Mode City’s return to Paris brings back buyers

The summery months of May and June seemed to have warmed the hearts of both swimwear and lingerie buyers. A positive atmosphere and interest in new products marked this latest edition of Mode City, which closed its doors on July 10. During the three-day show, organizers welcomed an increase in gate numbers, following a difficult detour to Lyon in 2016.

Compared to the Lyon edition, the number of visitors increased by 18%, on par with the swimwear and lingerie fair’s attendance during its previous Parisian sessions. While exhibitors were not necessarily euphoric, they were quite positive. “It is a good thing to have returned to Paris, show traffic is good. We give this fair a satisfactory scorecard," said Stéphanie Pérèle, co-director of lingerie brand Simone Pérèle.

“The result is rather positive, in any case much more positive than in Lyon! And you could say that international turn out was a good surprise,” said Billabong. The number of show attendees from several countries increased significantly. Germany, for example, was number two, second to France, thanks to a 28% increase in visitor numbers.

The Middle East and Japan showed similar increases, marked by their renewed dynamism, as did Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands and others. But France was no exception, the number of French visitors also increased by 18%, with a return of most of the buyers from Ile-de-France who had not made the trip to Lyon last year.

In terms of qualified buyers, the organizers feel their editorial and curating efforts produced results, especially the Exposed space. “There has been a great response from international department stores, e-commerce retailers and concept stores. Our approach to capturing this buyer profile seems to work,” effused Taya de Reynies, head Eurovet's lingerie and swimwear division.

The show's continuation of its events program was also warmly received, both the more accessible and public runway shows to initiatives for the general public. Some comments suggested that the fair's atmosphere was more conducive to creating a buzz about new items for summer 2018. “Being in the runway show had a direct impact this time, with attending buyers coming to our booth afterward," said the designer for the Cardo brand. The buzz produced interesting leads for the brands, but also more orders, according to some, even though this is not the fair's primary function.

Spanish brand Ysabel Mora was also happy with the show’s better display and lighting of products. “We invested in a booth that was very open to the public and which especially allowed us to stage our own catwalks, a real benefit to us,” enthused a marketing staff member of the brand. “This allowed us to attract new contacts, in a really good atmosphere,” she added. The good mood allowed some brands to play their cards right these over the three days of the show, which the organizers hope will prolong the momentum stores have experienced in recent weeks.

Mode City’s return to Paris brings back buyers

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