Atlanta Market, Atlanta Apparel open summer 2026 buying season with strong momentum

Atlanta Market and Atlanta Apparel concluded their Summer 2026 edition at AmericasMart Atlanta, bringing together buyers, brands and industry professionals for six days of sourcing across gift, home, outdoor living, apparel, accessories and lifestyle categories. For the first time, due to compression from the FIFA World Cup, the two markets were held concurrently from June 9–14 and gave retailers access to complementary product categories across all three AmericasMart Atlanta buildings, creating a single buying destination for multiple merchandise sectors. Overall, total buying accounts were up 1.1% in a year marked with change to format, date, and category, showing a positive reaction to this year’s co-located Summer market experience. “The co-location of Atlanta Market and Atlanta Apparel delivered exactly what today’s retailers are looking for — greater efficiency, broader discovery, and opportunities to source across categories in one destination,” said Amory Wooden, chief revenue officer of ANDMORE. “From gift and home to apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products, buyers embraced the opportunity to connect with new brands, strengthen existing partnerships and build assortments that reflect the way consumers shop today.”

Buyers shop across categories

The combined marketplace brought together Atlanta Market’s gift, home, and furnishings resources alongside Atlanta Apparel’s contemporary fashion, accessories, footwear, children’s, and specialty categories. The co-located shows positively impacted the Apparel and Grocery/Convenience Store categories with buying accounts up 53% and 21% year-over-year respectively, indicating interest in category crossover. Early feedback from exhibitors and buyers suggests that attendees actively shopped both markets, using the expanded product mix to identify new vendor relationships and plan assortments for upcoming selling seasons. “We had a great show this week! We saw so many new accounts that we’ve never worked with before and exceeding our sales goal this week!”  said Hunter Freese, of Dolce Vita. For first-time participants, which were up 22.5% year-over-year, the co-located markets provided an opportunity to connect with buyers, neighboring brands, and industry peers while gaining exposure to new audiences across both gift and apparel categories.

Exhibitors recognized for merchandising excellence

Exhibitors across both markets were recognized for excellence in merchandising, branding, and visual presentation. Atlanta Market and Atlanta Apparel are excited to announce 11 temporary exhibitors as recipients of the Best Booth Awards, with Ameico earning the distinguished Best of Show honor for Atlanta Market and BudhaGirl earning the Best of Show honor for Atlanta Apparel. On the last day of the market, Madhouse Designs was awarded the People’s Choice Award through social media voting. Atlanta Market’s Summer 2026 Best Booth Award winners:

• Best In Show: Ameico (2-1-303)
• People’s Choice: Madhouse Designs (3-1-351)
• Best Storytelling: Match Book South (2-1-512)
• Best Branding Display: High Camp (2-3-402)
• Best Interactive Elements: Mini Mahler (3-5-2606)
• Best Product Merchandising: Prince of Scots (2-2-100J)
• Best Use of Color: Packed Party (3-5-2700)

Atlanta Apparel’s Summer 2026 Best Booth Award winners:

• Best In Show: BudhaGirl (3-2-1900)
• Best Product Merchandising: Vincent (3-2-1602)
• Best Gameday Trends: Cora’s Den (3-3-308)
• Buyers Choice: Glam (3-1-218)

Summer 2026 Market Snapshot also highlighted standout products across the gift and home categories. Winners included:

• Modern Deco: Lucas & McKearn – Marvel Vanity Light
• Quirky Animals: Seltzer Goods – Pink Elephant Cocktail Napkin Set
• Green With Envy: Ojo Candles – Peacock Elegance
• Soft Touch: L’Objet – L’Object x Jessica McCormack Collection
• Game Day: Sorority & Sisterhood – Acrylic Scalloped Tray and Scarflette

Beyond the show floor

In addition to sourcing opportunities, buyers participated in educational programming, networking events, and on-campus activations throughout the week. Highlights included Atlanta Market’s A-List Designer program featuring Corey Damen Jenkins and Sally Draughon, founder of Previews Interiors & Antiques. Events included Market Chat: Corey Damen Jenkins’s Design Journey, where the AD100 designer shared insights from his career, discussed the evolution of his design practice, and celebrated the launch of his new book, Design Reimagined, during a post-event book signing. Market attendees also followed on-site coverage from Summer 2026 Market Stars Angie Johnston, Angel Rice, Britney Patty, Dawn Heuer and Andrea Bibbs, who shared product discoveries, trend insights and exhibitor highlights throughout the week. Their coverage can be viewed on Instagram at  @AmericasMartATL and @ApparelMarkets. And participants partook in further engaging social content thanks to the inaugural Snap & Win activation that awarded the grand prize to Spence and Lane Boutique. Atlanta Summer Casual Market will be held July 21-23, Atlanta August Apparel from Aug. 3-6, and Atlanta Fall Formal Market Aug. 3-7, all at AmericasMart Atlanta. Atlanta Market and Atlanta Apparel return to their traditional winter schedule next year, with Atlanta Winter Market Jan. 12-17, 2027, and Atlanta Apparel Feb. 2-5, 2027, at AmericasMart Atlanta.