Russian fashion fair growth

Whilst the retails sales are dropping further in Western Europe, the contrary is happening in the Eastern European markets. The 11th Collection Première Moscow (CPM) fashion fair received a record attendance of 18,500 buyers representing an 8% rise compared to the 17,200 visitors of last year. For  four days over 1,500 companies and brands (up 16% on previous year’s figure of 1,300) from 35 countries presented their fashion for SS09 at Eastern Europe’s main fashion trade fair. The exhibition was characterised by great business deals and new contacts as 80% of the Russian apparel are covered by imports. 84% of CPM visitors came from Russia with a growing proportion from the regions surrounding the centres Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod and Jekaterinburg. Nearly one third of the visitors attended the trade fair for the first time. In terms of a general assessment, over 90% of the buyers polled stated they were ‘satisfied to very satisfied’ with the trade fair. Commenting on the outcome of the trade fair Frank Hartmann, CEO and President of IGEDO, said: “Russia is a very attractive market! We have been saying so for five years now and will certainly be able to continue saying so in the next five years. Growth, and hence the interest taken in CPM, is increasingly shifting towards the Russian regions. CPM and its exhibitors are substantially benefited by this development. The trade fair is an extremely successful order platform for the fashion sector. A “must-go” date for all those doing fashion business in Russia and the CIS states.” He added that the Igedo Company would further develop the pilot fair feel of this sectoral platform with a great deal of tact. He felt that especially the buyers from the Russian regions would play a pivotal role in this connection. CPM has been one of the established fixtures for the German industry with specialist-retail focused brands as Bandolera, Bugatti, Daniel Hechter, Gardeur, Otto Kern, Riani, Roy Robson and the Steilmann-Group. Brands like Brubaker, CCDK, Frank Q, De Puta Madre, Bagutta, Moschino, Gianfranco Ferré and Belstaff from Italy, Luisa Civit, Matilda, Miquel Suay Menswear from Spain, and Vogue Group from Finland, Dellallui, Derhy, Elite, Irene van Ryb, Lauren Vidal, Old River, Renato Nucci and Stella Forrest from France reach to a new buyer target group CPM. In total, 35 countries took part in CPM.

The 12th CPM – Collection Première Moscow will be held at the Moscow Expocentre Exhibition Centre from 24 to 27 February 2009.

Image: CPM