Men’s contemporary fashion and lifestyle trade show Liberty Fairs is the latest to cancel its physical event and move to digital methods.
The trade show organization announced it will cancel the shows originally slated for August and September, citing safety concerns and restrictions as a result of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. In place of a physical event, which Liberty Fairs said will return in 2021, Liberty Fairs will launch its first Virtual Marketplace with wholesale platform Joor. The digital marketplace will be live from Aug. 3-5, and registration is now open.
In the same statement, the organizer welcomed former Project sales manager Edwina Kulego to the team, who will be joining as the vice president of Liberty Fairs.
“Amidst all this newness, we’ll never lose sight of what makes Liberty Fairs so integral to our community,” Liberty Fairs said in an emailed statement. “Rest assured that we’re moving forward with the same energy we’ve always had—after all, it’s seeing familiar faces, discovering beautiful new things, and creating those finishing touches that really make our events a special place to be.”
Earlier this month, Informa Markets announced it was canceling its September apparel and footwear trade shows, including Coterie, Fame, Moda, Sole Commerce, Project and Children’s Club. The trade shows were to be held in New York City.
Other trade show organizers such as Pitti Immagine and Kingpins have opted for digital events, though each has indicated that virtual gatherings will not replace in-person events in the future.
