| CURVEXPO | CURVE NEW YORK 2019
CURVE NEW YORK doesn't always work with my crazy schedule and while I rarely have the luxury to spend all 3 days there, I maximize the time I do spend at the show to the fullest. It is always fun getting a sneak peek at the styles and trends that are upcoming.
As this show is meant to connect brands with buyers, often times when I visit the exhibitor booths, many styles are still under embargo - meaning press can't write about them yet. And I have to spend a lot of time asking which styles I can feature and which are still in top secret mode.
As this show is meant to connect brands with buyers, often times when I visit the exhibitor booths, many styles are still under embargo - meaning press can't write about them yet. And I have to spend a lot of time asking which styles I can feature and which are still in top secret mode.
As with most tradeshows (and for those who know NYC well, the Javitz can play host to an incredible number of vendors/booths), I can only hit so many booths/exhibitors/vendors. Which makes my natural tendency to go with brands I actually wear and feel I 'know'.
But I also seek out unique stories and brands with 'heart' and 'soul'.
But I also seek out unique stories and brands with 'heart' and 'soul'.
Most trade shows are so focused on retailers/buyers that press/media can very much get lost in the shuffle which is sad, but not entirely surprising. (Not my first time at the Rodeo). So in some cases I will have only pictures, but with some brands I did get a chance to make a real 'connection'.
Body Positivity and Inclusiveness has always factored big for this show, but definitely way more so in the past few years. Women's bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Consumers expect the market to support that.
Body Positivity and Inclusiveness has always factored big for this show, but definitely way more so in the past few years. Women's bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Consumers expect the market to support that.
While I get the scoop at CURVEXPO/CURVE NEW YORK 2019, (check our social pages for daily photos) check out highlights of the last show here.
Here are my Photo Highlights, (in no particular order):
ABOVE: Vossen - the world's first certified Vegan Towel and Bathrobe collection, definitely caught my eye.
Normally the photo above is one I don't use, I use that as a reminder to myself that the photos that come after are from that booth and so on.
The booth number photo shot tends to be a place mark for me, but I liked this one so I thought I would use it!
If you are trying to lead a 100% Plant -Based Vegan Lifestyle, you are going to want to incorporate Vossen's Towels, Bath Robes, Bath Rugs, Beach, Kids and Wellness products into your Vegan Home!
ABOVE: Vossen makes everyday a 'spa day'
Normally the photo above is one I don't use, I use that as a reminder to myself that the photos that come after are from that booth and so on.
The booth number photo shot tends to be a place mark for me, but I liked this one so I thought I would use it!
If you are trying to lead a 100% Plant -Based Vegan Lifestyle, you are going to want to incorporate Vossen's Towels, Bath Robes, Bath Rugs, Beach, Kids and Wellness products into your Vegan Home!
ABOVE: Playtex had a wide variety of styles on display, the Playtex 18 Hour Front Close Posture Bra, Style: USE525 really caught my eye! (Waiting on a press sample of it and will give you more details on how well it worked for me now that I have problems with my neck) - with this link you can buy it from Amazon at a great everyday low price (or put it in your cart or wishlist to be alerted of any price drops) Note: This is an affiliate link, if you purchase it we get a commission! For us 'well endowed' types this bra checks a lot of boxes, cushion at the shoulders, wide straps, support in a front hook style so we don't have to twist around try to hoist the girls while pulling up the straps, this style makes everyday nice and easy! And a gentle reminder to keep your shoulders back and keep your posture game on point.
ABOVE: @HurrayKimmay led the "How Retailers Can Work with the Media and Influencers" panel. Needless to say I made it a point to get a good seat, take notes, and make a note of which brands were there. It saves me time and energy when brands have a strong sense of how Influencer Outreach should work, and seminars like this help them do just that. This should be a required panel at most conferences and tradeshows in my humble opinion and . (her name is clickable and it will link you to her post seminar resources, including a link to the expo page's facebook video)
ABOVE: You can press on this to make it bigger, but in case you are feeling lazy and wondering what the slide says, it reads:
"Collaborate with a brand by giving the brand incentive to give your retail store credit in an editorial placement.
