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COTERIE New York returns to the Javits Center September 19-21, and once again the show will have innovative programming and initiatives throughout. Teodora Nicolae, vice president of marketing for Informa Markets Fashion, tells The Daily what’s in store!
What’s new at COTERIE New York this season?
One of the most exciting new initiatives this season at COTERIE is our Verified Sustainable by COTERIE program. More than ever, consumers are making purchasing decisions that align with their values and are prioritizing ethical and environmental business practices. They’re demanding more transparency into a product’s life cycle and insight into a brand’s sustainability. As reported by McKinsey & Company, 79 percent of fashion executives believe a lack of standards to assess sustainability performance is the biggest obstacle to bettering consumer perception of sustainability. We see it as a responsibility to the industry to ensure that we’re using our platform to educate and support our brands and our retailers in becoming more conscious of their impact and in helping to deliver truly sustainable and ethical products to the end consumer. Through a partnership with a social good platform, Hey Social Good, we can verify and rank businesses based on where they are in their sustainability journey through a combination of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, give-back programs, and a social-good assessment to determine their level of sustainability and then give them a rank based on that result. In addition to continuing to level up our experiences and delivering even more insightful live panel sessions and expert insights, we’re also bringing a renewed and larger selection of resort-inspired apparel and footwear highlighting some incredible international brands from South and Central America and Europe, Nammu, Juliet Dunn, Florabella, and Gapaz Beachwear.
How will celebrating New York factor into the show this season?
New York is a global center of fashion, with a unique and creative vitality that is unlike anywhere else in the world. COTERIE itself is an ode to New York, and we will highlight the brands that represent the strong character, style, and influence the city has to offer. One of the key highlights of the show floor, GALLERY, is a focused area highlighting a portfolio of brands that represent what we consider the “new guard” of contemporary women’s fashion, an assemblage of sought-after designers with discerning perspectives. GALLERY features 10 New York–based brands that represent out-of-the-box thinking and distinctive identities, with the purpose of fostering a community within COTERIE New York that nurtures, promotes, and advances the opportunities for the featured designers. It’s important to us to bolster the brands that make our birthplace and the market we call home, New York, such a place of inspiration and evolution. Brands featured in GALLERY include Aknvas, Batsheva, Onia, Louise New York, Suzanne Rae, Ranjana Khan, and WeWoreWhat.
We hear denim will be making a major return to the show. What can we expect?
Our focus on denim this season is not only a major theme but, more importantly, has always been an integral part of the history of COTERIE New York. The premium lineup of denim brands returning to COTERIE New York this September, including Abrand, AG Jeans, DL1961, Hudson, Mavi, and Wrangler, are showcasing new styles, washes, and cuts to the forefront, aligning with the current trends like denim-on-denim sets, shorts, and denim jackets.
Teodora Nicolae
How will the activations around advancements in denim sustainability development be a part
of COTERIE this season?
Tying back to helping our brands tell their stories, we’ve dedicated space to an immersive experience that will help educate and highlight innovation in denim sustainability. Our continued partnership with Arcadia Earth will bring a mixed-reality experience that includes animations, holograms, and content illuminating the six stages of denim development: replacing cotton, replacing polyester, reducing synthetic indigo, improving treatments and finishes, recycling water, and lastly, digitizing designs and samples. And who better to speak to innovations in denim sustainability than AG Jeans? They will also be part of our focus on denim and this interactive denim sustainability experience, reinforcing the importance of quality and sustainable denim. Other sustainable denim brands highlighted this season will include Red Card, upper hights, and Triarchy. Finally, we’re bringing together a live panel of experts focused on highlighting denim sustainability efforts and insights on how companies are incorporating sustainability into the creation of denim. This is a large and ongoing conversation in the industry, and we’re doing our part to bring the most relevant and up-to-date knowledge and innovation to our community.
What’s the most common feedback you’ve received about COTERIE New York in recent years?
Our commitment to sustainability, community, and fashion technology, our recently adopted pillars of the event, has been much appreciated. People recognize the efforts we’ve made to offer a 360-degree experience for different segments of the industry and providing the platform to discover new and up-and-coming designers has created a strong sense of community that our attendees have embraced. The event has shifted from a traditional wholesale event and has truly become an industry event.
What’s your favorite part of COTERIE New York?
COTERIE draws so much inspiration from New York, from the unique creativity and artistry of brands to the visual imagery on the show floor. Our teams have worked tirelessly to evolve the event, and our brand and I think our customers have embraced the evolution. Now, the event encapsulates the modern New York perspective and vibe, and it brings together an international fashion audience and key players in the industry in an authentic and conversation-driven way. We’ve focused our efforts on building community and culture, and you can feel both continue to get stronger every season.
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