Hyve cancels next Moda trade show, double down on digital

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 5, 2020

Tradeshows giant Hyve Group said this week that due to the latest UK Government restrictions, it’s cancelling Moda’s February 2021 event. 

And The National Footwear Show, which was set to take place alongside its home and gift show, Spring Fair, will now take place online “as part of an exciting virtual forum”. The co-located Jewellery & Watch and Fashion (JWF) is also off until September.

The shows were both based at the NEC in Birmingham with the next Moda event there now planned for September alongside the firm’s Autumn fair. Spring Fair is due to return as a physical event in early 2022.

The news comes as trade shows worldwide continue to be disrupted. Spring and summer this year saw mass event cancellations and many that were shifted to later dates also had to be cancelled in the end. It was hoped that the 2021 tradeshow season would mark a new start for the sector, but a significant second wave of Covid in Europe seems to be putting paid to such hopes.

However, tradeshow organisers, as well as conference and fashion week organisers, have been extremely proactive in going digital. And Hyve said it’s working on virtual event Spring Fair @ Home and is also relaunching its digital Fashion Together event.

This “will provide a vital platform to help you connect with retailers and showcase the best of your AW21 collection to engaged and purchase-ready buyers,” it said. It takes place on February 23.

There’s been no news yet on other shows that Hyve organises, such as Pure London and Pure Origin that are due to take place in mid-February. If they’re cancelled too, the next dates for the events are currently planned for July 2021.