Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026
🎯 Selling to this event's audience? Get a free tailored buyer list
Tell us your work email and our AI instantly builds a buyer list matched to Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026 — the best‑fit companies to target, the exact decision‑maker job titles, and the industry filters that fit what you sell.
About this event
Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026
Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026 (listed on the event’s official site as part of the “Collective Shows” Summer West market) is a curated, intimate, upscale, business-to-business marketplace focused on active + swimwear and the broader sports & fitness apparel ecosystem. The show is designed for buyers and industry decision-makers who need direct product discovery, brand-level engagement, and category-specific connections under one roof.
Dates & Venue
- Dates: July 21 + 22, 2026
- Location: Paséa Hotel and Spa
- City: Huntington Beach
- State/Region: California
- Country: United States
What the show is (and how it works)
Collective Shows positions its markets as “curated, intimate, upscale, business to business trade shows” that bring together designers, manufacturers, and retailers in the swimwear, resort wear, activewear, athleisure, and accessories categories. Rather than relying only on standard booth-based trade show formats, the event emphasizes retailer/buyer experience through activations, displays, and structured networking moments that support deeper product understanding.
For Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026, that means buyers can expect a focused environment where they can evaluate upcoming collections, compare product lines across multiple established brands, and engage in relationship-driven conversations with the people responsible for buying, brand representation, and distribution.
1) Who attends (buyers / attendees)
The event is explicitly designed as a business-to-business marketplace. On the official site, the core attendee group is described through its audience purpose: it serves as a marketplace for retailers and brands working across swimwear, resort wear, activewear, athleisure, and accessories. In practical terms, this typically includes buyers and merchandising decision-makers who evaluate new seasonal collections and source product to stock or carry.
Because the event is “curated” and “intimate,” the attendee set is likely more quality-focused than high-volume consumer fairs. Buyers attend to review collections, learn about product differentiators (design, fabric, functionality, sustainability initiatives), and build buying relationships with brand teams and supporting industry partners.
2) Where the show is happening + attendee geographic origin
The market takes place at Paséa Hotel and Spa in Huntington Beach, California, United States. Given the positioning of the Collective Shows as upscale B2B markets and the brand mix associated with active + swim categories, the audience is expected to include both:
- Local/regional attendees: Retail buyers and brand representatives based in California and neighboring western states.
- National attendees: Retailers and category buyers traveling from across the United States to evaluate summer and resort/active assortments.
- International presence (select): Because the show is connected to global brand ecosystems in active/swim, it can attract visiting brand teams and industry stakeholders whose operations extend beyond the U.S.
Note: the official site content provided does not list a specific breakdown of attendee countries or cities. We therefore treat geographic origin as expected based on the event format (curated B2B marketplace in a major U.S. coastal retail hub), rather than claiming a measured demographic distribution.
3) Audience reach (Local / National / Global)
Based on the event’s description—an upscale, curated B2B market serving retailers and brands in the active + swimwear ecosystem—its reach is best characterized as: National with select international brand/stakeholder participation.
The show is hosted in a destination resort venue (Paséa Hotel and Spa) and positioned as a business marketplace “under one roof,” which typically supports regional and national retailer travel patterns, while still being attractive to brand teams with broader market footprints. The official site does not publish audience geography figures, so we keep this as a directional assessment from the event model and category scope.
4) Sample buyer company names (BUYERS ONLY) + websites
The official page content provided includes a long “Brands We Love” list (brand names), but it does not provide a buyer-only exhibitor/retailer list. To avoid mixing brand exhibitors with buyer companies, we can only be certain about buyers once the event’s exhibitor or retail attendee directory is supplied.
If we are provided your ideal buyer definition (for example: specialty swim retailers, resortwear chains, athletic apparel boutiques, department store active departments, eCommerce retailers, or wholesale distributors) and a target geography (US only vs. global), we can produce a buyer-only sample list that aligns with your sourcing needs.
Client requirement check (needed): Please share the client website so we can review what they sell and recommend the best buyer types accordingly, using the event category fit (sports & fitness wear / activewear / athleisure / swim-adjacent) as the selection logic.
5) Job profiles, industries & event type
Event type: Curated business-to-business trade show / market focused on active + swimwear, resort wear, athleisure, and related accessories. The event’s format includes brand activations and structured interactions that enable retailers to evaluate products more deeply than a conventional trade show.
