The WSA ShowTM Gears Up

Record Numbers of Attendees Anticipated for August 2007 Exhibitor Commitments Ahead for February 2008

Preparations for both upcoming WSA Shows, August 2007 and February 2008, are in full swing. For the show beginning July 30 and following a time and cost efficient three day schedule for the first time, participants at all levels, both exhibitor and attendee, are looking forward to the entire spectrum of the footwear and accessories industry being together under one roof at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Buyer pre-registration is extremely strong and an early indication is that the August Show will be very well attended. For the February 2008 show, the exhibitor contracting process is tracking ahead of the usual pace with virtually all the major companies and brands contracted.
“Our management team has now been here for three years and the feedback we get from exhibitors and buyers is that we deliver the robust, comprehensive industry marketplace that serves buyer and seller needs,” said Diane Stone, WSA Show chief operating officer.
“We ask the retailers and exhibitors what they want and need, and we create the event experience with exhibit halls, critical business sessions, live fashion events, special buyer services, amenities and conveniences, and social and networking opportunities that bring the global industry together with a breadth and depth that does not exist anywhere else in the world,” Stone continued.
August Show Update:
When the industry gathers in Las Vegas for the upcoming show, the following special features and events will highlight the experience for exhibitors and buyers:
�� The world’s leading companies and brands under one roof utilizing the nearly 2 million square feet of the entire Las Vegas Convention Center campus
�� Educational sessions focusing on fashion, color and consumer trends, eco-ethics and sustainability and best practices in retailing presented by leading experts in their fields like The NPD Group, Pantone and Promostyl
�� An expanded focus on children’s product featuring 665 companies and brands. KidzSpace at WSA presents a specially focused floor section as well as leading children’s brands located elsewhere throughout the show.
�� The full-day NSRA Educational Conference tailored to the needs of the independent retailer, to be held July 29th, the day before the exhibits open
�� A brand new networking hub and meeting place at the crossroads of the show in The Grand Lobby, featuring live fashion events showcasing exciting products and brands throughout the day
�� Opening Night at WSA to benefit Soles 4 Souls and The Two Ten Footwear Foundation to be held at The Orleans Arena on July 30th. This is a glittering new venue offering an unparalleled social and networking environment highlighted by two incredible acts: Stevie Nicks and Hall and Oates.
�� Prominent industry groups hold board and membership meetings as well as social and networking functions in Las Vegas to utilize the powerful gathering platform the show offers. These include: FDRA, NSRA, The Two Ten Footwear Foundation, WSTA and more.
�� Susquehanna International Group (SIG) will connect and present major brands with industry investors in a private invitation only conference.
�� Amenities and conveniences for exhibitors and buyers including an extensive free transportation system and special lounges both on and off the show floor
�� The Collections at WSATM, the world’s largest luxury footwear and accessories show which runs concurrently with The WSA Show is completely sold out of exhibit suites. This show will continue to occur on a four-day schedule and includes fashion jewelry for the first time in addition to the luxury footwear and handbag categories.
The upcoming exhibitions in August and next February attest to the continuing growth in the luxury sector, while the extra day will allow crossover buyers who attend both parts of the show the time needed to focus on this important sector of the marketplace.
Looking Ahead to February 2008:
Planning is also progressing for the February 2008 show, which will run February 21-24, at The Mandalay Bay Convention Center and the Sands Expo Center. The Collections at WSA™ will be held concurrently at the Venetian Resort Hotel. A new event, Materials at WSA, bringing the supply chain alongside the finished product for the first time, will launch February 19-21 at The Venetian.
Although the show is nearly nine months away, virtually all major exhibitors have contracted for their exhibition space. In fact, exhibit space reservations are ahead of schedule when compared year over year. The list of contracted February 2008 exhibitors and brands is attached.
Manufacturers and retailers will find support for manufacturing and design with the launch of Materials at WSA with access to best of class global raw materials, components, sourcing resources, and more. Materials at WSA will be co-located with The WSA Show™, beginning two days prior and overlapping one day. The launch of this event adds bandwidth to the critical WSA Show global marketplace making it a more compelling “must attend” for industry design, manufacturer/brand and retailer decision makers. “This will truly become the intellectual center of the design and product development process making The WSA Show a place where product is born as well as sold,” stated Diane Stone.
The February 2008 show will host the second Global Strategic Footwear Forum. This program for c-level executives from domestic and international wholesale and retail organizations as well as key fashion, business and financial media will be chaired by John Shanley with Susquehanna Financial Group LLP. John Shanley, senior equity research analyst, SIG, will moderate a powerful lineup of domestic and international footwear industry leaders offering industry and trend insights John Shanley, in defining the stature and purpose of the Forum states, “this will be a meeting of some of the greatest minds in the industry looking at issues and trends across the board that present both challenges and opportunities facing companies in this evolving marketplace. We anticipate a lively discussion and an open exchange of ideas
from which all attendees can benefit, whether they are in management, sales, marketing or sourcing. With this event, WSA is cementing its role as the essential source of footwear industry insights and information.”
Additional information about the upcoming shows is available online at www.wsashow.com and www.thecollectionsatwsa.com.