by Paris – June’s Paris men’s and haute couture shows are on track despite preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics set to paralyze parts of the French capital from April, organizers said.
In a joint interview, Bruno Pavlovsky, president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, or FHCM, and Pascal Morand, its executive president, sought to reassure participants despite some remaining uncertainties going into in the final stretch of planning for the Games, which is the largest event organized in France.
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“After several months of discussion, the situation has become clearer and we are optimistic about our ability to do what we need for men’s and haute couture weeks in June,” said Pavlovsky.
“We’re not saying it’s going to be super flexible and easy. We have to adapt. But we are saying that everyone is doing their best to ensure that all the fashion weeks are held in the best conditions for everyone involved,” he said.
As reported, the French fashion governing body has postponed the dates of the fall 2024 edition of Paris Couture Week to avoid a conflict with preparations for the Olympics, which are to be held from July 26 to August 11, and the Paralympics, from August. 28 to 8 September.
Men’s fashion week is scheduled for June 18 to 23 and the haute couture shows are scheduled to take place from June 24 to 27. Normally, men’s show week and haute couture week separate in the summer.
The federation has a team that liaises with Paris police, city hall, the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Inter-Ministerial Delegation for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as prime ministers, as they fine-tune the schedules.
Although officials warned last year that the city’s logistics are becoming more challenging, they were keen to maintain a positive tone about the Olympics, which are being sponsored by luxury group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton to the tune of 150 million euros.
Anticipation is key, with fashion houses being asked to file applications for exit permits with Paris police two months in advance, compared to 15 days previously, to comply with tighter security measures amid an increased risk of terrorist attacks.
“Before, you could decide to organize a showroom or an event at the last minute,” said Pavlovsky, who is president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS.
“It’s a bit destabilizing, but I have to say that everyone has done their part so far, and I think the strength of the federation is to help everyone adapt to a situation that I understand is not easy for everyone, ” he said. .
At least three-quarters of the federation’s members have confirmed they will participate in the men’s and couture shows and the number is rising, Morand said.
“We are working carefully and systematically on all the parameters,” he said, listing locations, traffic, security, hospitality and accessibility as key concerns.
Although the organizers have narrowed down the list of possible venues, they are still waiting for the final version of the traffic plan which will set out a security perimeter around the venues where competitions will be hosted.
The Games will transform the city’s iconic landmarks into sports venues, with plans to build a volleyball stadium at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and host BMX and skateboarding competitions on the Place de la Concorde, among other things.
326,000 ticket holders, as well as spectators, are expected to witness the opening ceremony on the river Seine, and construction will begin across the town months in advance.
“There are areas in the center of Paris that will undoubtedly be more difficult to access. But having said that, the door is not completely closed,” Morand said, adding that the federation is in negotiations to find a centralized location where smaller brands can exhibit.
It is keeping its members up to date through regular newsletters and will aggregate information into a guide posted on its website, fhcm.paris. There is also a dedicated email address for inquiries, parisgames24@fhcm.paris.
Officials noted that hotel room and flight rates appeared to have declined in June after an initial spike. “They are now at levels that are not unreasonable,” Morand said.
The government has a strong incentive to protect the fashion sector, which represents 154 billion euros in direct turnover and generates 1 million jobs in France, according to a study published by the Institut Français de la Mode in 2018.
Pavlovsky said the increased coordination with authorities during this period would benefit Paris Fashion Week in the future by allowing better advance planning and information sharing.
Parallel to preparations for the Olympic Games, the Federation is preparing for the future by reforming its statutes for the first time since 1973, when designers went ready to wear in haute couture houses under the same professional umbrella.
Its executive committee has voted unanimously to abolish its three branches — the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Féminine and the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Masculine — to group all members into one legal entity under the FHCM. flag.
They will be replaced by three sectoral committees chaired by the branch’s current presidents: Sidney Toledano, adviser to LVMH chairman and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault, for couture; Anouck Duranteau-Loeper, CEO of Isabel Marant, for women’s fashion, and Rick Owens CEO of Elsa Lanzo for men’s fashion.
“This is not just an administrative simplification. We are also preparing to face the great challenges of tomorrow,” said Pavlovsky.
Streamlining the federation’s structure should free up resources to protect members’ interests in Paris and Brussels as governments prepare to enact sweeping environmental regulations. Other key areas include job training, labor laws, intellectual property and digital services.
“Our role has changed over the last five years. Used to manage calendars and exhibition venues. That is only a small part of our activities and we are becoming more proactive on major social issues such as sustainability,” he said.
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