Industries involved: The official description references swimwear, resort wear, activewear, athleisure, and accessory industries. This intersects with fashion/apparel categories and specialty retail buying.
Best job profiles to target: Since the event is retailer-and-brand centered, the strongest buyer roles are typically those responsible for assortment planning, product selection, purchasing, and wholesale partnership decisions.
- Buyer / Merchandise Planner / Category Manager (Activewear, Swim, Resort, Athleisure)
- Head of Merchandising or VP Merchandising
- Retail Buying Manager / Senior Buyer
- Wholesale / Sales Partnerships Manager (from retailer or distributor sides)
- Product Development / Brand Licensing (Retail-side) (when retailers develop private label or curated assortments)
- Ecommerce Merchandising Lead (if retail buyers also manage online assortment)
6) Estimated attendance (expected total footfall)
The official website content provided does not include a stated attendance number or footfall estimate for Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026. Because we cannot verify an exact or even a bounded attendance figure from the supplied primary source, we must leave this as unconfirmed.
If the client needs an attendance estimate for pipeline sizing, we recommend pulling it from one of the following (if available): exhibitor count, floorplan density, or any official press kit data not included in the supplied page text.
7) Key focus areas & buyer engagement
The show’s key focus is the active + swimwear product ecosystem, bringing together designers/manufacturers/retailers with the goal of supporting buying decisions. Engagement is enhanced through activations and curated experiences.
From the provided schedule snippets on the official page, the show programming includes:
- Yoga and wellness activations hosted by participating brands (examples include prAna and TKEES-themed mobility/yoga flows)
- Morning sessions (yoga flows, light refreshments, collection previews)
- Networking and social moments such as a sunset reception and event gatherings
- Brand presentations including runway-style programming
- Product-focused areas (customized beach bag stations and brand experience windows indicated on the schedule)
This matters for buyer engagement: buyers do not just “browse”—they participate in experiences tied to brand identity, product styling, and lifestyle positioning, which helps improve evaluation speed and strengthens the brand-buyer relationship.
8) Client-product fit note + best buyer direction (requires your client website)
We can refine “best buyers” only after we review your client’s offering and target market. The official page provides brand category context, but the ideal buyer targets depend on what your client actually sells (for example: swimwear manufacturer vs. activewear fabric technology vs. accessories vs. sustainable apparel).
Please share the client website URL. Once received, we will:
- Review product category, price positioning, and target customer segment (boutique vs. mid-market vs. mass)
- Identify which retailer buyer profiles fit best for Active Collective (sports & fitness wear / activewear / athleisure / swim-adjacent)
- Recommend a buyer shortlist and buyer job titles aligned to the event’s B2B model
- Suggest the best event-relevant buyer industry mapping using your approved industry taxonomy
9) Industry suggestions (from your provided industry taxonomy)
For Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026, the most relevant industry filters from your Apollo-style taxonomy typically include:
- Apparel & Fashion
- Sporting Goods (when the buyer category includes performance apparel or sports-focused assortment)
- Retail (most buyer roles)
- Consumer Goods (if buyers focus on product brands sold through general retail channels)
- Leisure, Travel & Tourism (when buyers focus on resort-driven seasonal assortments)
- Marketing & Advertising (only for specific brand teams; less ideal for buyer-only targeting)
- Textiles (if your client is fabric/material focused or performance textile oriented)
Once we review the client website, we will narrow these to the tightest 3–5 filters and propose the highest-quality buyer roles.
Important note about buyer vs. brand lists
The official page content provided includes a “Brands We Love” section with many swimwear/active apparel brands. That list represents brands (not buyer-only companies). Since your request requires buyers only, we will need the event exhibitor/attendee buyer list or your client website to produce accurate buyer company samples without mixing categories.
Next step
Please send the client website so we can: (1) determine the best buyer personas from the sports/fitness/activewear retail ecosystem, (2) build buyer-only company samples (15–20) with websites, and (3) map those buyers to the job titles and industry filters that best match your sourcing requirements.
