The Swim and Active Collective shows have a new oceanfront home at Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach. Photo from the Swim Collective’s June show.
Active Collective returns to the Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach August 23 and 24.
We spoke with Associate Show Director Devon Ranger about what brands are coming, the state of the activewear market, and what’s new with the show.
We also asked Devon about the brands and retailers that came to the Swim Collective show in June, and how the swim market is performing this season.
Active Collective has a show coming up in Huntington Beach in August. Are there new elements to the show that will debut?
Collective Shows Associate Show Director Devon Ranger: There’s so many fun, interactive additions we’ve made to Active Collective this year. The summer show will feature our new “SEE IT, FEEL IT, TRY IT” components which include unique displays and activations throughout the show. We want our retailers to leave with a deeper understanding of the products they are buying.
We’ve also partnered with Z Supply Active to offer retailers an oceanfront fitness class that will give buyers that much-needed boost of energy before a long day of work.
What kind of brands are exhibiting at the show? Why is it held at a different time than Swim Collective?
Devon Ranger: Active Collective features a wide variety of all things “active lifestyle.” Buyers can see everything this summer from high-end fashion forward activewear lines like Koral and P.E Nation, to athleisure lines like LNA Clothing and Z Supply, to brands that offer both women’s and men’s like Beyond Yoga and Vuori, and even innovative, wellness products like Bala. Retailers can look forward to seeing some great brands that are new to the show this summer including Sweaty Betty, Frankies Bikinis Active and Cream Yoga.
As far as the date of the swim show, for years our brands have pushed us to move the show up. June has aligned best with resort and early spring markets. We made the switch this year and it was very well received.
Plus, with all the production and freight delays so many brands are continuing to deal with, the new dates allow for orders to be placed earlier.
What are brands and retailers saying about how the activewear market is performing this year?
Devon Ranger: Brands and retailers could not be more eager to be back at trade shows and having those face-to-face connections. The activewear market is thriving right now and we’re seeing a lot of stores who wouldn’t necessarily carry activewear now looking to add in the category because the demand is so great.
The global activewear market has seen nothing but growth since 2020 and I think it’s safe to say it’s only going to become more prominent and lucrative in the coming years.
How did Swim Collective turn out? What were the notable brands and retailers who were there?
A showing at the Swim Collective in June – Photo courtesy of Swim Collective
Devon Ranger: The show was a huge success! Our new home at the Paséa seems to get better every time. Buyers and brands couldn’t stop raving about the views, amenities, food, and overall ease of the new venue.
We welcomed notable brands such as Seafolly, ViX, Beach Bunny, WE WORE WHAT, Onia, MALAI, Bananhot, Boamar, Melissa Odabash, Johnny Was, Body Glove, Trina Turk, Robin Piccone, Pura Vida and many more. Buyers came from across the globe, including ASOS (UK), Neiman Marcus, Zumiez, Maui Clothing Company, Holt Renfrew (Canada), MGM Grand, REI, Scheels, Nordstrom, Lima Limon (Peru), Liverpool Department Stores (Mexico), KSL Resorts, etc.
Did you get a sense from retailers and brands at Swim Collective how the swim market is performing thus far this year?
Devon Ranger: It’s been a very positive year for the swim industry. It has tapered off a bit since the back-to-travel boom last year, but overall the consistent rise in tourism has been a great thing for the industry.
One downside we continue to hear is regarding production and freight delays. Although we are pivoting out of Covid, these issues are still very much affecting deliveries.
How do you see the show evolving in the future?
Devon Ranger: We’re in the midst of developing a digital community that will allow our industries to talk to each other more easily than ever before. It would give the swim and active industries a community centered around our niches. This will be a platform that offers industry news, education, webinars, roundtables, matchmaking and much more.
It will give us the opportunity to capture an even larger audience and offer our current customers a way to share, engage and connect year-round.
