The 38th World Fashion Convention is set to take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is jointly organised by the International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the Sewn Products Equipment and Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA), with support from the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA).

This marks the first time in 20 years that the IAF convention will be held in North America, and industry representatives are invited to attend from October 23-25, 2023. The theme of the convention is ‘Our Industry in Transition: Building Stronger, Smarter, and More Sustainable Supply Chains’, as stated in a joint press release by IAF and SPESA.

The aim of the convention is to bring together a diverse range of stakeholders from the global supply chain, including US, Canadian, and European brands; manufacturers from (Latin) America, Europe, Africa, and Asia; technology and solution providers; educators; and policy makers. The event is expected to host over 300 delegates from more than 20 countries.

The convention will be held at the Bellevue hotel in Philadelphia and features a 1.5-day conference, an off-site festive dinner, a business matchmaking activity, and the IAF Golf Tournament.

The overall goal of the convention is to address the industry's current challenges and opportunities, with a particular focus on strengthening supply chains to ensure they are smarter and more sustainable.