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Mode City affected by move to Lyon
When trade show organiser Eurovet moved Mode City to Lyon, it was perhaps expecting a favourable surprise. It even planned to ask exhibitors about the possibility of setting up shop more permanently on the banks of the Rhône.
But the initial feedback is disappointing. The lingerie show, and its supply chain counterpart Interfilière, were forced to relocate to Lyon owing to the concurrence of the final of the Euro football championship in Paris on the week-end, July 9-11. A forced move which has visibly penalised exhibiting brands, with attendance dwindling.
The organisers still have to issue an official statement on the figures, but exhibitor opinion has confirmed a marked decline in the number of retailers and buyers circulating at the event. Saturday was an average day, Sunday was busier, but the show ended on Monday with another lacklustre day.
The cost and the difficulty of moving out to Lyon dampened many spirits.
"It was clearly less busy than it usually is in Paris," explained swimwear brand designer Ysabel Mora.
"This does not necessarily mean that our results will turn out to be negative, but it is undeniable that there were really fewer visitors."
The opinion was shared with Romanian brand Jolidon: "It went fairly well in terms of export business, but we expected to see more people from France, only a few retailers turned up... Monday could not have been quieter," said a sales executive, smiling.
Major international accounts were all present and accounted for, and they allowed the business overview to improve somewhat in quality terms. But is was up to French visitors to fill the show's aisles in quantitative terms.
"It turned out well in the end, a few major clients have returned, especially on the export side... but Lyon, never again! It does not work, there were really too few visitors," was the word at Calarena.
"We are all for returning to Paris," insisted a major French lingerie name.
The show would have been no doubt affected by the Paris context: logistics and accommodation were complicated on the week-end of the Euro final, and a cloud of international mistrust has hovered over the French capital since the attacks last November.
Lyon however could not have performed a miracle. This 2016 edition of Mode City has at least removed any doubts about the fact that Paris is a must for exhibitors.
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