Kingpins started out in 2004 as a tiny denim supply chain show for folks tired of the mad scramble and soul-deadening crush of handshakes and "who are you's?" and badge-checking at the huge, impersonal sourcing shows that dominate the industry. The idea was: keep the exhibitor list tight, invite only the best brands, serve tasty food, treat everyone like family and create an atmosphere that's conducive for networking and relationship-building. It worked out pretty well. We are still small, but we've gone global. You can now find Kingpins shows in New York, Hong Kong, Amsterdam and China. But we haven't let that go to our heads. We're still invitation-only and our exhibitor list is still a highly-edited selection of vendors that include denim and sportswear fabric mills from the U.S., Japan, China, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Mexico and Europe, wash houses, full package manufacturers, trim providers and business solutions. Basically, if it's denim or can be worn with denim - we've got it. king·pin noun /ˈkiNGˌpin/ 1. (motorized vehicles) The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place - a kingbolt. 2. (ten pin bowling) The pin at the center of the triangle of bowling pins (originally the tallest pin in kayles). Sometimes also the headpin at the apex. 3. The most important person in an undertaking or organization. Synonyms Most important person: big cheese, big enchilada, big kahuna, bigwig, big wheel, grand poobah, head honcho, muckety muck, top banana, top dog, big noise