Positive atmosphere reigns at Le Cuir à Paris
There was a general feeling that business was good at Le Cuir à
Around 50% of the visitors were buyers and 40% were stylists connected with fashion accessories, garments, automobiles and furnishing, many of whom were international. An impressive 34% of the show’s visitors came from abroad, from countries such as Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain, England, and Turkey.
The show attracted 133 exhibitors from 15 different countries, who presented their collections for the spring-summer 2006 season. Fifteen of the exhibitors were either new or had come back to the event after a period of absence.
The materials displayed offered visitors a wide range of innovative and specialised products from new exhibitors, from the deer skins of Nypel to the Patagonian exotics of PEL SA (Argentina) to the handcrafted skins Conceria STELLA (Italy). However, it was not only new faces on view as long-established names such as Bonaudo SA (Italy) with its kangaroo leathers and Francecroco (France) with its exotics were also very much present at the event.
54% of exhibitors displayed finished and semi-finished leathers, 8% fur, 13% textiles/synthetics, 7% components, 4% leathers and raw skins, and 14% were associations, press, agents, schools, bureau de style, and young designers.
The Trends Gallery at the show presented the new colours and materials for summer 2006, including approximately 600 samples of materials and components.
A tendency for delicate floral patterns in watercolours or pencil was very apparent at the show. A romantic touch marked by the whites, whitenend grays, and rustic pinks in pleated, crackled, torn effects. This theme was well-expressed by Ind. Pellami (Italy) with its romantic embroideries or by Pellerossa (Italy) with its
superposed images and embroideries on leather.
Floral prints and ethnical Indian also proved popular; the colours washed out and the touch very supple.
Another strong point for the season was festive colours such as blue, and green. These colours were apparent in the collections of De Lucchi (Pakistan) with sequined embroideries and Textil’In (Spain) with extreme glosses. Francis Château (France) drew much attention with its summer prints on leather.
An African theme was also strongly represented with leopard, zebra and tiger patterns, unprocessed and elaborate exotics in a variety of browns, chocolate, coal and liquorice colours. France Croco (France) displayed skins with exaggerated scales but with a supple touch and Manifattura Di Domodossola (Italy) showed with raw and sophisticated materials.
The general impression taken away from the show was one of contrasts, particularly between the delicate femininity of the embossed floral designs against the boldness of the exaggerated designs and colours found in the exotics.
