Dynamism, energy, a positive approach, passion, zest, optimism, a fighting spirit: whichever words they used to describe it, exhibitors and international buyers at the Première Vision Pluriel shows underlined the stimulating atmosphere prevailing throughout the four days of the session (15-18 September).  A promising shift in terms of the economic context, and one that made its presence felt across the 6 shows. Together they registered 55,758 visits from fashion professionals, an increase of 13.2 % over the February 2009 show.

New initiatives undertaken to highlight synergies between the different shows (an Interactive Map/Guide, the Pluriel Expert Trails) all provided buyers effective assistance in organising their work, helping them to quickly find their bearings amid the some 1,600 exhibitors brought together at Première Vision Pluriel.

Première Vision/Expofil: early indication of recovery?

“The show is amazing. This is probably one of the best shows in many years. The mills realized that they need to take it to the next step. There is a lot of excitement and innovation that I have not seen in many years. I was blown away by the fabrics. Something has changed.”

Like Christine Standal, Senior Manager, Fabric Research and Development for Coach (USA), many buyers described themselves as highly enthusiastic at the end of the September 2009 session. What struck them, and seduced them, was the exceptional inventiveness of the autumn winter 2010-11 collections. Foregoing a cautious retrenchment, companies were dynamic and imaginative, investing heavily in innovation and development with the aim of pulling out of the crisis by taking the high road.

The resulting products were surprising and bold in their colours, patterns and handles, products that excited the curiosity of buyers, stirring desire and stimulating the imagination. In the end, most exhibitors noted a true ripple of excitement running through buyers, even as they continue to be very price-sensitive regarding products.

“The best show ever ! Première Vision carries the most beautiful fabrics!... I think the designs of fabrics are more daring this year”, added Aurélie Bacquet, Men’s design manager for Montagut (Guangdong, China).

A similar enthusiasm and similar praise for the show's creativity was expressed by Anja Gockel, a German designer, who said: “Première Vision is my guide, orientates me to find new creative ideas. We have to believe in creativity. It’s the most important value to survive. Nobody can copy our brain.”

Yet statistical realities lag behind the positive working ambiance and resolutely optimist frame of mind noted by all, exhibitors as well as buyers. In effect, while companies are anticipating a recovery to build their autumn winter 2010-11 collections, they are today continuing to experience drastic reductions in travel budgets. As a consequence, though companies continue to view the trip to Paris as essential, they are sending reduced teams.

Thus, Première Vision and Expofil registered slightly more than 39,200 visits from fashion professionals, a figure showing a very slight increase in terms of February 2009, but which remains down by 11% in terms of September 2008, the last session before the economic turmoil that struck companies.

As international as ever, the shows welcomed professionals coming from some 100 countries across the globe. The percentage of international visitors remains quite high, a constant at the Première Vision shows, and surpassed 70% of the total in spite of a situation that is particularly penalising for overseas exports.

Country by country, results are uneven. While, when compared to September 2008, European visits are in general down (with however an increase for Austria, Finland, Romania, Slovakia and Lithuania), China + Hong Kong and Brazil, whose dynamism no longer needs to be demonstrated, showed increases with, respectively, 1,376 visits (+20%) and 412 visits (+1%).

In all, Asia (4,000 visits) and the Americas (3,000 visits) registered high results in terms of professional visitors, results unmatched by other textile shows.

“ ...Première Vision is where everyone gets together. If you have to choose one show, it’s got to be Première Vision” said Linda Mets, Buyer for Cos (UK). And Doris Bobick, Fabric Director at J Crew (USA), added with no hesitation: “I cannot live without the show. “

Iwanaka, Jakob Schlaepfer, Ratti and Showa, winners of the first PV Awards

Première Vision made news with its first edition of the PV Awards. These prizes, intended to recognise and reward the most outstanding fabrics created by the show's exhibitors, were revealed to the public in the General Forum on Friday 18 September, by Jury President Véronique Nichanian (Hermès Paris).

4 prizes were awarded:

The Grand Jury Prize 2009 was awarded to a creation by the Italian weaver Ratti.

Like a chance motion between transparency and opacity, between silk and wool, this double jacquard blows a new gust of wind into rigidity. It is an ode to the light found in shade and defies weaving constraints with virtuoso ingenuity and poetry.

The Handle Prize was given to a fabric by the Japanese weaver Showa.

Playing on tactile and visual surprises, this 100% wool indigo inscribes denim into an intensely contemporary universe with a handle marked by a malleable materiality, its springy suppleness and its plays on colour, where neatness is perturbed, for suitings with a radiant future.

The Innovation Prize was attributed to a product by the Japanese exhibitor Iwanaka.

Inspired by velvet techniques, this 3D weave captures air between its two fine layers of voile for a strangely puffy and springy handle, a surface with heavy undulations and a diaphanous lightness, a volume, pleats, splittings and indentations with uncharted behaviour.

The Imagination Prize was awarded to a creation by Swiss exhibitor Jakob Schlaepfer.

An alliance of technique and madness? A showpiece? A city? An alloy of spongy volume and weightlessness, foam cubes capped with gilt imitation leather, precisely and preciously glued to tulle, make the body's motions resonate at the very summit of exceptionalness.

Earlier that day, the jury, comprised of nine international fashion personalities, held their final meeting. There were 62 fabrics in competition following a first selection carried out in early September from the samples sent in by the show's approximately 700 exhibitors for the autumn winter 2010-11 season.

The award-winning textile producers each received a trophy: a “Fractal Flower”, a sculpture made using stereolithography by Miguel Chevalier, a pioneer in digital and virtual artworks.

Created by Première Vision, the World’s Premier Fabric Show, the PV Awards are designed to spotlight the extraordinary creative vitality of fashion textiles. The second edition of the PV Awards will take place in September 2010.

A few days before the show, Première Vision, continuing its policy of international development, announced the launch of 2 new events for 2010: Première Brasil by Première Vision (January 2010) and Première Vision Tokyo / Jitac (March 2010). Note the dates in your agendas now!

Press release by Premiere Vision Pluriel