Even amid this pandemic, both designers and buyers alike showed great enthusiasm for this season’s trade fair. There were 1764 buyers at the 8-day PREVIEW exhibition, and the WeChat Mini Program had more than 20,000 click-throughs.

 

This season's PREVIEW exhibition took place at the TX Huaihai | Youth Energy Center at 523 Middle Huaihai Road. The format was different from a traditional trade show, as the brand-new venue integrates a retail experience, giving buyers a feeling of being in the brands’ brick-and-mortar stores.

This was the first time Ontimeshow has held a trade show in a shopping centre, but the brands that participated believed that this retail-style presentation created a good atmosphere. As expected, there were far fewer brands than normal at this event, but it was executed with the usual high standards of professionalism.

 

As a bridge between brands and buyers, Ontimeshow is constantly improving and evolving to address problems and provide support for designer brands, so that brands can sustainably develop their businesses. In the same vein, this exhibition also brought brands and buyers a novel experience that enabled them to conduct business within the constraints of the current outbreak.

VOICES

The COVID-19 outbreak has shocked everyone, and was what led to the new format of this season’s showcases. However, in the midst of every crisis there lies opportunity, and it was encouraging to hear positive feedback such as: "the attendees are more targeted" and that the event "exceeded expectations". At any point in time, we can merely do the best we can with what we have, and believe that positive outcomes will follow. We have gathered comments from brands and buyers to illustrate the response to this season so far:

 

Deepmoss

Liu Xiaolu, Principal

“This is our first time at Ontimeshow, and the overall atmosphere of the exhibition is particularly good. Unlike traditional trade shows, TX Huaihai's venue and space give the brand a lot of room to display and play, making buyers and designers feel as if they are in a multi-brand boutique.”

 

“Although the epidemic prevented some buyers from coming to the market, we still had 90% of our regular buyers come to our booth. In addition, we met new customers every day. It’s worth mentioning that the quality of the new customers this year is also very high. During the event, we added more than 15 new sales channels, and buyers’ order volumes did not shrink in spite of the current climate”

 

ZII CI IEN

Zhi Chen, Principal

“Ontimeshow responded very quickly to the epidemic. The exhibition site was thoughtfully located in TX Huaihai; the location is easy to find, and very friendly to buyers and designers. It is also our first time participating in an exhibition in a shopping mall, which gives the event a retail feel.”

 

“The length of the PREVIEW was eight days, longer than in previous seasons, but this gave brands and buyers more time to meet. Although the foot traffic at the exhibition was affected by the epidemic, the demographic of attendees was very relevant. Compared with the past, where many attendees merely came to look at the booths, almost every guest who walked in came to place orders, and the rate which we increased new channels by was higher than expected.”

 

SND Showroom

Will, Principal/Buyer

“From a buyer’s perspective, Deepmoss, Angel Chen, and Feng Chen Wang are currently among the hottest brands in China, and the fact that they all participated in Ontimeshow this season was very convenient for buyers. In addition, thanks to the effective management of foot traffic at the fair, as a buyer it was comfortable and easy to select pieces for orders.”

 

“SND Showroom also participated as a brand, and we were pleasantly surprised by how it went. We expanded our client base by 50%, buyers’ order volumes were not reduced, and our on-site transaction rate exceeded 80%. We’re very much looking forward to seeing how the market fares this Autumn/Winter.”

ON/OFF

Bund Financial Center (BFC) Store Operating Director

“The first thing we noticed about Ontimeshow this season is that it felt so real: designers that were genuinely committed to their products, and showrooms that were genuinely committed to acting as bridges. Although the new venue is not as large as the old one, it still effectively showcases the story behind each brand’s collection.”

 

“The brand selection covered all categories, and the mix of both mature and young brands was a pleasant surprise. This season of Ontimeshow genuinely provided a complete platform for designers and retailers even during this epidemic. The interaction between these three groups presents a great foundation for the recovery of the industry.”

ROUNDROUND / NOUNDNOUND

Guo Ziyi, Founder

“Many of the brands at the exhibition are the main brands in our store. There are brands from all categories and styles, so our ordering needs were met. The ordering experience was also great; the space was very comfortable, and the coffee area outside was great for meetings. The location of the exhibition was more convenient than in the past, which saved buyers a lot of time. In terms of space, each brand had its own independent area where they could give buyers a feel for their season’s collection, and the space is large, making it easy for brands to talk to buyers and allow buyers to try on pieces.”

The Balancing

Echo, Buying Director

“Ontimeshow successfully adjusted to TX Huaihai, having moved from the West Bund. The staggered arrangement of the floors and the decoration gave us the feeling of being in a boutique, which made for a special ordering experience.”

 

“In addition to the brands in ROOMROOM, Ontimeshow added XIAOLI, FENG CHEN WANG, and ZI II CI IEN, among other new brands and showrooms, giving a rich selection of brands.”

 

Zeli-Boutique

Li Hua, Principal

 “The brands selected by Ontimeshow this season were high-end, and well-balanced from both an artistic and commercial standpoint. The attendees at the exhibition were also very professional, which made the ordering process very smooth.”

GREENEXT X Ontimeshow

 

As an incubation platform for young designer brands, Ontimeshow is also focused on promoting sustainable fashion. Ontimeshow partnered with GREENEXT to hold an online seminar in conjunction with the 2020AW PREIVEW fair. The speakers included Ontimeshow Founder Yeli Gu, GREENEXT Founder Lu Zheng, WeDesign Founder Simon Collins, NEIWAI Brand Founder Xiaolu Liu, WGSN Trend Director Shuping Men, and Mei Li, chief retail consultant of Beijing Zuoyou Fashion Consulting. At the main Ontimeshow 2020AW event, we will continue to hold more seminars with GREENEXT to further the dialogue of sustainability for designer brands.