Orders for men’s spring/summer 2024 ready-to-wear collections set the tone for a Paris Fashion Week that welcomed a surge in exhibiting brands and the return of Asian audiences.
While the catwalks focus on show business, the law of the market rules at the trade fairs and in the showrooms. In Paris, most business is done in the showrooms, be it collective, multi-brand or monobrand, and at the Tranoï and Man trade fairs. While the Marais district of Paris has long been the flagship location for these showrooms, this time the locations seem to have spread a bit and some have also moved to the 8th arrondissement. The center of Paris leaves fashion to the tourists.
There are no figures quantifying the current volume of business generated by the fashion and luxury brands showcased at Paris Fashion Week. The last survey, conducted by the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) and the data analyst Kantar, dates back to 2018. A new survey is said to be in the works and it’s about time because the situation has changed after the pandemic. FashionUnited therefore asked around at the trade fairs and compiled the randomly collected statements from experts from the industry.
First up is the No Season showroom on rue de Braque, in the Marais, known for its curated selection of men’s brands. Managing Director, Benjamin Mazza, admits that he continues to offer designer menswear labels, which “that’s my DNA”, but that the main business is now with women’s collections.
Under the guise of ‘genderless’, many brands are presenting women’s fashion on the catwalk during Men’s Fashion Week. “I’ve had a lot of requests from women who see my silhouettes as an opportunity to embrace the boyish/working girl style,” says designer Steven Passaro, represented by No Season. I got involved because the women’s wear market is more dynamic. ‘Genderfluid’ is still a niche that only a few concept stores are entering. A fact that goes hand in hand with the fact that Men’s Fashion Week also focuses on orders for women’s pre-collections.
Paris remains the marketplace where international fashion players meet
The professionals surveyed note an increase in the number of exhibiting brands, the return of iconic showrooms such as Ryodan by Seiya Nakamura and the 247Showroom, and the arrival of new formats that can spark buyers’ interest.
So Paris has regained its allure, even as these retailers complain about the increased prices. Xavier Latapie and Giulietta Canu, founders of Moddity, are categorical: “Everyone agrees, Parisian prices have gone crazy: the price of showrooms whose services are not always up to standard, no air conditioning or unfinished work, and the price of Lodging and rooms for rent near the Gare du Nord for 500 euros per night. This reduces the number of people arriving and the time spent on site.”
Despite all of this, Paris still seems coveted, despite the many circumstances such as demonstrations, the Fête de la Musique and Pride parades that can paralyze traffic in the city during fashion week. “On the contrary, it conveys the image of a dynamic Paris, festive and free,” the duo adds.
“The number of accounts [sprich: Läden]attending Paris Mens Fashion Week is estimated at over 400,” says Christelle Cagi Nicolau, Head of the Department of Economic Support for FHCM Brands and Associate Lecturer at IFM. The spectrum ranges from sophisticated designer boutiques to department stores and large online shops. About 100 of them have both a good image policy and a considerable turnover. The FHCM will present a balance sheet of the sales next week, but only the confirmation of the stewards at the end of July 2023 will show whether the buyers have regained their taste or not.
Would there be designer fashion without the enthusiasm of the Japanese, South Koreans and Chinese?
Although Chinese shoppers appear to be fewer and fewer, with many launching multi-brand stores and wanting a quick return on investment without taking the time to develop a brand, the opening of borders is letting the industry breathe a sigh of relief. Because everyone agrees that the Asians bring curiosity and courage and represent a strong part in the niche market of designer brands exhibiting during Fashion Week Paris.
“We welcomed the concept store Boon the Shop from Seoul and Onion from Bangkok,” reveals Boris Provost, director of the Tranoï Hommes fair. Mo Studio has accepted two assignments in Japan. Joah Kraus graduated successfully in Paris and Japan. “The Japanese and Koreans are very loyal. We welcomed Korean customers eager to consume and discover new brands,” adds Christelle Cagi Nicolau. Chinese corporations own several megastores. After all, the Japanese remain leaders when it comes to daring with smaller budgets. This season, the European and American markets have tended to withdraw.”
The working methods of buyers have changed
According to Boris Provost, the space occupied by designers, previously estimated at 15 to 18 percent of retail space, has been reduced to 10 percent. At the same time, the experts are realizing that the way of working has changed in the course of digitization. It’s no longer about ordering locally. The buyers travel to see the collection, touch the fabrics, take photos, and note references. Back home, they finalize their choice and the appropriate amounts.
In fact, the role of merchants is diminished and sales volume tends to decline. “We are satisfied when we quote 4,000 euros where we would otherwise have had 10,000 euros,” says FashionUnited, without wanting to be named. Especially since prices have skyrocketed due to inflation. “An order of shoes worth 3,000 euros has risen to 4,600 euros, including transport and taxes,” reports Bénédicte Collard of showroom No Season.
The product must be adapted to the reality of its market
More competition, ephemeral boutiques, limited orders – is this the conclusion of Paris men’s fashion week? Fortunately not. Contemporary fashion is offering a solution to the market with new items that are undoubtedly simpler but respect the commercial aspect. This is what the experts from Moddity call the Holzweiler label, which is exhibiting in a private showroom in the Marais: “a Swedish label with very beautiful knitwear, a sustainable aspect, which plans to open a boutique of the same name soon.”
“The alternative is ‘instagrammable’ fashion that doesn’t necessarily reflect the reality of the market as boutiques are already struggling to market their products,” they add. Another way to make sales is through handcrafted details. Exclusive embroideries, natural materials, ecologically responsible concepts are the beacons of hope for many of the 700 buyers who visited Tranoï.
It is clear that end consumers will always be present if brands know how to find them and what suits them.
This article was published on FashionUnited.fr. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