The Ledge returns with new dates for 2013. This January 2013, London Olympia will once again play host to the UK’s only Action Sports and Lifestyle trade show – The Ledge.

Packing the gangways with an extensive portfolio of brands from the action sports, street and skate industry’s, The Ledge continues to provide an essential platform for these sectors to come together under one roof.

Not since the heady days of TBC has London been able to boast a tradeshow that serves as a legitimate and credible platform and has the potential to rival the big European shows. Others have come and gone but this past year has seen The Ledge at London’s Kensington Olympia stake a claim to being the show that just might step up to the plate and this January 2013 show will support this claim further.

As well as exhibiting a throng of the very best action sports and skate brands –DC Shoes, Osiris, Etnies, and Element to name a few, September 2012 saw the launch of the highly anticipated Streetwear Village. Created to enable streetwear brands to thrive within their own unique environment, those in the Village benefi t from a retail crossover with the more action sports brands and vice versa. With Streetwear one of the biggest growth sectors in menswear, for January 2013 the Village will again provide a swish upmarket feel, comfortable and stylish settings, soft hip hop vibes and plenty of order writing space.

Rob, UK Distributor for Makia, Sitka and SLVDR said: “The street-wear village has worked really well. There is a really nice vibe and all the good buyers are passing by. The event is very successful. The Street-wear area is nice as its separated from the skate-side but also works really well in conjunction with it because some of the buyers defi nitely cross over”.

With brands such as King Apparel, HUF, Rook, WESC, Dickies, Analog, Makia, DGK, Diamond and Gravis showcasing the more established international brands, the show also uniquely is the fi rst of its kind to provide an affordable yet effective platform for the gamut of emerging brands across Europe and the UK. Smaller streetwear ‘stalls’ are provided at a cost effective rate so that these brands can get out to the buyers and conversely it offers a one stop shop for those looking to tie up their normal seasonal business as well as check out the best of the more ‘unknown’ brands all under one roof.

The show continues to grow, develop and gain momentum season on season with over 250 action, streetwear, sport, skate and lifestyle brands exhibiting. Visitors, buyer and exhibitors can enjoy the plethora of entertainment available – from breakdancing and live graffi ti to the exhibitor’s mini ramp skate comp, sponsored by Osiris and Sidewalk which sees the shop teams go head to head on the mini ramp and over the gap to win a selection or prizes as well as £500 for the best trick.

Jim Breckenridge from TNTSkate. com says: “A Great show again, makes doing business a lot more enjoyable and my life a lot easier. Having most of the brands I used to run around Britain to visit all under one roof is rad. Add to that quality entertainment and a skate comp when you get bored of looking at insoles and you can’t go wrong. Book us in for the next one”.

With more new and exciting additions for 2013 soon to be announced, the hype surrounding The Ledge is once again enormous and the January show will not fail to deliver over and above all expectations.

Quotes from September 2012:

Iain Primrose, Scotts: “Really enjoyed the show, good to see small independent brands alongside the big boys…and bringing in new ideas”.

Rick, South Shore Surf n Skate: “I was very impressed with the lay out and the amount of traders -¡I got a lot of contacts. I took my son along & he loved the stands and the ramp section, great show brilliant day and I am looking forward to the next one”.

Jake Loughlin, FreestyleXtreme: “It’s a great show for the industry; we always fi nd something new when we’re here”.

Lorraine, Subvert Boardstore: “A very chilled out show with a nice vibe, great location, lots to see and do, loved the fashion show on the ground fl oor and the skate ramp on the top fl oor, a great mix of people, thoroughly enjoyable and would highly recommend”.

Nick Warman, Adio, Mighty Healthy, Macbeth, Neff, Ultrasport: “Ledge is a great venue to see not only my South Eastern retailers but also accounts from much further afi eld. The mix of action sports and street wear at the show brings a wide range of retailers which is hard to reproduce elsewhere. It’s a great show and I can only see it getting bigger and better”.

Midge, Bawbags: “The show was great for Bawbags, the venue was easy to set up and is obviously a great location. We dealt with plenty existing accounts but more importantly picked up 12 new ones, some we would probably never have contact with and are in negotiation with a few new distributors from all over the world”.

Nic Powley, Vans Skate Team Manager, Backroom Operations: “The Ledge is the perfect show for me to catch up with business as well as friends in a relaxed informal atmosphere. It’s what UK skateboarding has lacked for a long time”.

January 2527, The Ledge, The National Hall, Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London, W14 8UX Web: http://www.theledgeshow.com

Learn about some of the the stylish fashion brands that will be showing at the Streetwear Village this year.