The atmosphere on the forecourt of Villa Noailles was effervescent, with a tightly packed crowd delighted to be back together again this year at the Hyères International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories. Yet this must-attend event for fashion and emerging talent had been under threat from a severe budget crisis. In the crowd, there was palpable relief and a determination to do everything possible to make this 40th edition a success.

On the roof of the imposing rationalist building that hosts the event on the heights of Hyères, in the Var, a flag bearing a multicoloured sun flies. The flag was designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, who is on the Fashion competition jury. He stands alongside the other juries and institutional representatives on the new stage set up in the garden for the opening ceremony, set against the backdrop of another large rainbow sun. This new arrangement, a departure from the usual ritual at the villa entrance, gently signals the transition.

“This sun represents what Villa Noailles is all about: dream, creation… It’s the sun that will celebrate this 40th edition,” declared Pascale Mussard, the institution’s president, the first to speak on Thursday evening, thanking “all the people who make the Festival possible”.

The mayor of Hyères, Jean-Pierre Giran, followed suit, thanking, not without a certain emotion, all those present. “There are many of you here, and that’s what matters most, demonstrating your commitment to this project of creativity, modernity and youth,” he told the audience.

“This Festival project is one of a kind, particularly in terms of its reach and longevity,” emphasises Hugo Lucchino, the new general manager of the Villa Noailles art centre, who oversees not only the renowned competition for young designers but also other events such as Design Parade.

Having taken up his post just a few days ago, he pays tribute to his predecessor, Jean-Pierre Blanc, the Festival’s emblematic founder. The mayor and Pascal Morand, executive president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, also pay tribute.

Before declaring the Festival officially open, Lucchino also thanked, “for their unfailing support,” the partners who have all stepped up at this pivotal moment for Villa Noailles. These include local institutional partners and the French Ministry of Culture, as well as private sponsors such as Chanel, Le 19M, LVMH, Hermès, Supima, Kering, American Vintage and Première Classe, to name but a few.

Support for creativity

“I’m really happy, I feel there’s incredible energy. You can sense that everyone is fully on board. We all want it to continue, because it’s a great festival,” said designer Lutz Huelle, who was on the jury in 2015. “We’re witnessing a kind of ‘reset’. The fact that there’s no jury president this year, but only fashion professionals, is a good idea, because Hyères is, above all, a Festival for young designers and students.”

Mauro Grimaldi, a consultant in the luxury sector who has been attending the event for thirty years, reiterated how important it is to support events of this kind.

“All anyone talks about is money, but it’s crucial to support independent creativity, because the young talent it generates is what feeds the fashion industry. That’s why this is a key edition,” he concluded.