Participating in a trade fair as a young fashion brand can be confusing and expensive. What’s the point? And how do you prepare for it? To find out, FashionUnited met Milezime brand founder Emilie Zeller for the first time at the Who’s Next show, which ended last Monday.
Milezime is a women’s fashion brand established in 2020. The collections are conceived and manufactured in the Vallon de Saint-Imier in Switzerland. The team consists of two people, Emilie Zeller, the founder, and a seamstress.
How did you prepare for your first participation in Who’s Next?
This is actually the first major trade show event I’ve attended, so it’s a big unknown. I used to come to the fair as a visitor to see how things are done there, to understand what is being done and what is not. I wanted to stand out visually on a very limited budget. I developed small journals and tried to convey authenticity by printing sketches and photos from the workshop. As far as prices go, as a visitor I wanted to see what was on offer so I could compete. I might be a bit more expensive here than some of the others because I manufacture in Switzerland, but the prices are well received. In Switzerland, my home country, some shops require a certain margin, but it’s different here, surprisingly it’s better received.
On the other hand, the person responsible for Switzerland at Who’s Next gave me a few tips. We have a back office on the computer that helps us to know the schedules and the options for the stands. What I also really appreciated was that I could come by train, the stands are there, a chair, a table.
Participation in this fair also means a certain financial risk. Why did you decide to do it anyway?
The brand has been around for three years now and I felt I needed to evolve to become more well known. I’ve already worked on press kits to get into the Swiss media. I’ve had a few articles that have made me famous, but this time I said to myself, ‘I want to do something bigger. I go to Paris and find out how the brand is received, how people perceive my clothes, whether I’m developing in the right direction”. I wanted to find out if people liked my clothes internationally. It was a test.
What metrics do you use to assess whether participation was a success?
I came here with no set goals. I wanted to have this experience to experience something international in fashion, because I’m self-taught and learn everything on the job. The fact that the brand was selected for Who’s Next also gives it credibility. That makes me proud. If I then write another order here, there will be champagne! Yesterday [Anm. d. Red.: Samstag] I had a slightly calmer day. Today there were many visitors who were interested. And all of this gives me confidence. My embroideries seem to be very popular, so there is still potential. It helps me to understand in which direction I should go. And as far as contacts go, it’s very interesting. Some fabric suppliers left me their business cards. So for now I’m not disappointed. Today I am convinced that there is a lot to do.
When I think about the money I put into attending, on top of the salon, it’s very scary. But I see it as an experience of experiencing things. Selling, attracting customers, explaining why we are here and how we differ from the other brands, creating our own visual identity, setting up an order, learning about the terms of sale, these are all very interesting things to learn. I come from a small village in Switzerland, so arriving in Paris was a challenge. I also learned a lot about myself that way.
What are your plans for the time after the fair?
I’ll take stock tomorrow evening. I feel like the embroidered t-shirts is something I still want to work hard on. I have business cards from bloggers and boutiques. I will send you my look book, thank you for coming and see if there is further interest and if that can lead to orders later. I’m also thinking about developing events to gain visibility and reach boutiques in France.
This article was published on FashionUnited.fr. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