Intl optimism reflects on Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf

29 Jan '08

6 min read

After years of reticence optimism is now returning to the German textile retail trade. The country is undergoing an upward trend, the economy is continuing to gather momentum and people are shopping with a greater desire to spend.

Germany is once again a greater focus of interest for both national and international producers. International fashion brands now see this as an opportunity to regain the ground lost over the past few years.

As the most important platform for women's and men's wear, lingerie, beachwear and accessories the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf are also feeling this positive development.

Fair organiser, the Igedo Company, expects around 2,150 exhibitors and collections to present trends for the 2008/2009 Autumn/Winter season at the four fashion fairs CPD Düsseldorf, HMD Düsseldorf, Body Look and Global Fashion held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 10 to 12 February 2008.

This means the number of exhibiting collections remains constant. New exhibitors include Esprit Maternity, Geox, DEPT, Noa Noa, Andy Thê Anh, Levante, Alba, Grinvest, Derhy, Lauren Vidal and Mayer.

Nowhere else in Germany is the fashion range larger than in the Düsseldorf fashion metropolis during the Igedo Fashion Fairs. What's more, further brands are presented to the buyers from throughout the world at the 900 showrooms located in and around the city.

“The Igedo Fashion Fairs are the centre of the fashion business in Düsseldorf. With our clearly structured product segments we present the entire spectrum of the market and thereby bring all key trading partners together from all over the world,” explains Igedo CEO Frank Hartmann.

“The feed-back from exhibitors is most definitely more positive than only a few seasons ago. Exhibitors are especially upbeat about the international nature of buyers,” Hartmann continued.

Despite constant exhibitor numbers the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf has initiated a more compact hall layout for the new season. The halls occupied are Halls 4, 5, 7, 9 – 12, 15 and 17.

Commenting on this move Frank Hartmann said: “As part of our incorporation of the 'Style & Signatures' segment into our new trade fair project WEARe Düsseldorf (celebrating its premiere from 8 to 10 February in Hall 8b) we have decided to cut down distances visitors have to cover and to relocate the very successful Fashion Gallery from Hall 14 into Hall 12. However, the depth of the range presented will not change in any way.”

Düsseldorf generates Synergies:
An important key to the Düsseldorf approach is elaborating synergies for the retail trade. Buyers are now tapping into the existing synergies created between the four independent events at the Igedo Fashion Fairs to an even greater extent.

For instance, buyers at CPD also visit Body Look and HMD with great interest and vice versa. Full-range suppliers, in particular, gain significant benefits from this compressed and comprehensive overview at one location. Commenting on this
Frank Hartmann said: “Buyers' time and budgets during the already short order phase are very restricted.

No retailer wants to first attend a dozen fairs before gaining a halfway representative overview. The desire for a compact information and orders platform encompassing all segments is greater than ever. We intend to continue down this road.”

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