PROJECT NEW YORK DEBUTS RETAIL CONCEPT POP-UP FOR THE PUBLIC

by John Russel Jones

Informa Markets Fashion — host to premier fashion trade events PROJECT, MAGIC, COTERIE, and SOURCING at MAGIC — has announced the launch of a unique retail concept store in conjunction with the upcoming edition of PROJECT New York on July 18th and 19th at 14 West 24th Street New York, next to Iron 23. This debut is the kick-off to a series of initiatives to highlight PROJECT’s commitment to redefining the trade experience and to spark dialogue intersecting creative and responsible practices within the community and a creative partnership with industry veteran Maurizio Donadi

“This year’s edition of PROJECT New York is intentionally designed to be a true reflection of the times, featuring a highly curated collection of men’s contemporary and gender-fluid brands and, for the first time at PROJECT, bringing the consumer into the fold,” said Edwina Kulego, VP of International & Men’s at Informa Markets Fashion. “We could not be more excited to introduce a unique retail concept that allows consumers an exclusive opportunity to take home a piece of history, including hand-selected, one-of-a-kind items from the archive of Maurizio Donadi; as well as exclusive drops from artists, brands, and disruptors from across the globe in traditional and new mediums that provide consumers a dedicated space to discover up-and-coming brands and shop the available collections.”

Titled Art, Artists, and Artisans: PROJECT NY Retail Concept Store, the shop will be the first to open its doors to the public adjacent to a trade environment and be part point of discovery to shop leading menswear brands, and part fashion inspiration-meets art inspiration. The store is curated by Donadi and will sell one-of-a-kind, “made in Japan” vintage denim from his archive at TRANSNOMADICA, including fade-from-raw, selvedge, and made-in-Japan denim while presenting a provocative sustainable denim story.
In addition to the Donadi archive, the retail space will include eight to ten hand-selected brands that feature exclusive drops for the pop-up: artisanal, and up-cycled/responsibly made apparel, accessories, and footwear from around the world only available during the two days of operation in conjunction with PROJECT New York show. The store will be open to the public for the duration of the event.

On the partnership, Donadi says, “I am proud to announce my partnership with the PROJECT show. As a team, they’re committed to redefining the trade experience and our collaboration involves a series of initiatives meant to spark dialogue intersecting creativity and responsible practices. As retail has always been important to me, the opportunity to build this two-day pop-up is both an adventure and an energizing creative prompt. All good reasons to be a part of it.”

In this creative partnership and serving as curator for PROJECT, Donadi brings over 40 years of strategic management experience in the fashion and lifestyle industries and will be responsible for upcoming initiatives that reflect the continuing evolution of PROJECT that will intersect the crossover between trade and commercial even more.

“Authenticity is key to delivering a space that genuinely illuminates the societal trends shaping the creative direction of the contemporary men’s and gender-fluid categories, and we could not think of a more perfect person to bring the retail store to life than Maurizio Donadi, our new curator and latest addition to the Informa Markets Fashion family. Maurizio is widely recognized for his inherent ability to curate collections that elevate individuality and brings more than 40 years’ experience and learnings in industry to the role. He is responsible for launching the retail store at PROJECT New York, delivering on our ongoing mission of being an industry connector. In this case, we’re providing a platform for brands to connect with retailers and consumers” says Kulego.

For more information about upcoming 2022 Informa Markets Fashion events, including PROJECT New York, Destination Miami by COTERIE, PROJECT Las Vegas, MAGIC Las Vegas, SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas, and COTERIE New York please visit: www.findfashionevents.com.