I first heard about the annual MAGIC show in Las Vegas years and years ago from Limb Clothing/TChad Magazine founder George Sully when I had interviewed him about his own clothing line. The MAGIC show is bigger than life for clothiers. It’s a trade show where everyone from unknowns to middle grounders like FCUK, and New Era, to the heavy weights like Betsey Johnson set up shop and show their wares. This is the business of fashion. Not just the highlights a la Fashion Week.

Pure amazement – a shopaholic’s beautiful nightmare (not to remind of you of The House of Deréon).

Since the first official show in 1942 as the Roundup in Palm Springs by the Men’s Wear Manufactures of Los Angeles, this has been THE place to be to show your stuff to fellow retailers, and the fashion media illuminati (if you will). The name MAGIC came about after some time, when the group was changed from MWMOLA to the “Men’s Apparel Guild in California” (no, the women and children didn’t go au naturel, but what are you gonna do? It was the ‘40s).

Some goodness from the site:

The MAGIC Marketplace is the preeminent trade event in the international fashion industry, hosting global buyers and sellers of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and sourcing resources. As an incubator of fashion, MAGIC is where new trends surface and develop into what will be seen on the consumer. The show’s goal is to connect and inspire the fashion community, fuse diverse trends, while offering unbeatable service to its customers.

So for two weekends a year it’s “where the magic happens”. It’s where it is decided what you will wear next spring, where the colour of the year will be discussed (how is mimosa working out for you?), and where your fashion lives are determined (you have no free-will, kiddies).

Mark my words; I will be there some day. You’re more than welcome to come with.

This year’s summer show takes place August 31^st to September 2^nd.

Visit www.magiconline.com to see what all the fuss is about.