Crowded and busy aisles – this is how the Who’s Next fair in Paris presented itself. The collections for autumn/winter 22/23 and spring/summer 22 were ready to be discovered by buyers, there was a happy atmosphere that can symbolize an upswing after the crisis. The audience was mainly from France and Europe, but it was there. After some complicated events, Who’s Next got off to a good start in the new season.
Who’s Next as a huge concept store
The fair is still more compact than before – a third fewer exhibitors than in the previous normal operation. That means 732 brands in two halls, 5 and 6, with sections Impact and Traffic, Exposed and Riviera, including Bijhorca, which has belonged to WSN since last summer. The fair, which was conceived as a huge concept store by its director, Frédéric Maus, recorded a large number of new brands: 32 percent, a pinch of fresh wind that blew through the halls. They were attended by buyers and retailers such as Abou d’Abi Bazar, Galeries Lafayette, La Samaritaine, La Redoute, Veepee, Place des Tendances and many more.
“The increase in attendance was 8.35 percent compared to last September. We had 21 percent European audience; British, Belgians, Spaniards and Italians. What’s new for Who’s Next is that we’ve seen a surge in buyers from the Middle East, who are now looking for luxury in other fashions. Apart from these numbers, we are glad that we have stopped to contribute to the fashion ecosystem,” emphasized the director of the fair, Frédéric Maus, on the last day of the fair. The B2B platform Cmpx, which will be officially opened on November 15, already hosts 250 brands from the fields of fashion, sports and food. It’s about gaining strength in the omnichannel space, simplifying relationships between brands and retailers, and continuing business after the show.
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For the second year running, the Who’s Next X Ulule booth was packed, an opportunity for emerging brands to gain exposure while capitalizing on the funding platform. The Impact theme, which focused on responsible fashion, was also very dynamic. Notable were the OTA sneakers made from recycled tires, Girafon Bleu – which presented itself as the first sustainable fashion brand to donate part of its profits to endangered giraffes – or the famous Medusa bathing shoe, which featured a new offering made from recycled plastic, as well as Jeans 1082, whose stand was particularly well attended.
A wealth of innovations in the prêt-à-porter industry also characterized this somewhat different edition: brands such as Leon & Harper or René Derhy had a nice wealth of colors and materials, and also One Peace Revelation, Hummade and the stylish one and simple rain jacket label Tanta Rainwear.
By the way: WSN Développement, whose headquarters are currently located on Rue Guénégaud in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, is preparing for its move La Caserne for March. The place that already hosts L’Exception, an incubator for young brands focused on the green transformation of the industry – at the heart of the creative system.
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.fr. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