Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf 08: Igedo Fairs closes with 29,700 visitors

Igedo Fairs 08: Two thirds of buyers ordered in the halls New concept at Body Look very well received. All’s well that ends well, you might say. It was with mixed expectations that the entire sector had kicked off the Düsseldorf weekend despite high energy prices, consumer uncertainty, increasing inflation and the knock-on effects straining the European clothing trade.

Overall, the last few days saw some 54,000 buyers coming to Düsseldorf. Of these 29,700 attended the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf  ending on Tuesday and 8,700 the dfh – düsseldorf fashion house.
Given prevailing conditions the mood in the halls was good. 1,750 exhibitors and collections presented their 2009 Spring/Summer fashions at the CPD (Womenswear), Body Look (Body, Beach and Legwear), HMD (Menswear) and Global Fashion (Private Label, Sourcing) fairs.  30% of the 29,700 visitors came from abroad. The five top-ranking countries amongst the 60 nations represented amongst visitors were the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Russia. Two thirds of visitors came from specialist clothing retail stores and boutiques and
almost 90% were trade buyers. Two thirds of the trade buyers attending said they specifically used their visit to place orders. Over one third used the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf to foster new business links. All in all buyers reserved 37% of their budget for new brands. Visitor satisfaction stood at 80%.
“We had a very exciting trade fair weekend,” said Frank Hartmann, CEO at the Igedo Company, summing up the fair on Tuesday. “The mood amongst retailers, the economic climate, the hot and humid weather and the announced strikes in air traffic were cause for concern for  some. Given this backdrop we are now very satisfied with the way the fair went. We welcomed 20% of new visitors, the mood in the halls was largely positive, especially at Body Look with its new concept, and most of the areas at CPD were able to score points. Our market research highlighted how visitors seek new brands, especially at the exhibition centre, while the showrooms are visited primarily by regular customers. We want to build on this knowledge. The Igedo Fashion Fairs are and remain the focus and central meeting point for Düsseldorf’s fashion business. This benefits the entire city with its over 800 showrooms.” 1,060 CPD exhibitors and collections showed what fashion has to offer in the forthcoming 2009 Spring/Summer season. The in all approximately 100 new exhibitors included Expresso, MDC Sportswear, Lanius, Peppercorn, Oxmo, Remei and the returning firm RedGreen. Visitor numbers in the halls were very good, particularly on Sunday and there was activity at all stands. “We are very satisfied with the way the fair went despite the difficult climate in the textile retail trade,” said Gloria Göllmann from “Sandwich” summing up their mood. Together with brands like Noa Noa, Nile Sportswear and Rimini the Sandwich label presented a fresh fashion mix in ‘Concept 11’.
Great satisfaction also prevailed on all three days in the Fashion Gallery, the creative heart of CPD. The designers in Hall 14 presented their fashion with independent personality and uncompromising signature design. Almost 20% of visitors were interested in the high priced segment at the Igedo Fashion Fairs and were therefore perfectly catered for in the Fashion Gallery. Celebrating a successful premiere was the outdoor segment ‚Little Italy’. With hot temperatures, beats, palms, sand and cool drinks over 30 designers and brands presented young, lively and independent fashion. Numerous exhibitors and visitors enjoyed the relaxed setting here at happy hour in the evening to wind down after their day at the fair.
Body Look – new concept well received With its around 260 exhibitors and collections, Body Look, Germany’s only international trade fair for body, beach and legwear, was now presented in a fresh, new look. The concept changes and the fair’s now closer proximity to the main
entrance bore fruit. The Sunday and Monday saw avid activity in the aisles in Hall 9 and the stands welcomed high visitor numbers.
“The Sunday was super,” said Jens Ehrhardt, Managing Director at Adolf Riedl GmbH & Co. KG. “We very much liked the busy atmosphere in the aisles and the positive mood. This shows the sector wants to pull together. By moving into the new hall we have already been able to win over new customers. Feed-back on our own fashion show was also great. We are very satisfied all round.”
85% of exhibitors were satisfied to very satisfied with the specialist competence of visitors. For many major stores like Lady M Berlin, Carsch-Haus Düsseldorf, Karstadt Munich, Alsterhaus Hamburg, Kadewe Berlin and Franziska Krines Munich Body Look was a date not to be missed under any circumstances. Almost two thirds therefore also rated the business success as good to very good and almost 90%
expressed clear intentions to attend again in February 2009.“The new concept has significantly contributed to Body Look being well received by both the industry and the retail trade,” explained Kirstin Deutelmoser, Director at Body Look. “Our many conversations have shown we have now created a new basis for Body Look that is accepted by trade and industry. The task now lying ahead is to consistently pursue this approach and develop the importance of Body Look.”
A special highlight at Body Look was the glamorous Maryan Mehlhorn Fashion Show held before an audience of 700 enthusiastic guests on the Sunday of the fair – including standing ovations.
HMD – export customers centre stage The focus at HMD is very much on successful export business. Particularly attending the fair were visitors from Eastern European. 100 exhibitors showcased particularly convincing ranges in the trouser, knitwear and outsize segments. HMD has now become a firm fixture for exhibitors’ export business.
“HMD kicked off well. Our key export customers came to our stand. We were also able to make several good new customer contacts,” said Peter Schönbach of Mode Monte Carlo summing up how the fair went. “We had wished for more buyers from Germany but in the export segment things really went very well,” echoed Yongo Managing Director Peter van Waadji. “All our key foreign buyers were here.” “With HMD we have been offering menswear a conclusive concept for five seasons now,” explained Frank Hartmann. “Menswear is perfectly catered for as part of the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf. Though a menswear fair can only be successful for all involved if the manufacturing side also does its bit. Retail, in particular, as well as exhibiting firms, demand greater commitment here from the industry.”
Global Exclusive enhanced Global Fashion “The new segment Global Exclusive was very well received by exhibitors and visitors alike and is to be extended in future. These exhibitors with their high-quality ranges and low minimum orders brought a further improvement in visitor quality. Overall the fair was well attended and many exhibitors are satisfied with their contacts and results,” said Project Manager Sabine Schommer summing up Global Fashion Düsseldorf. Europe’s leading fair for sourcing and production in the clothing industry was attended on all three days by key decision-makers from trade and industry – from both home and abroad – who came here to intensify contacts and
find new suppliers.
Numerous regular and new visitors appreciated the significant widening of the country base (+43%) to include exhibitors from Belarus, Syria and other nations. These countries not only enhanced the range but also – in addition to the new stand concepts – contributed to the altered appearance of Hall 4. Regular exhibitors like Puneet Ahuja, owner of the leading Indian accessory supplier Ahujasons Shawlwale,this time once again reported new customer contacts. Ngoc Bich Ngyen, Manager at Vietnam’s Haprosimex Group, attending for the fourth time now, was able to report new customers from France, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. Bright Star from India already announced during the fair that it would be attending Global Fashion in February 2009 with its own larger, custom-designed stand.
The next Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf will be held from 1 to 3 February 2008.