“A journey into oneself, a moment of drifting that invites us all to first lose ourselves and then return to a better self.” Who’s Next’s new District Fantasy campaign, illustrated by Clotilde Carton, embodies a universe of colors that, through a kaleidoscopic spectrum, transform spaces into a labyrinth. As both fashion and market demands change, Who’s Next has decided to adapt and organize its fairs over three days instead of four, ie from Saturday 21st January morning to Monday 23rd January , in the evening. At the same time, WSN Développement creates the biggest fashion event of the year by bringing together the five trade fairs at the Porte de Versailles: Who’s Next, IMPACT, Bijorhca, as well as the Salon International de la Lingerie (SIL) and Interfilière Paris (IFL).
A one-of-a-kind entry ticket: Synergy in a nutshell!
A worldwide offer to discover new collections in ready-to-wear, accessories, corsetry, beauty, lifestyle and raw materials. To create synergy between these different worlds, WSN has issued a single ticket for all five shows, giving buyers and all industry professionals access to a global experience. “We want to create synergies between the different spheres in a time of almost unlimited creativity. This next edition will be a world first, as all professionals will inspire each other here, giving their creativity intense feedback. The moment of personal encounter and
Exchange has become even more important today,” says Frédéric Maus, Managing Director of WSN.
“Three days for more simplicity,” he continues. “It seemed logical to us to shorten the duration of the trade fairs, not only to save energy, but also to limit the increase in stand fees to 10 to 15 percent.”
30 percent new brands on Who’s Next
For the new issue in January, Frédéric Maus emphasizes that he got the exact numbers from before the pandemic. In fact, 1500 exhibitors are expected at all shows: 1100 at Who’s Next, IMPACT and Bijorhca in HALL 1 and 400 at SIL and IFL in HALL 4. “50 percent of our customers are French, but we are also seeing a strong return from Koreans .”
Who’s Next focuses on a powerful and inspirational theme to stimulate and re-engage audiences during the transition period. One expects 45 percent ready-to-wear clothing and 55 percent accessories, of which 30 percent are new labels. Among those making their debut at IMPACT are Angel Felting, a Mongolian brand that makes slippers from sheep’s wool, and Spanish company Ecoalf, which makes its collections from recycled plastic waste from beaches and the oceans.
Also new at Who’s Next (ready-to-wear) are Ruban Noir and Gaudi; Bear Design and Gabie are at Who’s Next with bags and leather goods; ACBC, Caterpillar and Le Chameau show their new shoe styles at Who’s Next; Textile accessories from Marzoline Milano can be admired at Who’s Next and that
Label Parafina presents itself at Who’s Next Bijoux. Exbi, J’emme and Mi Yé will be present at Who’s Next Villa Beauté, while Germany’s Schmuckoo Berlin and Chic Pig will make their grand entrance at Bijorhca.
Neonyt Paris debuts at IMPACT
WSN announces that Neonyt, the Berlin B2B trade fair for sustainable fashion, which is part of Messe Frankfurt, will be present at IMPACT. “This new licensing partnership, which has been signed for the next four events, will further strengthen the area of sustainable and environmentally conscious fashion brands that are already represented in Hall 1,” according to the WSN management. Messe Frankfurt, which also licensed Neonyt to the Igedo Company, will open its doors in Düsseldorf for the first time in 2023. Another novelty is the presence of The Smiley Company, who wants to accompany the ecological transition with fun and good humor!
Ulule x Who’s Next: A source of innovation not to be missed
As for innovations and young designers, Ulule x Who’s Next is back again this year. The area, particularly appreciated by buyers looking for novelty, invites fashion and lifestyle projects that have successfully completed their crowdfunding campaign and are new to the market. “We have overseen over 200 projects on Ulule, which shows how strong our commitment to innovative projects is. Most of these brands, which have never been presented to the public before, are sustainable ones
Fashion projects with a high added value at the fair,” emphasized Frédéric Maus. “It is remarkable that many young labels that started out in the B2C sector and later expanded into the B2B sector are returning to our trade fairs.”
WSN Développement organizes Paris fairs for international fashion professionals, mainly brands and retailers. In January and September, Who’s Next presents ready-to-wear, accessories, beauty and lifestyle products together with IMPACT, a coalition of initiatives that stand for the promotion of ecology and solidarity. TRAFFIC, on the other hand, is an event dedicated to solutions and innovations for fashion retailers and brands.
Since May 2021, WSN has been organizing the Bijorhca jewelry fair for BOCI together with Who’s Next. During Fashion Week in March and October, Première Classe presents fashion accessories alongside a select selection of ready-to-wear. Since July 2022, WSN has been running the organization of the Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris for Eurovet alongside WHO’S NEXT.