The fashion industry met at the Who’s Next show in Paris from September 2nd to 5th to write orders for the SS23 season. Despite the looming recession in Europe, many brands recorded a good order situation.
The fashion industry comes together again in Paris
“After two years things are going really well for us,” said Puneet Ahuja in an interview at the fair on Saturday. “It’s like a new beginning, we are very satisfied.”
Ahuja, the owner of New Delhi-based scarf maker Ahujasons, has been unable to leave India for two years due to coronavirus restrictions. This season is the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic that he will be able to meet clients from Europe in person. So far he has met clients from countries like Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the UK, but not yet from Scandinavia or Japan.
Although Who’s Next has never stopped hosting trade shows during the pandemic, attendance during this period has been lower than previous editions as many buyers and brands have been unable to travel due to coronavirus restrictions. But the busy aisles and stands at the Paris fair, which started on Friday and ended today, show that business is back in full swing.
“Customers are coming back to Europe, we feel that the buyers and also the brands are much more enthusiastic,” said Mercédéh Vafai, artistic and commercial co-director of Parisian fashion label Notshy in an interview on Saturday. The Marke has up to 800 sales outlets worldwide and operates 40 of its own stores in France and Switzerland.
The fair has been much emptier in recent seasons, Vafai added. “The last two years have been difficult for everyone, and now everyone wants to go out and shop.” She expects sales to grow from €45 million to €60 million next year.
Who’s Next back to pre-pandemic levels
The SS23 edition of Who’s Next, with 1,000 participating brands, is another sign of a return to pre-pandemic values. Of these, 33 percent are new brands, said Frédéric Maus, CEO of the trade fair organization WSN, in an interview on Saturday. “It’s an important moment for us.”
He attributes the comeback to the fact that the trade fair never missed an order season during the pandemic, despite strict hygiene measures. Also, the need to see each other and tactilely examine the clothes should not be underestimated, he added.
Visitor numbers are not yet confirmed and are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels, but could be a bit lower as Chinese buyers are still struggling to travel, Maus said. The final numbers will be released this week.
Buyers from department stores as well as online retailers and multi-brand boutiques were represented at Who’s Next. According to Maus, around 50 percent of the visitors come from France, 25 percent from the rest of Europe and the remaining 25 percent from the rest of the world.
Cheerleader and light collections
The Super Bowl theme gave the fair’s comeback a humorous and upbeat touch. Like a US stadium, merchandise was available for purchase at the entrance featuring an energetic peacock mascot, and cheerleaders performed stunts in the fair’s aisles as if to cheer on the fashion industry.
When entering the fair, long summer dresses with prints attracted attention, and the light colors of the collections aroused holiday feelings. Jewelery featured many delicate gold earrings and necklaces, such as those by French label La Cabane de Fanette.
“It’s getting better and better,” said Fanette Hernette, the brand’s founder. She showcases delicate necklaces and earrings with dried plants set in resin.
Hernette is at the show for the third time after exhibiting for the first time last September. The number of her customers is growing and with it the number of orders, so that sales have increased by 20 percent. “This edition is better because people have come back from the US and Japan,” she adds.
New clientele
In the accessories section there are various bags made of raffia and straw hats. Many sneaker brands, some made of sustainable materials such as apple leather, were on display, but also shoes with a strong design language of their own, such as Chie Mihara.
“Compared to last season, this season is much better for us, also for other people I spoke to,” said Yolanda Rico, sales manager of the Spanish shoe brand, on Sunday. The first and second days were particularly good, with customers from countries like France, UK, USA, Belgium, Israel and Jordan.
The outlook
Despite the generally optimistic mood, there is still uncertainty as to how business will continue to develop. Consumption sentiment in many European countries is suffering due to inflation fears after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing supply chain problems. The latest economic indicators in Germany and France point to the risk of a recession.
But these trends don’t seem to be affecting the brands on Who’s Next, many of which are in the higher price segment, just yet.
“Everyone in Europe feels like the recession has just started,” said Ahuja of New Delhi-based scarf company Ahujasons. “They’re all concerned about the war because it’s been going on for too long, but at the same time the demand there. So it’s confusing, but the orders are still coming in.” The order intake is up to 40 percent higher than during the pandemic, said Ahuja.
“We are very satisfied with our business in France. The bigger brands are getting good results and sales; the new labels we have launched are also doing well,” said Nicolas Bezy, country manager at Danish DK Company, which owns clothing brands such as Ichi and Casual Friday.
After pausing a few seasons during the pandemic, the company is now back at the show to showcase its label highlights, with most order appointments being arranged in the showroom.
“There are many questions in the face of the economic crisis, the prices of everyday items have increased,” says Bezy. “Shoppers are cautious, but at the same time we know that life goes on and business goes on. We are positive. “