Première Vision Paris to introduce new segmentation from July 2023

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Feb 8, 2023

The Première Vision Paris show is planning major changes from July 2023, in order to offer better clarity and support to industry professionals looking for materials and sourcing know-how. The organisers will separate European from non-European exhibitors, identify exhibitors via nine sustainability labels, and work on fashion trend information and on developing complementary services.

For greater transparency, the show will identify the products on offer according to various sustainability criteria, and has selected nine preferred labels and certifications: GOTS, Bluesign, Leather Working Group, Oeko-tex Standard 1000, Ecolabel, Global Recycled Standard (GRS), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), European Flax and ISO 14001. A list to which between two and four new certifications could soon be added, said the organisers, who have examined in detail some 400 certifications, prioritising those that have an international reputation and are independently operated.

“The goal is to provide a tool to read exhibitors from the sustainability standpoint,” said PV Paris’s managing director Gilles Lasbordes. He added that, in the same spirit, exhibitors will be gauged based on six criteria: social initiatives, production site impact, supplier production impact, traceability, product composition, and product sustainability and end-of-life management. Logos specific to each criterion will be printed on the exhibitors’ catalogue, and possibly also feature on the panels identifying each stand. But the organisers underlined that these elements will be optional, at the exhibitors’ discretion.

While rethinking the information content provided, PV Paris is also reconsidering its lay-out. The Fabrics section, focusing on materials, will remain in halls 5 and 6, but with a new segmentation. European exhibitors will all be grouped together in hall 5, split up by manufacturing specialisation (fabrics, knitwear, embroidery, etc.) as in the past. The same hall will also host the Design section, dedicated to textile design.

Non-European exhibitors will be grouped together in hall 6 and, notably, they will be split up by country. “The goal is to make the supply chain map clearer and more readable,” said Lasbordes. “Grouping together the various exhibitors from a single country is something we have been asked to do for some time, for example by countries like Japan,” he added.

Alongside non-European exhibitors, hall 6 will also host the Yarn section, for yarns and fibres, and Manufacturing, for finished products. The show’s conference area will be located at the heart of hall 6, surrounded by the Smart Creation and Tech sections, and a new section dedicated to upcycling. There will also be a sourcing solutions forum, showcasing a broad selection of 1,500 products. “The idea is to offer a complete overview of the season, and structure the visitors’ enquiries,” said Lasbordes.

Indeed, PV Paris is reorganising the trend forums. The Leather (hall 3) and Design sections will have their own trends area. The same for Accessories (hall 4), the section dedicated to components such as buttons, zip and ribbons, whose products were previously mixed with other sections’ forums. Hall 5 will instead host an ‘inspiration forum’, presenting the season’s 500 most creative products. “We’re aiming to emphasise Première Vision’s uniqueness, showcasing the best there is,” said Lasbordes.

Services-wise, in the July session the event will complement its Fashion Information and Emerging Brands desks with an Eco Information Desk. A guided tour of the Smart Tech section will also be introduced, while guided forum tours will now be offered in Korean, Japanese and Chinese, in addition to English, French and Italian.

By rethinking its segmentation, information content and visitor services, Première Vision intends to be part of the sustainable transformation taking place in the textile industry. The organisers have for the first time provided details about their efforts in this area. In addition to featuring 100% reusable stands and cutting energy and food waste, the show said that in the last four years it has reduced the amount of waste produced and sorted by 27%. The carpeting in seasonal colours will be recycled as building material.