Looking ahead to 2026: Key events in the childrenswear, nursery and maternity sector

Every December, as brands finalise their business plans and adjust forecasts for the coming year, FashionUnited reviews the past year and considers the developments that will shape the next.

In this first installment, we focus on the children’s segment — fashion, nursery and maternity — a sector entering 2025/2026 with an especially dynamic and highly international trade fair calendar.

From Istanbul to Shanghai, including Los Angeles, Valencia, Florence, Copenhagen, and New York, major professional events continue to consolidate their role as strategic platforms for sourcing, trend spotting, and commercial development. Despite regional differences, the global ecosystem is moving towards hybrid models, more curated offerings, and experiences designed to optimise business in an increasingly professionalised sector.

Here is the confirmed calendar of events for 2026:

CBME Türkiye (Istanbul, Turkey) – 3–6 December 2025

Established as one of the most influential platforms connecting Europe with the Middle East and Central Asia, CBME Türkiye will hold its next edition at the Istanbul Expo Center. The show brings together a full range of nursery products, children’s fashion, and accessories, serving as a strategic gateway for manufacturers and distributors looking to expand in emerging markets.

LA Kids Market (Los Angeles, USA) – January, March and June 2026

Held quarterly and deeply embedded in the West Coast trade ecosystem, LA Kids Market transforms the California Market Center into a showcase for American brands and emerging projects. While primarily regional in focus, the January, March, and June 2026 editions provide an attractive opportunity for international buyers to discover new brands and anticipate trends shaping the US market.

Babykid Spain + FIMI (Valencia) – 21–23 January 2026

The winter edition of Babykid Spain + FIMI, organised by ASEPRI and Feria Valencia, will coincide with the 100th anniversary of FIMI, the International Children’s Fashion Fair. The professional event will host nearly 400 brands across children’s fashion, footwear, and nursery sectors.

In 2025, the event saw a 52 percent increase in international visitors compared to 2024, alongside growth in exhibition space and participating brands.

The organisers aim to consolidate this positive trend with a business-oriented format, focused on facilitating trade and trend identification among retailers, buyers, department stores, chains, agents, and distributors. The fair will be organised into themed areas designed to optimise the professional visitor experience.

Pitti Immagine Bimbo (Florence, Italy) – 21–22 January & 24–25 June 2026

From Florence’s Fortezza da Basso, Pitti Bimbo maintains its status as one of the sector’s most prestigious events, with two editions — January and June — that anchor the international calendar. In addition to its traditional line-up of leading brands, the digital platform Pitti Connect extends exhibitor visibility and facilitates ongoing business beyond the physical fair.

Playtime Paris (Paris, France) – 24–26 January 2026

Known for its creative identity and sustainability focus, Playtime Paris transforms the Parc Floral into a space merging independent design, maternity, and children’s fashion. The upcoming edition will highlight Autumn/Winter 2026/27 collections, complemented by Playtime Online, a permanent digital showroom.

CIFF Kids (Copenhagen, Denmark) – 27–29 January 2026

Part of the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, CIFF Kids serves as a hub for Scandinavian children’s fashion design. Its next edition at Copenhagen’s Bella Center will bring together Nordic and European brands specialising in sustainability, functionality, and contemporary children’s design. Targeted at international buyers and agents, the event combines physical exhibits with professional content focused on innovation and social responsibility in the children’s sector.

Children’s Show & Playtime / Kid’s Hub New York (New York, USA) – 8–10 February 2026

In February, New York will become a hub for children’s fashion with two complementary events. Children’s Show, organised by Italian Exhibition Group, will debut at the Chelsea Industrial venue as a professional fair for luxury and contemporary children’s brands, supported by international partners such as Spain’s ASEPRI, with plans for a summer edition in 2026.

Nearby, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York will bring together brands from the Americas, Europe, and Asia in a format combining exhibition, workshops, and networking sessions. Both events strengthen the US children’s fashion calendar, offering professionals strategic opportunities to connect with buyers and explore trends in a cutting-edge B2B environment.

MAGIC Fashion Marketplace – Kids (Las Vegas, USA) – 17–19 February 2026

The children’s segment of MAGIC Las Vegas forms part of North America’s largest fashion marketplace. The 2026 winter edition will feature a dedicated children’s fashion section within the broader event covering men’s, women’s, and accessories. MAGIC combines a physical exhibition with a powerful digital platform, enabling exhibitors to maintain contacts and orders beyond the fair.

Pueri Expo (São Paulo, Brazil) – 26–28 April 2026

Latin America’s leading nursery and baby fashion fair will take place at São Paulo’s Expo Center Norte. Pueri Expo is a B2B event connecting manufacturers and distributors from Brazil and South America, with strong participation from local and regional brands. European and Spanish companies consider it a gateway to a large but regulated market, where local partnerships are crucial. The event also includes conferences and workshops for retailers.

ABC Kids Expo (Las Vegas, USA) – 13–15 May 2026

Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, ABC Kids Expo is one of the continent’s most important nursery fairs, covering furniture, toys, baby products, and children’s fashion. For Spanish companies, it offers a key entry point into the US market, particularly in gift sets and early childhood segments.

Día Mágico by FIMI (Valencia) – 15–16 May 2026

Celebrating its 13th edition at Feria Valencia, Día Mágico by FIMI is a professional fair specialising in communion and children’s ceremonial fashion. The event brings together leading brands presenting collections of communion outfits, suits, and special occasion wear, combining commercial exhibitions, fashion shows, and meetings between designers, manufacturers, and distributors.

The last edition exceeded expectations, with participating brands highlighting the quality of business contacts. The commercial mission organised by IVACE, along with Cámara Valencia and ASEPRI, attracted 25 importing companies from countries including Italy, France, Mexico, and the USA, strengthening the sector’s international reach.

CBME China (Shanghai, China) – 15–17 July 2026

The world’s largest children’s fair will return to Shanghai with over 4,000 brands and more than 100,000 professional visitors. Its digital matchmaking platform facilitates distribution agreements and accelerates market access in Asia for European companies.

Indonesia Maternity, Baby & Kids Expo (Jakarta, Indonesia) – dates TBC

As a key event in Southeast Asia, IMBKE brought together professional and general audiences from 28–30 November 2025, incorporating hybrid formats for international exhibitors. While focused on nursery products, the presence of local children’s fashion brands makes it a useful window for spotting trends in emerging markets.