Matthieu Pinet (SIL and IFL): "I enjoy presenting lingerie as a fashion product"
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Fairs
The Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris, under the ownership of Eurovet, have been organized by WSN Développement since January 2023. A month and a half before the event, they are already fully booked for the materials section. Despite a complex and uncertain global context, the international event is experiencing genuine momentum from participants and is continuing to evolve with a promising outlook for the future.
Exceeding Expectations
"In January 2024, Interfilière Paris exhibitor numbers are in the green: we have exceeded our target by 30 percent compared to January 2023," explains Matthieu Pinet. To accommodate this growth, both shows will occupy Hall 3, while Who's Next will this time occupy Halls 4, 5, and 6. "We'll be right next to the Who's Next hall for this edition, creating a true gathering place. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore jewelry, accessories, ready-to-wear, and lingerie. With such a diverse offering right next door, the event promises to be the world's largest fashion concept store.
A 60th Anniversary Full of Memories and Beauty
As part of the 60th-anniversary celebration of the show, in addition to the three daily fashion shows - a must-see for most visitors who want to witness the creations in person - the organizers are planning a retrospective show on Saturday, January 20. This show will feature iconic models from major lingerie brands since 1964, the year of the event's inception. "What's intriguing about fashion, especially lingerie, is that the evolution of products and styles mirrors the evolution of society. Society is rapidly evolving, as we can observe in the industry," he notes.
The fashion shows will be organized by ATO Agency, with Studio Costa Molinos in charge of the show's scenography. "The retrospective evening will be full of surprises. For the rest of the show, we'll focus on projecting lingerie into the future, particularly through innovation," he adds.
"Among the 250 brands exhibiting at the Salon International de la Lingerie, including Louisa Bracq, Aubade Paris, Saeta Paris, Huit, Scandale Eco Lingerie, Lascana, Chantelle, Passionata, Leonia, Wacoal, Freya, Elomi, Simone Pérèle, and Empreinte, Interfilière will welcome more than 170 exhibitors. Some brands that were absent during the pandemic are returning, a clear indication that lingerie has a very bright future."
A New Wellness Zone for Enhanced Mind-Body Harmony
"While our primary focus is lingerie, as soon as I assumed the role of show director, I aimed to diversify our product range. We initiated this journey with Curve last summer. Wellness represents an exceptionally intriguing avenue for lingerie," explains the director.
This time, approximately fifteen wellness brands will showcase their products at the event, creating a dedicated space and providing brands and boutiques with solutions that harmonize with the world of lingerie. "Our objective is to simplify things as much as possible for boutiques and offer them a range of possibilities."
In our interview, Matthieu Pinet also mentioned an "incredible surge" in the loungewear sector in the post-COVID era. "There are brands specializing in one or the other type of product, and some are developing both. Major conglomerates, for instance, offer a range that encompasses lingerie, swimwear, loungewear, and wellness. Despite the dominance of two major historical categories, lingerie and loungewear, we will be welcoming nearly 30 swimwear brands. Swimwear constitutes 10% of our overall offerings, lingerie 55%, loungewear 25%, with the remaining 20% encompassing activewear, wellness, accessories, and footwear.”
If there's an area designed to captivate buyers, it's Exposed, conceived by Matthieu Pinet in 2017 when he joined the Salon International de la Lingerie. "Exposed features young brands, but not exclusively. It also showcases established brands that have achieved remarkable success, as well as major groups that are rebranding and introducing new lines, such as Chantelle X in the summer edition, for example. These topics are what we perceive as the most thrilling aspects of the present!"
As has been customary for several years, there will be an Ulule space—a crowdfunding platform that serves as a launchpad for start-ups—with a variety of dedicated projects.
Interfilière Paris Launches a New "Know-How" Forum
"IFL is exceptionally dynamic. The offerings have increased by 30% compared to January 2023," explains Matthieu Pinet. "We exercised rigorous selectivity, opting for a global range rather than confining it to French or European. Quality standards are advancing in countries like China. Consequently, we are closely observing these developments. While we aspire to progress further, faster, and more robustly, we must acknowledge that this transformation will take time, and the transition will occur progressively, as not everyone can engage in entirely ethical consumption or sales. There exists a market reality, and our role is to mirror it and propose solutions."
At IFL, WSN Développement will spotlight the expertise of manufacturers, some of whom utilize century-old machinery. Alongside Jos Berry's enlightening forum dedicated to market trends, IFL is introducing a second "Savoir-Faire" forum, conceived by Pascal Gautrand, a fashion and textile expert at Made in Town and the initiator of the Collectif Tricolor. He will introduce a dance ensemble to infuse fresh emotions into the event multiple times a day.
The "Savoir-Faire" forum will feature a tripartite offering that is both ethical and innovative: Natural Elegance will showcase eco-responsible materials; Weaving Heritage will present weaving and jacquard; and The Art of Stretch will exhibit technical textiles. The brands have been meticulously selected in partnership with the Fédération du Lin, the forum's official collaborator.
"These two forums aptly capture the prevailing ambiance. They work in harmony.”
Detail, collaboration, entertainment, and emotion will take center stage at WSN's January events to ensure a delightful and seamless exhibition experience. The table service introduced last year will continue in this new edition, complemented by an exhibition of finished products throughout the visit.
At WSN, possibilities are boundless
"WSN Développement embodies a genuine grasp of the market, boundless dynamism, and nearly limitless growth potential, all under the stewardship of Frédéric Maus, CEO of WSN Développement and Chairman and CEO of Eurovet. The formation of this expansive entity dismantles the divisions between sectors and unites them," explains Matthieu Pinet.