Première Vision to stage new edition of Fashion Rendez-vous show in Paris in September

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Feb 16, 2022

Première Vision Paris will be held in July rather than September, but its organiser is keen to schedule an event before the autumn, and will stage a new edition of the Fashion Rendez-vous show at the Carreau du Temple in Paris on September 7-8.

“This is an additional meeting point for brands that have a shorter time-to-market, or that have not yet completed their fabric sourcing research,” said to FashionNetwork.com the managing director of Première Vision, Gilles Lasbordes, who is anticipating between 100 and 200 exhibitors, mainly from Europe. “Most of the market [players] are making their moves in July, hence the date change for Première Vision Paris. The idea is to stage a complementary event at the end of the season.”

The first edition of Fashion Rendez-vous was held in July 2021 at the Grand Palais Éphémère, a temporary event venue in Paris. The organiser had been forced to cancel the PV Paris sessions in September and February earlier the same year, and took the opportunity to then hold a condensed version of the show. Fashion Rendez-vous is now a regular fixture in the Parisian show calendar, and its next edition will be held at the Carreau du Temple, home to the Made in France PV show in late March 2021, and to Blossom PV in mid-December.

But unlike these two events, respectively focused on French garment manufacturers and on fabric suppliers for seasonal pre-collections, Fashion Rendez-vous is less specific in the exhibitors it features. “By necessity, [the show] will focus more on textiles and accessories,” said Lasbordes.

He also pointed out that Première Vision's calendar reshuffle means the events will be able to provide early indicators on major market trends. “It is also a challenge for [exhibitors], to be ready earlier than usual, in July, with the most complete collections possible,” said Lasbordes.

The organiser’s announcement came after the end of the latest, hybrid edition of Première Vision Paris, which was held online from February 7 to 11, and in physical format at the Villepinte exhibition centre from February 8 to 10. The event showcased just over 1,000 exhibitors, and attracted 74,602 participants, including 21,303 in-person visitors. Visitor numbers increased by 24% compared to last September's downsized edition. Première Vision noted also that the share of international visitors rose from 53% in September to 57% in February.

“It was a really encouraging edition, given the context,” said Lasbordes, mentioning the high number of visitors from Italy, Spain and the UK. He added that, while not yet counting on the presence of many Chinese industry professionals, he expects Korean and Japanese buyers to make a come-back in July. “The market has not yet returned to normal; it must be given time to rebuild,” he concluded.