AGENDA has been making some big changes, introducing both AGENDA WMNS focusing on women’s brands, and the AGENDA Emerge creative and brand building conference. We caught up with AGENDA Founder Aaron Levant to ask him about these exciting introductions.
1. What was the thinking behind developing AGENDA WMNS?
It’s been an important part of the show that has been underdeveloped. Historically, AGENDA has been very male-centric. Reason being, I’m male and I built a show with categories that came naturally to me, starting with streetwear, footwear, action sports, and youth lifestyle. There’s also been a huge potential for the Women’s program. Launching AGENDA WMNS voice instantly supports our current brands with their dual-gendered collections, as well as providing a place for new Women’s brands. Our goal is to build a forum for AGENDA WMNS, diversifying distribution channels, and curating a place where Women’s brands can congregate.
2. What has been the reaction of the brands you’ve worked with to the AGENDA WMNS curated forum?
The response has been extremely positive. Especially the current brands with the unisex offering, they’re excited to have the heightened Women’s support that AGENDA WMNS brings, including outreach to Women’s dedicated press, retailers, and attracting a new audience.
3. AGENDA Emerge is also launching this year. What needs are you looking to fill with this additional opportunity?
AGENDA Emerge adds a whole new dimension, providing an educational conference, taking the experience beyond your traditional tradeshow floor. It’s an all encompassing event, where we curate a platform providing firsthand knowledge from our industry’s most iconic leaders. Emerging brands are able to gain insiders’ insight and key components to aid in the trajectory of growing their brands. In the future, we will be looking to do more non-traditional conferences with changing themes, where AGENDA remains the centrifuge.
4. How will these changes impact what we can expect to see on the floor at AGENDA Long Beach on July 25 & 26? Will these ideas carry over to the AGENDA New York and Las Vegas shows?
AGENDA Long Beach has become our largest and most dynamic flagship show, encompassing each genre from lifestyle, youth culture, footwear, action sports, premium, and now AGENDA WMNS. Our NY and new Vegas show focus primarily on mens, lifestyle, and streetwear. In the near future, we are working to diversify and expertly segment the shows.
