Sustainability Optimises The Future Of Fashion At Première Vision

Première Vision is just around the corner. Between the 7th and 9th of February 2023, textile designers and fashion manufacturers as well as spinners, tanners and weavers from 44 countries will come together to present new developments and creative proposals to brand managers, buyers and designers, with hopes of creating new and exciting pieces for the SS24 collections. 

SUSTAINABLE OFFER

Being such an influential part of the fashion industry, Première Vision must think ahead to the future of fashion when making their selection of who to exhibit at the event. Since 2015, they have presented the Smart Creation Range each year at their show, focusing on brands working innovatively to do something about the impact of fashion on the environment. This will continue this year, with 55 exhibitors set to join the Smart Creation area in Hall 4. This area will be divided into three universes: Smart Materials presenting innovative materials, new eco-designed fibers, dyeing processes or chemical solutions with reduced impact; Smart Services, a selection of companies specializing in services to support the entire supply chain; and a new Smart Tech zone gathering innovative technological solutions.

With sustainability becoming a more widely discussed topic in the fashion industry today, we are seeing more and more designers and brands looking to make changes to the way their clothing is produced and the materials they’re made from. This has led to the event presenting a growing number of sustainable suppliers each year. At the fair this February, 376 of the suppliers exhibiting will fall under the ‘Sustainable Offer’ category, an initiative that is making it more accessible for designers to incorporate sustainability into their work and are helping to lead the way for fashion to become more ethical. 

“Première Vision is firmly committed to the textile industry's ecological transformation"

Not all brands in the Sustainable Offer category are working in the same way towards sustainability. Some, such as AZGA, who offer handcrafted jewelry pieces, are focusing on creating one of a kind pieces to prevent overproduction. Whereas others, such as OceanSafe, who offer kits to help designers produce fully biodegradable and circular fashion pieces, are focusing on the quality and environmental impact of the materials and fabrics used rather than the quantity produced. These are just a few of the forward thinking brands pitching at the show this year. Some other exciting ones to look out for include Recyctex, who are creating fabrics from discarded fishing nets and plastic bottles and Induo, who are creating stain resistant fabrics from 100% natural cotton. 

In addition to the Sustainable Offer section, there is also a spotlight this year on their new Deadstock collection. This section is being advertised as another eco-responsible part of the show, allowing some participants of the show to give a new purpose to their deadstock creations that may otherwise have been discarded. 

THE RETURN OF MAISON D’EXCEPTIONS

For the first time in two years, Maison d’Exceptions will return to the festival. The section,  which will be placed in Hall 6, will highlight the work of 23 luxury and highly skilled suppliers and will be accessible by invitation only. The suppliers placed in this section all demonstrate either a mastery of traditional artisanal techniques or innovative technologies, and we believe this is where some of the most beautiful work of the show will be seen. 

One supplier which will be shown in this section is Authentic Material, who promote a circular approach to fashion. Their aim is to allow luxury brands to become their own suppliers by repurposing natural materials coming from their by-products and scraps, an initiative they call ‘Natural Self Sourcing’. Some others to look out for are Cécile Feilchenfeldt, who mixes new fibers with traditional techniques to create playful and colorful designs, and Xavier Brisoux, who creates dense sculpture-like pieces through creative knitting techniques. 

WHAT NOT TO MISS AT PREMIERE VISION

As well as visiting the stands of the suppliers, there are also a number of talks throughout the duration of the show to keep you entertained. One not to miss if you’re interested in learning about new materials being developed in the fashion industry is the talk by Spiber, a brand focused on creating Brewed Protein™ fibers, who will be discussing the transition of the fashion industry into a more circular economy. For a more general overview of sustainability in fashion, the Premier Vision Talk by Sara Van Pée may be of more interest, looking at key innovative trends developing in the industry. More information about these talks as well as others taking place during the show can be found on the Premiere Vision website.

If you’re new to the event, there are also guided tours of the eco-forum hall taking place throughout the show. These however are limited to 20 people, so make sure to book in advance if this is of interest!

OTHER SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES BY PREMIERE VISION

Premiere vision shows its enthusiasm towards sustainability in other ways too, designating a section of their magazine specifically to the topic. Here, you can listen to the Smart Creation podcast and Smart talks, where they discuss the theme of sustainability all year round. 

Steps have also been taken to make the show itself as sustainable as possible. By reusing the stands and furniture, using low consumption LED lights, collaborating with eco organizations and reducing plastic usage for signage, Premiere Vision have been able to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.