Also, as a PR professional of over 18 years I have never seen so many changes taking place to the Media landscape. More and more digital outlets are taking the place of print, and more freelancers are covering multiple outlets as opposed to one editor for one market. It is so important to keep up with these changes and make sure your company remains visible in a very crowded field." ~ Heather Patt
"Collaborate with a brand by giving the brand incentive to give your retail store credit in an editorial placement.
Also, as a PR professional of over 18 years I have never seen so many changes taking place to the Media landscape. More and more digital outlets are taking the place of print, and more freelancers are covering multiple outlets as opposed to one editor for one market. It is so important to keep up with these changes and make sure your company remains visible in a very crowded field." ~ Heather Patt
I wholeheartedly agree with Heather, this is an incredibly crowded landscape and most freelancer Editors (like myself) write for a wide variety of both Print AND Digital outlets. Many digital Editors want to present brands to readers that they trust and have actually road tested, the best relationships still take time build.
Brands do need to learn to navigate the landscape and learn to work with a wide variety of Content Producers.
I get a ton of pitches, but I would rather work with fewer brands, whose products I know and trust, brands that understand that I do test what I present and brands that understand their product is not payment for a Digital Editorial Feature. Digital Freelancers cannot pay their bills in their XYZ Product.
ABOVE: Just in case you do not want to press this one to make it bigger:
"I often get pitches where brands ask me to add their product to an article we already published and that isn't usually helpful because it is rare for us to go back into an article just to add another product to it.
You're much better off pitching us your product from a new or unique angle." ~ Kayla Boyd, Associate Commerce Editor at Today.com
Again, not only do I agree with Kayla completely, I can tell you I am NEVER going to go back to an old post to add any kind of link or a competitor product, I find that shady and not very ethical and I will NOT do it. I am glad this came up during the panel.
While I am sure there are some brand that are not doing this with deceptive intent, all brands need to be made aware that this is one of the biggest thorns in any Editor's side. Please stop doing this!
ABOVE: In case you don't want to press this one to make it bigger:
"My Blog Reviews consistently get a high volume of traffic, often for years to come after being published. Reviews have a long 'shelf life' - they're something that potential customers are always going to be searching for.
And I've been told by brands that my reviews have sent them lost of traffic and sales - even when the review itself wasn't a glowing 'this product is perfect one.' ~ Estelle Puleston, Owner of Esty Lingerie
PREACH, SISTER PREACH! My blog reviews also get consistently high numbers. And like Estelle mentions, well after they were posted. I always strive to give a very balanced review, and I feel that has helped me to build trust. I like to give both the pros and cons of any product/event experience to help readers determine what is right for them. Again, I am so glad this topic was addressed at this panel.
Brands do need to learn to navigate the landscape and learn to work with a wide variety of Content Producers.
I get a ton of pitches, but I would rather work with fewer brands, whose products I know and trust, brands that understand that I do test what I present and brands that understand their product is not payment for a Digital Editorial Feature. Digital Freelancers cannot pay their bills in their XYZ Product.
ABOVE: Just in case you do not want to press this one to make it bigger:
"I often get pitches where brands ask me to add their product to an article we already published and that isn't usually helpful because it is rare for us to go back into an article just to add another product to it.
You're much better off pitching us your product from a new or unique angle." ~ Kayla Boyd, Associate Commerce Editor at Today.com
Again, not only do I agree with Kayla completely, I can tell you I am NEVER going to go back to an old post to add any kind of link or a competitor product, I find that shady and not very ethical and I will NOT do it. I am glad this came up during the panel.
While I am sure there are some brand that are not doing this with deceptive intent, all brands need to be made aware that this is one of the biggest thorns in any Editor's side. Please stop doing this!
ABOVE: In case you don't want to press this one to make it bigger:
"My Blog Reviews consistently get a high volume of traffic, often for years to come after being published. Reviews have a long 'shelf life' - they're something that potential customers are always going to be searching for.
