The magnitude of Magic

This was my first trip to Magic, and I vowed to see it all.

I walked Project, Slate, Pool and Magic Menswear at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. I walked Platform, WWDMagic and Sourcing at Magic at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The sheer diversity of the companies exhibiting was stunning – from the flashy Jessica Simpson booth at WWDMagic to the tiny DIY jewelry and accessories vendors at Pool that were doing a cash and carry business.

I couldn’t help but think after seeing two convention centers worth of product – are there enough retailers to buy all this stuff?

After seeing all the shows and all the vendors, Hurley CEO Roger Wyett’s comment at our Executive Roundtable about how brands have to try to stand out amidst all the product being pushed into the world really resonated.

I was also struck by the entrepreneurship behind it all.

From the Korean community that dominates the fast fashion industry in Los Angeles which had a good presence at the show, to the artist hand making and trying to sell 10 T-shirts at Pool, to the Pakistani manufacturer trying to land new accounts to even the more established brands at Project – so many are chasing their dreams, and their visions.

I took photos on my travels through the aisles, and above are highlights of what I saw. I also took some photos of people I bumped into along the way.