Intersélection attracts more visitors

The Parisian fashion trade fair Intersélection has come to a successful conclusion. From 8 to 10 November buyers and suppliers came together in the halls of the Parc des Expositions in the north of Paris . With an increase of 4.7 percent since November 2004, the amount of visitors this season totalled 6,292. The French contingency increased 3.5 percent, while the amount of international visitors rose 8.4 percent. The well-publicized riots in the Parisian suburbs appeared to have no effect on the fair.

Intersélection, which started off as a small fair in 1979 and now counts 388 participants, is primarily geared towards the large fashion chains, department stores, home shopping companies, hypermarkets and supermarkets - the organized retailers. However, recently smaller retail chains, with a minimum of three stores, have found their way to the trade fair. The amount of small retail chains visiting Intersélection has risen by 31 percent.

The strength of this fair that it offers a large selection of products in three different collections: long term, short term and very short term. The short term collections, which account for 81 percent of the fair's business, have become increasingly important nowadays as consumers become more discerning en demand the latest trends. With these short term collections, retailers can add to their main collections where necessary. Intersélection prides itself on being able to deliver these trends. And with a Trend Forum that predicts the trends for winter 2006/7 and exhibits the current looks, the fair's organisers help ease the buying process.

Intersélection also manages to differentiate itself by listening to comments and requests from both participating supplier as visitors and making the necessary changes. When visitors requested that the Trend Forum be placed closer to the entrance in order for people to be able to get a good impression of what the most important trends were, the organisation took action.

The majority of the buyers are French, but the organisation is working hard to increase the fair's international presence. Following Belgium and Spain , the largest number of visitors is from Italy and the UK , but buyers come from as far a field as Morocco , Tunisia , India and Far East Asia.