“Playtime Berlin”: First trade show for children’s fashion in Germany

New opportunities for the children’s fashion sector. Giving pride of place to collaborative society and openness to others, Playtime, the trade show dedicated to children’s fashion, will spend the summer united on the theme of “All Together.” After Paris, New York and Tokyo the organiser of the event, the Picaflor company, will head to Berlin at the start of July for the very first trade show that will bring 120 collections together.

First Playtime Berlin trade show this year. What are your expectations?

Over several seasons we have come to the conclusion that buyers from Germany, Eastern Europe and Northern Europe travel less than their European counterparts at Playtime Paris. However, these are markets that offer major commercial opportunities for the brands that we support, so we have taken the initiative of setting up this new rendez-vous to go and find the buyers where they are. Geographically, Berlin is ideally situated for reaching these markets, the city already has a men’s and women’s fashion week of significant importance and no other children’s fashion trade show in Germany is now benefiting from opening up internationally like Playtime.

The trade show will be held over two days, this coming 5 and 6 July, and it will bring together 120 children’s fashion and lifestyle brands at Palazzo Italia, which is ideally located near to Charlottestrasse in the very heart of the city.

What is your prediction for this new German event?

It’s a launch for which we have high expectations but we also know that, like the other Playtime trade shows, it will take time and a very close collaboration with the brands that join us which are, in the main, very committed to this new project. This is a first event and although we have not put a precise number on our target, the work that we are carrying out is intended to attract 1500 buyers over two days.

How does the children’s fashion sector work in Germany?

Consumption in Germany is high, one of the highest in Europe, and the children’s sector benefits directly from this growth. However, when we speak of the children’s market, we are obliged to do so with a great deal of caution since from nursery equipment to young fashion via the baby, décor and gift sectors, we are dealing with many different markets …

In general, the German market is sensitive to environmentally-aware brands, often favouring a casual style, but it is also changing and today it is increasingly curious about designer brands. When we look at Austria and further east to Poland, we see a real creative melting-pot, with strong contenders in new brands. Russian buyers, once exclusively interested in deluxe brands, must respond to new public demand for exceptional items and where better to find the answer to this demand than by turning to the designers?

It is in order to keep in touch with all these changes that we are launching Playtime Berlin.

What will be the theme of the upcoming summer Playtime trade shows? Will the products offered be similar in each city?

This summer we are exploring the theme of “All Together”, working with trends rooted in communal life, giving pride of place to collaborative society and openness to others.

This general theme and the children’s fashion trends derived from it will be adopted by every one of our four trade shows, with different designers in each country.

As for the range of brands, it is adapted to each market, with the needs and specific features appropriate to each one.

How do you select which brands to show? Where do they come from?

We have always favoured brands with a clear identity, those that tell a story via a “world” of their own and which also have the ability to communicate it! We try to cover different styles and to have a complementary range, with lifestyle and accessories also increasingly having their place alongside ready-to-wear. It is also important to always have innovation in the trade shows, so we keep a close eye on new brands.

The selection is made by a team led by Chantal Danguillaume, our Sales Director, who is above all a fashion fan and a professional who is aware of all aspects of the development of a brand. Above all,the selection of brands is made on the basis of our fashion and design experience.

Which sector is seeing the greatest growth within Playtime?

The range of décor products offered has grown enormously and it has become richer from show to show, although today it has gone beyond the strict definition of ‘décor’ so as to be more accurately included within a new ‘Lifestyle’ grouping. From table decoration to bedlinen via gifts, cosmetics, accessories, pyjamas and nursery equipment design, there is a need to respond to demand for diversity in the products offered to which an increasing number of fashion shops are turning every day.

Tell us about the pop-up store that will be opening soon in Isetan (Tokyo). Why have you chosen this format?

We have maintained a long-standing business relationship with Isetan. They have been buying at the Tokyo show since it was launched and they also regularly come to the Paris show to supplement their seasonal purchases.

They asked us to enliven their Kids Floor with this pop-up during the Japanese Golden Week (public holiday week), so we seized this opportunity to enter new territory and to see to what extent we could address the end consumer. It’s something that we’ve been wanting to do for a long time and it was important to do it with reliable partners.

Could Dino Mignon, the new Canadian children’s fashion trade show, eclipse Playtime New York?

85 per cent of our visitors to NY consist of buyers from the United States who do not go to Canada for children’s fashion trade shows. Moreover, these buyers represent the core of the North American market, so I do not believe that the comparison between Playtime NY and a Canadian local show is valid.

Which are the best consumer countries in this sector?

Based on the visitors to Playtime Paris, European countries with a strong designer fashion culture take the lead (Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia) followed by Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China which is gradually developing an interest in top-range children’s collections.

Playtime is becoming a “travelling” international trade show. Are you thinking of a new destination for next year?

We’re thinking about it but for the moment we want to concentrate on the existing eight Playtime shows in Paris, Tokyo, NY and Berlin which have to be consolidated and developed.

What developments have you seen in “Playologie”, Playtime’s virtual showroom, since its creation in 2014?

Today, Playologie has gone way beyond the single Playtime framework since it has recently opened up to all areas of fashion and design: women’s, men’s, children’s and maternity fashion and décor/design. There’s a growing desire to respond to the constantly growing demand of shops for a wider range.

The start of 2017 has been characterised by strong demand for brands, an increase in registrations linked to searches conducted these days by more businesses for new effective tools and new ways of working, both of which complement the physical shows and open up new opportunities for growth.

Here are the dates of the next trade shows:

Playtime Paris, from 1 to 3 July 2017

Playtime Berlin, 5 and 6 July 2017

Playtime New York, from 6 to 8 August 2017

Playtime Tokyo, from 22 to 24 August 2017

Photos: courtesy of Playtime.