— Flight delays and triple-digit temperatures aside, the mood was upbeat at the and Project shows here. The shows, which wrapped up their three-day run Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, spanned both main buildings of the location, which is undergoing a $600 million renovation. In total, more than 2,500 brands exhibited at the shows, which included Sourcing at MAGIC.
At the MAGIC women’s show, some 650 brands were on site, 16 percent of which were new to the exhibition. International brands represented 10 percent of the floor. had more than 300 brands, 18 percent of which were new in men’s and 19 percent in women’s.
The MAGIC Men’s section had 210 exhibitors while the Sourcing show boasted more than 1,250 exhibitors from 29 countries. Kelly Helfman, president of , which owns the shows, said at MAGIC and Project, this edition “really played into sports and fashion.” She pointed to a skateboarding area that housed brands such as Nike SB, Adidas, Converse and New Balance, as well as a .
There was also a dedicated motocross area. These sections drew buyers, sellers and influencers who interacted as a community during the show. “This matchmaking is really important,” she said, addressing the company’s new focus to create connections since it was rebranded as Mmgnet earlier this year.
Other areas of strength for the shows included denim, a category that drew a large number of brands. This edition also saw the test of Style Oasis, a runway show and con.