PARIS — While buyers continue to flock to Asian mills for inexpensive, big-volume business, they are now demanding more sophisticated fabrics as well, according to mills and buyers at the most recent edition of the Texworld fabric fair held here last week.
“We spend more on research and development now,” said Ayush Murarka, a partner at Indian mill Ventures, which specializes in embroideries. “It’s not enough that we merely make fabrics. We have to make fashion propositions, too.”
To that end, Raymond Ltd., one of India’s largest textile firms, opened a design office in Milan two months ago to create more fashionable products.
“India is trying to position itself as the place to go to for quality and added value,” said Ram Bhatnagar, vice president of international marketing at Raymond.
Exhibitors reported solid business led by order-writing from European and Middle Eastern buyers. Most buyers said they would keep their budgets on par with last year, reflecting a more cautious economic environment and making the most for their money a top priority.
“There are some challenges at present,” said Leanne Follett, manager of design and product development at Sussan, an Australian retailer with some 200 stores, “so we need to find a good product at a cheaper price to increase profits.”
Texworld featured about 680 exhibitors during its four-day run, which ended last Thursday at the CNIT complex at La Defense, the business district west of Paris. China was the largest single country in terms of exhibitors, followed by India and South Korea. Organizers called the session a “good harvest” and said most exhibitors had improved the quality of their products.
“We have been working with exhibitors to be more focused on fashion and trends,” said Michael Scherpe, president of Messe Frankfurt France, which runs Texworld.
Scherpe trumpeted the fair’s move in January to a new venue at Le Bourget, north of Paris, which brings Texworld closer to its high-end rival Premiere Vision, resulting in more crossover shopping between PV and Texworld.
“Price has been a major concern for all buyers,” said Devendra Vijay Wargiya, marketing director for Indian mill Bharat Silks. “There has been good business from Spain, Germany and France. But the competition is increasing and that has made business more challenging.”
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Buyers shopping for fall and winter 2007 said jacquards, mini geometric prints and metallics were their focus. Red, silver, blue, green and purple were the most popular colors. The bohemian look so popular in recent seasons now is out, most buyers said.
“We are looking for chicer styles,” said Beatrice Austin, senior designer at Otto UK, a British catalogue house.
“The styles are cleaner now,” said Sussan’s Follett. “I like the long, sculptural shapes.”
Texworld organizers said 18,780 people from 108 countries visited the event, up 1 percent from the same session last year. Sixty percent of the visitors were from Europe, with 15 percent from Eastern Europe, including Russia, and 10 percent from America.
Meanwhile, soft tones, somber metals and luxurious materials, including cashmere and mohair, reflected a refined and elegant approach to trimmings at the concurrent Mod’Amont show. Although buyers at the show said they were still conservative when it came to placing orders, most noted they were slightly increasing their budgets over last year.
Michele Sizemore, vice president of product research and development for Old Navy, said she was toning down looks for next fall.
“There is less of a focus on detail,” she said. “Manufacturers are putting more thought into the quality of the trimmings.”
“Embellishments are somber, but with a point of modernity,” said Christopher Emerit, senior designer for U.S. contemporary women’s fashion brand Lan-Ce.
Emerit shopped for delicate trimmings such as fine wool ribbons woven on shuttle looms by Concorezzo, Italy-based Achille Valera and mother-of-pearl buttons and handmade trims in natural materials at Astarte Srl Unipersonale of Capi-Moddena, Italy.
Exhibitors focused on high-end materials and extravagant combinations such as mixing leather with silver trims and blending cashmere, mohair and angora.
“High-end materials such as fine wool, angora, cashmere and mohair are a key direction,” said Federico Aspesi, president of his Gallarate, Italy-based namesake label, which makes feminine woven trims. “Customers want more delicate trimmings and precious materials.”
“There is more of a demand for delicate looks,” added Fabrizio Baldini, president of his eponymous label, whose brushed gold metals were studded with Swarovski crystals.
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