 The 59th international trade fair for clothing made of fur, leather, and material mixes wound up after four days on Sunday, March 25, 2007. 99 exhibitors, seven fewer than in the previous year, from 19 countries presented their fall/winter 2007-08 offerings at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds. 40 percent of exhibitors came from abroad.
 Like at the preceding Hong Kong, Kastoria, and Milan shows, slightly fewer trade buyers turned out for Fur & Fashion Frankfurt (down 10 percent from last year). This is attributed to the unusually moderate winter months that slowed sales of warming clothing such as fur and leather, leaving some unsold stock on shelves. 7, 482 industry visitors attended, with 42 percent hailing from abroad.
Fashion was the fair’s focal point. The current collections of skin merchants and manufacturers, the innovations of dressers and dyers, and the supporting seminars and classes and workshops attested to how prominently fur figures in contemporary fashion. The fair’s Trend Show presented a representative cross-section of ready-to-wear garment makers’ collections to the buyers who came to Frankfurt. A preliminary poll of exhibitors yielded mixed results. Most skin merchants said they were satisfied with their business results. Demand for mink, Swakara, and broadtail, as well as for long-haired fur for use as trim, was greatest, with buyers seeking out and purchasing these items. Most clothing manufacturers saw their expectations met, which were unlikely to be all too high in the wake of the warm winter. Demand was greatest for chic jackets and short coats, as well as for fur accessories. Fairgoers also showed a keen interest in Fur & Frankfurt Fashion’s supporting program offering information, insight, and advanced training. The 60th Fur & Fashion Frankfurt show will take place on March 6 through March 9, 2008. (12/04/2007) |
