ITA Shifts Spring 2021 Showtime Market to Week Earlier

January 8, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Many of the manufacturers exhibiting at High Point Market are the attending buyers during the Showtime event. The decision to move up the core event in May and provide additional dates in April and June was in response to feedback from both ITA members and Showtime buyers and intended to give buyers multiple opportunities to shop.

Due to the High Point Market Authority’s decision to postpone the spring market, ITA feels it is in their members’ best interest to shift our appointment dates to the new format. The overwhelming feedback resulted in the decision to hold Showtime in three segments in order to support our members, allow buyers to meet their deadlines for the Fall 2021 High Point Market, and capture the best buying audience. ITA’s leadership recognizes the timing issues on vaccine rollout and supply issues are additional reasons to provide multiple buying opportunities.

“One of the main functions of the ITA is producing our biannual tradeshow where our members can present their new lines each season. COVID-19 has made that a difficult proposition over the past 10 months but we are encouraged by our ability to hold a safe show in November 2020 and our members' flexibility in accommodating their customers,” said Carrie Dillon, managing director of the International Textile Alliance. “We feel that the decision to offer multiple dates to showcase product in the spring is the best opportunity to service all stakeholders on a schedule that meets their safety and sourcing requirements.”

The ITA will enforce the same social distancing and safety measures during the spring Showtime events as were successful in November 2020.

“The health and safety of our members and customers is the most important factor in this decision and multiple dates will allow attendees to participate when they feel most comfortable," said Kelly DiFoggio, president of the ITA board of directors. “I’d also like to thank our partners at International Market Centers (IMC) for working with the ITA to support the temporary exhibitors at Showtime during the additional dates.”

Registration for the May 16-19 Showtime event will open in mid-March. Attendees are asked to make appointments directly with ITA member companies for the Premarket (April 25-27) and post High Point Market (June 8-10) events. The Fall 2021 Showtime dates remain as scheduled for November 14-17, 2021.