Who’s Next Paris 2027: event overview

Who’s Next Paris takes place from 16–18 January 2027 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris, France. WSN organises this twice-yearly professional fashion and lifestyle trade show, held since 1994. The January edition is presented alongside Bijorhca, the Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris. WSN also lists a September edition on 4–6 September 2027.

The event brings together women’s ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery, beauty and lifestyle collections, with conferences, masterclasses, workshops and forums. Buyers can review ranges and meet brands; other fashion professionals can observe collections, discuss industry themes and develop contacts. The organiser’s current overview cites about 1,200 exhibiting brands and around 38,000 visitors per edition, including approximately 70% buyers. These broad figures are not dated to a specific edition.

Why Who’s Next Paris matters to fashion professionals

Compare collections against a real brief

A useful sourcing visit starts with a customer, category or project need. Compare shortlisted labels against the same criteria: product range, customer fit, season, brand identity and the ordering information you still need. This makes a large collection of conversations easier to review after the show.

Connect product discovery with retail decisions

The organiser identifies buyers from retailers, multi-brand stores, department stores and e-commerce among its main visitor groups. That mix makes the show relevant to professionals assessing collections for different sales channels. The reported visitor and brand totals offer only a broad indication of scale, not a guarantee of meetings or sales.

Look across adjacent categories

In January, Who’s Next is presented alongside Bijorhca, the Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris. Visitors with work spanning apparel, jewellery, lingerie or textile sourcing may find useful adjacent-category context. The events remain distinct, so prioritise the products and professionals that match your own objectives.

Pair sourcing with industry discussion

Conferences, masterclasses, workshops and forums are listed as programme formats. Product displays can help you assess collections; professional sessions can add context to industry questions. Check the current edition schedule and choose sessions that answer a specific commercial or creative question.

Who should visit Who’s Next Paris?

Independent and multi-brand fashion retailers

If you select collections for a shop or multi-brand business, use the visit to compare labels against your customers and assortment plan.

• Identify gaps in categories, price positions or product roles before browsing.
• Compare each shortlisted collection against the same customer and season criteria.
• Ask brands about ordering, delivery, minimums and replenishment; confirm terms directly.
• Record what fits, what remains unverified and the next action for each promising conversation.

Department-store and e-commerce buying teams

Evaluate collections through the needs of your channel rather than treating every product as interchangeable.

• Bring your category and customer priorities.
• For online retail, note product imagery, descriptions, sizing and stock information you would need to assess a listing.
• For department stores, consider how the collection complements the wider category.
• Separate immediate buying priorities from longer-term trend observation.

Fashion brands, designers and exhibitors

Brands in the stated product areas may find the show relevant when seeking professional visibility and conversations with retail buyers. Exhibiting is an investment decision, not a promise of orders.

• Define which buyer profiles and channels fit your collection.
• Prepare concise product, customer and positioning information.
• Decide how to qualify a conversation and what material you can provide afterward.
• Confirm stand options, fees, deadlines and participation terms directly with WSN.

Agents and buying offices

Agents and buying offices are named among the visitors. Use the show to review collections for represented accounts and note where representation or product questions need follow-up.

• Map brands to your client portfolio and category priorities.
• Record relevant contacts, territories or channel conditions that need confirmation.
• Prioritise conversations that can be acted on after the show.

Stylists, trend agencies, journalists and fashion schools

The organiser also names these groups in its visitor description. Stylists can observe product and visual directions; trend agencies can compare examples without treating one collection as proof of a market-wide trend; journalists should verify claims before publication; schools can examine how creative identity meets commercial context.

What can you find at Who’s Next Paris?

Women’s ready-to-wear

The official event description identifies new women’s ready-to-wear collections. Buyers can compare labels through customer fit, collection balance and seasonal plans rather than treating garments as isolated purchases.

Accessories, jewellery, beauty and lifestyle

These product areas broaden the event’s fashion-oriented offer. Consider how a collection complements your assortment or professional remit; cross-category browsing is most useful when it addresses a customer or project need. Bijorhca is a separate co-located jewellery event in January.

Professional programme formats

WSN lists conferences, masterclasses, workshops and forums. Check the current programme for session subjects and timings before planning around a particular topic.

What makes Who’s Next Paris distinctive?

Who’s Next combines a twice-yearly professional fashion trade-show format with collections in ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery, beauty and lifestyle. WSN says the show has been held since 1994 and brings together international fashion professionals. In January it is presented alongside Bijorhca, the Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris; in September, WSN lists Interfilière Paris alongside Who’s Next and Bijorhca. This setting creates scope to explore neighbouring product worlds, but each visitor should decide which categories matter to their work.

The organiser describes a visitor community extending beyond buyers to agents, journalists, buying offices, stylists, trend agencies, schools and influencers. That mix supports both commercial sourcing and creative observation, without making every part of the show equally relevant to every attendee.

What should you try to achieve?

