Jill, WSN’s new hybrid trade show, takes flight

Trade fair organiser WSN and Jean-Pierre Blanc, founder of the Hyères Festival, officially launched their new semi-professional event, Jill, on Friday. Held from October 2 to 5 in the Tuileries Gardens in Paris, this event – linked to the Première Classe trade fair – focuses on collaborations, one-off pieces, and limited editions, forging a rare bridge between professional and public spheres in the midst of Fashion Week.

The initiative is part of an already vibrant Parisian ecosystem, capitalising on its direct link with the Première Classe trade fair and with Émergence, the new event for the jewellery sector alongside it. Within this framework, Jill aims to dismantle barriers in the fashion industry by opening its doors to international buyers, journalists, and end consumers alike.

For this inaugural edition, on Friday the organisers reported that around 1,500 members of the public had pre-registered for entry, priced at €15. A dedicated entrance is reserved for them, whilst professionals can access the venue via the main entrance to the Première Classe trade fair.

Inside, the stated aim was to depart from the traditional layout of fashion fairs. Here, there are no aisles. Brands are set within circular rooms draped in red, arranged around the perimeter, whilst large communal tables, lavishly decorated with flowers, are intended to host conversations with customers and meetings between brands.

“The idea was to create a mix,” explains Jean-Pierre Blanc. “We didn’t want to organise things alphabetically or by category; we really brought everything together and mixed it according to sensibilities.” The houses Maison Rabih Kayrouz, Lecourt Mansion, Kimabaya Milia Maroun, Stéphanie Couder, and Emma Bruschi thus sit directly alongside fashion and accessories brands from other tiers of the market.

The fashion line-up features Adam Jones, Au Boulot Workwear, Anatomie Vêtement, Elephant Paris, Ifeanyi Okwuadi and Félicie Eymard. Also present are En Vrac Paris, Julie Moriuser, Jayne, Less is More Projects & Lucio, Mazorcas, and La Prestic Ouiston. Not to mention Kilomètre Paris, NVDS Paris, Process Visual, QueenKongGang, Rappaz, UNDGNS, Vava Dudu, Christine Phung, and Claire Iseppi.

The accessories selection for this inaugural edition showcases creations by Affect Wins, Cécile Feilchenfeldt, Maison Fabre, L’Hôte, Mabiche Éditions, and MN Edition. Also featured are Not a Hat, Vadi, Saskia Diez, Paoz by Philippe Airaud, Sarah Bounab, and Tsatsas.

“The fair does not take a commission on sales; this is also very important to us,” notes Boris Vey, WSN’s director of partnerships and events. “It is not a showroom.”

The event runs until October 5 in the Tuileries Gardens, with the four days punctuated by a series of talks covering topics as varied as the dialogue between perfume and object design, the preservation of fashion archives, the future of the independent press, the golden age of advertising films from the 1980s to the 2000s, the market for exceptional vintage pieces and support for young designers.