Your Guide to the Top Lingerie Trade Shows – New York SS14

By Ali Cudby

August may be a month for your friends and neighbors to drift into the lazy haze of summer, but if you work in the lingerie industry, this is a busy month for working on the buying and planning side of your retail business.  Yes, it’s trade show season again.  After jaunts through Paris and Miami, this week the madness descends on New York City, where there will be a trifecta of major events for the lingerie industry.

The fun begins on Thursday, August 1^st with LingerieFW, the official fashion week for the lingerie industry.  LingerieFW successfully debuted in February and is thrilled to be back for its sophomore event with even more exciting shows!  The three-day event will feature catwalk shows from brands such as Affinitas/Parfait and Secrets in Lace and is sponsored by companies such as The Lingerie Addict,  Bra La Mode, and my own bra fit training program, FabFit Academy.

photo via The Lingerie Journal

This season’s LingerieFW closing party will be held on Saturday August 3rd from 8-10pm and showcases an exclusive Pop Up Exhibit from the Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum: “The Loves of Aaron Burr: Portraits in Corsetry & Binding” by artist, couturier and historian Camilla Huey (who has designed for a roster of names including Oprah, Janet Jackson and Katy Perry). The exhibition tells the compelling stories of women through the craft of bookbinding and the art of couture corsets.

Next on the agenda is CurveNY, the largest lingerie trade show in the United States.  The show features the SS14 collections for more than 350 brands in lingerie, loungerie, swim and accessories.  Curve is the best place to get an overall sense of the market and its upcoming trends.  With such a lush visual feast, it can be overwhelming, so retailers do well to plan ahead with their buying decisions.  Consider your plan of attack:  Curve is the go-to show for the biggest brands in the business, with a wide array of price points – Curve is one-stop shopping for everything a retailer needs to stock a store. August 4-6^th at the Javits Center.

Your feet will be aching and the city hot (and fragrant) but make time to check out another newcomer to the New York lingerie scene, The Lingerie Collective.  This show jumped across the pond from London in February and features the edgier side of lingerie.  Showcasing brands from Lascivious to Result Wear, Lingerie Collective is worth a visit.   August 4^th – 6^th at Studio 320.

Photo via The Lingerie Journal

You can also join The Underfashion Club for a panel discussion moderated by Ellen Lewis, publisher of Lingerie Briefs on Bloggers and How They Make It Work:  August 7 at the Cutting Room.