Scoop, Source and Spring Fair: The new landscape of the UK’s trade show scene
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The trade fair season is upon us, and with it comes somewhat of a restructuring among the UK’s event landscape. With Pure London now under the wing of its Birmingham-based sister show, Spring Fair; Just Around the Corner (JATC) ceasing to exist; and both Scoop and Source on the verge of new locations, the schedule of Hyve Group is remaining dynamic, aligning with an industry that is similarly in a state of flux.
Here is what to know about Hyve’s three upcoming trade shows: Scoop, Source Fashion and Spring Fair.
Scoop
In comparison to its sister fairs, Scoop presents more as a showroom event, priding itself on its meticulously curated lineup of both emerging international designers and notable lifestyle brands. This year, the fair, known for its quirky themes, is following the concept ‘A Celebration of Artistic Trailblazers’, reflecting its intention to platform individuals who shape culture and spark conversations.
With this, visitors can expect an event that blends iconic imagery and textures from the world of art and culture with that of fashion, encapsulating what Scoop stands for–the merging of art and fashion. This is the vision of the fair’s founder and managing director, Karen Radley, who said she was “thrilled to curate yet another showcase of new and emerging designers who I believe will have a significant impact on the UK market”.
Radley comments: "At Scoop, our passion lies in discovering and presenting designers in an elegant, meticulously curated manner to a high calibre of influential buyers. Scoop is more than just a trade show – it’s an immersive experience filled with visionary creators and tastemakers, crafted to inspire and connect.”
- Dates: 9 to 11 February
- Location: Olympia West, Kensington
- Categories: Womenswear, Accessories, Demi-fine Jewellery, Homeware, Scent-care
- Expected buyers: For past editions, buyers from the likes of John Lewis, Harvey Nichols, Browns and Galeries Lafayette were among attendees. The ratio of local to international visitors has become increasingly balanced in recent years, with retailers from South Africa, the US and Japan making up much of the global portion.
- New features: Last year, homeware was introduced as a new category, and is expected to expand in the coming edition.
- Notable exhibitors: Scoop regulars Dream Catchers, Dr. Denim, Mou, Frnch, Cocoa Cashmere and Eribe are among those returning to the fair. Other new names on the list include Beatriz Furest, Brenda Knight, Orelia, ArtLove, Love Letter and Alix the Label. Nobody’s Child, Alohas and My Tiny Big Sister are also set to exhibit.
From July 2025, Scoop will take place in the National Hall at Olympia.
Source Fashion
Only launched in February 2023, Source Fashion is the newer fair on the Hyve agenda, but has noticeably flourished due to increased demand from the evolving industry it serves. So much so, that the show has continued its upward growth trajectory with an increase of 65 percent in visitors year-on-year since its founding.
The event zones in on the garment manufacturing sector, allowing visitors to connect with audited manufacturers and artisans in a bid to “fuel the creation of responsibly made products”. This means that both small clothing firms stand alongside global brands, creating an equal playing field for exhibitors.
A number of changes will be present at the coming edition, including most notably a new, larger venue and a re-edited floorplan. Its Source Luxury category will also continue growing in size, and will now stand alongside the newly added categories: Footwear and Leather. There will further be an added emphasis on UK makers and manufacturers.
- Dates: 18 to 20 February, a new mid-week date for the event, aligning with a call from visitors.
- Location: Olympia London
- Categories: Unlike past editions which were organised by countries, this edition will be edited by product category, incorporating Womenswear, Menswear, Footwear, Accessories, Source Luxury, and Technology & Services.
- Expected buyers: Brands registered to attend include Asos, Boohoo, Flannels, Frasers Group, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Next, Primark and Barbour.
- New features: Source Debates, a platform for discussion led by industry figures; and the Footwear and Leather divisions
- Speakers: Keynote speakers include Nobody’s Child founder, Andrew Xeni, speaking on transparency; AllSaints founder, Stuart Trevor, on the brand’s history; and Global Village founder, Safia Minney, who will oversee a panel discussing regenerative business models. These sessions will be complemented by speakers from John Lewis, Vivo Footwear, Pepsi Co, Kingfisher and more.
- Notable exhibitors: Descending from 20 countries, the exhibitor list includes The Natural Fibre Company, Circular Inc, Anezay, Dee Kay Knitwear, Global Leic, Modern Star Silk, Tex Fasteners, Coton Code Garments, WonderRaw, Ion Tekstil, among others.
Spring Fair
Once an event focused largely on gifting and homeware, Spring Fair is expanding its horizons for the coming edition as it engulfs what was once its sister event, Pure. The formerly London-based trade show–which for a brief time was known as Pure x JATC, after merging with competitor Just Around the Corner (JATC)–will now solely exist alongside Moda, creating the Moda x Pure division of Spring Fair, where fashion will take centre stage.
This “strategic refocus” intends to strengthen Spring Fair’s position as a destination for the fashion sector, catering to the desire for a more integrated buying space for retailers, organisers said. With this, organisers “ensure that Pure’s legacy continues, in a format that better meets the needs of today’s fashion industry”.
Moda x Pure will now be home to three daily catwalk presentations, highlighting key trends and collections curated by Cult of Fashion. Panel discussions will also take place on the stage, providing visitors with retail insights offered by a selection of industry experts. In addition, the Moda x Pure Fashion Café will be on hand both as a coffee bar and inspiration for pop-up activations that buyers and retailers are urged to replicate in their own stores.
This edition will mark the 75th anniversary of Spring Fair, and will thus be its “biggest yet”, Hyve said. Its format intends to encourage retailers to leverage its product diversification to differentiate themselves and maintain competitiveness. It will also be the first edition to include a Licensing Lab, in partnership with Fabacus and Licensing International, dedicated to fostering growth and collaboration among the UK’s licensing industry.
- Dates: 2 to 5 February
- Location: NEC Birmingham
- Categories: Alongside the Gifting section, which incorporates Gift, Beauty & Wellbeing, Kids, Toys, and Party & Celebrations, Spring Fair also has the categories Home and Living as well as Moda x Pure Clothing & Footwear, Fashion Accessories and Jewellery & Watch.
- Expected buyers: Spring Fair has recorded 38,000 visitors at its previous edition, and is expecting the same for the coming iteration.
- New features: Licensing Lab, a space dedicated to bolstering the UK’s licensing industry; Greetings, Party & Celebration destinations; and the Moda x Pure Fashion destination.
- Speakers/special events: Among the speakers are that of Nobody’s Child founder, Andrew Xeni; designer, Jeff Banks; and Small Business Sunday creator, Theo Paphitis. The Moda x Pure catwalk will present three catwalks daily, featuring looks from exhibiting brands.
- Notable exhibitors: The fair will see over 1,200 exhibitors take to the venue, 400 of which are new to the event. Fashion brands scheduled to show this season include Goose Island, Suzie Blue, Lunar, Jessica Graaf, Lighthouse Clothing and Miss Milly, Nova of London, AX Paris, among others.