UBM cancels IFF Magic Japan, turns attention to “Project Tokyo” instead
The January edition of IFF Magic Japan has been cancelled, the trade show has announced, calling off the show scheduled for March 2019.
The show, co-organised by UBM Japan in partnership with the Senken newspaper company, had been held biannually since April 2017.
“Due to industry changes, [we] could not meet expectations for the show, including those of exhibitors, and thus after a comprehensive assessment we made the decision to cancel,” the company explained in a statement.
The most recent edition of IFF Magic Japan, its fourth edition, was held from September 26-28 at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre. However, the event only attracted 468 exhibitors; a steep drop-off from the first edition’s 700.
The International Fashion Fair (IFF) was founded in 2000 by the Senken newspaper company and linked up with Japan Fashion Week in July 2008. It marked its 30th edition in 2014 with a partnership with UBM’s Magic; an exchange taking the form of shared booths and know-how. In April 2017, it became IFF Magic, strengthening the tie-up with UBM.
UBM's Magic was established in the United States in 1933, where it operates comprehensively across men’s, women’s, footwear, children’s and sourcing segments across the USA.
UBM has scheduled the Tokyo edition of Project, “Project Tokyo,” for March, when IFF Magic Japan was previously scheduled to take place. Project Tokyo will be held from March 27-28, 2019.
The Project Tokyo show will focus on offering a careful curation of brands as well as one-on-one business matchmaking and a series of educational initiatives including seminars and conferences. It is the first version of Project to take place outside of the USA and expects to have 200 exhibitors in attendance.
The Senken newspaper company now plans to focus on Plug In, a biannual lifestyle trade show in Tokyo regrouping some 80 exhibitors.
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