20 years of the international denim trade show Bluezone

This summer, from July 18 - 19, the international denim trade show BLUEZONE will celebrate its anniversary. More than 100 denim and sportswear experts will turn Munich's Zenith area into a blue hotspot. Along with MUNICH FABRIC START and THE SOURCE and with a supporting program that is as full to the brim as it is relevant, the area on Munich's Lilienthalallee will become the hub of the international fashion community.

"20 years of BLUEZONE − that's an announcement we're proud of," says Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director of Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH, which organizes BLUEZONE. "20 years, this anniversary is the confirmation that BLUEZONE offers the successful business platform the denim industry is expecting. What makes up the spirit of BLUEZONE? With its elaborate staging and professional working atmosphere, BLUEZONE is the denim place to be. Both on the part of the visitors and on the part of the exhibitors, the right people are in the right place at the right time in Munich."

2023 is not only BLUEZONE's anniversary year: this summer marks the 150th anniversary of the patenting of jeans, Orta celebrates its 70th birthday in 2023 and denim icon Ruedi Karrer celebrates the 50th of his "The Jeans Museum" in Zurich. Vicunha is celebrating its 55th birthday. BLUEZONE therefore pays tribute to denim in all its facets. CONNEXXION is the appropriate leitmotif of the upcoming event.

"We can't wait for July 18 − the opening of an exhibition hall is always an emotional moment, but this summer it will certainly be even more special," says Frank Junker, Creative Director & Partner, Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH. "We have a line-up that will almost break the two days: in addition to internationally relevant and well-known exhibitors such as Calik, Denim Authority, Isko, Kurabo, Naveena Denim, NDL, Orta, Royo, Saitex and Sharabati among many others, we will have a 360° degree denim experience park in the completely booked Zenith Area."

What visitors can expect here, among other things: two seminar sessions by the Transformers Foundation as well as panels and talks with Women in Denim, Mohsin Sajid and The 5 Denim Senses by AMD Düsseldorf, plus installations such as the photo exhibition "The World's best Denim Fades" by Bryan Szabo, founder of the Indigo Invitational, the exhibition by designer Ksenia Schnaider and a special presentation by "The Jeans Museum" Zurich, through which Ruedi Karrer himself will give guided tours.

For the first time, BLUEZONE will take place this summer on the new, earlier dates of July 18 and 19 and not at the end of August / beginning of September as in the past. With this step forward in terms of dates, MUNICH FABRIC START and BLUEZONE are reacting to changed order and collection rhythms
and will position themselves in the future at the beginning of the purchasing and sourcing phase. To this end, the exclusive VIEW Premium Selection, also organized by Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH, will move to the previous MFS date and on September 13 and 14 - then for the first time also on the Zenith grounds - will offer the market an additional, later ordering opportunity as RE:VIEW.

The shows and areas of Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH − in addition to MFS and BLUEZONE, namely THE SOURCE, KEYHOUSE, SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS, DESIGN STUDIOS, PER4MANCE and RE:SOURCE − will occupy a total of around 42,500 m2 this summer at the MOC, the Zenith site with Zenith Hall, Kesselhaus and Kohlebunker, as well as in the Dampfdom in the directly adjacent Motorworld. As usual, the outdoor area between the Zenith Hall and the Kohlebunker will be the outdoor epicenter for networking, recreation and inspiration.

The side event programs of the parallel shows also offer multiple interfaces between denim, sourcing and the fashion world. For example the DMI Fashion Day, taking place at MOC on the day before MFS, on July 17 2023, as well as through the innovation areas and trend forums, but also thanks to an
extensive program of round tables, presentations and talks with contemporary topics ranging from digitalization to sustainability, where a variety of influential and opinion-leading personalities will give a comprehensive update on the status quo of the aesthetic as well as technological development of the industry.

And last but not least − let's get the party started: MUNICH FABRIC NIGHT on July 18, 2023, starting at 6:30 p.m. on the Zenith grounds across from the MOC feat. DJ Crew Geschwister Schall. You are warmly invited!

All information and program highlights will be finalized and updated in the coming weeks at: www.bluezone.show as well as on www.munichfabricstart.com