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Italian Exhibition Group Lands at Couture and Premier in Vegas

Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and Emerald Exposition LCC (EEX) have signed a partnership agreement for the coming 2019 shows in Las Vegas. Besides Couture, IEG will also be organizing Premier, the new exhibition concept, for all the Italian companies.


In 2019, VICENZAORO will be strengthening its position in Las Vegas by landing at The Couture Show and to partner Emerald Exposition LCC in the launching of the new Premier exhibition project, to be staged in Las Vegas from 31st May to 4th June 2019 at the Convention Center. An agreement that further fortifies Italian Exhibition Group's role as the director of Made in Italy manufacturing throughout the world. A strategic partnership for Italian exports as Marco Carniello, Director of Italian Exhibition Group's Jewelry & Fashion Division, and Gannon Brousseau, Senior Vice President Creative | Jewelry, The Couture Show, explain below.

  • Gannon Brousseau, Senior Vice President Creative | Jewelry, The Couture Show

    Gannon Brousseau, Senior Vice President Creative | Jewelry, The Couture Show

What is the main value of this partnership with IEG? Why did you choose IEG as a main partner for your future projects?
We have never partnered with another organization in this magnitude so the decision to do so was not taken lightly. We opted to partner with IEG because both Emerald Expositions and IEG share a similar value and belief system. Both of our groups have the same convictions regarding the fundamental realities of the industry, and we hold the same beliefs on how to address those realities; ultimately, we both want to provide the most value for our customers. IEG has a long-standing tradition of providing opportunities to a venerable group of Italian Made jewelry brands and manufacturers, and we are confident that partnering with them allows us to provide value and opportunities for Italian and other European companies in the US Market, as well as opportunities for American companies overseas. 

PREMIER and COUTURE, how will your partnership with IEG be structured for both shows?
IEG will work closely with all Italian companies to provide them with opportunities to succeed in one of the most important 'Made in Italy' markets.

Let’s talk in more detail about PREMIER. Which is your main goal of PREMIER and the target of the companies you refer to?
The main goal of PREMIER is to provide an alternative environment in which to exhibit during Las Vegas Market Week to both established brands, as well as up-and-coming designer talent. For years, we have been receiving requests to launch another show in Las Vegas however, we needed to ensure that we could provide our exhibitors with the consequential traffic necessary for their success. AGTA’s decision to partner with us on the production of AGTA GemFair™ Las Vegas, coupled with the calculable traffic of the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show, created a 'tipping point' in our decision to launch PREMIER.

In addition to providing a new home for mainstay brands, including those exhibiting within IEG’s Italian Pavilion, we will also create opportunities for emerging designer talent. Both the JA New York Shows and The COUTURE Show have a long-standing tradition for discovering and fostering the success of designers who have a specific point of view. Until now, opportunities to exhibit in Las Vegas have been limited for this type of designer. COUTURE is limited in the number of new brands we can accept each year, and there is no other show that can provide the type of nurturing, curated experience that these designers need in order to be successful. That is all changing with the launch of PREMIER.

Any idea about the number of companies involved? What is the strategy of PREMIER?
PREMIER is a new event so the number of companies involved continues to grow and evolve. With the three events—AGTA GemFair™ Las Vegas, The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show and PREMIER—there will be over 150,000 net square feet of curated exhibit space. The three co-located events at LVCC will provide retailers with a perfectly curated selection of product to satisfy all of their buying needs.

What do you expect from IEG and what kind of visibility will they have at PREMIER?
IEG has a deep understanding of the European and the Made in Italy market. We will be relying on their knowledge and expertise to collaboratively identify the appropriate exhibition opportunities during this new landscape we’re creating for Las Vegas Market Week. Their pavilion will be aesthetically distinctive, with stands that maintain the high standards of IEG companies’ brand identities.

On the other hand, considering your partnership with COUTURE, what is the role of IEG and the value of Made in Italy here?

Made in Italy has always been a crucial aspect of COUTURE. IEG will continue to foster the success of our current Made in Italy brands, while also developing relationships for new, mutually beneficial partnerships. 



  • Marco Carniello, Director of Italian Exhibition Group's Jewelry & Fashion Division

    Marco Carniello, Director of Italian Exhibition Group's Jewelry & Fashion Division

In May 2019, Italian Exhibition Group will be making its first landing at The Couture Show in Las Vegas, as well as being a partner of Emerald Exposition LCC for the new Premier exhibition format.  What are the main assets of this partnership?
The basis for the partnership sealed with Emerald Exposition LCC is Italian Exhibition Group's desire to provide all its exhibiting Italian companies with a development platform on the American market, the most important outlet for Italian exports. We want to be the great directors of Made in Italy manufacturing throughout the world and, from 2019, we will be operating with two different systems in Las Vegas. 

In what way? 
Couture (next edition from 30th May to 3rd June 2019, ed.) will still mainly be a 'cultural project', of high-end brand comunity. We will act as 'exclusive-agents' for the Italian brands and as 'talent-scout', thanks to our deep knowkedge of the Italian market, and Italian participation will come through us. The final selection and the last word will still be Couture's. We will provide the companies with all the necessary support so that Italian brand selection is the best possible. However, in regard to the new Premier exhibition project, we will be a partner in the organizational operations for the Italian pavilion. We will be the organizers and we expect considerable involvement on the part of Italian companies, also due to endorsement from sector associations. 

How will the Italian Exhibition Group offer at Premier and the logistics be organized?
First and foremost, Premier will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, a highly strategic location just a few minutes away from the Wynn and Venetian hotels. We will be occupying a front-line position and, thanks to our manufacturing, will be treated almost as the star of the Show. We will build the Show according to the needs of the industry, following the companies' feedback. A smart Show, without going over the top. It will not be a bazaar but rather a Show with well-defined profiles whose outfitters - we might add - will be Italian Exhibition Group's own. 

Have you set a target in terms of attendances?

We are being careful seeing as it is the first year. But, as I said earlier, the aim is to bring as many companies as possible because the USA market is the most important for Italian exports. In the way we are launching the project, we expect all the Italian companies to be either at Premier or at Couture. This is our ambition. in order to have also as many sinergies as possible, in the promotional investments of our Italian excellences.

Will you be taking brands that don't attend VICENZAORO?
Italian companies that are not at VICENZAORO can take part in Couture, for example. Our role is to help the Couture organizers select the best. This will be our first priority for getting Couture to expand. 

VICENZAORO at Couture and Premier. Could this strategic partnership be further developed overseas? 
We haven't yet defined anything, but it might be possible to do something together in Europe and in Asia. The sky's the limit.
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