Kingpins Hangzhou Blurs the Line Between Trade Show and Cultural Event
The May 21-22 show at ADM More packed two days with trend forecasts, indigo workshops, a standing-room runway and 19th-century artifacts — bringing sourcing professionals, global brands and the denim-curious public together under one roof.
JUNE 1, 2026 — Kingpins China-Hangzhou wrapped its May 21-22 run at ADM More with energy to spare — closing out two packed days with a standing-room-only runway show that brought together international brands, new sustainable innovations and a hand-dyed custom gown created live at the event.
Among the brands in attendance were Levi’s; Zara; H&M; Jack & Jones; Fila, Decor; 12 STOREEZ; Gap; Country Group Group; NEXT; Gloria Jeans; and TOYOUᵀᴴ.
The show’s hybrid format delivered on two fronts: a dedicated B2B sourcing floor for industry professionals, and a full public program of workshops, retail activations and inspirational initiatives. Denim Talks seminars ran throughout the event, highlighted by trend forecaster Be Disobedient, whose “Denim Forecast: Curating The Market” presentation was given for the first time in Chinese.
Show Highlights
The Runway — Sponsored by Dinghui Fashions, the finale show featured styles from TOYOUᵀᴴ and Jack & Jones China, alongside pieces from Kingpins’ MSP (Most Sustainable Product) collection, which spotlights sustainable innovations from show exhibitors. Dinghui designed several looks for the show, including the showstopping finale gown.
Indigo Tie-Dye Workshop — Simwood and WeiShan San-Yi Tie-Dyed Industria hosted an indigo dyeing session where visitors transformed everything from shirts to shoes — while organizers simultaneously hand-dyed the Dinghui gown that closed the runway.
Plant-Based Dye Workshop — Panther Denim / Tat Fung Textile invited guests to customize tote bags using botanical dyes, creating floral designs rooted in natural materials.
37°NORTH by Dynamic Denim — Dynamic Denim launched a limited-edition selvedge collection at the show: 365 pairs of raw denim, sold with a challenge. Buyers are encouraged to wear their jeans daily for a year, letting body and lifestyle shape a truly personal wear pattern — then return to Hangzhou next year to show off the results.
The Vintage Showroom — Rare garments salvaged from a 19th-century shipwreck went on display, telling the story of California Gold Rush-era prospectors, farmers and laborers through the clothes they actually wore.
B2B exhibitors included Advance Denim, Cone Denim, Dinghui Fashion, Dynamic Denim, Foison Textiles, GKL Denim, Hengfeng, Isko, Jeanologia, Prosperity Textile and TENCEL™ by Lenzing.
“Our show in China keeps surprising us,” said Kingpins Chief Executive Officer Vivian Wang. “We continue to see energy, enthusiasm and a shared love of denim from the brands, the mills, the students, the public all showing up with genuine curiosity and creativity. We’re excited to gather and grow the Kingpins community, and that is why we keep coming back.”
Wang also led two panel discussions in the Denim Talks seminar series: one titled “Fiber to Fabric: How China’s Integrated Supply Chain Is Redefining Denim Innovation” and another called “The New China Consumer: Beyond Price, Toward Value and Culture.”
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. 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.
