Lingerie is often referred to as the theater of our intimacy. Therefore, it will be difficult to resist the charm of the Salon International de la Lingerie (SIL) and the Interfilière Paris (IFL) from January 20th to 22nd, 2024, which will offer a true spectacle of sensuality and beauty that will delight everyone . The program includes lingerie, swimwear, loungewear, activewear, but also wellness, exceptional materials and innovations. This event offers the opportunity to present the most comprehensive range of brands and boutiques, in synergy with other WSN Développement fashion events (Who’s Next, Impact, Bijorhca, Traffic and Neonyt Paris) taking place at the Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles in Paris. We spoke to Matthieu Pinet, director of SIL and IFL, to find out more about this year’s 60th anniversary celebration.
SIL and the IFL have been organized by WSN Développement since January 2023 and are under the patronage of Eurovet. A month and a half before the event they are already fully booked for the materials department. Despite a complex and uncertain global context, the international event is experiencing real dynamism from participants and is continuing to develop with promising future prospects.
Target exceeded
“The exhibitor numbers at Interfilière Paris in January 2024 are in the green: we have exceeded our target by 30 percent compared to January 2023,” explains Matthieu Pinet. To take this growth into account, both trade fairs will occupy Hall 3, while the This time, Who’s Next will occupy Halls 4, 5 and 6. “For this edition, we will be right next to the Who’s Next hall, creating a real meeting point. Visitors will have the opportunity to buy jewelry, accessories, ready-to-wear and lingerie “With such a diverse offering right next door, the event promises to be the largest fashion concept store in the world.”
A 60th birthday full of beautiful memories
As part of the fair’s 60th anniversary celebrations, organizers are planning a retrospective on Saturday, January 20, in addition to the three daily fashion shows – a must for most visitors who want to see the creations in person. This show will feature iconic models from major lingerie brands since 1964, the year the event was founded.
“The fascinating thing about fashion, especially lingerie, is that the development of products and styles reflects the development of society. “Society is evolving rapidly, as we can see in the industry,” he notes.
The fashion shows are organized by the ATO agency, with the Costa Molinos studio responsible for the scenography. “The evening of the retrospective will be full of surprises. The rest of the show will focus on projecting lingerie into the future, particularly through innovation,” he adds.
“Among the 250 brands exhibiting at the Salon International de la Lingerie, including Louisa Bracq, Aubade Paris, Saeta Paris, Huit, Scandale Eco Lingerie, Lascana, Chantelle, Passionata, Leonia, Wacoal, Freya, Elomi, Simone Pérèle and Empreinte , Interfilière will welcome more than 170 exhibitors. Some brands that were absent during the pandemic are returning, a clear sign that lingerie has a very bright future.”
A new wellness zone for more harmony between body and mind
“We focus primarily on lingerie, but once I took over the management of the show I wanted to expand the product range. We started Curve last summer. Wellness is a promising area of development for lingerie,” explains the director.
This time around fifteen wellness brands will exhibit at the fair, creating a dedicated area and providing brands and boutiques with solutions in line with the world of lingerie. “Our goal is to simplify the work for the boutiques and offer them a range of options.”
In our interview, Matthieu Pinet also spoke of an “incredible boom” in the loungewear sector in the post-COVID era. “There are brands that specialize in one of the product categories, and some are developing several. Large corporations, for example, offer a range , which includes lingerie, swimwear, loungewear and wellness. Despite the dominance of two major historical categories, namely lingerie and loungewear, we will welcome almost 30 swimwear brands. Swimwear represents 10% of our total offering, lingerie 55%, loungewear 25%, and the remaining 20% includes activewear, wellness, accessories and footwear.”
If there is a range designed to seduce buyers, it is Exposed, which Matthieu Pinet developed in 2017 when he joined the Salon International de la Lingerie. “Exposed presents not only young brands, but also established brands that have achieved remarkable success, as well as large corporations that are repositioning themselves and introducing new lines, such as Chantelle X in the summer edition. These are the issues that we find to be the most exciting aspects of today!”
As has been the case for several years, there will be an Ulule section – a crowdfunding platform that serves as a launching pad for start-ups – with a variety of dedicated projects.
IFL launches a new “Know-How” forum
“IFL is extremely dynamic. The offer has increased by 30% compared to January 2023,” explains Matthieu Pinet. “We have been very selective and have chosen a global offer rather than limiting it to France or Europe. Quality standards are evolving in countries like China . Therefore, we are monitoring these developments closely. While we want to move further, faster and stronger, we must accept that this change will take time and will be gradual, as not everyone is able to consume or sell exclusively ethically. It There is a market reality, and our job is to reflect it and offer solutions.”
At IFL, WSN Développement will showcase the know-how of manufacturers, some of which use machines that are centuries old. In addition to Jos Berry’s insightful forum dedicated to market trends, the IFL is introducing a second “Savoir-Faire” forum designed by Pascal Gautrand, fashion and textile expert at Made in Town and initiator of the Collectif Tricolor. He will present a dance group that enriches the event with new emotions several times a day.
The Savoir-Faire Forum offers a three-part offering that is both ethical and innovative: Natural Elegance presents environmentally sustainable materials, Weaving Heritage presents weaving and jacquard, and The Art of Stretch presents technical textiles. The brands were carefully selected in collaboration with the Fédération du Lin, the official cooperation partner of the Forum.
“These two forums accurately reflect the prevailing atmosphere. They work harmoniously together.”
Details, cooperation, entertainment and emotions are at the heart of WSN events in January to provide an enjoyable and seamless exhibition experience. The table service introduced last year continues in this new edition and is complemented by an exhibition of finished products throughout the visit.
At WSN all possibilities are open
“With WSN Développement there is a real understanding of the market, enormous dynamism and almost unlimited growth prospects. The whole thing is led by Frédéric Maus, CEO of WSN Développement and Chairman and CEO of Eurovet. The creation of this big whole removes the boundaries of the sectors and unites them,” says Matthieu Pinet.