Première Classe concludes a sunny and positive year

By

Sarah Ahssen

Translated by
Cassidy STEPHENS

Published
Oct 2, 2023

From September 29 to October 2, as Paris lived to the rhythm of Women's Fashion Week, the Tuileries Gardens played host to the white tents of the Première Classe trade show. The trade event brought together some 400 fashion accessory labels, from jewellery to shoes and leather goods.

The sun shone down on this year's show, and the heat was sometimes overwhelming, depending on the exhibitors, but the majority of those we met seemed to be satisfied, with the good traffic and the greater presence of international visitors. 

"This edition went very well, with visitors from the USA, Japan and Korea," explains Bastien Beny, co-founder of the French leather goods brand Domestique, which recently won the Grands Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris in the accessories category.

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A view shared by top-of-the-range belt brand Maison Boinet. "Our collections are very popular, it's a very good edition, we've worked very well," says Bruno Jourd'hui, the managing director of the brand, which a few days ago became part of Enowe Excellence.

Nilau, a young top-of-the-range leather goods brand offering bags made from linen and ostrich skin, and taking part in the show for the third time, is also satisfied. "We'd been warned that it takes several appearances at a show for buyers to stop and become a little more interested in the brand. So it was a good show for us, and now it's time to take stock," laughs Marie Veyron, founder of Nilau.

For 10.03.53, the young leather goods label run by Italian Luca Colosimo, the three days of trade fairs also went well, with a dozen new prospects. A fine progression for the label created just before the pandemic, which also has its own boutique in the Belleville district of Paris.

While this year's Première Classe seems to have been a satisfactory one overall for the various participants, it does not erase the concerns linked to the current economic climate. Some exhibitors, for example, noted the absence of certain international buyers, who in these uncertain times are concentrating on best-sellers and are no longer (for the time being) looking for new products.

Others point out that, while this edition did generate some interesting traffic from Asian and American buyers, there were not many firm orders taken. In the coming days, brands will be able to make a real assessment of this year's Première Classe show.