Paris Textile trade fairs report record attendance

As today's retailers continue their discussion and debates over the importance of bricks and mortar retailing as opposed to the increased popularity of online trading, trade fairs catered for the textile and fashion industry that offer face-to-face interactions are proving their continued relevance for conducting business.

As organisers at Messe Frankfurt France have reported this week, European fashion brands remain very keen on attending their recently held trade exhibitions, namely TEXWORLD and TEXWORLD DENIM  PARIS, APPAREL SOURCING, AVANTEX, SHAWLS & SCARVES – The ACCESSORIES SHOW-CASE, (the shows focusing on textiles, materials, components, trimmings and manufacturing for the fashion and accessories industry), have recorded 13.9% more visitors than the show held in September 2016, to the tune of 15,473 visitors in total.

According to Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France, the record turnout at these fairs, held at Le Bourget, Paris from 18 to 21 September 2017,  was "unexpected": after two years of lacklustre performance, buyers were in need of renewal and a change in fashion codes; the outlook was proactive and buyers were drawn to new products, he said.

There was a sharp increase of 15% in attendance and the top 5 countries that sent buyers and trade visitors included France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Turkey respectively. The ranking that was identical to that of September 2016, with strong growth for all except France, which remained unchanged.  Germany came in 6th position, up by 18.7%, followed by Belgium up by 4.8%. 

“We found the September 2017 show to be extremely busy. From the very first day of the show, there was a wind of change blowing through the shows. (There was) A fresh appetite for the industries of fashion. Global ready-to-wear firms were certainly present, ready to get down to serious and enthusiastic business at the stands. Exhibitors welcomed the attendance, even from the European luxury sector. The same goes for the return by Americans (+19,38)” says Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France. 

The organisers pointed out that the joint trade fairs' artistic backdrops, the segmentation of the shows, and the scheduling of fashion shows and seminars along with the wide ranging exhibits all helped to enrich the experience of visitors and demonstrated that the show was open and appealing to all fashion brands.

On the "Small Quantities" circuit, large international luxury companies were set side-by-side with major global ready-to-wear brands, including young designs.  The quality of the materials was one of the discoveries welcomed by visitors.

China (with the largest contingent of weavers at Texworld Paris) was one of the main attractions, as confirmed by Zhang Tao, the Secretary General of CCIPT TEX. The improvement in the business models of domestic firms, as advocated by the Chinese government, aims to continue working towards genuine fashion products, to develop technical innovation and to emphasise sustainable development, said Mr Tao at a press conference.

At the “From Workshop to Shop” exhibition, organised by the Chinese government under the auspices of the CCIPT TEX, some 30 ensembles from 10 Chinese ready-to-wear brands were arranged around a space that, using virtual reality, immersed the visitor in the production sites. These brands for women’s and men’s ready-to-wear: Aiyimei, Upper , Bosideng, Hodo, Bridge Group, Dragon Silk, Heyi, Nikky, Top Garment, Sankei, Renoir and Yinchuan Binhe Ruyi, are already established in China and, are using the trade fair as a springboard to extend their presence on the world market.  A display of ever-more specialist skills from these 12 clothing manufacturers can also be seen at the show.

One of the highlights in the ELITE segment, an area dedicated to firms offering a wide range of tailored services, was the demonstration by a specialist attired in traditional Chinese brocades woven by hand using the traditional method of the Tujia ethnic group from the Chinese regions of Hunan and Hubei .

Upscaling was widely adopted at stands representing Turkish weavers, while the a wide range of cotton and embroidery from India was on offer, as well as quality prints from South Korea, the comprehensive offer, even technical products from Indonesian exhibitors all drew visitors’ interest. Creativity was the overall achievement recognised at TEXWORLD PARIS, said the organisers. 

Texworld Denim was a new addition this season, with nearly 80 exhibitors for materials and clothing production to celebrate its grand opening.  The area allowed makers of fabrics and manufacturers in one area to make contact and to network. 
Another area Business Beyond Borders, a partnership that fosters business contacts between players in the textile and clothing industry and small manufacturing firms, set up by Eurochambres, also met with resounding success, said organisers. Some 200 meetings were held in the dedicated space involving 258 companies from 42 countries.   
Three conferences and round table discussions took place at TEXWORLD PARIS: the sector for future clothing, Ex-aequo, the trends for autumn/winter 18/19, new technologies and new skills.

Dates for the next TEXWORLD, Avantex, Apparel Sourcing, Shawls and Scarves and TEXWORLD DENIM: 11, 12, 13 & 14 February 2018 Paris Le Bourget.

Photos: from Texworld / © Lucia Carpio 2017