THELABELLAB Exhibition by Label Networks at United Trade Show in Las Vegas August 27-29, ’07 marked the 3rd event for this unique networking platform, clearly redefining a much needed information resource, and live inspirational space to the traditional concept of fashion trade show lounges. The exhibition proved to be an interactive platform for all guests of United and fans of streetwear and culture to chill-out as they soaked-up inspiration from on-site installations and paintings from street artists including DJ Shiro, an artist-DJ-toymaker with roots in hip-hop, dub, and rock; Nataka known for her fashion designs and artwork; Sole Junkie, a renowned sneaker painter currently killing it on the sneaker paint battle scene; and ManOne, an original graffiti artist from Los Angeles and owner of Crewest Gallery, plus discover Label Networks’ leading-edge global streetwear photography and scientific trending information backed with data charts and graphs.
Artists Shiro and Nataka painted 3 live pedestal installations in vibrant colors using a mix of techniques and collage effects, covering a sewing machine, turntable, computer, and skateboard deck plus a large 8-by-4-foot wall. On the other side, Sole Junkie illustrated why he’s so popular as one of the top sneaker artists today with intricate personal face painting on sneakers, creating one-of-a-kind pieces of functional keepsake sneaker art which he provides for top celebs seeking originality, as well as passionate fans of global sneaker culture. His work also inspired others to check out Hook-up Paints—the originators of the kind of paint best used on sneakers. ManOne came in and created 4 paintings that represent what the OG’s of graffiti from the Wes Coast are all about.
Meanwhile, key brands from the show were interviewed live on set with LNTV, utilizing the Label Lab “Director’s Chair” and mannequin to stage their story and gain global media coverage through www.labelnetworks.com airing live on-site and post show.
THELABELLAB also marked the launch of The Label Lab—Online Directory and Network (www.thelabellab.com) and The Label Lab Streetwear Business Report. In response to the growing demand from small, independent brands and boutiques in streetwear and contemporary fashion needing access to information and networking capabilities to create and improve business strategies, Label Networks created THELABELLAB Online Directory and Network for select brands, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and industry players to quickly create, find, and connect with like-minded people in the independent streetwear and contemporary fashion industries in order to do business better. Demos and sign-ups took place onsite as brands and buyers joined in order to create profiles, post events, video clips, and images, as well as search for industry vendors ranging from sticker makers to booth designers, DJ’s to printers, retailers to silk-screeners, p.r. services, graphic designers, shipping vendors, and “sister” and “brother” brands and boutiques. Free to join, the network also includes access to exclusive Label Networks stories and analysis as a place for industry leaders and entrepreneurs to connect and do business “in-between” trade shows throughout the year.
Also on-site, viewers could get a sneak-peak at “The Label Lab—Streetwear Business Report” which provides fresh consumer insight and statistics, trending data for business plans and strategies, insider analysis about the new consumer marketplace and opportunities, plus trending forecasts, how-to guides to navigate the business of fashion, trade show information, and industry interviews from denim, T-shirt, sneaker, retailer, and fashion specialists. “The Label Lab—Streetwear Business Report” is derived from subsets of the most pertinent fashion information Label Networks provides subscriber clients such as Apple Computer, Adidas, and Motorola, but delivered and written in a focused and actionable format specifically for those needing the tools to turn their passion into a successful business, but can seldom afford what’s offered. As a way to give back and promote the level of ingenuity and inspiration for the creators of their own barcodes, the people behind Label Networks are offering “The Label Lab—Streetwear Fashion Business Report” for $250USD.
The 3-dimensional aspects of THELABELLAB overall created a unique artistic and lounge vibe, attracting curious onlookers, seekers of information, and networking opportunities among a wide range of people. In addition, it brought the attention of today’s top streetwear brands, artists, and even fashionistas who popped in from other shows the chance to share a piece of their own cultural history with the crew of Label Networks TV.
