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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTIN METZ 2 WWD WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2011 SECTION II International Trade Shows A rendering of the forum at the Interfilière innerwear and swimwear textiles salon. Paris Set to Bustle in September the buyout will be felt starting in 2012, Piaser added. a positive effect on business for the salon in January, By KATYA FOREMAN and JOELLE DIDERICH The changes at Prêt à Porter are designed to cater with retailers making decisions earlier. Prices have sta- to contemporary brands identified as the “heart of the bilized since, he said, but the situation is still volatile. PARIS — Earlier timing for the Mode City innerwear and market,” said Piaser, such as Devernois, Lauren Vidal, Having recently visited clients in Japan, Pasquet was swimwear salon in July, plus a new Paris Design Week ini- René Derhy, Alain Weiz and Didier Parakian. among several organizers commenting on the admirable tiative in September by the organizers of Maison & Objet, “The purchasing power of consumers between age spirit of Japanese exhibitors, who have applied a busi- are among key developments in the City of Light. 40 and 50 is as great as that of teenagers, and these are ness-as-usual-approach following the country’s devas- Pierre Gendrot, coordinator of Paris Capitale de la the target customers of Prêt à Porter,” she said. “In the tating earthquake and tsunami in March. Création, or Paris Capital of Creativity, which groups past, exhibitors at Prêt à Porter included both the heart “They need the international market more than 19 salons, said September will be particularly vibrant, of the market and designers, whereas nowadays almost ever,” he said. with events spread throughout the month. Scheduled 80 percent of designers have moved to showing during Pourrat said she was amazed to see that Japan’s re- for Sept. 9 to 13, Paris design fair Maison & Objet is now fashion week, so Prêt à Porter is focusing more on this cent tragedy has not yet impacted sales for Premiere set to run a few days after the city’s fashion trade shows contemporary and midrange offer.” Classe’s accessories designers, some of whom generate in early September, while eyewear salon Silmo will run Organizers of the city’s fashion and accessories sa- 95 percent of their sales there. Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, coinciding with the start of the spring lons listed high raw material costs and the strong euro, “The Japanese are big consumers of creativity,” she said. women’s ready-to-wear shows. which could penalize the export business of young Mode City’s earlier show slot in July has already Messe Frankfurt France will introduce the Apparel brands, among the key challenges for designers, with gotten the thumbs-up from retailers and brands, with Sourcing trade show, launched in New York last year, slight price increases inevitable. several big names returning to the event, including to run concurrently with the Paris edition of Texworld, Gottex and Gerhard Roesch, according to show man- Sept. 19 to 22. ager Séverine Marchesi. Citing strong sales from the “This is a natural development for Texworld, where the current spring season — which has been boosted by the range offered by clothing manufacturers, particularly at The purchasing power of recent good weather in Europe — Marchesi said busi- the September shows, was increasing substantially,” said ness is picking up for the industry and all of the major Michael Scherpe, president of Messe Frankfurt France. consumers between age 40 and 50 American retailers have confirmed their attendance at The Apparel Sourcing show will be held in hall one the show, which starts its three-day run on July 9. of the Le Bourget exhibition center, with Texworld lo- is as great as that of teenagers. Along with neighboring textiles show Interfilière Paris, cated in hall two. The show should run concurrently — MURIEL PIASER, PRET A PORTER PARIS Mode City will stage its first Ultra Lingerie catwalk show with Texworld on a semiannual basis starting in 2012. in the center of the city, at the Pavilion Cambon on Place Prêt à Porter Paris is also introducing a flurry of chang- Vendôme. The event will showcase 70 designs by weaver- es in September, in what represents its biggest overhaul in “We feel that the American market is having a tough designer pairings. Around 600 buyers have been invited. five years, with the aim of making the show easier to navi- time investing in European creativity,” said Sylvie Responding to rising demand from brands for creative gate for buyers and to provide more services for exhibi- Pourrat, managing director of the Premiere Classe ac- textiles, Interfilière will inaugurate The Exclusives, a tors. The number of sections is being narrowed to eight cessories