A RETIRED ACCOUNTANT TAKES ON THE PARIS FASHION SCENE

-- Paul Terhorst, Paris, France   September 2002

The Paris ready-to-wear fashion salon opened yesterday at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center. Vicki and I went to check it out. This was my first-ever fashion salon, so I picked up a program to orient myself.

A friend sells cotton sweaters in Europe. Why not start with that? I thought. I looked for "Sweaters, cotton."  Wrong, Paul. Nooo. The catalog gave me three choices: "Puzzle Attitude," on level 3, "Re-mixing Attitude," on level 2, and "Composing Attitude," on level 1. No sweaters here, just attitudes.

Each attitude had sub-categories. I found Mouvance, for example, "collections of the current season, reflecting all the micro trends from the street." And Le Group, "a discreet international club feel, for elegance that's understated and refined." And Influences, "commercial and creative collections for women who know how to combine originality and modernity." I'm not making this up. I'm not even translating. I took these words, whatever they might mean, from the English translation in the program.

I decided to stop in the press room to compose myself, maybe learn something more. I must have been visibly shaken when I arrived, because the guy there took one look at me and put a glass of champagne in my hand. I sipped the champagne and read the catalog and press materials. No help. I realized I'd have to enter the fray and look around for myself. So I headed out, unnerved but resolute, into Re-Mixing Attitude, level 2, just as if it were a natural, normal thing to do. What were these people talking about?

I found four stands with knit cotton sweaters. There was Sweater House from Spain, in Puzzle Attitude on level 3.  Their sub-category was Les Halles, "a sector reflecting street fashion, and a forerunner of the main fashion waves." Next was Arizali, the only exhibitor from Malaysia, in Composing Attitude on level 1. Their subcategory was Addresse Premiere, "traditional favorites and wardrobe basics for the elegant modern woman." Next was Pluck from Paris, in Re-mixing Attitude on level 2. Their sub-category was Summer Atmosphere, "targeted and selective retail within a prestigious label." Finally, there was The Earth Collection from France, also in Addresse Premiere. Wouldn't it be easier to group these four, and the others, under "sweaters"? I suppose asking a silly question like that explains why I'm a retired accountant rather than a retired merchandiser.

There's a wrap-up press session on Monday afternoon. Press reps are invited to give our opinions on the success of the show. Can you imagine? I'm giving it a pass. But Vicki thoroughly enjoyed herself, and seemed to understand all this. Maybe she'll go in my place.