Licensing Expo and MAGIC Market Week have announced a new collaboration to cross-promote attendance at their two complementary trade events this year.

As the most comprehensive apparel, footwear and accessories trade show in North America, MAGIC Market Week unites fashion retail decision makers and the world’s leading fashion brands, connecting more than 5,000 fashion brands with 65,000-plus visitors twice a year.

Licensing Expo, which represents the $230 billion licensing and brand extension marketplace, draws more than 5,000 fashion, character, entertainment, art and consumer brands from 420 exhibitors and more than 15,000 attendees.

Through the newly established alliance, MAGIC will introduce Licensing Expo exhibitors to current and emerging fashion trends, while Licensing Expo will promote and inform MAGIC exhibitors and attendees of licensing and brand extension opportunities.  

“Considering that licensed fashion brands generate an estimated $40 billion in retail, a collaboration with the largest fashion trade show in the world makes perfect sense for Licensing Expo,” says Chris DeMoulin, president of licensing and executive vice president, customer development, Advanstar, which organizes both trade shows. “This is going to bring many benefits to both sets of exhibitors. Our exhibitors can attend MAGIC Market Week to seek out the latest trends in the market, and every MAGIC Market Week exhibitor and attendee could find a potential licensing partner by attending Licensing Expo.”

The new collaboration will also provide cross-promotional opportunities via direct mail and electronic marketing, editorial content and co-hosted seminars.

“As more and more fashion brands look to licensing and collaborations to expand their business, we see this partnership with Licensing Expo as a great opportunity for all of us to facilitate our customers being inspired, making those connections and sparking ideas which lead to growth,” says Tommy Fazio, president, Project and MAGIC.

MAGIC Market Week will take place Feb. 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Licensing Expo, which is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association, will also be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 17-19.

For more information visit LicensingExpo.com and MAGIConline.com.