The next edition of the MADE IN FRANCE trade show will take place 9–10 April 2014 in Paris’s newest venue, the Carreau du Temple, in the heart of the third arrondissement’s chic Haut-Marais district.
Located in an area popular among professionals for its historic atmosphere, ultra-Parisian vibe, and fusion of all the cultural elements that inspire and enrich fashion, the show will benefit from a renewed impetus from its new shareholder, PV MANUFACTURING.
Some 100 exhibitors, all apparel and accessories manufacturing experts with exclusive rights to label their products “Made in France”, will be among the first to fill this new fashion hotspot, which also boasts sports and cultural facilities.
Through this historical venue, MADE IN FRANCE will be reconnecting with the city’s sartorial heritage. In 1807, the Carreau du Temple site, home to an open-air market, was ordained for the trade of old linens, clothes and rags, which was transferred out of Les Halles at the beginning of the 19th century.
The land was soon acquired by the City of Paris. By 1808, the newly-covered market traded in carpets, silks, ribbons, gloves, feathers, household linen, leather, and second-hand clothes. Year after year, the market elected their Mid-Lenten Queen, who took part in a parade through the streets of Paris.
In the 1820s, the Carreau was also a meeting place for goguettes – groups of 20 or more people who gathered to sing and socialise. The old timber-built market, whose trade had expanded to include floristry and birds, was replaced by a steel and glass structure in 1863. In 1904, the market hosted the first Foire de Paris (Paris Fair).
It was a huge hit with the public and the Carreau du Temple became a hotspot for stylish men and women with limited means. Sports arrived at the Carreau in 1920, although fashion, particularly men’s fashion in the 1960s and 70s, remained the district’s speciality. Since the 1980s, the Carreau du Temple has hosted Paris Fashion Week’s catwalks, connecting it to a world of luxury and fashion.
Renovation work on the building was begun in 2001 by the Mairie de Paris, and will be completed in March 2014, when the new Carreau du Temple will be opened. Studio Milou Architecture has created a multi-purpose venue with over 4000m2 of cultural and sporting space, where fashion can return to its rightful place. The district’s ready-to-wear designers, jewellery and accessories workshops and leading school of applied arts continue to establish connections between fashion and production.
The MADE IN FRANCE high-end manufacturing trade show will bring together experts with the capacity to turn fashion and accessories designers’ visions into reality, in one ideal location. The choice of this new venue will enable the show to build on the success of 2013, and encourage world-renowned contemporary know-how, techniques and craftsmanship to remain at the cutting edge of fashion. In keeping with the venue’s community spirit, MADE IN FRANCE plans to open certain exhibitions and events to the general public.
