With COVID-19 forcing events around the world to temporarily shut down, some businesses are getting creative with how they reschedule.
For the first time ever, denim trade show Kingpins will hold an online event in lieu of its popular Amsterdam show in April.
Branded Kingpins24, the online event will provide a live stream of panels, interviews, casual conversations and on-demand content to educate the industry in an interactive way. But the goal is not to take the place of the trademark Kingpins show. Instead, it will provide helpful content surrounding the denim supply chain’s offerings for the upcoming seasons with the same energy that attendees are used to.
Kingpins24 will go live at 9 a.m. CET (Central European Time) on April 22 and end by midnight on April 23.
The event will also include exhibitor content. Presentations will focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility updates to ensure partners are still able to connect with attendees despite being situated around the globe.
“We, as a whole, are resilient, resourceful and optimistic,” said Andrew Olah, founder of Kingpins Show. “When one door closes, another opens. We believe Kingpins24 can give our global industry a chance to connect and share information. We have no other desire but to be a conduit for the denim world during these difficult times, where most of us, including me, are at home far away from our normal world.”
Registration is now open for the April 22-23 event, which grants free access to the live stream and on-demand content. For a $35 admission fee, there will also be a Denim Dudes presentation of the Kingpins Trend F/W 21-22 forecast screened several times per day to accommodate a global audience. Screening times will be announced at a future date.
It’s been two weeks since the trade show organization announced it was canceling its Amsterdam show amid growing COVID-19 concerns—and other events have been responding in similar ways. The outbreak has caused other businesses such as Fashion For Good to turn to digital methods in place of in-person gatherings. The organization digitized its Selection Day event, in which it celebrates a new class of innovators at its headquarters in Amsterdam. The virtual event included workshops, panels and open discussions.
