Miami SwimShow Will Mark 40th Anniversary in July With New Format – WWD

SwimShow, swim and resort’s annual exhibition in Miami Beach, turns 40 in July. Unlike previous milestones’ splashy celebrations, the Swimwear Association of Florida took the occasion to reflect, regroup and reinvent. It tapped Tiziana Indelicato’s firm Indelicato& for a rebranding project that starts with a new minimal, interlocking “SS” logo.

“It signifies bringing the industry together,” said SwimShow executive director Judy Stein, of people looking for community after years of COVID-19 isolation and Zoom meetings. “It’s also the intersection of all of swim’s elements, which is how buyers want to buy now.”

Held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the show has traditionally been divided by category such as missy, children’s and men’s. Retailers would nix an entire section if they didn’t carry a particular category. The new format mixes categories together based on a cohesive direction like merchandising a boutique, so buyers can conveniently write their complete assortment and discover lines in categories that they might not necessarily offer.

“Brands get more exposure, and buyers might find something that catches their eye that they’re willing to take a chance on,” said Stein, who’s always intermingled accessories throughout the show for this purpose. “It creates an easy flow and a more interesting, fun experience for everyone.”

Many vendors wondered how to classify themselves within the new system. Their options are the NewNew for emerging brands (such as Andrew & Cole, Mar de Lua, Change of Scenery by the former design director of ready-to-wear and swim for Kate Spade, Shoshanna and Milly); SwimCore for mainstays (Vitamin A, Jantzen, Speedo), and SwimMode for innovators, disruptors and trends including big-picture movements like sustainability and inclusive sizing (Molo for kids, Ines di Santo for bridal). Stein said there will still be an abundance of product, despite downsizing from two halls to one during the pandemic.

“We’ll see if we get back to the days of selling 10, 6,000-square-foot booths,” she said of conglomerates and major brands scaling back and not wanting to appear ostentatious. “Our larger booths are 800 square feet now.”

SwimShow also shifted to a digital experience for sustainability and efficiency. Attendees register and check-in on the new app, and each receives their own QR code to track interaction and interest. Vendors have individual bar codes, too. In the event that there’s a missed connection at the show, participants can revisit a buyer or line later.

“They just snap the QR code and go,” said Stein, who launched a new blog, titled “SwimShow Stories” on the revamped website for further engagement.

More than ditching lanyards and plastic badge holders, SwimShow is following its environmentally focused industry’s lead by no longer installing carpet at events. Stein said it ends up in landfills after shows, though exhibitors are still welcome to design booths however they choose. Single-use plastic is also out through the city’s sustainability initiative concerning the convention center’s recent renovation.

SwimShow shortened its dates from four to three days, in line with satellite trade shows Cabana and Hammock. All three are scheduled from July 16 to 18.