SOCIETY FOR INTERNATIONAL MENSWEAR PREVIEW
OK, I’ll admit it: I’m excited to be headed into trade show season!
A lot has changed in the decade since I left MR (mostly in the last three years, of course). Now, as MR’s web editor, in some ways I feel closer to the menswear market than ever because of the need to create new content daily. Yet because of the insistence of that deadline, I also feel like I’m not out in the market enough, getting to showrooms, visiting stores, and connecting with the wonderful personalities in our business. That’s why I can’t wait to stop by these events to say “hello” to old friends, make some new ones, and see and touch product in person again.
One of the first places I’ll be stopping is the Society for International Menswear. It may be the “new kid on the block,” but is backed up with some pretty sophisticated experience by industry veterans Lizette Chin and Coleman McCartan ( both former executives at Project and MRket) so there’s a lot to look forward to!
“We may be the newest show,” Lizette says, “but if you have ten exhibitors or 500, it’s all the same amount of work, and in fact, a new event probably requires even more attention to detail. We’re providing a showroom environment, particularly for elevated brands that need a home during New York Men’s Market Week.”
The show’s original goal was to be international only, but when word got around that Chin and McCartan were involved with their years of experience doing events, certain domestic brands took notice. The decision was made that if the product and branding complemented the international brands, they’d be invited, too.
The show will include big luxury names like John Smedley, Edward Green, Tateossian, Luigi Borelli, Benson, Serge Blanco, and 34 Heritage. Nations represented include Belgium, Canada, Colombia, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Mexico, and Portugal. Not quite the United Nations of menswear, but a bit more like an immersive summit. Categories covered include tailored clothing, furnishings, accessories, sportswear, loungewear, golf, and swimwear.
Personally, I’m looking forward to checking out thesalting, a unisex brand I’ve been seeing, and of course my dear friends from Raffi. I also want to check out Stilnology, an Italian outerwear that is completely new to me.
“I feel like every brand is sort of its own anchor brand within its category,” says Coleman. “We’re excited by the quality of the brands and for us, this is just the beginning. We’re also just trying to make it as comfortable and as accessible as possible.”
The show takes place at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea, and I, for one, am not going to miss making the trek across the city to the Javits Center. I’m also looking forward to checking out Michael Macko’s still-life presentation, Society Picks, at the show’s entry (Be sure to check out Society Picks on the MR website for a more in-depth preview of the brands that will be showing at Society). Watch for a convivial cocktail hour at the end of the first day of the show, complimentary breakfast, and coffee throughout the day. (I’ve also been promised candy for that mid-afternoon sugar rush we all need to get through a show.)
Society for International Menswear will be Sunday, July 17, 2022, from 9am to 6pm, and Monday, July 18, 2022, from 9am to 5pm, at Metropolitan Pavilion 125 West 18th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. I hope to see you all there!
[FULL DISCLOSURE: Society for International Menswear is owned by Wainscot Media, which also owns MR Magazine and MR-Mag.com.]
