Womenswear to join line-up as Stitch relocates

Menswear show Stitch has confirmed that womenswear will be added to its line-up for its spring 14 edition, placing the tradeshow in direct competition with Pure London and Moda. The news was announced as the tradeshow celebrated a

successful autumn/winter 13 show, which attracted an overall increase in attendance over the two days by 18 percent, and buyers visiting the show were up by 38 percent, which is thought to have been aided by the midweek date.

The show will be relaunched in July as Stitch London with a new format, which will include four curated sections – menswear, streetwear and emerging, and a debut womenswear section, and it will be relocating to the Sorting Office on New Oxford Street, a more central and bigger location.

Organisers are aiming to attract womenswear brands that focus on youthful, fast fashion, and that are targeting consumers aged 16-25, in order for them to sit well alongside the show’s already established menswear and streetwear brands.

Commenting on the rebranding, Stitch London managing director, Brian Duffy said: “This latest move brings Stitch to be hosted in one of central London's most iconic and industrial spaces ‘The Sorting Office’.

“An opportunity to develop the show and its branding in line with the launch of our new area of young womenswear and bring together our ever growing street wear area. Our principle goals for our new womenswear area is allow our existing brands to include their womenswear collections and also to attract new exhibitors who fit the requirement of a young 16- 25 consumer.

“We have set achievable targets for our young womenswear area and we are excited to extend the show. We have been ambassador's for the last 7 seasons for the UK menswear industry and are proud to rebrand Stitch to include London and drive the UK wholesale business with the UK and internationally.”

The spring 14 edition will take place on July 23 and 24, and will be spread across the first two floors of The Sorting Office, and exhibitors will be offered space-only, instead of traditional shell-scheme packages, which will allow brands to be more creative with their displays.

Image: Stitch AW13