The home of fashion: Première Vision Paris

The latest edition of Première Vision Paris set the course for innovation, while promising to continue its ‘aggressive development strategy to provide effective support to international creative fashion professionals as they build their spring/summer 19 collections’.

However, halfway through the first day, it was evident that the atmosphere was muted and lacked that conviction – if foot traffic was anything to go by – and was in stark contrast to the vibrant, sensational goods and samples on display. On the second day, it was a totally different story; historically, this has been the key day to attend, so it was not surprising that the organisers upped the ante, even surprising themselves with the results.

An increased offering

This edition, once again, filled halls one to six at the Paris Nord Villepinte, France, and experienced a 1.6% increase in exhibitors from 2017, going up to 1,725. There were also 118 new companies and 50 countries represented across the six activity sectors.

For the leather-specific offering in hall three, there were 224 exhibitors – 12 of which were new. Best Brasil, Curtume Rusan and Nova Kaeru were no strangers to the show, and were supported by the Brazilian Leather project, a partnership between the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.

“We are very optimistic after this edition of Première Vision Paris,” said Letícia Luft, manager of the project. “In events dedicated to the luxury market, as in the case of this fair, we see that the market is increasingly valuing sustainability on its choices. Brazilian Leather stands out [for] this point and has been working hard to offer products with social, environmental and economic responsibility, from the cattle herd to the finished leather.”

New to this year’s show was the tremendously well received Bag & Shoe Manufacturing area, which was emblematic of the buoyant leather goods and footwear offering. Nine international producers and manufacturers shared the best techniques and insider knowledge for this specialist area.

“For a brand that wants to get into accessories, the main pitfall is bringing together the best subcontractors who will work together to develop and create the project,” Première Vision Leather’s show director Marc Brunel said in a press release.

“Première Vision is very aware of this difficulty, so the show brings together in one place the manufacturers, the raw material suppliers (tanners and furriers) and the component manufacturers,” he added. “The show offers brands a unique opportunity to connect and network. It’s the perfect opportunity to build a reliable team of collaborators in just a few hours; what’s more, a team that can actually meet and exchange ideas, even though their companies are often located in the four corners of the globe.”

In addition to this, there were a series of seminars, workshops and conferences that sought to educate and provide hands-on information about what is influencing the leather industry. CTC’s sustainable development consultant, Regis Lety, gave a keynote during a conference on green products. Amid all the distraction that can confuse consumers, mixed with honest ways to make brands more transparent, Lety objectively looked at the main concepts, and terms like ‘green’, ‘eco’ and ‘organic’, which are associated with the fashion and accessories world.