Data sheet
| Event Name | Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026 |
| Event Date | July 21–22, 2026 |
| Event Status | Upcoming |
| Venue | Paséa Hotel and Spa |
| City | Huntington Beach |
| State / Region | California |
| Country | United States |
| Organizer | Collective Shows / Emerald X, LLC |
| Official Event Website | collectiveshows.com |
| Event Type | Curated B2B trade show / wholesale marketplace |
| Primary Category | Apparel & Clothing |
| Secondary Applicable Categories | Sports & fitness apparel, swimwear, resort wear, accessories, retail sourcing |
| Audience Reach | National with selective international brand participation |
| Estimated Attendance / Expected Footfall | Attendance figure not publicly confirmed by the organizer. |
| Attendance Data Reliability | Low for numerical attendance; high for event positioning and audience type based on official site content |
| Main Purpose of Event | Wholesale discovery, buyer-brand meetings, seasonal line review, retail sourcing, and networking within activewear and swimwear |
Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026 is a curated B2B marketplace focused on activewear, swimwear, resort wear, athleisure, and related accessories. The official event description positions the show as an intimate, upscale trade environment designed to connect top designers, manufacturers, and retailers through product discovery, display experiences, and networking.
This event matters because it sits at the intersection of fashion wholesale and performance-oriented consumer apparel. For brands and suppliers, the show offers a targeted setting for retail buying conversations, line adoption, collection comparison, and partnership development with decision-makers in merchandising, sourcing, and category management.
| Buyer / Attendee Segment | Typical Organizations | Buying Role or Influence | Relevance to Exhibitors / Suppliers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail buyers | Specialty retail, boutiques, e-commerce retail brands, chain stores | Assortment selection, seasonal buying, line placement | Primary decision-maker group for wholesale orders |
| Merchandising teams | Fashion retailers, sporting goods chains, specialty apparel brands | Category planning, trend validation, SKU mix decisions | Influence on brand placement and replenishment strategy |
| Wholesale / sales buyers | Buying offices, showroom buyers, wholesale accounts | Placement, reorder, and account development decisions | High relevance for brand expansion and account acquisition |
| Product / brand managers | Consumer apparel brands, activewear labels, swimwear companies | Collection strategy, channel expansion, co-branding approvals | Useful for sourcing, packaging, and product development partnerships |
| Owners / founders | Independent brands, DTC labels, emerging apparel businesses | Final approval on vendor selection, brand direction, purchasing | Important for smaller brands and new supplier introductions |
| Sourcing / procurement teams | Apparel companies, retailers, private-label programs | Vendor qualification, pricing, margin, supply continuity | Strong fit for material, manufacturing, and logistics suppliers |
| Distributors / wholesalers | Regional apparel distributors, multi-brand wholesale groups | Line card expansion, channel access, stocking decisions | Useful for rapid market reach and rep network growth |
| Industry consultants / showrooms | Apparel consultants, sales agencies, showroom reps | Influence introductions, placement, and go-to-market strategy | Supports relationship-led selling and account mapping |
| Geographic Area | Likely Attendee Origin | Buyer Concentration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host city: Huntington Beach | Local retailers, regional brand teams, West Coast market contacts | Medium | Convenient Southern California access for apparel buyers |
| Host region: California | Statewide retail and brand decision-makers | High | California is a major apparel, retail, and DTC headquarters market |
| Nearby business hubs | Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Inland Empire | High | Strong concentration of fashion, activewear, and retail sourcing teams |
| National reach | U.S. retailers, brand owners, distributors, e-commerce operators | High | Official positioning indicates a business-to-business marketplace with broad U.S. appeal |
| International reach | Select global brands, importers, and overseas manufacturers | Low to Medium | Likely present through brand partnerships and sourcing relationships |
| Reach Level | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| National | Primary classification | Official materials present the event as a U.S. business-to-business marketplace for retail buyers and brands. |
