Paris Trade Shows Ramp Up Events to Draw in Fashion Set and Support Brands

Alex Wynne

4 October 2024 at 11:35 am·9-min read

PARIS — With the Paris Fashion Week schedule busier than ever, both Tranoï and Première Classe are reinforcing their offer with events to help brands build scale and stand out from the crowd.

Tranoï, held at the Bourse from Sept. 26 to 29, hosted two runway shows under the colonnades of the venue, including a packed showcase for three African designers, Thebe Magugu, Sukeina and Lagos Space Program, organized through the Canex initiative under the artistic direction of stylist Jenke Ahmed Tailly, to attract the Paris fashion ecosystem.

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“Events are a crucial part of our activity, they represent 40 percent of our business today,” said Tranoï general manager Boris Provost. “We need to reinforce animation and the trade show as a place where things are happening to encourage repeat visits. The number of buyers visiting Paris will never be exponential, it’s about how we encourage them to spend more time at the show,” he said.

Première Classe organizer WSN, meanwhile, has developed the Run initiative to help emerging brands show on the catwalk. Germanier and Niccolò Pasqualetti were among the designers benefiting from the initiative this past fashion week. “It’s putting our means at the disposition of designers so they can show on the runway at a limited cost,” said WSN chief executive officer Frédéric Maus. “We want to be there to support them in their development.”

Events at Première Classe, which ran Sept. 28 to 30, included a Q&A with milliner Stephen Jones and a talk on how young designers are redefining fashion through craftsmanship and sustainability. “We represent a certain segment of the fashion and creative world, we’re not competing with luxury or fast-fashion, it’s about creativity,” Maus said.

Inside Première Classe. Courtesy of Première Classe

Held at the Carrousel du Louvre, Première Classe welcomed 9,564 visitors over three days, which WSN said represented an 11 percent increase in traffic on a per-day basis. (The event normally spans four days.) The venue change because of ongoing disruption at Concorde due to the Olympic Games meant space was limited, with only 320 brands showing, compared with an average of 350. Around 22 percent of exhibitors were newcomers.

Equally at Tranoï, space was at a premium, with stands spilling into the corridors. “We need to continue reinforcing our services, and we need to work out how to continue to expand, because the space was overflowing and there is further demand from brands,” Provost said. “Season after season, we are improving the offer, our services and the quality of the experience.”

At Tranoï, buyer footfall was up 3 percent year-over-year, according to Provost. “Order levels were high, it’s a good sign as to the appeal of the selection,” he said. Sustainable and upcycled brands, African designs and accessories were the best-performing segments, he said. At Première Classe, which historically focuses on accessories, the segment was also performing well, said Maus, mirroring trends at WSN’s Who’s Next in early September.

At Man/Woman, which showcased an edited selection of 27 brands in the Upper Marais, business had been steady, said cofounder and director Antoine Floch. “We’ve seen a lot more American buyers, because it is no more expensive for them to come to Paris than it is to go to New York, and more Asian buyers,” he observed.

At Première Classe, designer Pierre-François Valette, of Valette Studio, said, “There’s a sense of creativity with a lot of new projects, with new boutiques opening.” His own business is gaining traction, and he recently opened his own workshop in Paris to produce his own collection as well as work with external labels.

Jewelry brand YParis founder Yacine Challal, at Tranoï, said business there continues to build season after season. “It’s getting better and better, and our buyers are increasingly loyal,” he said. South African designer David Tlale agreed. “People are placing orders, they are buying bigger volumes and a broader range of silhouettes,” he said.

“This time is definitely better than last time, with more American and Chinese buyers,” said Sato Sachiko, creative director of jewelry brand Hizen, who is also a buyer for the Beams Planets store in Tokyo. She highlighted The Cloth, from Trinidad and Tobago, and Italy’s Priveh as having caught her eye.

James Kang, of newly opened 101 Boutique in Hangzhou, China, picked up Chilean ready-to-wear brand Prochile as well as jewelry from YParis at Tranoï. While the luxury market remains difficult in China, “it’s a good time to enter the market and work on your community ready for when it bounces back,” he said.

Most buyers reported brisk business, and were optimistic heading into spring 2025. “I’m 25 percent ahead of last year, I’ve been doing a lot more preorders,” said Elizabeth Jeffer of online retailer Roztayger, based in San Francisco. High on her shopping list were accessories like socks and scarves that drive impulse purchasing, she said.

Shopping at Première Classe, Remy and Maxie Stressenger of Remy in Nantucket and Boston, said that while business is strong, she was ordering mindfully. “I prefer to sell out and have that rarity factor,” said Remy Stressenger. On their radar were bigger accessories for spring next year. “Jewelry is more fun and funky; rather than the dainty gold pieces, it’s thick and bold,” said daughter Maxie Stressenger.

Elena and Cinda Dinis, of Gaea boutique in Luxembourg, said, “Business is very good, we are serene about purchasing for next season.” They were shopping Première Classe for accessories and looking to discover new brands. “We’re looking for something original, but not too eccentric,” they summed up.

Highlights From Tranoi, Première Classe and Man/Woman

Maison Faret

Category: Leather goods

Showing at: Tranoï

Story: After a number of years working for houses including Karl Lagerfeld, Daniel Faret and business partner Gilles Cirelli decided to bring the Maison Faret brand, a Bordeaux-based bicycle specialist founded by Faret’s grandfather that had been dormant since World War II, back to life. Their leather goods use high-end monogram canvas from Italy. Each piece features removable straps for attaching to a bicycle and can be worn in a number of ways.

Retail price point: 390 euros to 900 euros

Evi

Category: Footwear

Showing at: Tranoï

Story: A trip to France’s historic shoemaking capital Romans-sur-Isère inspired Solène Didier and Dimitri Blanchy, who previously worked in the automobile industry, to create their brand. Their understated sneakers are made by hand, aiming is to preserve French craftsmanship for a new era. “We want to bring back the French shoemaking industry a little like Golden Goose has helped reindustrialize shoemaking in Italy,” they explained. With Leather Working Group-certified skins, the selection ranges from basics in black or white leather, suede versions in muted hues and multicolored and metallic designs.

Retail price point: 375 euros to 495 euros

Anicet

Category: Jewelry

Showing at: Tranoï

Story: Elia Pradel grew up selling her homemade jewelry designs to friends and family before studying commerce. Part of the Ateliers de Paris incubator backed by Paris City Hall, she repurposes secondhand jewelry by setting vintage elements in contemporary creations, highlighting elements like gold-plated clasps, for instance. As well as working with antique dealers, she also hopes to work with brands to bring their deadstock costume jewelry back to life, and has collaborated with institutions including Chanel’s 19M.

Core retail price range: 80 euros to 350 euros