LYON, France — Boosted by a strong showing of foreign buyers, notably from Eastern Europe, and high interest in swimwear, the Lyon Mode City trade fair held its own in a challenging atmosphere.
Attendance levels were up slightly compared with last year, despite the absence of some major French brands at the fair that wrapped up a three-day run Sept. 4. Of the 19,411 visitors, about 62 percent came from abroad, with French attendance down 9.8 percent, which organizers blamed on a clash with France’s back-to-school dates and a struggling economy.
“The breakdown confirms the event has a growing international bent, with a jump in visitors from Eastern Europe,” said Chantal Malingrey, executive director of show producer Eurovet’s lingerie division.
Although the fair boasted lively trend forums, lectures and a summer party, a mood of discontent hung over much of the proceedings, sparked by the absence of French exhibitors such as Chantelle, Aubade, Princesse Tam-Tam, Simone Pérèle, Barbara and Lejaby.
“I had private appointments with all those brands before coming to the show, but it’s necessary to see them in the context of a fair to get a real sense of the collections,” said Caroline Fournier, an intimate apparel buyer for Galeries Lafayette, who limited her visit to one day instead of three.
Textiles designer Ruth Gordon, who works for Hafner Inc., based in Granby, Canada, said she also felt disoriented because of the missing brands, which she said serve as a “yardstick for trends.”
Gael Huntingford, senior buyer for Kmart Australia, said she found the fair quieter than usual.
“I’m going to [Eurovet’s] Shanghai show next fall, which is much more convenient for me geographically,” said Huntingford.
“The absence of the traditional brands has left a void for everybody here as a point of reference for lingerie and fabric trends,” said Olivier Zeitoua, lingerie buyer for discount retailer Gigastore, a 30-unit chain in France. “But it has also left the way open for new talent.”
Charlotte Greenhalgh, intimate apparel buyer for Harvey Nichols, said, “The fact that most of the major French brands were not at a French show affected the whole mood of the event.” However, several key trends sparked her interest, including creamy tones, such as biscuit, tea and beige, and “punchy” bright colors as hot spring trends.
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“I saw some really unusual lace designs,” she said, predicting spring would see a move away from padded bras to sheer, underwire styles. “For panties, boyshorts or pretty briefs are still big.”
Addressing the decision of several French powerhouse exhibitors to take a pass on the fair, Eurovet’s recently appointed general director, Marie-Laure Bellon-Homps, said she felt positive about the international turnout, and said she was intent on luring the absent exhibitors back into the fold.
“In a situation like this, we have to react quickly and work out a deal more adapted to the exhibitors’ needs,” she said.
Bellon-Homps added that a number of French brands had confirmed attendance at the fair’s sister edition, the Salon International de la Lingerie, which will be held Feb. 2-5 in Paris.
“Certain brands have also signed up for Shanghai,” she said.
Bellon-Homps said a change of dates could be organized for the next Lyon edition if there was enough demand.
Meanwhile, as exhibitors grumbled about slow traffic and cautious spending, many expressed satisfaction with orders from quality retailers. Merchants generally said swimwear eclipsed a lackluster offering of innerwear, with natural fabrics emerging as a dominant trend.
“It’s been quiet, but perfect in terms of following through leads we had set up,” said Ornella Chercibini, a sales representative for Italian producer and distributor Mantero, which holds the Viktor & Rolf innerwear, Diane von Furstenberg swimwear and Gianfranco Ferré innerwear and swimwear licenses.
Swedish newcomer Frank Dandy Superwear introduced innerwear and first beachwear lines.
“We’ve had interest from good retailers such as Selfridges and United Arrows in Japan, and have been approached by several key distributors,” said Superwear’s export manager Mattias Edenholm. “We’re planning an international push, so it was essential for us to be present.”
British designer Jane de Lacey, a newcomer to the Spicy Garden area for young designers, said the show gave her access to international clients as well as the press. “The lingerie market has become as saturated as the jeans market, so I saw being here as my make-or-break move,” she said.
Retailer views were mixed, with some bemoaning a lack of newness.
Buyer Anastasia Koroleva, from high-end Russian chain Wild Orchid, said she was focusing her spending on swimwear because of “uninspiring” lingerie collections.
“I particularly liked the Elizabeth Hurley, Vivienne Westwood and Juicy Couture beachwear lines,” said Koroleva. She cited as key spring beachwear trends yellow and fresh green hues, light and transparent fabrics and a return to the molded triangle bikini top.
“There’s not much novelty,” said Catriona MacKechnie, owner of an eponymous boutique in New York’s Meatpacking District. “Our boutique is young so I’m still taking baby steps budget-wise. But European brands have a freshness and different sensibility that American customers respond well to.”
She added that she was focusing on understated cotton pieces with “personality.”
“The [swimwear] season started very late due to bad weather, but was very good overall,” said Ilia Paletti, sales director for Italian manufacturer and distributor Les Bonitas, which holds the Versus, Blumarine, Frankie Morello and Les Macons Danseurs licenses.
Paletti confirmed orders from primarily European retailers, with a rise in accounts from Russian and Eastern European merchants.
“We’re not holding back in spending as business was up substantially this year,” said Mary Bauer, owner of Florida-based swimwear chain The Beach House Swimwear Inc.
A first-time attendee, Bauer noted a splash of “sassy” and “sparkly” designs by European brands, particularly Nicole Olivier’s swimsuits with starfish cutouts, Octopus Mania’s metallic swimwear and Kymare’s experimental, deconstructed designs.
Several brands channeled the show’s theme, with a focus on natural fabrics and comfort. For example, French family-owned hosiery brand Cervin-Arsoie presented its first loungewear range cut from natural textiles such as bamboo, linen, silk, cashmere and wool.
Meanwhile, Cosabella increased its bra range to nine sizes from five, now spanning 32B to 36D cup sizes.
“It’s opened up many more sales avenues for us,” said president and co-founder Valeria Campello. “Training staff to fit bras properly has always been part of British lingerie culture and now it’s taking off for us in the United States.”
Though still a niche category, a variety of brands adhering to planet- and people-friendly standards also saw an uptick at the fair. Many designers and textiles buyers were scouting for green goods in the event’s textiles section.
“Organic and [Fair Trade-approved] products have become an important part of our food hall, so it’s only natural that our clothing and intimate apparel departments must echo that,” said Neil Ainsworth, buyer for children’s, teenage and men’s innerwear for Marks & Spencer.
However, sourcing Fair Trade-approved suppliers can be tricky. “Often manufacturers don’t have enough yarn to cater to major chains,” he explained.
“It’s all about well-being and natural fabrics,” said Hayley Wheatley, a junior designer for British department store Debenhams, adding that for spring the store’s innerwear trends would center on textured cottons with marled, eyelet, printed, crocheted and embroidered effects. “For fall, we’re on the lookout for comfort-oriented, sustainable yarns.”
She noted that soft-backed laces, Modal, viscose and laces made from natural fibers rather than nylon were important.
Elsewhere, fabric designer Elissa Decker from Aberdeen, N.C.-based McMurray Fabrics said she was inspired by unusual yarn mixes.
“I saw lots of pleating and fabrics with artisanal, folkloric touches,” said Decker, who also noted Dow XLA, a new chlorine-resistant fiber that stretches.