Industry Events

All year long, there are opportunities for fashion industry executives, designers, journalists, and students to network, conduct business, and stay informed about the fashion industry. From prominent trade shows to glamorous runway shows, fashion enthusiasts flock to these events from all over the world.

For a comprehensive list of global fashion industry events, please visit the FIDM Library.

Industry Trade Shows & Conferences

  • American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Y-Conference

    AIGA is the oldest and largest membership association for design professionals. The AIGA Y-Conference is an annual event in San Diego that offers graphic design and business sessions by innovative leaders in the industry. To find out more, visit sandiego.aiga.org.

  • Art Directors Guild Panel Discussion

    Each year the Art Directors Guild hosts a pre-Oscar® night panel discussion with the Academy Award®-nominated Production Designers and Set Decorators to talk about their nominated films and what it took to design them. For information on the Art Directors Guild and their upcoming events, visit adg.org.

  • BaselWorld

    The biggest event in the watch and jewelry sector, BaselWorld is held each spring in Basel, Switzerland. Internationally renowned brands from over 40 countries showcase their latest developments and innovations to over 100,000 industry professionals from all over the world. For more information, visit baselworld.com.

  • BizBash Expo & Awards

    Held annually in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, and Boston, BizBash Expo & Awards is an important trade show for the event planning industry. Thousands of meeting and event planning professionals attend to network and learn. For the expo schedule, visit bizbash.com.

  • Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

    CES is credited with being the world’s largest consumer technology trade show. The annual show features products from many different consumer technology markets, with categories including computer hardware and software, electronic gaming, and video. For show details and a complete list of product categories, visit cesweb.org.

  • Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW)

    CEW is a nonprofit professional organization with over 4,000 executives, both women and men, in the beauty, cosmetics, fragrance, and related industries. They offer important events and networking opportunities throughout the year. Please visit cew.org to learn more.

  • Cosmoprof North America

    One of the most important events in the beauty and cosmetics sector, Cosmoprof is a cosmetic trade show held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show now has a special focus on the Spa/Beauty Salon industry. For more information, please visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com.

  • Designers & Agents

    D&A is a fashion trade show held twice-yearly in both Los Angeles (March and October) and New York (February and September). There are over 1,000 collections in this alternative trade show, attracting 3,000 media and retail visitors. For a listing of shows and exhibitors, visit designersandagents.com.

  • Electronic Entertainment Expo (E-3)

    E-3 Expo is the world’s premier video game conference and trade show. Held annually in Los Angeles, California, top interactive entertainment companies showcase groundbreaking technologies and new products for computers, video game consoles, handheld systems, and the Internet. For more information, visit e3expo.com.

  • Future of Web Design Conference (FOWD)

    Led by industry experts, this three-day web-learning conference covers important topics for today’s web designers and front-end developers, including HTML, CSS, typography, UX, and wireframing. Find out more on futureofwebdesign.com.

  • GlobalShop

    The premier trade show for visual merchandisers, GlobalShop is the world’s largest annual trade show and conference dedicated to retail design and shopper marketing. For details on the show, please visit globalshop.org

  • Health & Beauty America (HBA) Global Expo

    HBA Global Expo is the leading source for beauty and wellness product development. More than 16,000 industry professionals from all over the world attend this annual trade show in New York City. To learn more, please visit hbaexpo.com.

  • Hospitality Design (HD) Expo

    More than 7,000 industry professionals attend the HD Expo each year in Las Vegas, Nevada, to see the latest in hospitality products and services from more than 900 exhibitors. For more information and a countdown to the next show, visit hdexpo.com.

  • HOW Design Live

    Sponsored by HOW Magazine, a trade publication for graphic design professionals, this six-day annual conference offers educational sessions for graphic designers led by industry experts. To find out more about this event, please visit howconference.com.

  • Indigo

    Sharing the hall with international textile trade show Première Vision exhibitors, Indigo specializes in textile design for fashion and home interiors and décor. This textile trade show is held in Paris, New York, and Brussels. Visit indigo-salon.com for more information.

  • International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF)

    Held annually in New York, the ICFF specializes in contemporary furniture, carpet and flooring, lighting, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors. More than 500 exhibitors are represented from all over the world. For more information, visit icff.com.

  • International Retail Design Conference (IRDC)

    An annual 3-day event presented by VMSD magazine, IRDC focuses on store design and visual merchandising trends and best practices. The conference attracts designers, architects, planners and visual merchandisers from throughout the U.S. and more than a dozen countries worldwide. For the agenda, visit irdconline.com.

  • Jewelers’ Circular Keystone (JCK) Las Vegas

    With more than 2,500 participating companies from 22 countries, JCK Las Vegas is an important annual jewelry trade show where industry professionals come together to buy and source new products. At the show, vendors are divided into specific categories, including luxury, fashion jewelry, bridal, and pearl. For the exhibitor list, visit jckonline.com.

  • Licensing International Expo

    Brand owners, creative directors, designers, managers, buyers, and marketers attend the Licensing International Expo each year in Las Vegas, Nevada, to see the latest trends in the licensing industry and to initiate deals. For more information, please visit licensingexpo.com.

