Results
Messe Frankfurt France’s trade shows dedicated to the fashion industry attracted 14,862 visitors, who thronged the aisles at The Fairyland for Fashion. 213 people did not attend. After a 2018 show that was quite extraordinary, September 2019’s show recorded rather more consistent results, with positive overtones on the whole.
The Top 5 visitors remain unchanged in spite of economic pressure and the political situation:
1 – France, 2 – United Kingdom, 3 – Spain, 4 – Italy, 5 – Turkey
We would point out the increase in visitors attending from Poland (+11%), which attests to the important role played by this country in European sourcing. For those attending from countries outside Europe, footfall remained encouraging, with a return in force from Turkey (+17%), as well as from other major importer countries such as Morocco (+19%) from the African continent and, it goes without saying, China (+41%). United States (+1%), Canada (+14%) and Brazil (+15%) also attended this season’s show.
“The market is difficult but those who have the products and skills that appeal were able make the most of the situation. Despite less time spent by visitors, he number of people attending still reported excellent business. There is an explanation for this: exhibitors at our trade shows are increasingly adapting to the demands of the market and becoming ever better at doing so. These efforts were rewarded with an excellent atmosphere and significant results, especially among the top companies.
Overall we noticed a degree of instability on the markets due to the uncertainty caused by some turbulence in relations between certain countries. Exhibitors and visitors with most experience of the market were more than able to benefit from this situation. We note that a number of our exhibitors have adapted to meet the demands of customers, who wish to place orders for smaller quantities. They have also recorded increases in their turnover” says Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France.
Avantex Paris: the future of fashion is here and now!
“I am delighted, as I am with every Avantex Paris show and the lectures, to see the excellent response by our visitors to this event. We always strive our best to shine a light on the most important topical issues, such as sustainable development or traceability, which increase end consumers’ expectations, and this season’s show was no exception. Once again it attests to the goal of this trade fair to bring research and industry together in one place so that the fashion industry can develop in the right direction. The future of fashion is here and now!” says Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France.
Avantex Paris assembled innovative players from fashion once more to provide active exploration of new services, technologies and materials that will go to form the structure for tomorrow’s clothes and shops. Where contractors, manufacturers and researchers from these 26 firms were concerned, Avantex again represented an opportunity to get to grips with the different strategies that are transforming the textile sector.
Eco-friendly components for fashion made up the key ranges at the show, with the success – well noted – of the exhibition Biofabrication in Fashion supported by Open BioFabrics. “As far as I was concerned, I wanted to get fast fashion to be open to using more environmentally friendly procedures but I also wanted to inspire cosmetic groups in R&D, and inform journalists, teachers and students at fashion schools about the progress made in biofabrication” explained Sabrina Maroc, founder of the collective.
Still in the context of an approach for positive development in fashion, visitors also signalled their support for the Fragments -Vêtements exhibition by designer Elisabeth Jayot, who collaborated with the firm of Zoe Romano to develop a collection of modular clothing, without bonded seams, that can be easily adapted to the individual and their body shape as it changes.
Like the adjacent trade fairs, Avantex Paris is a trade fair for innovative materials for fashion. This event is also a key attraction for countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and, of course, China, whose technical textiles and their properties delight sportswear labels. However it is clear that this is gradually changing and will eventually embrace high fashion!
“We are satisfied with our first attendance at Avantex Paris, the more so because we were able to organise an excellent catwalk show” explained Helen Chen, head of marketing for Chinastars Reflective Material (Hangzhou), a Chinese manufacturer of reflective and iridescent materials.
More unconventional, the astounding novelties from Long Xing Long Printing & Knitting Industry (Jinjiang) included a jacket that changed colour depending on the temperature or the handbag that changed the colour of photos.
This is how the trade fair brings the audience of professionals, who are searching for new perspectives and fresh initiatives, face-to-face with ideas and materials. It is the raison d’être for the Avantex agora, the epicentre for lively debates and discussions on the future of the textile industry, fashion markets and the changes in consumption.
Biotechnologies, Blockchain, immersive experiences, social impact, etc. A plethora of subjects were touched on by experts from all backgrounds in front of an audience of curious visitors. They answered the call to attend these forward-looking meetings, which are true reflections of the radical changes underway in the fashion and clothing industry. Messe Frankfurt can congratulate itself on being a pioneer in this field by organising these open discussions.
Avantex Fashion Pitch
Well-established in its role as a pioneer for spotting fresh talent in the textile and fashion industry in the broader sense, the 4th round of Avantex Fashion Pitch rewarded, from among eight finalists, the start-up business Smart Pixels for its augmented reality technology that enables an object to be projected and to make a “screen” with it. This technique is designed for customisable products and provides an instant preview of an ongoing customisation project for an object!
The jury’s favourite was Rich Rach, a project whose aim is to revolutionise the zip by creating a catalogue of new shapes, which are no longer flat, straight and symmetrical.
The jury:
– Catherine Abonnenc, Vice-President at Femme Business Angels
• Nelly Rodi, the founder of the business intelligence and creative consultancy that goes by the same name.
• Renan Sobaga, Head of Innovation & Retail at PICOM (Competitive Hub for Retail Industries)
The next Avantex Paris show
10-11-12-13 February 2020 in Paris, Le Bourget
