Kingpins New York in January: What to expect

The Kingpins denim supply chain trade show is set to make its return to New York.

The denim-sourcing show features a selection of denim and sportswear providers from the US, Japan, China, India, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and more with the goal to improve the industry to meet the environmental and social needs of the future.

Launched in 2004, the show is held biannually in New York and Amsterdam, and annually in Hong Kong and China. Kingpins aims to connect denim industry professionals worldwide to share ideas, learn, and inspire each other.

The event will be held from January 11 to 12 at Basketball City/ Pier 36. This year, some new exhibitors will join Kingpins including Cross Textiles, Discovery Denim, MG Apparel, and NZ Denim.

What to expect

Day one

Day one will start with the Kingpins Trend presentation. Amy Leverton from Denim Dudes will present the upcoming trends for spring/ summer 2024. She has been working in the industry for almost twenty years as a designer, author, and consultant for brands like Levi’s, Wrangler, and ISKO. Additionally, she will guide a trend installation of a group of Kingpins‘ exhibitors. Another seminar, Beyond Auditing and Certification Culture, will feature two guests, Alden Wicker and Andre Raghu. Wicker is a freelance journalist and author, focusing on the global impact of the fashion industry. Raghu, CEO of HAP International, is a well-known industry expert and leader in supply chain strategies and sustainable development.

Next, Douglas Gunn, the owner of The Vintage Showroom, will talk about The Birth of Hot Rodding and Its Menswear Legacy. He has over thirty-five years of experience in the fashion industry. His vintage clothing collection will be shown at the exhibition and is considered as a must-see.

Lastly, workshops about the topic What’s love got to do with it? will be hosted by four industry professionals: Vivian Wang is the managing director and head of global sales of all Kingpins Shows and is responsible for creating a unique exhibition experience. Maegan Neubeck, the creative director and owner of MN Dye Studio, is specialised in botanical dyeing. She works together with brands to create natural dye wash concepts. In New York, she will host a workshop about the method of snow/ ice dyeing on pouches. Muriel Salimin has over twenty years of experience in the fashion industry, working for brands like Pepe Jeans and Macy’s. In 2018, she founded MUUR which offers handcrafted, fair-trade accessories. At Kingpins, participants can assemble their own denim aprons using NDL’s Dyneema by Avient fabric with MUUR’s leather. Michelle Branch works as a director of denim fabric and finish development for Lucky Brand and focuses her work on responsible denim development.

To end the day, guests are invited to a happy hour in the afternoon.

Day two

Day two will start with a presentation about The Denim Industry’s Transition to Renewable Energy, featuring the director of Advance Denim, Michael Lam. In his work, he connects denim innovations and sustainability projects around the world. He will discuss concepts like BioBlue, Botanic Dyes, BigBox Dyeing, and Cottonized Hemp.

Amy Leverton will end the event with a final Kingpins Trend Presentation for SS24.