As brands and retailers meet up to determine the next step in fashion retail at Magic in Las Vegas next week, a new festival concept called “Commotion” will be trying to bring the fashion trade show experience directly to the consumer.
Commotion is a “disruptive direct-to-consumer fashion event” that will be held next month from Feb. 5-6. The concept was created by Mike Sampson, a 25-year veteran of the fashion industry and a former senior VP of business development with the UBM Fashion Group. Sampson was able to create the show with the help of Zappos and CMMN THRD, a business development agency with ties to the industry.
Sampson says he feels that the industry has changed and now requires a new kind of platform. There’s been a shift, according to Sampson, toward direct-to-consumer marketing and away from the monolithic advertising and business growth models that brands have used for years. Instead, Sampson wants Commotion to become a space that physically connects shoppers with brands, forging an authentic bond in the process.
“Throughout my career, I’ve experienced the launch and successful growth of many iconic brands you see today,” Sampson wrote about the idea behind Commotion for the event’s website. “These brands effectively found their place in society with targeted marketing and sales efforts through traditional retail channels and for a long-standing time that was sufficient…things have changed.”
Commotion will be held at Fergusons Downtown Market In the Alley in Las Vegas, an outdoor market square the size of a city block that gets its name from a recently renovated mid-century hotel of the same name. Attendees will be able to visit brand exhibits that focus on shopping, customization and community throughout the market and will be able to shop there or order items for later delivery.
The pop-up festival will also feature “fashion art structures” and “cross-merchandised displays” brought by attending brands. Unannounced brands will also offer shoppers the ability to immediately customize their purchases through Commotion’s modification shop. Once the sun sets, the stages will be cleared for musical performances and revelry, including a performance by Grammy-winning artist, Spencer Ludwig.