salon, adding that despite the sky-high prices private zone presenting cutting-edge designs by 25 ex- from 11, with accessories grouped on one floor and rtw on precious metals, costume jewelry designers continue hibitors. Only customers invited by participating mills on another. This responds to the shifting needs of brands to gravitate toward more high-end lines. will be allowed access. and growing competition from rival trade show Who’s New projects lined up for the salon’s Nomad Lounge “The space will also allow mills to test out cre- Next, which takes place simultaneously at the Porte de trend area will include an exhibition of creations by 12 ative product on designers,” said exhibition manager Versailles exhibition center from Sept. 3 to 6. Austrian accessories designers. Charlotte Giraudineau. Comexposium, which owns 50 percent of WSN Richard Martin, deputy director and artistic direc- Among new design initiatives, Maison & Objet organizer Développement, the company that runs the Who’s Next tor of Paris jewelry salon Eclat de Mode-Bijorhca, said SAFI in September will inaugurate Paris Design Week, and Première Classe shows, last week acquired Sodes, the the event’s Gold by Eclat de Mode gold jewelry section, which kicks off Sept. 12 at the end of Maison & Objet. For company in charge of Prêt à Porter Paris, Atmosphère, The introduced last year with around 20 designers, will ex- the seven-day event, which falls under the Paris Capitale Box, LivingRoom and The Train. This effectively places pand to around 35 at the upcoming edition, Sept. 2 to 5. de la Création banner, a range of exhibitions and events Prêt à Porter Paris and Who’s Next under one umbrella, a The salon’s Elements Collections jewelry parts segment will take place in stores, galleries, design showrooms and development greeted by Muriel Piaser, exhibitions director will move to the ground floor with a separate entrance. restaurants around the city, spanning design, architecture, for Prêt à Porter Paris. “This is excellent news,” she said. Organizers have planned a “Moulin Rouge” exhibition fashion, arts and culture, food and technology. Xavier Clergerie, managing director of Who’s Next showcasing iconic dresses and accessories worn in Who’s Next, which runs Sept. 3 to 6 at the Porte de and Première Classe, is expected to take over manage- the show, as well as costume jewelry designs from the Versailles, will host an exhibition of Malaysian designers. ment of the Sodes trade shows. Piaser said her new role Moulin Rouge accessories line by On Aura Tout Vu. The salon also plans a collaboration with the Federation was yet to be defined, but she looked forward to working Philippe Pasquet, chief executive officer of Paris tex- of Lace and Embroidery that will match eight lace makers with Clergerie. The trade shows will go ahead as previ- tiles salon Première Vision, set for Sept. 20 to 22, said with designers from Premiere Classe and Who’s Next to de- ously planned in September and changes resulting from fiber shortages and inflamed prices ended up having velop 20 creations. 4 WWD WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2011 SECTION II International Trade Shows Japan Creation will become an annual event in 2012. Japanese Fairs Aim for Recovery become a domestic event, so I’d like about By KELLY WETHERILLE half of the brands to be international ones.” Matsui said in April, RoomsLink TOKYO — As Japan begins the long pro- featured 60 brands, all Japanese, after 15 cess of recovery and rebuilding after the European brands pulled out following the massive earthquake and tsunami that natural disaster and amid fears concerning struck March 11, members of its fashion problems at a nuclear power plant. But for industry are thinking of ways to lure back October, he expects 70 local brands, and international buyers, even while some hopes to get about 40 to 50 international major events are still being canceled. ones, including a label from Seoul that is The Japan National Tourism already confi rmed. He expects attendees to Organization reported a 50.3 percent drop number more than 8,000. in the number of foreign visitors to Japan Mutsuko Tatsukami, an organizer of in March, compared to the same month the textile show JFW Japan Creation, last year. A spokesman for the JNTO said said he has also seen international the organization isn’t making any predic- exhibitors pull out of its spring tions as to when or by how much these installment. There were 61 companies numbers will begin to increase again, but slated to participate in the most recent Tatsukami said that last October, the but so far no concrete plans have been many in the industry are trying to do what fair, which took place this month, after 10 event attracted 23,503 visitors, includ- made. As for attracting foreign buyers, they can to spur a revival. non-Japanese fi rms canceled.