Couture director and executive vice president of Emerald, Gannon Brousseau sits down with Harriet Whitaker to look forward to the upcoming edition of Couture in Vegas, highlighting the importance of getting the small things right…
Before we look forward to the upcoming edition of Couture, can you give PJ readers an insight into the success of the 2023 edition of the luxury trade show?
We’re not able to record exact numbers of attendees, but I am able to say that we are back to pre-pandemic levels of attendance.
Retailers are bringing the maximum number of their staff with them to enhance their buying power, and they are staying for the maximum number of days to ensure that they get the most out of Couture.
The 2023 edition was probably the most successful show since pre-COVID, with each year getting better and better as we go. With travel restrictions lessening, we were able to see all of our partners from around the world come back and join us.
How has this success driven exhibitor and visitor numbers for 2024?
I think the buzz surrounding Couture is continuing to increase, and we are seeing designers and brands who have not been part of the show before wanting to be involved in the action.
This community is really special. I feel like it goes beyond the idea of a trade show; it’s more about being a part of a community that is filled with your peers. We do anticipate having a very strong show this year, and I strongly believe that we are set to exceed last year’s numbers.
It’s really important to us at Couture, with our show specifically, that we have never prided ourselves on having the most participating brands and most participating retailers.
Rather, our focus is on having a great show through which we can curate our audience and our partners.
Those who attend our show know that it is a small and intimate experience, and it is there to provide a special industry community.
Again, we have never prided ourselves on having the most attendees, but we are constantly looking at ways to add a variation of new, interesting, and current brands and retailers. At the end of the day, if our community is happy, then we are happy.
What can visitors expect from the upcoming edition?
In addition to the curation of exceptional designers and brands that attendees rely on seeing each year, we are proud to once again introduce Couture Talks to our 2024 event, which is set to take place during breakfast or lunch.
These talks are bespoke discussions that are intended to keep both our attendees and exhibitors up to date on the latest market trends and insights that are impacting our industry, as well as to provide actionable strategies for enhancing our business.
We did Couture Talks back in 2019, and enjoyed it, so decided to bring it back.
We’re also excited about other outside activations, which we are currently co-ordinating with our sponsors. Some of these are still in the process of being finalized, but all will be available on our website soon!
For us, it is about figuring out how to iterate each event, continuing to fine-tune the experience for our community while establishing Couture as a thought-leader — with some really beneficial and fascinating topical trends and discussions taking place throughout the day at the show.
Have any new designers or brands joined the show this year?
Generally, we see about 10% of new designers and brands each year, many of them exhibiting within our Design Atelier section, because it’s a graduation. They have three years there, and then they move into the main ballroom.
Design Atelier is a three year program, through which we seek to foster the best and brightest talent, as well as help their careers take off.
Our intention is that, after three years, we want them to move into our Salon section, which is situated on the primary show floor.
We always have a handful of international brands joining us each year and we try to cater to these brands by offering them guidance on how to navigate the US market through one-on-one consulting and ‘How to make it in America’ guides that are offered in multiple languages.
Couture boasts a guest list of the most distinguished retailers. What will they be hoping to see at the upcoming edition?
I think that the Couture Show is known among retailers as a destination for discovering the best and brightest. By design, the number of exhibiting brands at Couture is consistent year-over-year.
We showcase only the best-in-class and each category, from jewelry to timepieces, is represented at the event. This is helpful for our retailers, who are always looking to discover the latest trends, the most current innovations, and the most talented new designers breaking into the market.
Usually, many of our designers and brands exhibit exclusively with us, which means that sometimes Couture is the only opportunity a retailer will have to see the entirety of just a singular collection beautifully presented in one place, as well as getting to meet with the principal designers of each company and familiarize themselves with their latest work.
I think that is one of the most important things about the show that cannot be overstated. In most instances, a lot of these designers are not showcasing their products anywhere else, or they are not actually able to bring their entire breadth of product to other trade events.
Couture is really special in that way, because these designers have the opportunity to be able to reach others and get their names out there, as well as meet other designers.
Were there any learnings from last year’s edition that have influenced adjustments for 2024?
It might seem like such a small thing but, following every edition of our event, we meticulously analyze every touch-point, from our Design Awards program, to the music playing, the temperature of the ballrooms and the coffee and tea, to the service guests are receiving, and everything in between. So no details escape our careful consideration.
I would say that we have made so many improvements, some of them people might not even be aware of, others that are a little more significant. Like I mentioned, in Couture Talks, we have introduced a more substantive learning approach.
I think our exhibiting partners and attendees do look at us as a ‘thought-leader’, and want us to be spearheading conversations surrounding subjects that had the greatest impact on their business.
Which is, again, why we are really excited to reintroduce Couture Talks, and I would say that this is probably our biggest change for this year’s edition.
Everything else is just about fine tuning to make everyone’s experiences as seamless, easy, and enjoyable as possible.
We care about feedback and appreciate it; we are never satisfied with our event and always believe that there is something we can improve on, and there is always more we can offer to our community.
We never operate with any ego. We are here for this community and to serve this community — that’s our job. So we try to do what it takes to deliver the best show to them.
What three things should buyers make sure they don’t miss?
This is a tricky one! The first one would probably be the Wednesday night — our opening night. So the show actually kicks off at 6pm on the Wednesday night before the daytime show on Thursday. There will be cocktails, food, jewelry, and watches, giving the buyers and press the opportunity to start their appointments. I think this is going to be a nice entry back into Vegas and the Couture rush, and a really important and special event to attend.
I’d say another thing not to miss is the Design Awards that are set to be held on Saturday 1 June. The awards is a celebration of design, where we announce the winners of this internationally recognized competition. This is one of my favorite parts of the event, where we are able to honor these designers and artists, and ignite innovation. We hold the event at the Encore Theatre within the property, which, if I do say so myself, is a really cool venue with theatre seating. It is definitely a night not to miss!
And then the third thing is our show floor. That’s really the star of Couture. It’s all about the designers who have worked so hard for the year, as well as the energy that the press and retailers bring onto the floor.
We love to encourage people to spend time and navigate the whole venue and what it has to offer.
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