Trade Fair Reviews
London FAST FASHION TOUR was a huge hit
Eurovet’s brand new concept show dedicated to the fast fashion sector, held in London on 7 - 8 November, attracted collection and production managers from major British labels as well as from key northern European brands. Over the 2 days, 1002 visitors came to contact with 120 exhibitors at this new event which brings together fast fashion suppliers and manufacturers. The break-up of business visitation showed some 18 per cent of business visitors were from outside UK. The visitors from U.K. included Arcadia, Asos, Barbour, Clements Ribeiro, Debenhams, Harrods, House of Fraser, John Lewis, Joy, Laura Ashley, Liberty London, Mackays, Marks & Spencer, Monsoon, Next, Reiss, River Island, Roland Mouret, Ted Baker, Topshop, Wallis and Warehouse, while the French visitation was from brands such as Armand Thiery, Auchan, Aubade, Camaïeu, Jennifer and Jules; the Netherlands was represented by WE. Belgium accounted for 1.2% of the visitors while Spain registered its presence with .09%.
While the Fast Fashion Tour was clearly aimed at the major British firms, it also met the needs of the more creative brands thanks to the show’s diverse offer which will help them anticipate the trends and plan ahead. They also discovered exhibitors offering manufacturing solutions within easy reach.
The buyer profile breaks down shows specialist chains 15%, private label 15%, E-commerce 12%, designers 9%, department stores 5%, freelance designers 10%. mini-chains 5%, manufacturers 5%, importers / wholesalers 7%, brands with no distribution channels 6%, hyper/super markets - central purchasing depts 3% and others accounted for 8% .
For some exhibitors the event was a resounding success, with excellent contacts and contracts signed, especially in the areas of fabrics and sourcing. There is of course still room for improvement, particularly when it comes to the choice of days (Monday is not a good idea).
When it comes to the fashion collections, the deciding factors for the British market will clearly be style appeal and therefore Fast Fashion Tour’s ability to select the collections and products for a very mature market that demands both fashion and quality. Other key factors for building the necessary trust to ensure the loyalty of the big names in British retail are the regularity of the event and the stable presence of the exhibitors.
At the exhibitors’ request, in future the show will be offering tailored B2B appointments between exhibitors and specialised buyers in their particular field of operation.
The twice-daily trends talks and very detailed reports/analyses of the fashion weeks from NewYork to Paris hosted by Peclers Paris were a great hit, as were the winter 12/13 colour range and the summer 2012 fashion information film. Once again the style and market information offer is crucial to the success and to the future of shows aimed at fashion manufacturers.
The next edition of Fast Fashion would be held at Olympia 2, London in May, 2012.
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