ITC brings young Tunisian designers to Paris’s leading international fashion trade show in Paris

For the first time, three young Tunisian companies in the textile and clothing sector participated in the Who’s Next trade fair, the leading international trade fair in Europe of ready-to-wear, fashion and accessories, in September, at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles in Paris.

For over 25 years, Who’s Next has been uniting all fashion sectors (ready-to-wear, accessories and jewellery) to promote the creations and feature young designers, emerging brands, urban labels and artisans.

The event targets buyers and professionals, including retailers, multi-brands, e-tailers, buyers and fashion designers from all over the world. 

More than 45,000 visitors attended the September 2022 edition.

Connecting to an international market

Ashai, SOLTANA Couture and FIERCE are ready-to-wear and accessories brands. The companies are beneficiaries of the International Trade Centre’s Global Textiles and Clothing Programme (GTEX) and its related work in the Middle East and North Africa (MENATEX). 

The GTEX/MENATEX Programme has enabled the participating Tunisian companies to gain new references and consequently improve their brands, next to discovering the latest innovations and practices in the sector and connecting to an international networking market in B2B and B2C for profitable business alliances. 

Rym Barkattalah, founder of Ashai, explains how the trade fair has helped her open new possibilities and realizing rewarding opportunities: “We saw Ashai’s potential and the opportunities for our brand. It was essential for us to see participants interested in our products,” says Barkattalah. Her personal highlights are the remarks she received on the products’ quality, materials and colours. “They liked the accessories, and our innovative idea of a painting reproduced on bags embroidered by hand.”

For Fatma Ben Soltane, founder of brands FIERCE and SOLTANA Couture, participating in Who’s Next was an enlightening experience: “I felt immersed in the world of fashion and, most importantly, to be in direct contact with international visitors and buyers.” She adds: “I was able to meet and finalize orders with new partners, and we hope to establish a trustful connection and long-term partnership with the business leads made during the fair.”

Mehdi Chaker, GTEX/MENATEX Project Manager for Tunisia, says: “We are very proud of the results achieved so far. The two designers had a stand where they exhibited samples of their main items. Both succeed in obtaining new orders on the spot.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.