Q&A With Kingpins’ Founder - Andrew Olah

February 19th, 2010 by Sandeep Agarwal | Filed under Denim Fairs/Exhibitions.

Kingpins is a denim fair with a great format that is getting popular among the elite of the denim industry and enables the exhibitors to present their products in an alternative fashion . Based on an exclusivity concept, the denim fair is held twice in LA and NY each year with new shows having started in Hong Kong. So what is so different about a trade show ? After all, a trade show is a trade show. Well, let me list some of them :

A very limited number of exclusive exhibitors are invited to participate.
Buyers are selected and invited personally by Olah Inc and no other visitors are allowed in the show.
Buyers and exhibitors interact in a relaxed atmosphere on sofas and savour the free food provided by the show.
Not to forget the famous party given at the end of first day.
No hustle, bustle of regular trade shows where exhibitors are busy separating a good buyers from uninvited time killers or competitors.

To know more about the show it was natural that we had to speak to the man who brought this concept to life – Andrew Olah of Olah Inc. Olah Inc is a 51 year old textile agency company that specializes in the jeans industry and also consults for various companies in marketing and educational capacity.

Q.Kingpins is an amazing success. Could you explain the concept behind the Kingpins show?

A.I am not sure I would use the word “amazing” in describing the success we have had with Kingpins. We have surprisingly surpassed our goals and expectations.
Kingpins is an intentionally tiny boutique jean supply chain event where a small number of exhibitors, present their new products to the jeans industry. The show currently runs twice a year in New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. Our idea is the bring the show to the buyers rather than make the buyers travel to the show.

Q.When did you start these shows ?

Our first Kingpins was held in an art gallery in Soho, in July 2004.

Q. How has Kingpins grown over the years?

Our first show had eleven exhibitors, and probably attracted 40 customers. Our last New York show had 25 suppliers and attracted over 150 customers. Our party (the market especially in New York loves our parties) had 400 guests.

Q.Why did you select ‘Denim’ as the main product for the shows?

We never selected “denim” as the main product. There was no other choice! I have worked in the denim industry for over 35 years.I love this industry and at this point of my career is the only thing I know well.

Q.Exhibitors can participate in the show only by invitation. What is your criteria for sending them invitation? Many of our readers are denim companies and they often enquire about the same.

The word Kingpins is a synonym for “leader”. We’d like our exhibitors to excel at what they do. Copen for example, one of our exhibitors has been in the pocketing industry for over 60 years. Cone is the oldest denim mill in the world. Kurabo another denim exhibitor is renowned throughout the world as one of the best denim producers. Our mission is to have excellent exhibitors present at the show so that the customers can rely on the fact that if an exhibitor is at Kingpins, that means they are excellent at what they do.

Q.There are no tickets for visitors in the show and they can come only by invitation. How do you ensure that important buyers visit your show?

Our company Olah Inc. has been in the jeans industry a long time. We represented Legler (the first denim mill in Europe) from Italy for 25 years and have worked for Kurabo for over 20 years. We know many of the customers and maintain strong industry relationships. Customers have graciously attended our shows and in many cases have helped with our show, giving us ideas of what to do. The market’s support of the show has been one of it’s most surprising features. Adriano Goldschmied in particular has been an incredible advocate of what we do and unbelievably supportive. Frankly without him I would never have had the courage to do the first show. He convinced me that we could not fail.

Q.How has been the response of the exhibitors to your shows? Do they get enough business from the shows and are continuing with participating in your shows?

No show can can continue without Exhibitor support. Kurabo for example has three booths at all six shows. Tavex shows at both NY and LA, Nexgen our label exhibitor shows at all six shows etc. It’s of great concern to us that our exhibitors are satisfied with the connections they make at our shows. One can never tell if an exhibitor is happy with the show until they agree to come to the next one. So far, we have been very lucky and found the exhibitors to be satisfied and continue to come.

Q.How do you compare your show with other denim shows like ‘Denim by Premier Vision’,'Munich Fabric Start’,'Bread & Butter’ etc?

We cannot compare our Kingpins event with either show. “Denim by Premiere Visions” is a large trade show and while it too is a denim supply chain show, it is in Paris and expects customers from all over Europe to come to Paris to see it.
Bread and Butter is a massive event in Berlin. It focuses on branded jeans and is not at all a supply chain show.
Our Kingpins are tiny shows. Los Angeles currently has only 17 exhibitors (this number will not grow), and is held in what might be called a “garden” setting. Hong Kong will have 25 exhibitors. We don’t want more exhibitors and consider our shows less as “fairs” than as celebrations. Because of our size and specific goals we can treat exhibitors and customers as if they were coming to our house for an afternoon “showing“.

Q.What kind of buyers are most frequently visiting your show - Premium denim brands,Other denim labels, Retailers, Buying Houses etc?

We have a different set of visitors in each show. In New York the majority of customers that come are retailers. In Los Angeles we mostly attract premium brands. In Hong Kong, buying offices and garment factories visited us.

Q.Do you plan to extend the Kingpins show to other parts of the world?

Surprisingly, we are being encouraged by many people to expand our show and deposit it in more locations. We will run a show in Shanghai in October after our Hong Kong show and we are studying other possible locations. Bringing Kingpins to various markets interests us. I think our “setting” and the quality of our exhibitors allows us opportunities to place the show in other countries and regions.

Q.In the last NY show, about 150 denim buyers visited the show and about 25 exhibitors were there. What do you think would be the average number of buyers who would have visited a single exhibitor?

I am not privy to the exhibitor’s guest list or their activity but I know Kurabo generally gets 7-10 sample orders a day from clients.

Q.Coming to denim business in US : What do you think would be the total size of premium denim market in US and how is it growing?

I probably should be easily able able to spit out exact numbers regarding the premium business but I can’t. I am not even sure how to define premium any more as the market is so diffused. Can anyone clearly state what a premium jean is? If Gap uses a Kurabo Japan fabric and does an amazing wash on their jean, is this a premium denim? If Uniqlo uses selvege or two way stretch fabrics from Kurabo is this premium?

I am not trying to avoid the question rather seeking to understand it.

Q.How many premium denim labels would be there in US ? Do you think there is still room for more growth?

Years ago Motorola and Nokia dominated the mobile phone industry. Suddenly Apple appeared and has snatched a massive market share.There is always room for innovation.

On the other hand there are a lot (not sure how many.. 50? 100? 200?) premium brands in the USA. The market is certainly mature. I am not sure we need any more “average” Premium brands.

Q.How do you think Denim business has changed over the last 10 years?

Two things have changed the industry. The first is that brands have found success using better fabrics and the second is that much more attention is being paid to wet processing.

Q.Last but not the least - How can one get an invite to your show ?

Actually the guest lists for all shows are vetted by Olah Inc. The goal of the invite list is to ensure that the only visitors to the show are buyers. We are not a show that wishes to attract networkers or anyone who is not a buyer or potential buyer from any of the exhibitors.

Unlike other shows, we treat as I have stated before, all guests as if they were invited to our home, subsequently we wish to have some kind of control on who comes and the criteria is strict with regards to entry.