Encore, please (with thunderous applause)! Indie Beauty Expo—the largest professionally-curated exhibition of independent beauty brands—has announced its 2016 schedule of events, and it includes two shows, each for two days and with double the footprint!
DOUBLE THE SHOWS
Jillian Wright, co-founder of the revolutionary Indie Beauty Expo business model, says, “Last year iBE [as it is also known] validated two things: First, that the indie movement is large, highly relevant and growing. Second, that there is an unmet need in the market that is not addressed by the traditional trade or consumer beauty shows.”
Building on the iBE summer 2015 inaugural event's wild success in New York City, iBE is adding Los Angeles to this year’s schedule.
Nader Naeymi-Rad, co-founder of iBE, states, “Globally, New York and Los Angeles are ranked second and third in per capita GDP. New York is recognized as the center of beauty and lifestyle media, and Los Angeles includes a catchment area—which extends from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Together these cities provide iBE exhibitors with access to two of the most-valuable and commercially-meaningful ‘must win’ markets in the world.”
iBE will kick off this year on May 4 and May 5 at The Shrine expo hall in Los Angeles. Built in 1926 and designated an historical-cultural monument in 1975, The Shrine has served as a venue to many prominent events—from the Academy Awards to the Grammys.
iBE will hold its second show of the year on August 24 and August 25 at The Waterfront in New York City. Built in 1891 as a commercial complex, The Waterfront is a stunning venue that soars seven-stories high and stretches an entire city block—leading to the Hudson River.
Wright adds, “Each iBE venue is recognized as an architectural monument that is rich in history and natural beauty. The indie movement is rooted in independence, authenticity and the entrepreneurial journey. We chose venues that both honor this spirit, and will provide indie brands with a suitable environment to showcase their amazing products.”
DOUBLE THE DURATION
Based on the high volume of attendees at last year’s event and projections for even more foot traffic in 2016, each iBE show has been extended to two full days. This allows the trade and consumer portions of the show to be held on separate days, and also gives buyers, consumer and trade press, and consumers more dedicated time to discover and interact with exhibitors.
iBE will be implementing press- and buyer-only segments, and will also host a greater variety of workshops, panel discussions and speakers to serve the various interests of attendees.
DOUBLE THE FOOTPRINT
“Last year was our inaugural show so we listened very carefully to feedback," explains Naeymi-Rad. "Exhibitors and attendees both asked for more time and more space. Buyers and press loved what they found at iBE, and asked to see more brands. In fact, based on our post-event survey, an astonishing 89% of our exhibitors received some form of press or media coverage at iBE [... for example, see the nine lines at the event Beauty Store Business loved in the "Indie Beauty Buzz" feature story by Regina Molaro, page 34, February 2016 print and digital editions, as well as BSB's many news stories in print and at www.beautystorebusiness.com ...]. And buyers representing spas and specialty retailers specifically asked to see more indie brands in categories adjacent to beauty. Therefore, we have tripled the total event space to better facilitate attendee traffic and accommodate more areas for networking, educational events and entertainment, and doubled the number of brands that are participating. iBE will also be curating brands in categories directly adjacent to beauty such as wellness and lifestyle."
BUILDING A DIFFERENTIATED PLATFORM
SPECIFICALLY FOR INDEPENDENT BRANDS
“Traditional shows fit the needs of many brands, but not indie brands," comments Wright. "Indie brands are different. And indie consumers are different. It is why they covet their independence. We want iBE to be a totally differentiated experience for our attendees. We want to open their minds to the incredible possibilities that indie brands offer and open their hearts to the entrepreneurs’ infectious passion and energy.”
Naeymi-Rad notes, “iBE owes its success to the heartfelt support and amazing innovations coming from the indie community. We want to nurture the success of the indie community by building a powerful and internationally-relevant platform from which indie entrepreneurs can showcase their brands. To do so we will continue to invest heavily in iBE to make it the most-compelling destination for buyers, press and consumers to discover, learn and experience indie brands."
MORE ON INDIE BEAUTY EXPO
iBE’s mission is to provide a platform to recognize, showcase and promote independent beauty, lifestyle and wellness brands to retailers, consumers and the media. iBE presents the largest collection of independent beauty brands from North America, Europe and Asia. iBE draws buyers—national, regional and specialty—consumers, and trade and consumer press specifically seeking to discover highly-differentiated products. To qualify, exhibitors must be 50% or more owned by individuals directly operating the company, and have demonstrated commercial viability (fulfillment, marketing, sales and customer support). By exhibiting at iBE, companies may also participate in the “iBE Best in Show Awards” and the “iBE TV” media channel.
For more information or for any questions about iBE's 2016 events in Los Angeles and New York City, visit www.indiebeautyexpo.com.
[Image courtesy of Indie Beauty Expo]