From Magic Kingdom to MAGIC Marketplace

Advanstar Communications has hired Chris DeMoulin as executive vice president of the company's Fashion Group and president of MAGIC Intl., the subsidiary that produces tradeshows for the apparel industry.

DeMoulin previously was executive vice president of marketing at Walden Media and senior vice president of retail alliances for Disney's Consumer Products Group. At Advanstar he replaced Laura McConnell, who resigned Sept. 14 after 10 years with the company. DeMoulin began his new job Jan. 10.

“Both exhibitors and retailers attend the MAGIC Marketplace to form valuable business relationships, and Chris's strong background in developing alliances with both fashion manufacturers and retailers make him the ideal candidate to lead this charge,” Advanstar CEO Joe Loggia said in a statement.

One of DeMoulin's responsibilities will be the semiannual MAGIC Marketplace, Nos. 5 and 7 on the 2007 Tradeshow Week 200. The next show is scheduled Feb. 12-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“I found it very, very similar to the situation I had when I got to Disney in 1993,” DeMoulin said, of what attracted him to MAGIC. He added that MAGIC, like Disney, is a “great brand in a great marketplace.”

“The opportunity for me ... is to work for this world-class organization that is better than anybody else,” DeMoulin said.

He'll focus on building relationships between exhibitors and retailers, he added, making sure the show is open to the needs of all its key stakeholders.

It's helpful to DeMoulin that he's been one of these stakeholders in the past. He attended almost every edition of the semiannual show during his eight years with Disney.

“I had a lot of familiarity of it,” he said. “I knew how great MAGIC could be from a customer standpoint.”

Although he's new to the helm of a large show, DeMoulin said he wasn't worried about the increased competition MAGIC has seen in Las Vegas, most recently from concurrent events such as Business Journals' AccessoriesTheShow – Las Vegas and Moda Las Vegas for accessories and women's wear at the Sands Expo & Convention Center; Specialty Trade Shows' WomensWear in Nevada at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino; and lingerie exhibition Curve NV, also at the Sands.

“I think competition is great,” he added. “If more people are coming to the space, that means it's a growing business.”

One way MAGIC has dealt with its competitors over the last few years is by buying them. Through subsidiary MAGIC Intl., Advanstar Communications bought Project Global Tradeshow and POOL, East and West Coast events for cutting-edge fashion designs, and brought the Intl. Swimwear/Activewear Market under its roof in 2005.

A new competitor has emerged for at least one round. Fashion Coterie, an ENK Intl. show, shifted its February dates to run in New York at the same time as MAGIC in Las Vegas. ENK Intl. also recently bought WSA Global Holdings, owner of The WSA Show – for the shoes and accessories business – securing its first large-scale show outside New York.

According to DeMoulin, all MAGIC has to do to keep ahead of competitors is understand the needs of its customers.

“That will be the engine of our growth,” he said.