The Chicago Menswear Collective which  took place at the Chicago Merchandise Mart from 1-4 February 2025 was hailed as a success by the 45 British exhibitors, with some reporting record business from the show.

Following on from successful shows at Pitti Uomo in Florence and Paris Men’s Fashion week in January, the British contingent was excited to get back to Chicago where independent buyers (not usually department stores) appreciate high-quality British manufactured and designed menswear, footwear and accessories and usually write and confirm their orders at the show.

Chicago Collective remains the most important trade show for menswear and accessories in the US with independent buyers travelling from across the US and Canada. This season the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) worked with the UK Department of Business and Trade (DBT) and the British Consulate in Chicago to support and promote the group. His Majesty‘s Deputy Consul visited the show and was impressed with the quality and positive attitude of the UK brands and their steadfast commitment to the market and the mutually beneficial relationships which traditionally bind the US, Canada and the UK.

DISCOVER BRITISH BRANDS AT CHICAGO COLLECTIVE 2025: THE FULL EXHIBITOR LIST

Over the four days of the show, the UK exhibitors reported good visitor traffic and business. Saturday was a half-day preview due to open at 12 noon but buyers could be seen on agents’ stands as early as 9am, with some UK companies taking orders as early as 10am. Similarly, some UK stands were still writing after the show had closed.

British exhibitors with a US agent fared especially well at this appointment-based order-writing show. In the classic aisles (numbers 1000 to 6000), Birddog Group represented Alan Paine and Kuehnerts represented Corgi Knitwear, London Tradition, Harley of Scotland, Joshua Ellis and Scott and Charters. Both agencies were busy from the first hours and beyond the last minutes of the show.

Jim Seaman of Kuehnert Agency said: “We were non-stop busy the entire four days. That’s what happens when you represent the best UK brands! Having the principals on hand from the UK factories is also an enormous help to us and our buyers.”  

Susannah Murray of Harley of Scotland said: “Chicago Collective has such positive energy and buyer attendance. Despite the uncertainty around tariffs, the show was of high calibre and attracted serious and professional buyers who concentrate on quality, provenance and love our unique heritage.”

James Hinton of Alan Paine England said: “The feel of the Chicago Collective was very optimistic  and our clients were positive about our FW2025 collection. We had very good sell-through for FW2024 in particular for two of our main categories of knitwear and wovens, which is a fast-growing area of our business in North America.”

The mood was also extremely positive on the contemporary aisles (numbers 7000-10000) of floor 7, with John Smedley, Peregrine and Service Works represented by Black Watch Agency, who confirmed that both regular and new accounts had visited them at the show.

Nicole Lawson of John Smedley said “This was our most productive Chicago Collective to-date with existing, new and returning customers for AW25. US customers are very appreciative of our product, of the heritage and the quality.”

UK vendors Far Afield and Sanders on nearby Peregrine NYC‘s stand were equally upbeat. Simon Tennant of Sanders: “It was great to meet new and existing buyers from across North America at the Collective this season. The show is friendly and well organised. Our Sanders AW2025 collection was very well received, as was our extensive stock support service for immediate shipment.”

On level 4, largely based around US agents, the mood was similarly upbeat although very slightly quieter and more targeted. UK brands included Sunspel  with M5, Johnstons of Elgin and Harris Wharf with CD Network, and Lavenham showing on their own for the first time.

UK brands without agents on both floors also secured significant business with buyers looking for new products and styles. Barbour were ubiquitous at the show, sponsoring the reception, café and coat-check. Paul Smith were delighted with their larger stand which enabled them to show a full collection for the first time. The UK positivity was echoed by other UK brands in the area, including Orlebar Brown and Harry’s London. Wax London, showing for the first time, were packed from the opening of the show to the very end. Pantherella, Chrysalis, Seaward and Stearn and most of the others also reported very good business with existing and new accounts. Richard Utting of Loake said: “This was our second time presenting at Chicago on our own. Loake experienced strong interest in our products and history. We opened new accounts and had orders from existing customers. We will definitely be returning and hope to increase our footprint at the fair.”

Whilst there was much talk about potential duty hikes at the show, leading some to say that some of their buyers were being more cautious than in the past,  there was no evidence that US retailers were reluctant to place business with UK brands although some were delaying final order confirmations until they had clarity.

Biba Jansonius of Tateossian said: “Chicago Collective is our most important US show. There was a great turnout with most of our men’s customers at the show. Some of our customers were a little more cautious and price-sensitive than usual but we secured some new accounts at the show and we have a lot of new contacts to follow up,” while Huw Griffith-Jones of Fox Umbrellas added: “We have seen a large number of our regular customers and met some interesting new ones.”

The men’s tailoring fabrics part of the show was less unified this season as some of its exhibitors, including Scabal who were showing both their men’s tailored range and their textile bunches, took more space than in the past. Lindsay Taylor of Holland & Sherry, now showing on the central Front Aisle, said: “We have seen most of our regulars and some exciting new accounts. We are going to need to ask for a bigger stand next year to service our customers at the show. The US is a key market for Holland and Sherry and we see we still have lots of potential here.”

UKFT is pleased to have built a strong relationship with the show organisers, organising UK branding at floor level as well as in the official catalogue and organiser-delivered email blasts to over 2000 buyers and agents. UKFT also placed an advert in the printed edition of MR Magazine, the US’s premier menswear trade magazine which is read by the majority of US and Canadian menswear buyers, and the British group was featured at length in an article on the show in WWD, the US’s largest fashion trade journal ahead of the show. UKFT’s work to promote and support the UK companies at the Collective is supported by DBT.

A number of UK mainstream and casual menswear companies visited the show with UKFT’s assistance to see whether it would be right for them. All concluded that it was but UKFT cautions that the show has a long waiting list for space and the organisers can afford to be especially choosy on brands they will offer space to. In particular, the show is keen to prioritise smaller brands which do not have an extensive B2C footprint in the US as the show is geared to support independent retailers and agents.

Paul Alger MBE, representing the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT), said: “The US is our largest market after the EU. US buyers continue to welcome quality British fashion and textile brands with open arms as they offer something truly unique. As we do everything we can for a positive UK-US trading relationship over the next four years, it is more important than ever that UK companies and government commit to the show and the market to show US and Canadian buyers that the UK is a trusted and reliable business partner with some of the best and most exciting collections at the show.”