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 

Limited-edition collection to launch in Colette Paris celebrating Rolling Stones Tour

There is no doubt of whom this iconic image refers to.

Harking back to its psychedelic origin it is attributed to British rock royalty - Mick Jagger, front man of The Rolling Stones and his famous lips are revisited once again to grace a range of products for a multitude of brands celebrating the legendary group's NO FILTER European tour.

And what better than the iconic Parisian fashion-forward boutique Colette to unveil the limited-edition collection hand-in-hand with The Rolling Stones.

The collection, created in partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group’s leading merchandise and brand-management company, will include exclusive pieces in collaboration with global powerhouse, Paris Saint-Germain FC, a capsule collection by Mike Amiri, a limited edition notebook collection by Moleskine, along with exclusive merchandise from the tour and Rolling Stones vinyl.

The Rolling Stones play their final three NO FILTER 2017 tour shows at the U Arena, Paris on October 19, 22 & 25.  Coinciding with these shows, the multi-brand initiative will be available only in-store at the famed retailer Colette from October 19-25th.

Lenzing launches EcoVero™ - new standard in eco-responsible viscose

Lenzing introduced their EcoVero™ viscose fibres to the global textile and fashion industry at the international Premiere Vision Paris show in September 2017.

Acknowledging that the fashion industry requires more transparency, while consumers today expect responsible retailers and brands to know their supply chains and be able to trace product origins, the Austrian company - Lenzing - a stock exchange-listed cellulose fibres manufacturer - has announced the launch of a new standard brand - EcoVero™  - to set the new benchmark in viscose fibres.

Garments made of Lenzing™ EcoVero™ on show at Premiere Vision Paris in September 2017.

With a special manufacturing system, Lenzing can identify Lenzing™ EcoVero™ fibres in the final garment, long after the textile processing and conversion steps have been completed.  This ability means that retailers and brands can rest assure that the eco-responsible viscose fibers used in their garments can be verified and authenticated as the original , and not just any generic viscose that might not be in line with their sustainability goals. 

Lenzing CCO, Robert van de Kerkhof said in a press conference held at the Premiere Vision international textile fair held in Paris in September that for too long consumers have been concerned with environmental threats raised in the so-called "dirty fashion" report, and other issues such as marine litter, pollution and waste, growing water scarcity, accelerating climate change have affected consumer confidence.

Lenzing VP of Textile, Amit Gautam, added that value chain transparency is a trend seen not only in the textile industry but also in the food industry.  While consumers' awareness of the environment is increaing, they are more and more interested in the origin of the products they buy.  

Lenzing™ EcoVeroTM fibres set a new industry standard in sustainable viscose based on the use of these sustainable wood sources (FSC® or PEFC® certified) and an ecological production process with significantly lower emissions and water impacts than conventional viscose.

With this special identification technology for Lenzing™ EcoVero™ fibres, Lenzing provides a one-of-its-kind solution for the fashion industry and its supply chain to respond to consumer demands for reliable visibility of product origins that can be traced back to the fibre, said Lenzing's Gautam.  He said Lenzing enforces strict environmental standards during viscose production and has invested heavily over the years to achieve eco-resposible production processes.  Lenzing™ EcoVero™ fibres, which are made from wood that comes from sustainable forestry plantations,  are certified with the EU Ecolabel, a world-leading environmental manufacturing standard which is awarded only to products that have a significantly lower net environment impact to comparable products in the market.

Well known retailers are teaming up with Lenzing to advance their sustainability strategies with traceable Lenzing™ EcoVero™ fibres.

For one Scandinavian retailer, Gina Tricot, Lenzing™ EcoVero™ fibres are the solution for viscose fibres.   Fashion photos shown here are examples from their current collection.

Gina Tricot's Brand Director Anna Appelqvist (pictured here) said at the Lenzing press conference in Paris, "Supply chain transparency is getting to be for us more and more important as customers want to know which kind of material is used for their garments. 

"As viscose is a very important fibre for our womenswear range, the new identification technology from Lenzing used in EcoVero™ fibres will mean we will have full supply chain transparency and our customers will welcome that and can be assured that they are buying eco-responsible viscose garments", she said adding that they are launching new T-shirts with this special EcoVero fibres this autumn. 

Another retailer from Sweden, Lindex are also considering to take Lenzing™ EcoVero™ fibres into their collection. "EcoVero™ fibres show concern for the origin of raw material as well as having a reduced environmental impact in the production process. We hope that this initiative will drive the development towards producing more sustainable viscose in the industry", explains Production Sustainability Manager Anna-Karin Dahlberg.

Lenzing's initiative is also supported by the German brand ARMEDANGELS, as its CEO Martin Höfeler had commented that as a radically responsible fashion brand this is a great match for them and they are excited to be working with Lenzing to include EcoVero™ in their future product range.

PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS recorded 7.5% growth in visitor numbers

Fabrics and materials are the building blocks of fashion.  And if apparel fabric fairs that cater to influencers in the business of fashion record healthy attendance, it is a positive sign for the industry, which has been marked by a complex and changing global economic environment.

Giant size balloons covered the ceiling of the main Forum at Première Vision Paris to emulate this season's
theme: Cloud of Fashion.

Thus when organisers of Première Vision Paris has reported that attendance to their September show topped the 60,000 visitors mark, it was welcome news for all in the apparel and fashion trade,

The show encompassing textiles, leather, yarns, fabric design, haberdashery and accessories,  knits finished goods and manufacturing.  demonstrated an attendance growth of +7.5%, against +3% more exhibitors this September.

 The number of exhibitors also grew (+3.0% - i.e. 1,954 exhibitors vs. 1,898 in Sept. 2016), due to the addition of  new areas: The Sourcing Connection and the Bag & Shoe Manufacturing sections.

The number of international buyers, coming from 129 different countries, increased by 8.5%, and accounted for a 73% share of the event's visitors. The top five most represented countries were France (+5%) was followed by Italy (+3%), the UK (+4.7%), Spain (+4.6%) and China. Turkey, with 2,845 visitors, overtook both Germany and the USA, while Japan snatched ninth place from Belgium, with 1,791 visitors.

The organisers headed by Gilles Lasbordes, General Manager of Première Vision (in photo at right), acknowledged that the success of this edition attests to the attractiveness and strength of Première Vision Paris, and to the effectiveness of its transversal and creative positioning. The results confirmed the show's status as a strategic vector of differentiation and growth for the industry, as evidenced by the results of the Première Vision Barometer, prepared by the IFM Première Vision Chair and unveiled at a press conference at the start of the fair.

The organisers' ability to bring focus with a full programme of events, exhibitions, conferences and social activities, including a concert on the first evening for visitors to dance and have fun had created a vibrant atmosphere to the fair.

John Malkovich, centre, with members of the PV Awards jury and the winners on the day of prize presentation duringn
the September edition of Première Vision Paris.

One of the key highlights of the September edition of Première Vision Paris was the ceremony for the annual PV Awards, whose jury was headed this year by an international star, the actor-director turned designer John Malkovich.

Gilles Lasbordes, General Manager of Première Vision, also announced the launch in 2018 of the Première Vision marketplace for upstream trade shows specialising in the creative fashion sector, a virtual extension of the event's various different sessions, initially offering access to exhibitor samples. 

Recognising the fact that in an ever more connected and technological world, Première Vision saw the need to position itself to meet future market developments.

"This is a project of a highly technological nature and we want to take advantage of the best solutions on the market, thus we will be using technologies developed buy MIRAKL, the leading French publisher of marketplaces which have conquered the B to C markets by integrating e-commerce sites. This technology offers new business opportunities to professional markets as well," said M. Lasbordes.

The next edition of Première Vision Paris is scheduled on 13th-15th February 2018.
In the mean time, the following events by the show organisers will take place:- Première Vision Istanbul on 18th-20th October, Denim Première Vision in Paris on 14th-15th November, and Première Vision New York on 16th-17th January 2018.

All photos © Lucia Carpio 2017 .

Marks & Spencer shortlisted three designers for its Texprint Fashion Textile Award

The winner to be announced at Premiere Vision Designs, Paris on September 20

Lucy Day.  Photo by Lucia Carpio

Lucy Day, pictured left, along with Olivia Qi and Roberta Fox are the three designers who have been shortlisted to compete for the new Marks & Spencer Texprint Fashion Textile Award.

They were selected by relevant heads of design at M&S in a selection process.

The winner of this new award, who will receive £1,000 and a paid three-month internship with the M&S print design team, will be announced at Première Vision Designs in Paris on September 20, along with those of other awards at this year's TEXPRINT competition.

Marks & Spencer has long been a keen supporter and foundation sponsor of Texprint. The new Award, according to Libby Allan, Trend Lead, Womenswear & Lingerie, at M&S, will allow the retailer to establish a relationship with a young designer that they hope will evolve beyond the Award itself.




All trained in Britain, the three shortlisted designers are among the 24 that TEXPRINT has selected following a rigorous interviewing  of over 230 applicants submitted by British colleges and universities at both BA and MA levels.

As in previous years, the 24 TEXPRINT selected designers showcased their work in London at a preview presentation earlier this year in July.

In an interview with TEXPRINT, Allan of M&S said “These days it’s not just about the work but also how the work is presented. When you’re in the industry you have so many people to convince – an ability to present your work effectively becomes really important. Textiles is such a good grounding for a designer because you learn all about texture and colour usage.”

