The Kingpins Show

The Kingpins Show Denim, denim, denim, jeans, denim, indigo, denim. And, denim. News, events, information. www.kingpinsshow.com It worked out pretty well.

Kingpins started out in 2004 as a tiny denim supply chain show for folks tired of the mad scramble and soul-deadening crush of handshakes and "who are you's?" and badge-checking at the huge, impersonal sourcing shows that dominate the industry. The idea was: keep the exhibitor list tight, invite only the best brands, serve tasty food, treat everyone like family and create an atmosphere that's cond

ucive for networking and relationship-building. We are still small, but we've gone global. You can now find Kingpins shows in New York, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. But we haven't let that go to our heads. We're still invitation-only and our exhibitor list is still a highly-edited selection of vendors that include denim and sportswear fabric mills from the U.S., Japan, China, India, Morocco, Mexico and Europe, wash houses, full package manufacturers, trim providers and business solutions. Basically, if it's denim or can be worn with denim - we've got it. Our upcoming 2026 shows:
🇺🇸 NYC: July 22-23
🇳🇱 Amsterdam: October 14-15

king·pin
noun/ˈkiNGˌpin/

1. (motorized vehicles) The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place - a kingbolt.
2. (ten pin bowling) The pin at the center of the triangle of bowling pins (originally the tallest pin in kayles). Sometimes also the headpin at the apex.
3. The most important person in an undertaking or organization. Synonyms
Most important person: big cheese, big enchilada, big kahuna, bigwig, big wheel, grand poobah, head honcho, muckety muck, top banana, top dog, big noise

We weren't taking notes... but we definitely noticed a pattern.These were a few of the looks that kept showing up around...
08/13/2026

We weren't taking notes... but we definitely noticed a pattern.

These were a few of the looks that kept showing up around Kingpins NYC, from head-to-toe denim to stripes, camo and neck scarves.

08/13/2026

New York never disappoints!

Kingpins NYC packed Pier 36 with Denim Talks, hands-on activations, live styling, vintage archives, sustainable innovations, and a community that showed up and showed out.

Here’s everything that went down.

08/12/2026

She’s the one who makes it all happen.

Rubia Heyer is the woman behind the chaos, making sure exhibitors are happy, schedules are on track, and the show actually runs smoothly. Her biggest fear? Everything being gone the next day. Her goal? Not getting stressed out (easier said than done).

What happens when five emerging designers all begin with the same garment?At Kingpins NYC, the Future Denim Makers Lab, ...
08/05/2026

What happens when five emerging designers all begin with the same garment?

At Kingpins NYC, the Future Denim Makers Lab, presented by OAK & ACORN in collaboration with Kingpins Show and Artmill, invited designers to reinterpret the Signature Jumpsuit through their own perspectives. Their work drew on personal history, overlooked narratives, labour, craftsmanship and repair, showing just how many stories denim can carry.

Thank you to Jachuku Howard, Shamitris Kirby, Oli Pasquariello, Maya Bialas and Sidney Foster for sharing your work with the Kingpins community.

Massive thanks to all our NYC sponsors! Lotus Denim kitted out our staff in custom denim. SM Denim gave away custom tie-...
08/04/2026

Massive thanks to all our NYC sponsors!

Lotus Denim kitted out our staff in custom denim. SM Denim gave away custom tie-dyed totes. Haama Cotswold supplied denim notebooks. Komet Metal made our wristbands. Foison Textiles kept the drinks flowing at happy hour. And Cotton Incorporated brought the photobooth in a sea of denim.

Appreciate all of you!

07/31/2026

Some dye processes finish in hours. This one took six months.

For Botanical Alchemy: Still Blooming, Tonello and MN Dye Studio let garments continue reacting with natural dyes and plant-based waste long after Kingpins NYC in January had ended.

We caught up with Alice Tonello and Maegan Neubeck to talk about what happened next...

What does sustainability look like when the supply chain comes together?This year’s Most Sustainable Product initiative ...
07/30/2026

What does sustainability look like when the supply chain comes together?

This year’s Most Sustainable Product initiative answered that with Rebel Artist, a collection designed by Piero Turk and Serena Conti and produced by Asutex using fabrics and trims from exhibitors across the Kingpins community.

One project, dozens of collaborators, and a clear example of what’s possible when innovation is shared.

07/30/2026

A small corner of Kingpins NYC became a meeting point for New York’s independent fashion scene.

Curated by Lildenimjean, the LDJ Styling Session brought together four emerging brands to explore collaboration through a shared installation.

Part 2 features General Experiment and Greco.

New denim is everywhere. So why are we still drawn to the old stuff?At Kingpins NYC, The Vintage Showroom presented Beau...
07/29/2026

New denim is everywhere. So why are we still drawn to the old stuff?

At Kingpins NYC, The Vintage Showroom presented Beautiful Ruins and the Aesthetic of Damage, a collection of archive garments exploring the appeal of wear, fading and imperfection.

Some jeans show their history before you even know the story.

07/29/2026

New York’s independent fashion scene doesn’t exist in one place, but for a moment, it came together at Kingpins NYC.

The LDJ Styling Session by Lildenimjean brought four emerging designers into one shared space. We caught up with each of them to hear about their work and what they’re building.

Featuring Cleioner and Gekka.

Part 1 of 2.

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Los Angeles, CA

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