| Buyer Company / Organization | Buyer Type | Why It Is Relevant | Website | Best Job Titles to Target | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandier | Retail / activewear merchant | Relevant to premium activewear buying and category expansion | bandier.com | Buying Director, Merchandise Manager, Chief Merchant | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| REI | Retail buyer | Outdoor and performance apparel assortment decisions | rei.com | Category Manager, Buyer, Merchandising Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Alo Yoga | Brand / retail operator | Activewear, athleisure, and premium consumer demand fit | aloyoga.com | Merchandising Director, Sourcing Lead, Product Director | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| lululemon | Apparel brand / buyer organization | A top activewear brand with strong category relevance | lululemon.com | Category Manager, Sourcing Director, Merchandise Planner | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Fabletics | DTC apparel brand | Performance and athleisure assortment relevance | fabletics.com | VP Merchandising, Sourcing Manager, Product Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Athleta | Retail brand | Strong buyer fit for women’s activewear and athleisure suppliers | athleta.gap.com | Buyer, Merchandise Manager, Sourcing Director | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | Sporting goods retailer | Activewear, training, and performance apparel sourcing | dickssportinggoods.com | Category Manager, Buyer, Merchant | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| PacSun | Fashion retailer | Youth lifestyle, swim, and activewear relevance | pacsun.com | Buyer, Merchandiser, Product Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Nordstrom | Department store retailer | Private-label and premium activewear buying relevance | nordstrom.com | Buyer, Category Manager, Merchandise Director | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Macy’s | Department store retailer | Broad apparel and swimwear buying opportunities | macys.com | Buyer, Category Director, Merchandise Planner | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Priority | Job Title / Function | Department | Seniority Level | Why This Role Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buyer / Senior Buyer | Merchandising / Purchasing | Mid to Senior | Core buying decision-maker for seasonal assortment placement |
| 2 | Category Manager | Merchandising | Mid to Senior | Owns product category performance and vendor mix |
| 3 | Merchandising Director / VP Merchandising | Merchandising | Director / VP | Influences line architecture, margins, and placement |
| 4 | Director of Sourcing / Sourcing Manager | Sourcing / Procurement | Manager to Director | Evaluates vendors, price points, and supply capability |
| 5 | Product Director / Product Manager | Product / Development | Manager to Director | Tracks collection fit, fabric innovation, and consumer appeal |
| 6 | Chief Merchant / VP Buying | Executive Merchandising | VP / C-level | Sets strategic buying direction and vendor priorities |
| 7 | Founder / Owner / President | Executive | Owner / C-level | Common in independent brands and smaller retail businesses |
| 8 | Retail Operations Director | Operations | Director | Supports execution, store readiness, and inventory flow |
| Priority | Apollo Industry | Why It Fits the Event | Best Buyer Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apparel & Fashion | Direct category match for activewear, swimwear, and athleisure | Retail buyers, merchandisers, brand operators |
| 2 | Retail | Major buyer segment for wholesale fashion and performance apparel | Category buyers, merchandising leaders |
| 3 | Consumer Goods | Broad fit for branded consumer products and accessories | Product teams, brand managers |
| 4 | Wholesale | Core channel for the event’s B2B trade model | Wholesale buyers, line-sheet users, rep agencies |
| 5 | Import & Export | Relevant to sourcing, cross-border manufacturing, and distribution | Sourcing leads, import managers |
| 6 | Textiles | Fabric innovation and material sourcing matter to activewear brands | Product development, sourcing |
| 7 | Consumer Services | Useful for DTC and experience-driven retail operators | E-commerce and customer experience leaders |
| 8 | Marketing & Advertising | Relevant for brand partnerships, activations, and product launch visibility | Partnerships, brand marketing |
| 9 | Sporting Goods | Direct relevance for performance apparel and accessory buyers | Category managers, merchant teams |
| 10 | Design | Product aesthetics, trend direction, and brand differentiation are central | Design directors, product developers |
| Metric | Figure | Status | Source / Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated total footfall | Not publicly confirmed | Estimated / unavailable | Organizer website does not publish a count in the supplied content | Use qualitative targeting rather than attendance-based assumptions |
| Exhibitor count | Not publicly confirmed | Unavailable | Official site content provided does not include a number | Exhibitor list is present on the site, but no count was supplied |
| Buyer count | Not publicly confirmed | Unavailable | No official count provided | Likely buyer-heavy format based on official positioning |
| Speaker count | Not publicly confirmed | Unavailable | Schedule mentions events and activations, not a public speaker roster in the supplied content | Event is more market-facing than conference-led |