And I've been told by brands that my reviews have sent them lost of traffic and sales - even when the review itself wasn't a glowing 'this product is perfect one.' ~ Estelle Puleston, Owner of Esty Lingerie
PREACH, SISTER PREACH! My blog reviews also get consistently high numbers. And like Estelle mentions, well after they were posted. I always strive to give a very balanced review, and I feel that has helped me to build trust. I like to give both the pros and cons of any product/event experience to help readers determine what is right for them. Again, I am so glad this topic was addressed at this panel.
"The biggest mistake I see retailers make when working with bloggers is not being specific, I've received hundreds of generic emails with, "Dear Blogger" as the first line and a pitch that was copied and pasted. I want to work with brands that understand my voice and who have done their research. The more specific and catered your pitch is, the better! Looking just to gift product? Want to bring on a Brand Ambassador? You have to be upfront and honest from the start. That's how a good relationship begins.
Also, never get your CC mixed with your BCC. There's nothing quite like being accidentally included on a CC to 100 other people" ~ Melanie Sutrathada, Actor and Content Creator
I am certainly in agreement with Melanie, with the exception of the use of the word "Gift" - please note you are not gifting a Digital Editor - that person is staging original photography (Pro Bloggers upgrade to strong DSLR equipment), creating content, coding HTML, promoting their posts via social media to boost engagement, monitoring all comments - and interacting and engaging with *each* one. A review post as mentioned in the slide prior to this one is evergreen content that users are constantly searching for. Please do not think for one moment that you are 'gifting' an Editor.
The honesty mentioned by Melanie is certainly a two way street, when both parties are very clear about goals and expectations, campaigns are ultimately more successful.
ABOVE: Isn't this such a great teal color? I love this set by Curvy Couture!
One of my favorite is when the styles all come to us in the event lounge, as Press who can't possibly hit all the exhibitors, having the styles come to us is super convenient, so here is a 'fashion show' compilation. (I was off to the side again, so I tried to catch the models as they turned to leave the stage):
ABOVE: A visual reminder to guys that there is always something pretty hidden under those 'everyday PJ's' - I see you Polka Dots! This is from MEY's Fall/Winter 2019 Collection.
ABOVE: My zoom is doing it's job, but by the time the models turned my way, they were already lowering their signs. So it was clear shot, or super sideways with sign......You can see which option I went with! :)
ABOVE: Now that's what I'm talking about, see how the model from Leonisa holds up her sign with a smile long enough for me to capture it. You have no idea how many photos looked good in the thumbnail but the model was in motion so I had to delete so many! (Get 15% off your first order when you sign up for their newsletter!)
ABOVE: If you have been following for awhile, and have read previous coverage I have written of Curvexpo/Curve New York, then you know just how much I love Elila. I seriously want to be their official blogger brand ambassador. They truly keep the girls 'aiming skyward', but do it in a way that is both super comfortable and super stylish! Style 2311 is my personal favorite and Amazon has select sizes on sale, so I linked you to them! Get one in EVERY color with this style, you won't regret it! (You're Welcome!)
ABOVE: I love the power pose from the Anita Active Model, amazon has select Anita Active Styles on sale, I link you to one, but you when you get there you can switch style and size, I am hoping to try out some of their styles as I haven't worn Anita yet.
ABOVE: I saw this color quite often on the tradeshow floor and oddly enough a sort of 'steel greyish' was also quite popular from a wide variety of brands. This is also from MEY's Fall/Winter 2019 Collection
ABOVE: Curvexpo's curated concept showroom is called the Kinky Korner. The area featured a selection of erotic, sensual and sexy intimate apparel and accessory brands. High-quality international offerings were on display. A model showcased a few of the styles for visiting Buyers and Media.
One of my favorite is when the styles all come to us in the event lounge, as Press who can't possibly hit all the exhibitors, having the styles come to us is super convenient, so here is a 'fashion show' compilation. (I was off to the side again, so I tried to catch the models as they turned to leave the stage):
ABOVE: A visual reminder to guys that there is always something pretty hidden under those 'everyday PJ's' - I see you Polka Dots! This is from MEY's Fall/Winter 2019 Collection.
