PARIS — Who’s Next is ready for a makeover.
The Paris fashion trade show said it was going to improve its services with a new layout and timing to coincide with its 20th anniversary in 2015.
While the dates for the January show (23-26) remain unchanged, the fair’s second edition is now slated to take place from Sept. 4 to 7 at Porte de Versailles, pushed back from July.
“Following the last session, we conducted a survey interviewing more than 4,000 visitors and brands, who told us that this is what they prefer,” Camille Descollonges, the show’s new sales manager, who took up office in September, told WWD.
“For French buyers, July is a period of clearance sales,” she explained. “They cannot come because they have no visibility on either sell-through or budgets. It’s the same for the Spanish and Italian visitors, while for other international buyers, travelling in July can be very expensive. This is a period of high tourism with elevated hotel rates and ticket prices. In September, they can combine their visit with other fairs such as Maison & Objet.”
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Facing increased competition from competing trade shows, showrooms and new brands, Who’s Next, which is run by WSN Developpement, saw its visitor numbers slip in previous seasons, particularly among local and U.S. buyers.
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Descollonges said in 2015 her team “will be more offensive,” citing free invites, more advantageous hotel deals and improved service on the ground among the new measures to be expected.
The executive conceded that following the acquisition of Prêt-à-Porter Paris in 2011, the offer has lost part of its charm as some of the brands which transitioned from Prêt-à-Porter Paris negatively impacted the show’s portfolio.
“Who’s Next is about fashion, with a clear focus on current, contemporary brands. The idea, starting January, is to be more selective,” she said. “We will let between 50 and 100 brands go, while new ones will join. After all, the goal of a trade show is to help buyers find leading brands of today to assure continuity, but also to help them discover a new and fresh offering.”
The upcoming session will be divided into four new areas said to help visitors navigate and save time via a more targeted product placement:
• Private is to feature premium women’s wear brands with a strong commercial potential, including evening wear, such as Basix Black Label, Aiveri and La Petite Française;
• Trendy is to showcase current, affordable women’s wear labels for a younger customers, from Frock & Frill, Ziztar and Louche, among others;
• Urban will offer a selection of denim and street wear for both men and women, with a focus on creative, up-and-coming brands such as Saint Noir, Pic de Nore and Happiness. Those showing at Who’s Next for the first time will include Kanata Hand Knits, Arnacoeur and Sugarman;
• Studio will focus on more elegant women’s wear from Lauren Vidal, Sportalm La Stampa and the like.
Fame, meanwhile, is to remain as a separate section, giving the floor to well known labels such as Swildens, Osklen and Antik Batik.
A total of 1,500 brands are expected at Who’s Next and sister show Première Classe, which specializes in accessories. The fairs attract more than 58,000 visitors per session.
Personal shoppers, handling 2,000 requests per season, and a so-called Retail Expert Club, which is to assist both French and international buyers with product choice, stock management and expansion, complete the offer.
“There are many shows out there, but they are small, and our goal is not to be niche, but to represent fashion,” said Descollonges.