3 Questions for Sylvie Pourrat
WSN Development’s Fashion and Accessories Offer Director

WSN Development’s Fashion and Accessories Offer Director reports on the excellent attendance figures at the Who’s Next, Impact, Traffic, and Bijorhca trade shows. And that’s a good sign for the Première Classe October edition which, more than ever before, will be a celebration of creativity. 

The Who’s Next, Impact, Traffic, and Bijorhca trade shows took place from 3 to 6 September. How did they go? 

In spite of the context, exhibitors and visitors showed up in force. Thanks to pre-registrations, we had good reason to feel optimistic about attendance, and we were right! One of the happy surprises was the presence of buyers from the Middle East, the Arab Emirates, and the United States. There was also a big turnout from Greece. The explanation is that the country welcomed a lot of tourists this summer, and the boutiques had strong sales figures, so they needed to restock for next season. 

The trade shows were an opportunity to once again be inspired and be able to touch and see in person. The exhibitors were ready to go. Remember, they had been waiting 18 months for these first events of the fall season! So it was completely natural that professionals were eager to connect and communicate, to work together to find new solutions, and to enjoy being surprised … Our experience with online live formats at the last show proved that this direct contact is an essential and unique experience. When you’re sitting in front of your screen, your choices are solely personal. When you’re at a trade show and you see a stand with a constant stream of visitors, you move closer … and that’s how discoveries are made. Yes, we’re going to launch our platform on 15 November, but it has been designed to complete the on-site experience, not replace it. 

Based on these shows, what trends did you see taking shape? 

Upcycling, of course, is a big deal. We saw a lot of collections with a bohemian chic feeling that were made from vintage fabrics or saris. They were luxurious, fluid, and feminine. Our Impact trade show was a real critical success this season. That trend is part of a more overall search for quality and long-lasting products. For accessories, baskets are still a must for next summer and jewelry has a bigger scale. And finally, we observe that the yoga philosophy is very successful, as seen in products that play with spiritual references, mantras, comfort, and the Zen lifestyle. 

All this bodes well for Première Classe from 1 to 4 October. 

That’s right, professionals have been waiting for this Première Classe October edition. It will be an homage to design and built around some fabulous partnerships with names such as the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography, the ANDAM fashion awards, Les Ateliers de Paris, and Birimian, the first accelerator for African designers. There will also be a first-time partnership with Eyes on Talents. 

Given the context, the trade show will obviously have a new look. The format will be smaller, tighter, and undoubtedly more intense. It was very important for us to put design back in the spotlight, to get a fresh, strong start, and to give visibility to what’s new. Première Classe will be the Paris fashion scene’s essential address during a Fashion Week that will be half physical and half digital.