  • MAGIC

    Fashion editors, buyers, brand owners, sales representatives, and designers from all over the world come together to do business, inspire creativity, and discover emerging trends at this fashion trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, held each February and August. For a listing of exhibitors and show events, visit magiconline.com.

  • NAB Show

    Over 90,000 media and entertainment professionals from over 150 countries are represented at this annual digital media event in Las Vegas, Nevada. Video, audio, film, and communications professionals attend to see the latest technology. To find out about this year’s show, visit nabshow.com.

  • National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show

    Held annually in Anaheim, California, the NAMM Show is for industry professionals seeking out the newest innovations in musical products, recording technology, sound, and lighting. The show draws people from more than 100 countries. For information on the next NAMM Show, visit namm.org.

  • National Exposition of Contract Furnishings (NeoCon)

    North America’s largest design exposition and conference for commercial interiors, NeoCon is held annually in Chicago, Illinois. Architecture and design professionals discover thousands of innovative products and resources from more than 700 showrooms and exhibitors. For show details, visit neocon.com.

  • Photoshop World Conference & Expo

    Held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada, Photoshop World Conference offers more than 100 classes over three days from experts in the fields of Photoshop, photography, and lighting. For more information, please visit photoshopworld.com.

  • POOL

    In conjunction with MAGIC, POOL is a fashion trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada that specializes in the boutique market with art and design driven brands. See pooltradeshow.com for more information.

  • Première Vision

    Launched in 1973 by 15 French weavers presenting their fabric collections, Première Vision is now an international textile trade show in Paris, France, held each February and September. The fabrications presented are 18–24 months in advance of the season, providing a preview of fabric and color trends. For dates and a listing of exhibitors, visit premierevision.fr.

  • San Diego Comic-Con International (Comic-Con)

    Held annually in San Diego, California, Comic-Con is a convention dedicated to comic books and popular art. There are panels and workshops, as well as portfolio review sessions with top comic book and video game companies. For more information, including a list of companies scheduled to review portfolios, visit comic-con.org.

  • Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

    The largest gem and mineral show in the United States, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™ has 250 retail dealers. Open to the public, proceeds from this annual show are used to support mineral knowledge and appreciation. For more information about the show, visit tgms.org.

  • Vicenzaoro

    Vicenzaoro offers gold jewelry trade shows throughout the year in Vicenza, Italy. Merchandise categories include machine and handcrafted gold jewelry, costume jewelry, watches, and precious and semi-precious stones. For information about the shows, visit vicenzafiera.it.

  • World Shoes+Accessories (WSA)

    Held each February and August in Las Vegas, Nevada, WSA is the preeminent trade show in the footwear manufacturing industry, Explore wsashow.com for more information.

Fashion Weeks

  • Chicago Fashion Week

    Chicago designers and retailers are highlighted during Chicago Fashion Week through fashion shows, shopping events, and industry seminars each spring and fall. Find out more information on chicagofashionweek.com.

  • London Fashion Week

    The British Fashion Council promotes British fashion during London Fashion Week each February and September, featuring brands such as Burberry Prorsum, Sass & Bide, Paul Smith, and Vivienne Westwood. Read about the designers on londonfashionweek.co.uk.

  • Los Angeles Fashion Week

    Each March and October, fashion designers show their upcoming collections at different venues throughout Los Angeles. Unlike New York, there is no official sponsor or permanent location for the fashion shows. Instead, there are different events independently produced around the city, including Project Ethos and Concept Fashion Week. For a complete list and calendar, visit fashionweekla.com.

  • Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami

    Swimwear is the focus of this Mercedes-Benz sponsored fashion week in Miami. Each July, swimwear designers show their upcoming collections. Find the schedule of events on miami.mbfashionweek.com.

  • Milan Fashion Week

    The National Chamber for Italian Fashion coordinates Milan Fashion Week, promoting Italian labels such as Prada, Gucci, D&G, Versace, and Giorgio Armani. There are many events held during Milan Fashion Week, but the biggest production is “Milano Moda Donna,” with 230 fashion shows over 7 days each February/March and September/October. Find out more on cameramoda.it.

  • New York Fashion Week

    Each February and September, established brands and emerging designers introduce their upcoming collections in the Mercedes-Benz sponsored NY Fashion Week. Press, buyers, and celebrities are invited to attend designer runway shows, trunk shows, and fashion presentations throughout the week. Visit mbfashionweek.com for a schedule of events.

  • Paris Fashion Week

    Buyers, press, and the fashion elite come together during Paris Fashion Week to see top designers present their fashion collections in various places throughout the city, including the Grand Palais. Haute couture is shown each January and July, ready-to-wear in March and October, and men’s fashions in January and June. For upcoming dates and other information, explore modeaparis.com.

  • Portland Fashion Week

    Focusing on style with sustainability, Oregon’s PFW is the only green and carbon-neutral production of a fashion week, held each October. Read about this eco-friendly event on portlandfashionweek.net.

  • Style Week Orange County

    Each fall, the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, California hosts a week of fashion events including runway shows, fashion exhibits, and in-store programs. Find out more information on styleweekoc.com.

Photo of Theatre Costume Student Work by Ji Won Kim
Theatre Costume Student Work by Ji Won Kim