Each year, TEXPRINT showcases 24 design graduates who have shown outstanding skill and artistry in their chosen discipline, and who have impressed the Texprint interview panels with their creativity and desire to succeed in the professional world.  Texprint’s aim is to promote their skills to the industry, to media, and to the related organisations that can help their career launch.

Photos © Lucia Carpio 2017 

Blossom Premiere Vision gives first insight into new textiles for Autumn/Winter 18/19 season

Luxury Jersey - fabrics combining sporty and elegant attributes were on
show at Blossom Premiere Vision.
The watchword for this new autumn winter 18/19 collection
is TRANSFORMATION, i.e. transforming fabrics
initially conceived for ready-to-wear
 into fabrics for street-style looks,
with a special focus on Athletic-Leisure. 

For those in the fashion trade looking for advance fabric and leather inspiration before the main trade show season in the autumn, Blossom Première Vision which was held at the Palais Brongniart in Paris last week ( 4 - 5 July) offered them a first glimpse of things to come.

Organisers reported an atmosphere of optimism after two days of a productive show that saw visitor numbers went up by 23% - registering 1,058 visitors compared to 861 in the launch event in July 2016.

This third edition was crowned a major success, with industry professionals broadly voicing their enthusiasm.  Following France, Italy had the 2nd largest number of visitors, with attendance up by 3.5 % over the July 2016 event. In 3rd place were visitors from the United Kingdom (+ 26%), while the United States (4th) and Belgium (5th) - both showed a stable but significant presence.

Launched one year ago by the Première Vision trade fair group, the show dedicated to pre-collections - so-called to allow early showing to the industry  -  is today part of Europe's dynamic trade show calendar.

Designed to maximise exposure for each o the 90 exhibiting companies, the open layout format evoking the style of intimate showrooms made it a user-friendly environment to conduct business.

Said show director, Guglielmo Olearo: "Our exhibitors are more than satisfied with this edition. They were able to meet with their key customers in a working yet friendly atmosphere. Precollections are most definitely a creative period on their own, independent of the international catwalk shows. Yet in a similar vein, they rely on creativity to stand out and be competitive.  Today, a pre-collection can represent up to 60% of the season’s turnover. They are of major importance to the luxury brands, to which Blossom Première Vision has responded with this custom offer, in a timeframe that’s complementary to the Première Vision Paris shows."

Among the highlights, Denis & Fils's pre-collection showcases femininity in plain silks that are fluid, structured, glazed or shaded. Light or quilted jacquards, along with textiles that evoke feelings, emotions and shine are the earliest indicators of our autumn winter 18/19 collection.

From Denis & Fils: sensations, emotions and brilliance, as shown here and showcased at Blossom Premiere Vision. 

Also look out for fabrics with an understated and luminous nature to autumn winter 18/19, as those showed by Hurel (in photo above).  Along with classic silks, their plains are rich with texture, and free of any notion of uniformity. In terms of fancies, the new designs include unique colours and shine pointing to an understated and luminous nature.

Malhia Kent of France - fabric doyen to high fashion - staged a special 2-day atelier during the  Blossom PV fair to show off its hand-loom capabilities, from yarn selection to warp preparation and hand-woven sampling.  

Images supplied by the Premiere Vision group.

Paris to be a favourite luxury shopping destination for Chinese consumers

According to a report from the Boston Consulting Group, Paris is set to overtake Hong Kong and Tokyo as the favourite destination for Chinese consumers looking for monogrammed luxury goods, as reported in FashionMag.com.

 

Based on a survey of 1,000 Chinese affluent consumers, Paris was named as the city they expected to make a luxury purchase in the next 12 months,
followed by Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Traditionally due to its proximity, Hong Kong was the first choice, but with the weakening Euro and increased ease of travel, more Chinese consumers are aiming to travel to Europe with the French capital being their first choice. 

Louis Vuitton monogrammed luxury goods showcased at the
brand's Series 3 exhibition in London in 2015.
Photos: Lucia Carpio

According to the report, nearly one in four Chinese respondents said they buy luxury goods abroad because they can find better selections.

One in three said they believe it's important to buy goods in the country where they're made. The same ratio of respondents said the shopping experience abroad is superior to the experience at home.

According to the report, consumer spending among the Chinese rose from €70 billion in 2012 to €100 billion in 2015, while only €23 billion was spent domestically in boutiques in China last year.  Outside of China, the most money was spent at luxury boutiques in Europe (€35 billion) followed by the US (€14 billion).

The following list shows where wealthy Chinese consumers bought their luxury goods in 2015:

Europe: €35 billion

US: €14 billion

Hong Kong: €13 billion

Russia and the Middle East: €13 billion

Macau: 2 billion