Colombiamoda and Colombiatex, Colombia’s most important fashion and textile trade shows, respectively, opened their doors today, welcoming brands and buyers until July 27 at their usual venue in the Plaza Mayor Medellín.

One of the Latin America region’s leading fashion industry showcases, this year’s event is being held in both physical and digital formats. Exhibition spaces accommodate approximately 400 companies and brands hailing from Colombia, Brazil, the US, Peru and Argentina. Inexmoda, the organising body behind the events, is expecting over 4000 national and international buyers.

This is the first in-person edition since the start of the pandemic and the first time that Inexmoda has held both fairs together, adapting Colombiatex (which usually takes place in January) to Colombiamoda’s regular July dates. The government of Medellin hopes that bringing together the entire value chain will further enhance the reactivation of the fashion and textile sectors as part of the city’s plan to re-open the economy.

In a press statement, Inexmoda president Carlos Botero reassured visitors and the wider public that all sanitary and safety measures had been put into place to protect the health of exhibitors and attendees.

The fair’s fashion agenda will feature 27 catwalks shows and digital presentations, including leading national and international industry names. Last night’s inauguration show, which was open to the press, included designers Diego Guarnizo from Colombia, Paulina Anda and Cindy Castro from Ecuador and Peru-born Annaiss Yucra. Others will present their latest collections physically in the coming days such as Colombian talents Beatriz Camacho and Juan Pablo Socarrás and newcomer Carmen Nava, who relocated from her native Venezuela to Medellin.

The textile segment of the exhibition will include pavilions for fabrics and textile supplies, machinery, specialized manufacturing services and finished garments in the categories such as as denim, childrenswear, underwear and sportswear. Notable industry participants include Lafayette, Sutex, Protela, Fabricato, Fajitex, St. Even and Fajas Maria E.

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