Launched last year in New York City, iBE is the leading promotional event for independent beauty, lifestyle, and wellness brands.
“We want to nurture the success of the indie community by building a powerful and internationally relevant platform from which indie entrepreneurs can showcase their brands,” says Nader Naeymi-Rad, co-founder of iBE, in a statement to the press.
“To do so, we will continue to invest heavily in iBE to make it the most compelling destination for buyers, press and consumers to discover, learn and experience indie brands,” he adds.
Bigger, better, bicoastal
iBE will take place first on May 4th and 5th in Los Angeles, California, at the Shrine expo hall (a venue that’s been home to such celebrated events as the Academy Awards and the Grammys).
A second iBE show will be held at The Waterfront in New York City on August 24th and 25th. “Each iBE venue is recognized as an architectural monument that is rich in history and natural beauty,” notes Jillian Wright, co-founder of iBE.
“The indie movement is rooted in independence, authenticity and the entrepreneurial journey. We chose venues that both honor this spirit and will provide indie brands with a suitable environment to showcase their amazing products,” Wright tells the press.
iBE is not only growing from a one-day event in one city to a two-day event in two cities, it is also going to showcase more brands and more categories.
“We have tripled the total event space to better facilitate attendee traffic and accommodate more areas for networking, educational events and entertainment, and doubled the number of brands who are participating,” explains the group in a press release announcing the 2016 shows.
“iBE will also be curating brands in categories directly adjacent to Beauty, such as Wellness and Lifestyle.”
An industry within an industry
Indie beauty has made a name for itself and seen a cross-category market share gain over the past few years. “The indie movement is large, highly relevant and growing,” affirms Wright.
And until the first iBE event last year in New York City, “there [was] an unmet need in the market,…not addressed by the traditional trade or consumer beauty shows,” she adds.
Numerous groups and companies are stepping up to claim a piece of the business, helping indie brands succeed on a small scale and supporting those striving to be acquired by big beauty too.
Agencies exclusive to indie beauty offer branding and retailing services. Financial groups like Financo and Wells Fargo have investment professionals dedicated to serving indie beauty brands and interested investors. And more and more often, ingredient and packaging suppliers are catering to small-batch brands.
Visit indiebeautyexpo.com to learn more.