Kingpins Charts New Approach With New York Show’s Focus on Expanded Roster and Latest Innovations
New initiatives include Jeanius Hub, Made in Japan and Denim 101 by Kingpins Show.
About 690 attendees from nearly 320 companies met with representatives from about 80 denim companies at the recent Kingpins New York, held July 23-24 at Pier 36/Basketball City.
Attendance increased slightly over the July 2024 show and companies included Levi’s; Gap; Alexander Wang; Proenza Schouler; R13; Kulson; Who Decides War; Telfar; Veronica Beard; Derek Lam; 45R; Ralph Lauren; RTA; Triarchy; Genius Group; Good American; Supreme; Todd Snyder; Flysón; Imogene + Willie; 7 For All Mankind; AG Jeans; Alice + Olivia; BBC Apparel Group; Calvin Klein; Michael Kors; Carhartt; Lucky Brand; Madewell; Kate Spade and Kontoor Brands, among many others.
This season, Kingpins introduced a new area devoted to Japanese mills and manufacturers; a showcase of new denim innovations and an educational program for the entire denim community.
“The feedback has been clear: people noticed the thought and care we put into every detail, from a full house of seminars to the energy on the floor,” said Vivian Wang, Chief Executive Officer of the international denim supply chain trade show. “That tells me we did something right, and I’m truly grateful. We understand our industry faces ongoing challenges — from tariffs to shifting supply chains and global uncertainty. But brands continue to come to our show. That is important. In the years since the pandemic, we’ve all learned to adapt — and more importantly, to reprioritize. So seeing both new and familiar faces at the show means the world to us.”
New initiatives and exhibitors:
_Made in Japan, the new section focused on the quality and craftsmanship of Japanese denim featuring a select group companies including Ideablue, ICE, Japan Delivery Service, REFLOS and Rainbow Textiles
_The Jeanius Hub, our area for new companies, new innovations and new ideas, including LAB Denim, Circ, COLOURizd, and Circulose.
_Denim 101 by Kingpins Show, an interactive discussion about denim history and fiber led by a trio of industry experts, all with extensive hands-on denim business experience, including Freedom Denim’s Michael Morell; Proximity Manufacturing Company’s Evan Morrison; and Cone Denim’s Caitlyn Holt.
The Denim Talks seminar series included:
_Denim Forecast – From Macro Shifts To Micro Realities led by Ana P. Alves from Be Disobedient
_Meet the Creator led by The Vintage Showroom’s Doug Gunn in conversation with Napoleon Diaz from Japanese brand 45r.
_Future Fit Forum, curated by Markt & Twigs’ Michelle Branch, featuring Triarchy Denim’s Adam Taubenfligel
_Flexibility Over Uncertainty: Denim Production in this Hemisphere, a discussion about nearshoring featuring Carrie Eddmenson from Imogene & Willie; Melanie Balasa-Flottman, VP of Global Innovation and Design, Artistic Milliners; Consultant Maryellen Ryan; and Steve Maggard from Cone Denim
_From Lab to Loom, moderated by Avalo’s Tricia Carey featuring Malvina Hoxha from CREORA® by Hyosung TNC; Devon Murrie from Living Ink; and Dustin White from Lab Denim.
The Boxes, Kingpins’ space for creative collaboration featured:
_Garments from recent Future Fit Forum participants, including Triachy’s Taubenfligel.
_Lildenimshow x JXRGE, a showcase of designs by denim & tattoo artist Jorge Marugo, founder of the Jxrge brand
_Algae Alchemy, a collaboration between AGI Denim and Living Ink Technologies using Living Ink’s Algae Black™, a carbon-negative pigment crafted from algae waste.
_The Denim Institute & Museum presented: Spotlight on Urban Streetwear Y2K, which highlights the style and cultural impact of late ’90s and early 2000s streetwear brands such as FUBU, Rocawear, Marc Ecko, Phat Farm, ENYCE, Akademiks, Pelle Pelle, and Karl Kani.
Other initiatives included:
_Buckleback Archive showcased a selection of vintage denim, non-denim, and workwear pieces from the 1870s to 2000, all unique, one-of-a-kind, and many rare.
_Most Sustainable Product (MSP) by Kingpins Show, highlighting sustainable products created by Kingpins exhibitors.
_Tattered Threads, Unspoken Memory by The Vintage Showroom, an installation exploring the Japanese art of “Boro.”
_Urban Flora by Tonello, an interactive exploration of Tonello’s colorful capsule collection featuring natural dyes and rainbow selvedge by Cone Denim. Attendees were invited to leave painted messages and drawings on a large naturally dyed canvas.
_“American Denim: The Supposed Final Days and Resurgence of a Manufacturing Icon” book signing. Created by Proximity MFG’s director, Evan Morrison, and shot by photographer Matt Sharkey over the course of a decade, the book captures the iconic White Oak Plant during its last years of production, closure, and the relaunch of shuttle weaving by Proximity MFG in 2021. Published by Schiffer, the coffee table book was available for sale at the show and proceeds from book sales benefited the White Oak Legacy Foundation.
_ The Gallery, Kingpins’ space highlighting new and innovative fabrics and trims. Trend forecaster Be Disobedient scouted the Kingpins Gallery to spot standout fabrics that match their current forecast, connecting trend insights with real products.
_ Denim Metiérs by Jeanologia, a fusion of innovation artistry that explored sustainable technologies to transform the fabric into something both sophisticated and responsible.
_ The Photobooth Experience by Arvind invited visitors to step into a world of Japanese denim and strike a pose in garments crafted from premium Japanese denim garments.
_ The Curious Corners Pop-Up Shop featured a curated edit of timeless pieces from Japan, including vintage boro & sashiko textiles; indigo & shibori dye kits; cast iron housewares and more.
_ Threaded Narratives: Textile Works by Taylor Telyan and Hekima Hepa, a curated selection of embroidered artworks and mended pieces that blur the lines between repair and expression.
_ Y2K Tribute by Nishat Mills, a collection that pays homage to some of the most iconic Y2K styles, inspired by the best-known brands of the era and their most innovative ideas and updated in modern fabrications.
Workshops:
_ Embroidery and Visible Mending with Taylor Telyan and Hekima Hepa, supported by Diamond Denim, an open embroidery session exploring mending traditions and expressive textile art.
_ Raw to Real: A Denim Transformation Experience by HMS x Panther Denim, a customization workshop to transform raw denim garments without water, machines or waste using HMS’s patented dry process tools.
For more information about Kingpins, visit www.kingpinsshow.com
ABOUT KINGPINS
Kingpins is an invitation-only, denim sourcing show featuring a highly curated selection of companies representing the global denim supply chain from fiber makers, mills and manufacturers, to chemical and machinery suppliers and other companies that serve the denim and jeans business.
Launched in 2004, the company currently produces shows and events in New York, Amsterdam and China.
Since 2025, Kingpins has been part of Texpertise — the umbrella brand uniting all textile trade shows of Messe Frankfurt. Under the agreement with Messe Frankfurt, one of the world’s leading trade fair organizers, Kingpins continues to operate independently as a platform for the industry to meet, network and share information and insights.
