Lyon fights to remain lingerie hub

Last weekend Lyon once again welcomed an onslaught of both French and foreign buyers and press as the Lyon Mode City and Interfilière lingerie and fabric trade fairs opened their doors. The halls of the Eurexpo centre were buzzing with deals being done and contacts being made, but also with some concern for the marked absence of a few very big names in the lingerie industry, including Aubade and Chantelle. Cécile Jubin, Product Manager for organizer Eurovet's International division, put any worry to rest. "The industry is consolidating, which is resulting in a diminished number of independent retailers. For this reason, Aubade are opening their own shops and are dedicating their budget to this endeavour. Participating in a trade fair is expensive and companies are having to make conscious decisions about where and when to join in," she explained. "Meanwhile, Chantelle have indicated that, as a lingerie specialist, the large beachwear concentration at Lyon Mode City does not fit their profile as much as the Paris edition in February does. Furthermore, they are tightening their budget and are choosing to market increasingly to consumers and less to trade. This is not to say that both brands won't be participating in the Paris edition." Another concern that Eurovet is addressing is the question of dates. For large retailers like the department stores, the date is on the late side, but for the smaller retailers, having the fairs take place in July would interfere with their sales. "It is impossible to keep everyone happy but we are trying to come up with a solution," said Marie-Laure Bellon-Homps, Eurovet's Director General. According to Jubin, the organisation has been struggling with the issue for the past two years.

The major "threat" looming over both the fairs and the French lingerie manufacturing industry centred around Lyon , is China . During a press conference which was presided over by several luminaries from Eurovet, the city of Lyon, the Rhone-Alpes region and the industry, discussion quickly led to maintenance of the fair's number one global position and of local production at large. Bellon-Homps explained that Eurovet invested in creating a dynamic atmosphere at the fair for its participants and visitors. "We have organized training programmes and trend forums and, for the first time ever, a summer party that will be excellent for networking." The summer party was indeed a great success. "We must not forget that we are close to the source here in Lyon , so trends can be translated seamlessly. This gives us a lead start." The Mayor of Lyon, Gerard Collomb, added that a tram line would be established to connect the fairs to the city. Lucien Deveaux, president of l'UIT (l'Union des industries textiles), also mentioned Eurovet's lingerie fair in Shanghai . "It gives us an opportunity to get to know the area and the market better," he said. "To remain a leader we must be where the action is."