Who's Next-Première Classe gate down 7%

By

Anaïs Lerévérend

Published
Jan 26, 2017

On the last day of Who's Next-Première Classe, organizers announced that visitor numbers had stabilized. However, the final figures are now in and there were actually fewer attendees than in 2016.

For this session, held from 20 to 23 January at the Porte de Versailles in Paris, 45,192 people visited the show, compared to 48,684 last year. This represents a decline of 7% compared to the January 2016 edition, which had already suffered a 16% fall, taking place only weeks after the terrorist attack on Paris. 

Despite this new setback, the organizers still consider this most recent edition to be "reassuring," pointing out a high volume of business and orders at many booths, the return of international visitors and the emergence of "new buyer profiles."

The drop in attendance was most certainly caused by the French market, since Who's Next-Première Classe said that figures for European buyers remained stable. This signals a return of overseas exporters who had especially deserted the January 2016 edition. The number of Japanese attendees rose again by 27%, while buyers from the United States were also more numerous, increasing by 8%. WSN Développement also noted a strong showing from attendees out of the Middle East.

In its wrap up of the show, the organizer confirmed it would continue to refine a new concept launched for this edition, namely to develop the show’s cross-sector offer. The format was tested in small pop-up booths in the aisles, small doses of products that complemented the various sections' overall product range. This new approach aims to forge even stronger crossovers between ready-to-wear, accessories and home decor, and should be even more apparent at the next edition, scheduled to take place September 8-11.