ABOVE: My zoom is doing it's job, but by the time the models turned my way, they were already lowering their signs. So it was clear shot, or super sideways with sign......You can see which option I went with! :)
ABOVE: Now that's what I'm talking about, see how the model from Leonisa holds up her sign with a smile long enough for me to capture it. You have no idea how many photos looked good in the thumbnail but the model was in motion so I had to delete so many! (Get 15% off your first order when you sign up for their newsletter!)
ABOVE: If you have been following for awhile, and have read previous coverage I have written of Curvexpo/Curve New York, then you know just how much I love Elila. I seriously want to be their official blogger brand ambassador. They truly keep the girls 'aiming skyward', but do it in a way that is both super comfortable and super stylish! Style 2311 is my personal favorite and Amazon has select sizes on sale, so I linked you to them! Get one in EVERY color with this style, you won't regret it! (You're Welcome!)
ABOVE: I love the power pose from the Anita Active Model, amazon has select Anita Active Styles on sale, I link you to one, but you when you get there you can switch style and size, I am hoping to try out some of their styles as I haven't worn Anita yet.
ABOVE: I saw this color quite often on the tradeshow floor and oddly enough a sort of 'steel greyish' was also quite popular from a wide variety of brands. This is also from MEY's Fall/Winter 2019 Collection
ABOVE: Curvexpo's curated concept showroom is called the Kinky Korner. The area featured a selection of erotic, sensual and sexy intimate apparel and accessory brands. High-quality international offerings were on display. A model showcased a few of the styles for visiting Buyers and Media.
ABOVE: This is barely even a fraction of the amount of brands/exhibitors in attendance!
The Jacob Javitz Convention Center in NYC hosts multiple events/tradeshows simultaneously per day and when you are very lucky the conferences will let attendees with one badge get into another tradeshow being held at the Convention Center.
My wanderings to another show led me to a FAB Butterfly find, check out these "butterfly-licious" shots:
ABOVE: Animal Print AND Butterflies and turning New York's Uniform of a 'Little Black Dress' on it's head with RED, um, YES, PLEASE! (Press on this photo and make it bigger and then come back) They will be added to my all things "Ascending Butterfly Loves Butterflies" board on pinterest soon! (I link to both the board directly and my main page - if you are not already following me via Pinterest you should! Leave me a comment and let me know the handle to your pinterest account so I can follow back!)
MY TAKE:
CURVEXPO is one of the few tradeshows that although it is intended for brands and buyers/retailers to connect, I consider it one of my annual three that I regularly cover (depending on me being in town of course).
Much like my obsession with Handbags, attending this tradeshow is making me a 'lingerie snob'. I am getting better at spotting high quality pieces and finding brands that help me accentuate what I've got the right way.
I will be headed to the show today so keep your eyes on our social pages for more updates, and stay tuned for a full recap of the Summer edition of Curve.
Readers, here's YOUR call to action: Which Brand Featured Above Interests YOU most? Brownie Points: If you visit their website, then come back here and share a specific style that you liked best, who knows, maybe I can have them come back and do something fun for YOU as well.
˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙
FTC Disclosure: All opinions are 100% MY OWN. This is NOT a Compensated Post, it is an Event Recap. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. While I can't pay my landlord with bras, this butterfly does like pretty things, and enjoys covering this tradeshow!
CURVEXPO is one of the few tradeshows that although it is intended for brands and buyers/retailers to connect, I consider it one of my annual three that I regularly cover (depending on me being in town of course).
Much like my obsession with Handbags, attending this tradeshow is making me a 'lingerie snob'. I am getting better at spotting high quality pieces and finding brands that help me accentuate what I've got the right way.
I will be headed to the show today so keep your eyes on our social pages for more updates, and stay tuned for a full recap of the Summer edition of Curve.
Readers, here's YOUR call to action: Which Brand Featured Above Interests YOU most? Brownie Points: If you visit their website, then come back here and share a specific style that you liked best, who knows, maybe I can have them come back and do something fun for YOU as well.
˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙
FTC Disclosure: All opinions are 100% MY OWN. This is NOT a Compensated Post, it is an Event Recap. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. While I can't pay my landlord with bras, this butterfly does like pretty things, and enjoys covering this tradeshow!
