Première Vision Paris Plots Second Virtual Edition
PARIS — Première Vision Paris, the textile trade fair historically set in the sprawling Parc des Expositions venue, will for its second consecutive session be held virtually from Feb. 15 to 19, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It will have a “fresh chances” theme.
Gilles Lasbordes, managing director of Première Vision, said in a statement released Tuesday that this period has given rise to new business opportunities for fashion.
“The industry’s digital transformation is now entering a new phase, thanks to a widespread embrace of digital technologies and the implementation of new services,” he said. “These have helped brands maintain and personalize their relationships with their customers, and assist their purchasing processes.”
He noted, too, that buying patterns have shifted.
“Sustainability, transparency and traceability are increasingly central to consumer expectations, just [as] are local manufacturing and ‘Made in,’” Lasbordes continued. “These developments all present opportunities for brands and industry professionals to develop new know-how, to innovate and adapt their services to new and evolving ways to source their materials.”
Still, the executive stressed the importance of physical trade shows and said Première Vision in 2021 will hold fairs that are digital, physical or a combination of both, depending on health restrictions.
“Our digital events are much richer now, and they will continue to improve and grow increasingly sophisticated,” Lasbordes said. “In the meantime, they allow all industry players — buyers, creative teams, decision-makers and suppliers and manufacturers — to come together, continue interacting and work.”
The first digital-only edition of the fair, which took place Sept. 15 and 16, leveraged Première Vision’s existing marketplace while bulking up some digital features to ensure the 1,675 exhibitors were equipped to face the disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Organizers had originally planned a hybrid “phy-gital” showcase and enhanced Première Vision’s marketplace first launched in 2018.
That first session of the Paris digital fair attracted 19,500 unique visitors.
Première Vision organizers said the February edition will introduce new services and mark the launch its new web site, premierevision.com, which will unite the Paris show platform and marketplace.
Throughout 2021, in February, July and the end of the year, Première Vision will bring together all of its trade shows and marketplace to that one virtual location.
Trade shows have had to pivot fast and hard due to pandemic-related restrictions, which have scuttled travel and seen many countries institute mandatory lockdowns.
Some fairs, such as the beauty trade show Cosmoprof in Italy, stepped up their digital game by tapping Alibaba, Born and Needl marketplaces as exclusive partners for its WeCosmoprof second edition, which ran from Oct. 5 to 18.
Fore more, see:
Digital Première Vision Paris Thrives Despite Deteriorating Economy
Première Vision Beefs Up Digital Services for September Show
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