Will Bread & Butter’s January Show in Berlin Go On?

Berlin-based apparel trade show Bread & Butter’s January edition has been in question after an announcement early this week that it would scale down from its usual multi-hall format at Berlin-Templehof to just one hall. That announcement stopped rumors that the show would be canceled altogether, but only for a couple of days—the rumors began anew as Drapers reported that vendors were opting for other shows, like Seek, Premium and Panorama. Then, Sportswear International reported this morning that the show’s sales staff has been calling exhibitors to say the show has been cancelled after all. However, both Women’s Wear Daily and Drapers reported that the show will go on, with Drapers specifically addressing the Sportswear International report with a denial from Bread & Butter spokes people.

Requests to Bread & Butter for comment have not been returned.

The turmoil began in July when Bread & Butter’s founder Karl-Heinz Müller announced that the January show would return to its occasional home in Barcelona, part of a new three-city format that would have the July show in Berlin and the September show in Seoul, South Korea. But in August, Müller backed out of Barcelona, citing complaints from the industry; now both the January and July shows would be in Berlin. The September Seoul show would remain unchanged.

“In numerous talks with the decision makers of our fashion industry it became clear that in the current market situation they rather prefer to stick to the established format, despite the appeal and the possibilities of the new,” he said in an e-mail to the vendors and retailers. “At the moment, most of the exhibitors are focused on the healthy and reliable German market.”