Transition - Fashion & accessories show from April 6

10 Jan '09

7 min read

The March/August 2008 season as a whole fell by 4% in volume of textile articles sales. In terms of segmentation, women's ready-to-wear departments, particularly for small items, suffered the most, falling by respectively -5.8% and -5.7%. Overall, clothing sales over the period from January to August 2008 experienced a value decline of 2.7%, i.e. a 3.2% decline in euros corrected for inflation compared to 2007.

All the retail circuits (excluding the cheaper stores +1.3%) were hit by this downward trend (-2.7% on average). Of note, -5% in large and medium commercial outlets, -4.6% for mail order and -3.6% for specialist chains. Department stores (-0.6%) and multibrand retailers (-1.3%) are still putting up some resistance. ?? An unfavourable economic climate and the rising prices of certain goods and services (basic foodstuffs, energy, banking services), plus consumers' increasing love of technological goods (flat screens, PCs), telecommunications and entertainment goes some way to explaining the loss of interest in clothing of the French.

Negative results which should be consolidated over the next 6 months. More than ever, to withstand this generalised fall in sales, fashion companies, brands and retailers, will have to endeavour to propose innovative, high quality collections, style-setters for sale at a fair price.
The aim: to create an impact at the sales outlet to build up customer loyalty and encourage customers to come back to the shop regularly.

New dates alongside Intersélection, more in line with expectations:
For several seasons, the choice of dates for organising fashion shows in Paris has been the subject of much debate in the profession. Too early or too late in the season, the ideal compromise has not yet been found to satisfy both exhibitors and buyers, still too prone to follow a purchasing rhythm motivated solely by the weather and the seasons. Today's buyers are faced with a new dilemma: how to anticipate trends and fashion hits almost one year before the collections arrive in the shops?

Eurovet has deliberately chosen dates outside the traditional fashion show calendar, by fixing the dates of its new event alongside those of Intersélection, the specialist Fast Fashion show for retailers belonging to chains. Ideally organised in mid-April 2009 for the summer favourites collections with new ideas for winter collections, and the end of October 2009 for the winter collections with new ideas for summer collections, this updating show intends to follow trends as closely as possible in order to enable retail buyers to demonstrate how reactive they are in satisfying a clientele always ready for fashion favourites and on the look-out for constant innovations.

A real opportunity for multibrand retailers:
Indeed, the concept of Fast Fashion, successfully developed by specialist chains such as Zara and H&M, offers a real opportunity for multibrand retailers to renew their range and create an impact in the sales outlets. The Transition show aims to provide a meeting point for retailers in search of new purchasing opportunities in mid-season. Updating represents a genuine challenge for the latter, still too accustomed to concentrating all their purchases at the start of the season. Improved stock management, collections with a shorter time span but that sell more quickly, the right product at the right moment, all these factors will give the sales outlet more durable activity and attraction.

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