WWD Magic is one of THE biggest fashion wholesale shows of the year. Buyers and brands from all over the country come to Las Vegas to figure out “what the world will be wearing” for the upcoming season.
I was super lucky to attend Magic Market Week this past week for BelleChic.com. As their new Product Marketing Specialist, my job is to source vendors with super awesome products to feature on the site. So I packed my bags, and headed to Vegas with the who’s who of fashion.
I hope you enjoy the details of my trip, told with Instagram photos from the different accounts I was posting for: BelleChic (@bellechicdeals), Couture in the Suburbs (@suburbscouture), and of course, my personal account (@lindsayviker).
I stayed at the gorgeous Paris hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Magic Market Week was held at two different locations: Mandalay Bay Convention Center and the Las Vegas Convention Center, both just a short taxi ride away.
For Day #1, I headed to Mandalay Bay to see the Pool Tradeshow, Project, and ENKVegas. Pool features up and coming brands, perfect for the boutique image of BelleChic. Project showcases premier designer brands (I wanted to see what trends were up and coming), and ENKVegas hosts women’s contemporary brands.
I seriously underestimated how large these shows would be! After several hours of walking around, and a meeting with a vendor, I was in serious need of a delicious meal and relaxation. I ordered a glass of pinot grigio and the most amazing mac & cheese, and answered some e-mails.
Then I headed back to the Paris for a quick nap and outfit change before I headed back to Mandalay Bay for a cocktail hour with the Pool Trade Show designers (hello networking opportunities!) A huge thank you to Adam from Store Envy for hosting the event.
Day #2 was for the Las Vegas Convention center. First things first, I scanned FNPlatfom, the shoes showcase, and was basically in HEAVEN! (Just imagine being surrounded by all the shoes you can imagine!). After that, I headed upstairs to the seminar series for a lesson in how to transform your business for today’s online shopper (very useful for a totally online company, don’t you think?).
The seminar was super informational. I cannot wait to try out some of the strategies they mentioned for BelleChic!
Once the seminar was over, I headed down to WWDMagic White, which features women’s apparel, and ran into some of our friends from Phoenix Fashion Week – the Shawl Dawls and Living Dreams!
After catching up for a bit, and seeing what else White had to offer, I headed to WWD Magic where I found clothing brands that are the perfect fit for BelleChic! I scanned the hundreds of booths, and then ran into some fashion bloggers saying what their favorite brands at the shows were! Of course, I had to stop and listen.
Once I checked out the brands the bloggers had talked about, I decided to go back and rest. After all, I had a big evening ahead of me! I was meeting up with my dears friends from Bilby and Moss for a dinner at the Palms. We compared our trips to Magic and talked about what types of vendors would be the best for BelleChic. Thank you SO much for the invaluable advice and the delicious dinner.
After dinner, and a quick selfie at my hotel, I headed to the Cosmopolitan’s Chandelier bar to meet up with the Phoenix Fashion Week team and their connections that were also in town for Magic. I met some amazing people and had a great time. But, at this point, I was exhausted! So I went back to my hotel to rest up for Day 3.
Day #3 was exclusively for WWD Magic. I scoured the contemporary and junior’s sections for some big brands that are sure to put BelleChic on top. Not that this was an easy task. When I say that the show is overwhelming, I’m talking about hundreds of brands around every corner! But I have to say, I loved every second of the trip and feel so fortunate to have had this experience.
I met so many amazing people at the show (and in the airport… shout out to my new friend Ben!), that I would have never met had I not attended this trade show. If you ever have the opportunity to go, do it! There are not many places where all of fashion gathers together.
If you want to see some of the awesome vendors I found at the show, make sure you keep your eye on BelleChic.com. (And if there are any awesome vendors you think we need to feature, send me an e-mail! lindsay@bellechic.com).
Until next year Magic!
XO
Story and Photos by: Lindsay Viker
