The Paris shows organised by Messe Frankfurt France, which include Avantex Paris, the show for technological services for all branches of fashion, have recorded an increase of 13.9% more visitors compared with the show in September 2016, organisers report.

The event, which took place from 18-21 September at Le Bourget, Paris, welcomed buyers who were on the lookout for new products and innovations. “In September 2017, Avantex Paris proved to be the place where players from ready-to-wear and luxury goods were able to meet the providers of innovative, technological solutions,” said Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

“The variety and complementary nature of exhibitors, the daily meetings at the round tables with experts, the focus on innovative materials offered by the MateriO’ forum, the video wall, the workshops and the first session of the Avantex Fashion Pitch are all factors injecting effective and convincing stimulus in an extremely active international network for technology and fashion.”

Making progress

According to organisers, European brands remain very keen on the solutions offered by the firms exhibiting at the shows – Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Shawls & Scarves, Texworld and Texworld Denim Paris – with the top five visiting countries being France, UK, Spain, Italy, and Turkey.

At 83% (+3%) internationally, this illustrates the predominant position occupied by shows at Paris Le Bourget in the global business for textiles, clothing and accessories. The Japanese achieved a huge improvement (+19%), as did the American continent (+7%) with healthy results for the USA and Canada and increased interest in Brazil and Colombia.

Africa, a new player in the sector, made sound progress, up by 48%, a result of campaigns instigated by the Messe Frankfurt Group, which has recently acquired trade fairs for textiles, ready-to-wear and shoes in South Africa (ATF and Source Africa), alongside the launch of Texworld Addis Abeba, Apparel Sourcing Addis Abeba and Texprocess Addis Abeba within ASFW in 2017.

Extensive range

Avantex Paris demonstrated the very extensive range of technical textiles and finished technological products, alongside projects in R&D or start-ups, which came to test their concepts in interactions with potential customers.

Material seemed to be the star – the Parisian materials library matériO’, one of the trade show’s partners, presented all the latest developments in clothing and accessories. The future prospects forum showed supple wood-based fabrics, frog skin and fish skin leather, leather from innards, conductive fabrics, wearable sculpture and many other talking points.

Colleges and schools

Colleges and schools were delighted with the numerous contacts they made throughout the four days, according to oganisers. ENSAD Paris, the Hochschule Albstadt Sigmaringen and Chongqing University from China were able to present their research and work by their students.

The Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design was delighted with the potential generated by the trade fair. “Several fashion shops approached us to create marketing content for their spaces. We have been invited to Berlin for a hackathon in the near future and to Taiwan to design a collection of clothing,” explained representatives.

Avantex Fashion Pitch

Avantex Fashion Pitch, the ambitious competition held via the WiRATE platform and organised by the trade fair, rewarded start-ups that offered solutions that are representative of the segments at the show and whose products and services won the most votes.

The agora at Avantex Paris, apart from the Fashion Pitch, hosted eight lectures and round tables on very diverse subjects, from development of functional fabrics to the digital era, new patterns of behaviour on social media, procurement and standards for electronic textiles, trends for autumn/winter 18/19, re-appropriation and automation of machinery, the alliance between production and responsible consumption and finally a presentation of Euveka’s multi-size mannequin.

In addition to these meetings, the Agora organised the Wall of Avantex with a programme of videos about the products and projects that mix innovative technology and fashion.

www.avantex-paris.com