If you buy for a retail business

Set an objective such as: Shortlist collections that address two gaps in my next-season assortment. Decide what those gaps are, what information you need from each brand and what would disqualify a collection.

If you buy for e-commerce or a department store

Try: Compare a focused set of labels for channel fit and identify what information is still needed. Note product presentation and category coverage, then record questions requiring confirmation.

If you represent or exhibit brands

Try: Have qualified conversations with buyers whose channel and customer profile matches my collection. Define relevance and prepare a practical next step without assuming that a conversation will lead to an order.

If you work in styling, trend analysis or media

Try: Document several product or presentation directions and verify their context. Distinguish an individual example from evidence of a wider market trend.

How to prepare before Who’s Next Paris

1. Define the decision

Are you sourcing a category, reviewing a supplier, building a story or learning about industry themes? Make the goal specific enough to guide which brands and sessions deserve time.

2. Build a target list

Use the official Who’s Next brand directory when planning. Mark each target essential, useful or exploratory and note why it belongs on the list. Confirm that directory details are current for the January 2027 edition.

3. Prepare questions for fashion brands

Ask which customer the collection serves, which products anchor the range, what ordering and delivery conditions apply, and what product specifications or imagery are available. Adapt questions to your business and confirm commercial details directly with each brand.

4. Prioritise conversations

Contact priority brands through current official channels and request a suitable time where possible. Do not assume matchmaking or a meeting service is available unless confirmed. Keep alternatives in case a conversation cannot be arranged.

5. Check visitor information and the programme

Confirm badge details, venue access and programme timings before travelling. WSN lists programme formats, but schedules and practical instructions can change.

6. Prepare a useful record

For every contact or session, note: Contact → Product or topic → Relevance → Question to resolve → Next action. This turns a busy visit into information you can compare afterward.

How to make the most of the exhibition

Start with priority categories and leave time for comparisons and follow-up conversations. For each collection, record what matters, why it fits your customer or project and what information is missing. Avoid collecting catalogues or contacts without noting their relevance.

• Retail buyers: compare labels against consistent customer and assortment criteria.
• Agents: note which accounts could benefit and what representation details need confirmation.
• Exhibitors: ask what each buyer is seeking and agree a specific next action.
• Stylists and media: distinguish an individual look from a repeated theme and verify claims before publication.
• All visitors: review notes at the end of each day and revisit priority contacts where useful.

The official brand directory can help identify companies in advance; confirm current edition coverage and any on-site navigation tools with WSN.

Plan your time realistically

The event is scheduled for 16–18 January 2027. WSN lists Saturday and Sunday hours as 09:00–19:00 and Monday as 09:00–18:00. Recheck current hours before attending.

Before the day

Choose a small number of must-see brands and sessions, review appointments and keep the day’s objective visible. Do not try to cover every category equally.

During the visit

Use an early block for priority collections, reserve time for comparisons or sessions, and leave gaps for meetings and unexpected discoveries. The sources reviewed do not establish a hall-by-hall route; use current organiser or venue materials for navigation.

At the end of each day

Sort notes into immediate follow-up, potential fit and market observation. Identify which questions need written answers before a buying or partnership decision.

Beyond the Who’s Next Paris exhibition floor

WSN lists conferences, masterclasses, workshops and forums alongside the trade show. Choose sessions linked to a real decision, such as understanding a trend or exploring a product question. The official page confirms programme formats but does not give the detailed January 2027 session list in the information used here; do not plan around a speaker or subject until it is confirmed.

Networking at Who’s Next Paris

A useful conversation starts with a clear introduction and a real question. Buyers can explain the customer and category they serve; brands can describe their collection and intended channel; agents can clarify the accounts they represent. Ask what should happen next and who will take responsibility.

• State your role and the category or customer you work with.
• Share the project or professional question that brought you to the show.
• Ask one focused question before requesting extensive information.
• Record the contact, agreed follow-up and details that need verification.
• Follow up with a concise message referring to the actual conversation.

Travelling to Who’s Next Paris

The confirmed venue is Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, at 1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris. Check current venue access instructions and WSN visitor information before setting out; entrance and travel details should be confirmed for this edition. Keep entry information and appointment notes accessible and allow time for current entry procedures.

One day or all three days?

A focused one-day visit

One day may suit a visitor with a short priority list, pre-arranged conversations and one main buying or research objective. Focus on the most relevant categories and record decisions still outstanding.

Two days

Two days can suit buyers who need to compare brands, revisit shortlisted collections and attend selected sessions. Use the second day to test initial impressions against your criteria.

All three days

A three-day visit may help professionals covering several categories, balancing buying conversations with programme sessions, or exhibiting and following up. Give each day a distinct purpose.

Where should you stay for Who’s Next Paris?

Choose accommodation based on your confirmed schedule, appointments and other work commitments. If you have early starts or several days on site, compare travel time and cancellation terms before booking. No hotel recommendation or price is established here; check current availability directly with providers.

