Messe Frankfurt buys stake in denim industry show Kingpins

While the Kingpins show is being held at Manhattan’s Pier 63 on July 19-20, German trade show organiser Messe Frankfurt, which operates Intertextile, Texworld and Techtextil, among others, has announced it has bought a stake in the event. Kingpins will continue to operate independently, while adding a major denim show to Messe Frankfurt’s range of textile industry shows.

“The Kingpins Show will continue to operate independently, maintaining its distinct identity and the essence that has made it a must-attend event for denim enthusiasts worldwide,” said Messe Frankfurt, who has yet to receive approval for the deal from its investors. “As a shareholder, Messe Frankfurt brings its global network, unparalleled resources, and industry-leading expertise to strengthen the Kingpins Show's position as a premier denim platform,” added the organiser.

Kingpins stages separate sessions in Amsterdam in spring and in New York in summer. The show is also working on a China City Tour, whose 2023 calendar has not yet been revealed, and on the Kingpins24 Digital Show, which was first held during the pandemic. 

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Speaking about the merger, Andrew Olah, managing director and founder of Kingpins, said it is a dream come true. “Since we started Kingpins in 2004, we aspired to one day sell our show to or partner with Messe Frankfurt - we were never ‘show people’, we were ‘industry people’, whereas Messe Frankfurt is an 800-year-old trade fair company with all the knowledge, technology, and information needed,” added Olah.

Messe Frankfurt, which organises some 50 trade shows in 11 countries, is no stranger to denim shows. Its big Chinese textiles show, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, includes a Beyond Denim section dedicated to industry exhibitors. While the group’s main European textile and apparel event, Texworld Evolution Paris, has for several years been staging its own Denimworld show.

“We are pleased that with Kingpins we are strategically complementing our worldwide textile trade fair portfolio in a meaningful way,” said Detlef Braun, a member of Messe Frankfurt’s executive board. “Messe Frankfurt Inc.’s planned acquisition of a stake in Kingpins will add an important premium brand in the denim sector, and round off our existing portfolio,” he added.

The Kingpins show currently being held in New York features 85 exhibitors. Texworld Evolution was held for the first time in Paris on July 3-5 and showcased 1,350 exhibitors, welcoming 6,800 visitors. Messe Frankfurt will hold the Intertextile Shanghai show on August 28-30, expecting some 3,300 exhibitors.