Première Classe, Who’s Next Trade Shows to Stop Featuring Fur in 2023
PARIS — Leading Paris trade shows Première Classe and Who’s Next are set to stop featuring fur in 2023, organizers said. The group made the decision as part of its overall strategy that looks to highlight positive brands.
“We are already engaged with impact, we want fashion that is much more positive than what we had in the past,” said Frédéric Maus, general director of Première Classe organizer WSN Développement. “We cannot combine [fur] with impact, so if we have a choice to make, it’s definitely the impact choice. But it’s really difficult because it’s not just a choice for us, it’s a choice for the brands at the show. But for me, it was not possible anymore to combine the two.”
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The next edition of the Who’s Next trade show will expand its Impact section dedicated to brands that respect the environment, society and animals, which Maus said is expected to have up to 80 participants this time around, 55 percent of which will be labels joining the show. The Jean-Luc Fran?ois Association, which promotes education and inclusivity in fashion, will participate in that sector.
Bijorhca, dedicated to jewelry with 150 brands attending, and Traffic, dedicated to tech solutions, talks and events, will also run as components inside the larger trade show.
This season, the Porte de Versailles venue will have an Americana atmosphere, with football and collegiate touches to create a “Super Bowl of fashion.” Maus said they chose the theme because there are “strong values” around sport and a sense of nostalgia felt by young people in the current climate.
Overall, Who’s Next expects 850 brands to attend: 48 percent ready-to-wear and 53 percent accessories. The show will also reintroduce the Fame label for jewelry brands, as well as introduce a new Made in Italy sector.
Also in the works for 2023 is the integration of the Salon International de la Lingerie, dedicated to lingerie and swimwear, which will debut alongside the January edition.
“It’s my project to build an ecosystem with lingerie, ready-to-wear, accessories — to put it all in one place and to give buyers a reason to come to Paris,” said Maus. “An apparel buyer might not purchase a lot of lingerie but everyone is inspiring [each other.] The trends in fashion can be used in lingerie and lingerie is really going strongly in a fashion direction.”
Maus added that by incorporating the different modules in one location with one entry ticket, buyers can be exposed to more brands and vice versa.
“Everyone will benefit from all the sectors on the scene, and all the services that we are bringing back around the event. We are stronger together, and that was my mantra during the COVID-19 period,” he said, adding that virtual interaction can only go so far. “We are in the same boat, the creation boat, and we have to move forward to give something new to the market.”
Première Classe, the trade show that runs alongside Paris Fashion Week in the Tuileries Gardens, will also integrate the Splash trade show, dedicated to resortwear, he said.
Who’s Next will run Sept. 2 to 5, 2022, and Jan. 20 to 23, 2023. Première Classe will run Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, 2022.
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