Playtime announces new edition

The children's wear and maternity sector has not wavered despite the crisis. Playtime once again demonstrates this with the launch of its next summer edition, to be held from 4th to 6th July in Paris, Parc de Floral in the 12th arrondissement. Playtime founder Sébastien de Hutten shared some news and offered a global overview of the sector in an interview with FashionUnited.

FashionUnited: What is the theme of the next edition of Playtime? What is new?

Sébastien de Hutten: Speaking about the journey of dreams and dance, the theme of the next season is 'Movement'. With 470 brands - 20 percent new fashion exhibitors and a very comprehensive offer for buyers - Playtime has become the largest children's and maternity trade show in Europe. To further enrich the design segment (which is soaring), the summer season will host a new space, Design Tables, dedicated to a single contemporary product or design object. The maternity section has also been completely redesigned and while still growing, has become an independent area with a scenery adapted to an increasingly fashionable mind. Last but not least, there will be more services for visitors. Through the partnership with Uber, visitors get 20 euros off on their first ride for the duration of the show.

FashionUnited: Where do these 470 exhibiting brands come from?

SdH: Twenty-seven percent of them are French and 73 percent are from abroad. This is an ever-increasing proportion. The brands come from 39 different countries; from all over Europe, the US, South Korea, Japan, India, Singapore, Colombia, etc. We also noticed a greater number of first-time participants from Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, Asia, Germany, Spain and Belgium.

FashionUnited: Which Playtime sector is showing the fastest growth?

SdH: Fashion rose by 10 percent and design and maternity both by 9 percent.

FashionUnited: In view of the current economic situation, could you give an overview of the children's wear and maternity sector in general?

SdH: The year 2015 has so far unfortunately been fatal for many brands struggling to make ends meet; some are even forced to file for bankruptcy. In view of a crisis like this, staying power becomes the norm and while there are those who fold on one side, there are those on the other who invest more and expand internationally. Hardly anywhere (including the US) are there sufficient local customers so that a brand can exist only in its home country; therefore, it is forced to seek customers globally.

FashionUnited: Which countries have the most consumers for children's fashion?

SdH: The three countries that come first in terms of visitors at Playtime Paris are Spain, Great Britain and Belgium. However, these are not necessarily the consumers, and we do not have access to our exhibitors' clients, so this is not information we can provide.

FashionUnited: What are your predictions for the number of visitors and exhibitors for Playtime New York and PlaytimeTokyo? Which of these two markets is the most promising?

SdH: We are expecting 150 brands in New York and 230 in Tokyo. The number of visitors has grown steadily for both fairs, so they are both on a constant and steady growth path.

FashionUnited: How is Playtime's virtual showroom "Playologie" doing since its inception in June 2014?

SdH: Playologie is experiencing a similar development as Playtime, doubling the number of its participants each year: 50 exhibitors in the first season, 100 in the second, and so on ... Investments have multiplied by five and we expect strong growth in the coming months. A new tool has been developed and we will launch a second version with improved ergonomics and additional features in a few days. In December, we will lauch a third, revolutionary version that will offer something no other site currently does: 360 degree brand management in addition to global visibility in seven languages.