IDEX 2014 CANCELED
The collectible doll and teddy bear
trade show IDEX Premiere has been canceled for 2014 and will discontinue
all show operations moving forward. While we have enjoyed working with
the doll and teddy bear industry over the last decade, we have made the
difficult decision to cancel the show and all of its related events and
workshops.
IDEX, a trade show dedicated to the
celebration of dolls, teddy bears, toys and collectible playthings, ran
without interruption for twenty-two years. Held in cities all over the
country, most recently in Orlando, Florida, IDEX was for many years the
premiere place to see what trends and developments were to come in the
industry, meet and mingle with fellow collectors, and learn crafting
skills at a myriad of workshops. While we are sad to see IDEX come to an
end, we have a wealth of great memories and personal friendships that
will stay with us for a lifetime.
In closing, we would like to thank all
of the artists, exhibitors, manufacturers, buyers and collectors who
made IDEX a vibrant and exciting environment for more than two decades.
We wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Susan Fitzgerald
Vice President, IDEX
What we saw last April, was a huge decrease in attendance of larger manufacturers such as Madame Alexander. I had not attended the prior two years but three years ago, the showroom floor was a bustling area with more than one could take in in a day. This time it was downright boring. Except for 4 or 5 booths, little was worth the time and/or effort to look at.
It is entirely possible that part of the demise of IDEX is due to the changed date from winter to spring. February is Toy Fair in New York. January has been the month to attend IDEX. And the hotel change was a mistake as well. I loved the Rosen Shingle Creek. In a blog post created on 9/26/10, I describe the hotel.
Soon all business will be conducted without talking to a real human in person. That's what's 'trending.'
Such a damn shame and heard the death knell ringing with the date change...IDEX was the premier event to attend, tying in so well with the NYC Toy Fair, especially for international visitors like myself.
ReplyDeleteI had every intention of attending last year coming all the way from Oz in wanting to attend both, having been a dream to do for years. Even with the change of date in only being able to afford one trip to the US, chose IDEX over the NYC Toy Fair for the connections made in attending US doll conventions years ago. Unfortunately, didn't make that either due to my father's terminal illness and his health condition at the time.
We all love our dolls but it's the relationships that sustain the hobby and while that can be done virtually with the wonder of the internet and doll forums, IDEX was a unique show that will be sadly missed...even by those of us who had not experienced in person, we enjoyed the fun at the fair with blogs like yours and others posting photos on forums.
Yes I find it very sad. Last year was my first time attending and I was so underwhelmed. I thought, if I had traveled many miles by flight, I would be extremely unhappy. So no its no surprise to me either.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest excitement was to see one international exihbitor and I was so dissapointed they had a handful of dolls to show (5). I dont know if it had to do with all the changes you speak of I hear it has been dwindling each year for years and I suppose its the trickle down effect as each year peoples budgets get tighter and tighter they are finding it harder to be collectors - at least that is true in my case. I have gone from buying at least 10-20 dolls a year to 2-3
I received an email about this (I have no idea why, I've never attended any doll convention) & I wondered if this was a big deal. Was this a big deal before it went downhill? It sounds like the last one wasn't good at all.
ReplyDeleteYes it was a big deal. Big enough for several overseas doll artists and manufacturers to show. Big enough for huge representation from US manufacturers. They held 4 days of workshops and classes and break out events. +++
DeleteI attended during the years it was held in Vegas in the Summer. The showroom floor was packed and the classes were as well. I believe that the popularity of Reborning and the addition of smaller doll shows in other areas have caused the decline in attendance to IDEX. It's a shame because it was a great way to network and not all collectors are Reborners. You will be missed IDEX...
ReplyDeleteThis is the first year I was considering going...bummer. I know things are changing. A lot of doll museums have closed in the last few years. I'm mostly into Horsman Vita dolls right now, and generally up to 16" articulated fashion and play dolls. Can anyone recommend a doll show that may be of interest? Anything on the US west coast would be especially nice...Thanks
ReplyDelete