| Historical attendance | Not publicly confirmed | Unavailable | No official historical number supplied | Prior-year evidence exists for brand participation, not attendance totals |
| Focus Area | Typical Buyer Need | Buyer Engagement Opportunity | Relevant Supplier Offering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale sourcing | New assortments, margin-friendly lines, reorder confidence | Line review, lookbooks, showroom meetings | Apparel manufacturing, private label, product development |
| Activewear innovation | Performance fabrics, comfort, fit, and durability | Product demos, material samples, fit sessions | Textiles, technical fabrics, garment tech |
| Swimwear / resort wear | Seasonal styling, trend-led designs, faster buy decisions | Curated merchandising and visual displays | Swimwear brands, accessories, specialty labels |
| Retail partnerships | New vendor relationships and market access | One-to-one meetings with buyers and showrooms | Brand representation, wholesale services |
| Accessories and add-ons | Cross-sell items that improve basket value | Bundle sales and complementary placements | Eyewear, bags, footwear, jewelry, care products |
| Sustainability | Responsible materials, recyclable packaging, ethical sourcing | ESG messaging, certifications, supply chain transparency | Sustainable textiles, eco packaging, compliance services |
| Factor | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer relevance | Very High | The event is explicitly positioned for retailers and brands in activewear and swimwear. |
| Decision-maker availability | High | Likely strong mix of buyers, merchandising leaders, and brand owners. |
| Data collection potential | Medium | Official site content confirms positioning, but public attendee metrics are limited. |
| Apollo targeting potential | Very High | Strong fit for apparel, retail, wholesale, and sourcing-based targeting. |
| Geographic targeting potential | High | Useful for West Coast and national retail/apparel accounts. |
| Best outreach approach | High-touch account outreach | Target buyers, merchants, and sourcing leaders with category-specific value propositions. |
| Overall lead quality | High | Strong B2B fit for attendee list building and targeted prospecting. |
| Best use case | Buyer discovery and account targeting | Ideal for sourcing apparel buyers, wholesale leads, and brand partnership outreach. |
| Limitations / risks | No public attendance list or confirmed attendance count | Lead lists should distinguish between confirmed participants and prospecting targets. |
| Filter Type | Recommended Filters | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo industries | Apparel & Fashion; Retail; Wholesale; Consumer Goods; Sporting Goods; Textiles; Import & Export | Capture the highest-probability buyer universe for activewear and swimwear |
| Departments | Merchandising; Purchasing; Sourcing; Product; Operations; Business Development | Reach people with commercial buying influence |
| Seniority | Manager; Director; VP; CXO; Owner | Prioritize decision-makers and budget holders |
| Job titles | Buyer, Senior Buyer, Category Manager, Merchandise Manager, Merchandising Director, Sourcing Manager, Product Manager, VP Merchandising, Chief Merchant | Target roles most likely to attend or influence attendance |
| Geography | United States; California; West Coast metro areas; New York; Florida; Texas | Focus on apparel and retail hubs with strong buying activity |
| Employee size | 11–50; 51–200; 201–500; 501–1000; 1001–5000 | Useful for both emerging brands and established retail chains |
| Keywords | activewear, swimwear, athleisure, wholesale, merchandising, sourcing, retail buying, apparel, category management | Refine by event-relevant commercial language |
| Company type | Private companies; public retailers; DTC brands; importers; wholesalers; distributors | Match the B2B wholesale audience profile |
Suggested Apollo Search Logic: (Apparel & Fashion OR Retail OR Wholesale OR Sporting Goods) AND (Buyer OR Category Manager OR Merchandising Director OR Sourcing Manager OR Product Manager OR VP Merchandising) AND (activewear OR swimwear OR athleisure OR wholesale OR merchandising OR sourcing) AND (United States OR California OR West Coast).
| Source | Type | What It Verified | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collective Shows – Show Details | Official organizer website | Dates, venue, city, schedule, event positioning, and brand/category context | Very High |
| Collective Shows – Home | Official organizer website | B2B marketplace positioning, audience type, and event format | Very High |
| Emerald X, LLC | Organizer corporate website | Organizer identity and ownership context | High |
| Paséa Hotel & Spa | Venue website | Venue naming confirmation and location context | High |
🎯 Selling to this event's audience? Get a free tailored buyer list
Tell us your work email and our AI instantly builds a buyer list matched to Active Collective – Sports & Fitness Wear Trade Show 2026 — the best‑fit companies to target, the exact decision‑maker job titles, and the industry filters that fit what you sell.