Next Level Apparel Wins Gold at 2026 Hermes Creative Awards for Trade Show Exhibit Design

The honor recognizes the company's fully immersive, retail-inspired booth design, which puts product interaction at the center of the buyer journey. Created in partnership with DisplayIt, the open, barrier-free 40x40 island concept invites wholesale buyers, decorators, and industry professionals to engage directly with garments – comparing fabrics, exploring color stories, and moving through the space in a natural, intuitive way.

Grounded in sustainability and modular design, the booth incorporates reusable, interchangeable components that minimize waste while allowing flexibility across shows. A prominent sustainability display highlights third-party certifications and supply chain transparency. By organizing collections by fabric type and prioritizing tactile engagement, the space delivers a clear, customer-centric experience that underscores Next Level Apparel's commitment to premium quality, ethical manufacturing, and thoughtful, long-term design.

"Being recognized in the Hermes Creative Awards is an honor for our team and a reflection of the thinking behind this project," said Etienne Houseknecht, Head of Marketing, Next Level Apparel. "From the beginning, we set out to transform the traditional trade show experience by putting product first. We designed the booth to function like a retail environment – open, intuitive, and highly tactile – so buyers can engage directly with garments, compare fabrics side by side, and experience color, fit, and quality in a more natural way. Every decision, from the modular build to the sustainability-driven structure and transparent certification storytelling, was made to reflect a more thoughtful, product-driven approach to how apparel should be experienced."

The Hermes Creative Awards, administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), recognize outstanding creative work across marketing and communications disciplines, celebrating excellence in concept, writing, and design across traditional and emerging media. This year's competition attracted more than 6,000 entries across 29 countries.

AMCP is an international organization of thousands of professionals across marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, and media production. In addition to its awards programs, AMCP supports pro bono creative work for nonprofit and community organizations, having contributed more than $350,000 to such initiatives in recent years.

Entries are evaluated by industry professionals who identify work that exceeds standards of excellence and sets benchmarks for the field. Winners are selected across more than 200 categories spanning advertising, branding, integrated marketing, public relations, digital media, and pro bono work.

A full list of Platinum and Gold Winners is available on the Hermes Creative Awards website at www.hermesawards.com.

About Next Level Apparel:
Next Level Apparel, a family-founded pioneer in blank apparel for decades, is now the leading wholesale producer and seller of premium blanks. Its craftsmanship and rigorous ethical sourcing—verified through leading programs such as the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, Oritain, Fair Labor Association, Altana, and TrusTrace—are made for movement and designed for timeless style. The company never compromises on quality for price, nor sacrifices customer service for scale, delivering the best return on investment for customers' businesses and the best cost per wear for their end consumers. With multiple custom fabrics engineered for all printing and embellishing needs, Next Level Apparel delivers flawless fit, ultimate printability, and unmatched quality control, designing products to last, reducing waste, and ensuring customers' brands get worn with pride for many years.

Media Contact:
Bethany Willetts | [email protected]

SOURCE Next Level Apparel