Who’s Next Paris for a buying or collection project

Bring the information that will make conversations useful: customer profile, categories to fill, target season, assortment constraints and decision timeline. Buyers can prepare a comparison sheet for brand fit, range, ordering conditions and unresolved questions. Brands and agents can bring concise collection information and clarify which buyer profiles are relevant. Do not share confidential business information unless appropriate.

After Who’s Next Paris: turn conversations into decisions

Sort contacts into three groups:

• Immediate: clear fit and a defined next action, such as requesting confirmed product or ordering information.
• Potential: plausible match requiring more evidence, sample review or internal discussion.
• Market observation: useful trend or channel signal that informs planning but is not yet a buying decision.

Follow up with the specific information agreed. Compare supplier details consistently, verify terms directly and involve the colleagues who will make or implement the decision. A contact is a starting point, not proof of fit or a commercial outcome.

Who should consider exhibiting?

The stated scope includes women’s ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery, beauty and lifestyle. Brands in these areas may consider exhibiting if they have a clear professional audience, products ready to present and a defined participation objective. Review WSN’s exhibitor information, stand options, costs, deadlines and service terms directly; those details are not established here.

Set an objective that can be evaluated after the show: relevance of buyer conversations, product feedback or learning about a channel. Visitor volume does not guarantee a particular number of leads or orders.

Who’s Next Paris visitor checklist

Before

• ☐ Confirm dates, daily hours, badge details and current access instructions.
• ☐ Define a buying, exhibiting, research or editorial objective.
• ☐ Review the brand directory and shortlist priority contacts.
• ☐ Prepare category-specific questions and a way to compare answers.
• ☐ Check the programme and confirm any meetings.

During

• ☐ Start with priority brands, categories or sessions.
• ☐ Record relevance, questions and a next action for useful conversations.
• ☐ Confirm terms and availability with brands.
• ☐ Leave time to review notes and revisit priority contacts.

After

• ☐ Sort contacts by immediate fit, potential and market observation.
• ☐ Send tailored follow-ups and request agreed information.
• ☐ Compare evidence before making range or supplier decisions.

Is Who’s Next Paris worth visiting?

Who’s Next is most relevant to fashion professionals who need to review collections, compare brands or connect product discovery with retail, creative or media work. Its stated audience includes buyers, agents, journalists, stylists, trend agencies and schools. The organiser’s current overview cites about 1,200 brands and around 38,000 visitors per edition, but does not date those figures to a specific edition. The event is less useful if you arrive without a target customer, category or question. A focused shortlist, careful notes and timely follow-up make the visit more decision-ready.

Who’s Next Paris 2027 at a glance

WSN publishes the January dates and hours; check current organiser and venue information before attending.

Make your Who’s Next Paris visit count

What do you need to compare, learn or decide at Who’s Next Paris that you cannot settle from a catalogue alone? Start with that question, choose the collections and conversations that can answer it, and leave each useful meeting with a next step. Discover. Compare. Ask. Decide. Follow up.

Fashion and apparel opportunities in France

Market size and demand

A recent total-market valuation was not established in the sources reviewed, but IFM Panel data offer a current demand signal. French clothing and textile distributor sales were down 1.1% in value for January–May 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. May 2026 sales were nearly flat year on year at −0.1%. These are retail-sales movements, not total market value or a forecast.

Market drivers and commercial opportunities

Channel performance diverged: online sales rose 2.9% and physical-store sales fell 2.6% in the first five months of 2026 year on year. In May, online sales were up 4.5% and physical sales down 1.2%. Buyers and brands may assess channel fit, while the fall in total sales cautions against treating online growth as proof of broad market expansion.

• Channel-specific assortment review: multi-brand and e-commerce buyers may compare labels against their customer and merchandising needs. Overall sales were weaker, and individual brand performance is not established by the aggregate data.
• Distribution conversations: apparel brands may explore retail and e-commerce fit with relevant buyers. The IFM figures do not demonstrate demand for any particular brand or price point.
• Product environmental information: France’s clothing environmental-cost display began rolling out from September 2025. The government describes it as regulated but voluntary for brands. Brands may assess whether product-level information is relevant; buyers can ask how it is calculated. Voluntary display does not establish a sales advantage.

Regulations and market-entry conditions

The French government’s environmental-cost display for clothing is a voluntary scheme for brands, with product impacts expressed in impact points. It is intended to inform consumers and encourage eco-design. Consult current official guidance for the method and product coverage before making claims; the display is not mandatory for every brand.

What this means for exhibitors

Brands may use Who’s Next to explore whether their collection and product information fit retail or e-commerce needs. Treat the event as a setting for exploration, not evidence of guaranteed orders; recent aggregate data point to a cautious overall market.

What this means for visitors

Buyers may compare collections with channel-specific demand in mind. Where environmental-cost information is displayed, ask how it is calculated and treat it as one input to product evaluation.