January 2023 - Who's Next Paris - showing collections for Autumn/Winter 2023 - Fashion Hat - Connecting the headwear industry with success

WHO’S NEXT, PARIS

21st – 23rd January 2023

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris

……maybe it came too late for the retailers, but to buyers at the show it was good timing! With 22 headwear brands listed in the programme, hats would have good coverage at this edition. Hall No 1 was one of the largest and most modern halls. Accessories this season had been positioned closer to the entrance, which was certainly advantageous. My images cover just a handful of the more regular exhibitors.

Colour once again was a major factor in new collections, as was warmth and cosiness. Styles were many, and included berets, cloches, trilbys, fedoras and boaters. Hats for inclement weather that ‘rolled up and packed away’ was a plus for the wearer.

Texture, especially boucle in both knit and fabric, was part of many collections. Surface design also caught my eye, especially the fedora’s on Frasconi’s stand with corded/ribbon detail.

bedacht made a positive statement on colour, showing their projected palette for winter 2023, which was displayed on the stand.

Rabionek from Poland also showed strong colours, including cerise, navy and mustard

Bronté showed a collection of cosy berets, wraps and soft felts in blues, cerise's and shades of mauve.

Cosy primmer in boucle with faux fur trim from bedacht

Sorbatti from Montaponne in Italy, sell in large quantities, and they showed a number of styles in boucle for both men and women..

Kopka from Germany showed a small collection of knitted bouclé including soft hat and matching scarves

Frasconi showed a few styles in felt using a colourful cord design

Hats & Dreamsi from Montaponne specialise in winter and summer braided hats. Here they use a soft tweedy braid finished with a matching bow in a number of different styles.

Rabionek have made this style of surface design ''there own', on berets and soft peaked caps.

Who’s Next also presented a good selection for the menswear buyer. Sorbatti with classic felt hats, with a few pushing boundaries; Doria in the south of Italy meticulous in their finish and choice of quality materials; Fléchet offering a wide range of French and European ‘affordable’ headwear; whilst Alfonso D’Este and Kangol attract a younger more daring customer. Then as I was about to make my departure, I spotted a new brand called Oliver Hats from Spain with a full stand of blocked men’s and unisex styles.

Sorbatti showed a leaning towards the 'western hat'

On the stand of Alfondo D'Este Salvatore show their collection of young eye-catching caps and hats

The jazzy lining of the Alfonso D'Este cap

A range of rainproof hats made from a new technical fabric, with a interlining of goose down. Rollable and packable from Doria 1905

Making their debut at Who's Next was Oliver Hats from Spain

Faux sheepskin flyer with fleece lining from Sorbatti

A range of quilted winter hats designed for the young market from Frasconi

Companies in this report showing at Who’s Next

Alfonso D’Este – Italy
Angiolo Frasconi – Italy
Bedacht – Germany
Bronté – the Netherlands
Doria 1905 – Italy
Hats & Dream – Italy
Kopka – Germany
Oliver Hats – Spain
Rabionek – Poland
Sorbatti – Italy

Speaking to major brands here on Monday the closing day, I found overall support for the shortening of the show from 4-days (Fri-Mon) to 3 (Sat-Mon). Exhibitors commented ‘that surprisingly they hadn’t lost business. Saturday had been far busier than usual, and Sunday and Monday remained constant with regular customers attending. There were less expenses for theme in Paris, and with no increase in exhibition charges from the organisers, it was a good deal all around !

We look forward to seeing you in September for the spring/summer collections, same place, same time …………..

WHO’S NEXT, PARIS

21st – 23rd January 2023

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris

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