MADE - IN PORTUGAL ENLIVENS WHO'S NEXT
From 4 to 7 September, Porte de Versailles, in Paris, will again play host to the Who’s Next event. Made-in Portugal will be represented at the highest level, with the presence of 12 companies – Ana Sousa – Babash Design – BlackSpider – Cotton Brothers – Cristina Barros – Givec – Inimigo Clothing – Luís Buchinho – Maloka – Pé de Chumbo – SMF – TMColection – under an initiative implemented by the Associação Selectiva Moda, under the auspices of the From Portugal internationalisation project.
From 4 to 7 September, Porte de Versailles, in Paris, will again play host to the Who’s Next event. Made-in Portugal will be represented at the highest level, with the presence of 12 companies – Ana Sousa – Babash Design – BlackSpider – Cotton Brothers – Cristina Barros – Givec – Inimigo Clothing – Luís Buchinho – Maloka – Pé de Chumbo – SMF – TMCollection – under an initiative implemented by the Associação Selectiva Moda, under the auspices of the From Portugal internationalisation project.
Hand-made wallets and clutch bags are the products to be taken to Paris by Babash Design. “This is a fair that reaches a large number of visitors internationally, with a medium-high positioning, which corresponds to the segment of our brand. By participating in this event, we hope to attract new customers in several European markets”, explains Mariana Pais, sales manager of the company.
The work of an individual fashion designer will be present at Who's Next in the person of Luís Buchinho, whose participation has proved fruitful over the years. “Our expectations are very high, as we have grown rapidly since the first time we participated in the fair in January 2013, and have increased our visibility, aided by the support and promotional initiatives of those responsible for organising the fair. It should be noted that the event held in January 2015 was extremely important in terms of the sales volume achieved and the acquisition of new customers”, says Carla Reis, brand manager. “Paris remains the epicentre for attracting international customers, so attending Who's Next allows us to present our collections to a broad range of markets and in particular a broad range of highly heterogeneous customers”, she adds.
A specialist in fashion for women, Maloka makes another appearance at Who's Next. “Our aim is to publicise our products in the domestic and international markets, as well as find new business partners”, explains Felicidade Carvalho.
A frequent participant in this event, this year Pé de Chumbo presents a collection that stands out for its use of organic materials. It is divided into two lines, one more tribal where raffia is used in complete pieces that incorporate elements of wickerwork and fringes, and another more chic line, with a focus on dresses constructed with cut wires that design flowers and define more or less concentrated shapes in beige and pink lacework. Expectations regarding this participation are quite positive “last June, we made a resort in Paris, at the Tranoi preview, and the collection was very well received, we had a considerable number of visitors with very positive reviews. Additionally, this year, Pé de Chumbo has been selected for the FAME pavilion, where brands are focused on higher, more selective, more boutique markets, which is where we position ourselves and where are our main competitors operate”, reveals Alexandra Oliveira, brand designer.
TMCollection is taking its SS16 collection to Paris, which is characterised by a palette of soft colours. With regard to materials, fluid silhouettes in transparent silks and light cottons predominate. TMCollection has participated in this event for the last four years, and considers it a strategic market essential for positioning the brand. “The French market was the first to welcome our brand. In 2011, we chose Who's Next as the first trial launch of a complete collection. At this fair, we generally find a stage where brand image is systematised, providing information on the development of its concept and design. It is an event that opens doors to brands, certifying their quality, especially where the brand reaches and can negotiate the location, space, factors that translate into image excellence, increasing sales and brand loyalty”, explains Fábia Campos, the company’s marketing & sales manager.
Since 2012, Selectiva Moda has been supporting the participation of Portuguese companies in Who's Next, which is the fair that introduces the famous Paris Fashion Week with a selection of well-known brands.
The participation of the 12 Portuguese companies in this year’s Who’s Next is an initiative implemented by the Associação Selectiva Moda co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), under the POCI (Competitiveness and Internationalisation Operational Programme), Portugal 2020 and COMPETE 2020. The FROM PORTUGAL project consists of around 81 international initiatives that take place in the 2nd half of 2015 and 2016 incorporating the entire textile and fashion sector, spread over four continents, and involving a total investment of 13 million euros.
