Woo hoo! It’s the week of MAGIC! Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth time, it’s always an adventure and the group that runs the convention is always coming up with new experiences for you to enjoy your time before, during and after shopping hours. MAGIC is the largest fashion trade show in the world and happens twice a year, February and August in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

I’m so excited to be heading to the show to get excited about Spring and Summer trends, meet with clients and host a Mindset Workshop on Thursday night at the Delano Hotel (there’s still tickets available here) This year, there has been some changes to the show format and with  Here I’ll give you the insider’s scoop on what you need to know for the show: 

1. MAGIC has moved and been rebranded! For many years the 9 separate shows have been split between the Las Vegas Convention Center and Mandalay Bay. This year, One MAGIC has been introduced, where all 9 shows have been combined under one roof at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. No more running around, and if you’ve always done only WWDMAGIC, you’ll take an hour or two to explore Platform, Pool or the Sourcing area. Look for installations from Pantone, panel discussions from Create Cultivate and photo opps at every turn. Don’t forget to tag MAGIC President Kelly Helfman @greydahl, and the respective show you’re at @WWDMAGIC, @ProjectWomens, or @PoolTradeshow on Instagram to share the love! 
2. Know the trends before you go! Boutique owners are always asking what’s trending, and luckily for us, MAGIC has partnered with Fashion Snoops to give us a detailed breakdown of what they see in the fashion forecast for women, men, childrens and footwear/accessories. Make sure to check out their reports here before you go!
3. Coronavirus on the mind… Talking to one of my fashion industry friends last week, she reminded me that we should be aware that the coronavirus could be in Las Vegas by the time we get there. Not only are lots of vendors for the show coming from China, but Las Vegas is a hot spot for Chinese New Year vacationers, which just ended. We know MAGIC takes every precaution to keep attendees safe, but I thought it would be nice to review how we can easily stay healthy with this all over the news. How can we protect ourselves? The virus spreads through touch. Don’t shake hands with people then touch your face, carry hand sanitizer and wash hands with hot water and soap every opportunity you get. Lastly, if you want to take extra precautions because you are pregnant or have kids at home, choose to have a face mask in your purse ready to wear in case you feel you need to. Face masks might not be the most fashionable thing to wear at a fashion event, but I’d rather not get sick then care so much about impressing others with my glam makeup. You get to protect yourself if you choose to. Masks are easily available at most drug stores for under $15.
4. Meet some celebrities! Have you seen the incredible lineup this year for celebs that will be hitting the Social House hosted by Rachel McCord?  Inside WWDMAGIC, booth #77411, Rachel will be talking to Delilah Belle & Amelia Gray on Wednesday, Tori Spelling on Thursday and the Bella Twins on Friday. You won’t want to miss hearing from these inspiring women CEOs on what their experience in the fashion and retail industry has been like.
5. Have some freaking FUN! Yes, the show is work. You’re managing buying inventory for your store, maybe hitting up some seminars and dealing with the energy of thousands of people in one space. Why not shake it off with some fun and dancing on Wednesday night with NELLY!? Yes, THE NELLY will be at WWDMAGIC at 6:30pm on the show floor performing. You know you always hit the dance floor when “It’s Getting Hot in Herrre” comes on, so why not shake off some stress at the end of a long day of shopping the show!

No matter what, remember this is your time to make some big decisions for your boutique. Take breaks, wear comfy shoes and stay focused on your goal: buying clothes that will sell at great margins in your shop! Need even more info? Listen to my interview with Kelly Helfman on the Boost Your Boutique podcast here!

See you at the show!

Xo, 

Emily