News, announcements and more from the latest Kingpins Newsletter.

Innovation and New Connections at Kingpins NY 

The Jan. 21-22 run of Kingpins New York at Pier 36/Basketball City drew a mix of brands and retailers, including representatives from Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, Washington Roberts, RTA, Nili Lotan, Rachel Comey Studio, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Rag & Bone, Coach, Levi’s, Kontoor Brands and American Eagle Outfitters. 

In all, 584 attendees from 275 companies browsed among nearly 70 exhibitors, including mills, manufacturers and suppliers from the global denim industry. 

“Over two focused days, the show connects high-caliber exhibitors, forward-thinking conversations, and ideas that challenge the status quo,” Wang said. “This year, we’re putting even more energy into creative, outside-the-box thinking about what’s next for the industry.”

Show highlights included The Lil Denim Show presents General Experiment, an installation showcasing recent work of Laurence Wei, designer of New York-based General Experiment; S|STYLE – DENIM LAB powered by KERING, an installation curated by Giorgia Cantarini; Be Disobedient’s Denim Forecast: From URL to IRL; and Doug Gunn, from The Vintage Showroom, who explored the influence of artist Jackson Pollock on fashion over the years. 

Kingpins Returns to Los Angeles

After many years away, Kingpins will bring the show back to Los Angeles in January 2027. The LA Christmas party in December was just a hint of what’s in the works for Kingpins.

“Los Angeles is not just my home. It’s the heart of the US domestic denim industry,” said Vivian Wang, CEO of Kingpins. “Bringing Kingpins back to LA feels both natural and necessary. I’m looking forward to gathering our community here again and shaping what comes next together.”

Dates and details will be announced later in the year. 

WHAT WE WORE: STREET FASHION AT KINGPINS NY

Our photo and video team was on site at Pier36/Basketball City to capture the looks on the floor as attendees braved winter weather to stay warm while looking cool at Kingpins. 

You can find more street style images — as well all the show images HERE. 

SAVE THE DATE FOR KINGPINS AMSTERDAM

Get ready to join us in Amsterdam. We’re back at SugarFactory April 15-16. Details to be announced soon. Registration opens soon!

COMMUNITY NEWS

Transformers Foundation Looks at Inequality in Innovation

Transformers Foundation explores the imbalance within the apparel supply chain when it comes to climate innovation in its latest report, titled “ Unlocking Equity in Innovation: Balancing the Scales in Supply Chain Partnerships.”  

Based on more than 30 interviews with experts across the global supply chain, the study looks at the “outdated dynamics and knowledge gaps” that prevent many climate innovations from reaching scale.

From “misaligned expectations” to “inconsistent brand commitment,” many innovations remain “stuck in pilot mode.”

Furthermore, according to the report there’s an “uneven distribution of risk” in the innovation landscape in which manufacturers and other suppliers play an undervalued role in scaling new technologies, chemicals, materials and processes.

The report also offers three “readiness checklists” to address the knowledge gaps and explain stakeholder’s expectations and risks. Created for brands/retailers, suppliers and innovation startups, these checklists are designed to facilitate transparent decision making and collaboration.

Download the report HERE.

The Mills Fabrica Releases Impact Report

The Mills Fabrica, the collaborative platform founded to accelerate sustainability-focused tech innovations in the techstyle and agrifood sectors, released its 2024/25 Impact Report, highlighting its investment strategies and work to catalyze planet-positive change by investing in and nurturing new innovations; and encouraging consumers and corporations to adopt sustainable practices through its knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Among the companies and products The Mills Fabrica has supported are Huue, which is making a sustainable indigo dye using biotechnology; Unspun, which seeks to reduce global carbon emissions and fabric waste by using automated, localized and intentional manufacturing; and Circ, which “(re)sources”  raw ingredients from global textile waste.

Download the report HERE.