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Who’s Next to promote sustainable fashion and debut new layout at upcoming Paris trade show
From January 17 to 20, the Who’s Next fashion and accessories trade show will return to the Porte de Versailles’ Parc des Expositions in Paris.
The event, organised by WSN, will feature 1,300 French and international brands (600 for ready-to-wear and 700 for accessories and lifestyle goods), with 300 brands exhibiting at the event for the first time -- all united under the scenographic theme 'Mirror Palace'.
The theme aims to challenge the “idea of the conception and matter, of reality and imagination," according to organisers.
The edition marks a return for Impact, a space dedicated to sustainability in fashion, which launched for the first time at the trade show in September 2019. Set up at the entrance of Hall 6, it will house labels committed to sustainable development such as Ekyog and La Gentle Factory, as well as collectives such as Fashion Green Days and SloWeAre, and service providers including Disruptual. It will also be the site for conferences on sustainability and circularity in the fashion industry, but it will no longer be open to the general public, at the request of its professional participants.
Impact will also take place outside of the context of Who’s Next this year and will also be integrated into the format of trade show Première Classe at the end of February.
At the beginning of 2020, after having been grouped together in two halls last autumn, the trade show is trying out a new organisation and will utilise Halls 4, 5.2, and 6 while maintaining its objective of “maintaining an easy to navigate visitor route”.
The 'Trendy' area will be set up in Hall 6 and will notably feature Molly Bracken, La Petite Etoile, Oxbow, and Morgan; the latter two making their first appearances at the trade show.
In Hall 4, Leon & Harper, Antik Batik, and Mes Demoiselles will be reunited under the banner 'Fame'. The rest of the ready-to-wear brands will be split between Halls 4 and 6, and will include newcomers 7 Seasons, Creenstone, and Vicher.
Finally, the 'What’s Up' streetwear space will mix apparel and accessories brands in Hall 6 and include brands Von Dutch, Camper, and Desigual.
For accessories, footwear will be situated in Hall 6 and include brands Rivecour and Anthology Paris. Bags and leather goods featuring brands Petite Mendigote, Abaco Paris, and Thule will be set up in Hall 5.2, along with jewellery and textile accessories. Themed spaces will include 'Inside', dedicated to lifestyle and decoration, and 'La Villa Beauté', which will focus on eco-friendly cosmetics and both will be returning fixtures this edition.
Among the events that will punctuate the trade show, 'Fashion Scene' in Hall 6 will showcase an array of future talent amongst which will feature the three winners of the Lab.Scene contest, which was held by WSN with Istituto Marangoni. A beer bar in the 'What’s Up' space will see street artist Bebar customise jeans for the brand, Lois.
At its previous event last September, Who’s Next reported 43,675 visits, which represented a slight year-on-year increase of 0.4%, compared to its figure for September 2018.
This season, the trade show will take place among a backdrop of a movement against pension reform in the French capital, which has seen numerous transport strikes and demonstrations.
The trade show urges visitors not to worry about the disruptions and said in a statement: “We are not at all worried about reservations for visitor badges, we have reinforced our shuttle arrangements to and from the airports and the trade show and will put in place free shuttles between the capital’s four main train stations.”
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