictaed to circularity.
Image by Isle Jacobsen
Image by Onia
Image by NOENDDENIM
VEGAS' VOYAGE
PROJECT, our participants, and even Las Vegas itself have grown tremendously over the years. “PROJECT was there for us since day one,” reminisces Ben Taverniti, Creative Director of Hudson Jeans, “PROJECT, a pioneer (like Hudson), was a big part of shaping the premium denim industry back then, and still today." Guest Merchandiser Brian Nyilas adds, “It’s been such a long term host of fashion B2B that it is an institutional destination at this point.” As the event continues to grow, so does Las Vegas. Nyilas observes, “In the last 5 years or so, the city has spawned their draw outside of partying and gambling, for example, it’s seen the addition of so many sports teams. Ultimately, Las Vegas is continuing to evolve as a platform for the arts, and fashion is one of the most iconic global arms for the arts.” The PROJECT team is excited to be part of Vegas’ evolution and it’s our pleasure to host you for yet another season.
Register today to shop brands and to connect with the retail community at PROJECT Las Vegas.
