In talks with Margin London founder

With the trade show season upon us, FashionUnited caught up with Odysseas Constantine, founder of Margin London, which takes place next month marking its 10th anniversary and distinguishes the exhibition as the longest running

independent trade event in London.

FU:How did the idea of Margin come about all those years back in 2002?

OC:In the ever-changing world of fashion, it's no mean feat to survive changing trends and tastes for a decade. 14 other trade events have come and gone during a decade of Margin.

After working as a freelance designer and trend-forecaster for brands including Club Monaco, Perry Ellis, and Old Navy, I had put together my own range of high-end intarsia knits, handmade in Wales - the knitwear received orders from Browns, Fletcher, Jones, Beams, Bond, Fred Segal, No-One, Zoltar and many others but needed a wider base of stockists to grow.  The time seemed right to exhibit at the daunting prospect of a professional tradeshow. But where? At the time, the options were severely limited. High-fashion tent events that seem more about generating publicity than orders; large soul-less exhibitions in concrete halls with nylon carpets and “stands” that lack style and credibility; None felt right and all were too expensive.

The late 90s and early 2000s were a highly creative period when many designers realised they could go it alone and start the brand they always wanted to create - all without an appropriate event in London to showcase their work and meet with buyers and press.

The solution seemed obvious and necessary: start a new event. An affordable event that recognised that new brands were exciting and fresh.

The name suggested itself as the event was to be a small satellite presentation taking place on the margins, featuring ‘edgy’ designers, and referred to the all-important retail profit margin.

On the 11th & 12th of August 2002, on the same weekend as two other London shows (both of which no longer run), the first edition of Margin was held upstairs at The Light Bar on Shoreditch High Street. Rainbow Knitwear and Block Headwear were on display along with the new own-label range by streetwear store Bond International of Newburgh Street, as well as other independent brands from across the UK & Japan.

Buyers attended from stores across the UK & Europe such as B-Store (then known as Buddhahood), Citadium, The Hip Store and Brown Thomas.

Their attendance demonstrated the need to provide a larger platform for even more new & young brands. Over 10 years Margin has taken place in four venues, held 22 editions, welcomed key stores and titles, and launched countless brands that would have never been able to exhibit at a trade event to meet buyers and press otherwise.

 FU:How do you differ from other trade events?

OC:Margin was the first show to properly promote the benefits of stocking new up-and-coming brands in stores, to excite shoppers and provide a real independent point of difference from the same cookie-cutter brand mix. Over a decade of shows, more and more buyers have appreciated that by offering new and young designers alongside established brands, it distinguishes their store from others.

Margin has become an essential fashion greenhouse, fostering new talent and providing an affordable platform for new brands to flourish before they outgrow the nursery, which then makes room for new brands to start the process all over again. Whilst other events have tried to hastily add a section for new brands, often by poaching previous Margin exhibitors who have already made their global debut, Margin is known by international buyers & press, and young designers, as the one-and-only show for commercially-viable fresh talent making their debut.

FU:In our changing fashion landscape, how are you aiming to keep it niche?

OC:Margin is primarily a show for new brands and up-and-coming designers looking for an affordable trade platform to meet with key buyers and press. As such, the brand mix is niche in that visitors can only discover these new brands at Margin. As they grow their business and perhaps move on to other larger, more expensive shows, those brands will have already established stockists in certain geographical areas via Margin so buyers discovering them later on may have missed out. Compared to other trade events, the invited visitors are also relatively niche in that Margin is only open to buyers and press unlike other shows who welcome allcomers in an attempt to swell visitor statistics. As the buyer of brands from Next commented "It's a nice environment, it's relaxed as well, and it's great that you're selective as to who you let in to the show." Pure, for example, sends out show passes to all Drapers subscribers regardless of job title, whereas Margin protects the work of exhibitors by not admitting other designers, manufacturers, or design agencies. Ultimately this makes for a more pleasant and relaxed buying experience for buyers who don't have to push their way past fashion students or PR companies touting for business, and the exhibitors can rest assured they're dealing with visitors who are looking to order from them, not sell to them.

FU:Why do you think Margin has managed to retain itself and keep attracting key industry insiders over such a long period?

OC:The constant introduction of new designers and fresh brands each season has meant clued-up buyers and press, that want to do their jobs to their best, have to visit the show to keep up to date with new labels and not miss out on being first with an exciting new brand. Fresh talent is the bedrock of Margin and keeps key buyers and press returning each season. Many labels launch at Margin and grow their business before moving on to other larger, more expensive shows in London or abroad, but savvy buyers that wish to secure exclusive distribution in their area know that they have to keep on top of new launches by visiting Margin season after season to discover the brands at their debut launch.

Addtionally, as the show takes place in an intimate gallery space, Margin is strictly edited, unlike larger events with huge exhibition halls to fill, so buyers and press know that the legwork to find commercially-viable fresh talent has already been done for them.

Since Margin started in 2002, the show had solely promoted many new & young brands to key buyers, but in 2010 Margin also turned their attention to promoting it's core constituency of indie shops that keep towns and cities stocked with fresh product as well.

Unbelievably, before Margin, no other tradeshow had previously attempted to help promote stores to consumers. Even trade exhibitions with large budgets or media connections have instead preferred to concentrate on in-house industry-only back-slapping, as opposed to a consumer-driven campaign to promote stores to the public.

Margin changed all that when the show decided that independents needed a promotional mouthpiece of some kind.

Featuring an edited selection of the finest independent stores across the world, STRADD (an abbreviation of Street Address) is currently available for iPhone and iPad, and has proved popular which demonstrates the desire amongst consumers to shop at individual stores run by proprietors with a keen design eye who stock exciting and fresh labels.

FU:What are some the key events we can expect at this year’s anniversary event?

OC:Margin is well-known for launching exciting new brands and fresh talent each season since the shows started back in 2002, and the February 2012 edition is no exception with a strictly-edited roster of great labels taking part in the 22nd show which will mark 10 years of Margin. From urban streetwear to glamourous womenswear and everything in between, Margin will be presenting great new labels making their debuts as well as established favourites presenting their latest collection in the clean and simple showroom setting of The Music Rooms.

Respected London-retailer Magma Books will be launching their new range of art-inspired clothing, accessories and stationery; and along with many new brands launching, from designer womenswear to men's streetwear, many previous Margin exhibitors are returning to take part in the 10 Year edition including Gentle Fawn, Seventyseven, Gingko Press, Conquer, Humdrum, C Grand, Trikki, Out of Print, Palmer Cash, Origin68, The Illustrated Mind, and Silas.

To commemorate 10 Years of shows, Margin has produced a book to document the history of the longest-running independent trade event in London. Available to visiting buyers and press only, the limited-edition book runs through past events as well as namechecking previous brands and visitors.

FU:And what do you hope the next 10 years of Margin will bring?

OC:It's overwhelming to think that 10 years has already flown by so quickly, but it's gratifying to know we've helped so many labels launch in London that otherwise would not have been able to afford to exhibit at any other trade event.

As long as there are creative individuals looking for an affordable trade platform to showcase their designs, and as long as there are savvy buyers and press from key stores and magazines keeping on top of what's new to offer to their customers and readership, Margin will be there to bring them together.