France Boosts Fashion Tourism as Who’s Next Paris Unites Over Thousand Brands and Buyers from More Than a Hundred Countries

Fashion is more than a creative industry—it is a powerful driver of tourism, international trade, business travel, and destination branding. Every major fashion trade exhibition attracts thousands of buyers, retailers, designers, manufacturers, media professionals, and investors whose journeys generate significant demand for airlines, hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, and local businesses. As one of Europe’s premier fashion trade events, Who’s Next Paris continues to reinforce France’s position as a global hub for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry while strengthening Paris’ appeal as a year-round business tourism destination.

Hosted at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, France’s largest exhibition and convention venue, Who’s Next serves as an international marketplace where fashion brands meet retailers, distributors, concept stores, department stores, e-commerce platforms, and sourcing professionals from around the world. The exhibition is widely recognized as a key business platform for discovering emerging collections, establishing commercial partnerships, and identifying the latest trends shaping the global fashion industry.

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles: France’s Flagship Exhibition Venue

Located in southwestern Paris, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is the country’s largest exhibition complex and among the largest in Europe. Operated by Viparis, the venue offers more than 200,000 square meters of exhibition space, multiple conference halls, meeting rooms, and modern event infrastructure capable of hosting international exhibitions across diverse industries.

Over the years, the venue has hosted globally recognized exhibitions spanning fashion, technology, healthcare, hospitality, agriculture, construction, tourism, and consumer goods, making it a cornerstone of France’s business events industry. Continuous modernization projects and sustainability initiatives have further enhanced its competitiveness within Europe’s convention market.

Who’s Next Paris: A Global Marketplace for Fashion

Who’s Next Paris has established itself as one of Europe’s most influential fashion trade shows, connecting established labels, emerging designers, manufacturers, and buyers through a curated platform dedicated to ready-to-wear, accessories, footwear, jewelry, beauty, and lifestyle products.

The exhibition welcomes approximately 38,000 professional visitors, including retailers, buying offices, department stores, fashion agents, journalists, stylists, digital commerce platforms, and independent boutiques. Rather than catering to the general public, the event focuses exclusively on industry professionals, making it one of the continent’s most significant B2B fashion gatherings.

International Participation Reflects the Global Nature of Fashion

The official exhibitor directory highlights the exhibition’s remarkable international diversity, with brands representing countries including:

• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Greece
• India
• Portugal
• Denmark
• Belgium
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Türkiye
• Armenia
• China
• Taiwan
• Brazil
• Nepal
• Morocco
• Nigeria
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Lithuania
• Austria
• United Kingdom
• Angola

This broad geographic representation underscores Paris’ enduring role as an international gateway where global fashion businesses converge to expand distribution networks, discover new suppliers, and strengthen commercial relationships.

Diverse Exhibitor Portfolio

The event features more than 1,200 fashion and lifestyle brands covering virtually every segment of the apparel industry. Confirmed exhibitors include internationally recognized and emerging labels such as Access Fashion (Greece), Alpha Studio (Italy), Artlove (France), Grace & Mila (France), Leo & Ugo (France), Lauren Vidal (France), Fracomina (Italy), Mat Fashion (Greece), Coosy (Spain), Lofina (Denmark), Himalayan Artizen (Nepal), Bloom Africa (Nigeria), Femi9 (Saudi Arabia), Aida by Priyanka Jain (India), Beetroot (India), Jiwya (India), Maison Vossier (Angola), By Ahoud (United Arab Emirates), DS Collection Athens (Greece), and Lola Casademunt by Maite (Spain).

Together, these exhibitors represent the diversity of today’s fashion industry—from premium ready-to-wear and contemporary accessories to sustainable fashion, handcrafted products, and emerging international designers.

A Strategic Meeting Place for Global Buyers

One of Who’s Next’s defining strengths is its international buyer network. Buyers representing department stores, specialty retailers, independent boutiques, online marketplaces, and fashion groups attend to identify new collections and establish sourcing partnerships.

The organizer indicates that visitors come from more than 125 countries, reflecting the event’s extensive international reach. Buyers from globally recognized retail organizations have historically included Galeries Lafayette, Bloomingdale’s, Selfridges, Zalando, El Corte Inglés, Isetan, Takashimaya, Shinsegae, Lane Crawford, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Beymen, Central Group, and Falabella, among others.

Tourism Benefits Extend Beyond the Exhibition Halls

Large-scale trade exhibitions such as Who’s Next generate substantial economic activity across Paris. Thousands of international delegates require accommodation, local transportation, dining, and leisure experiences during their stay.

Hotels across central Paris and the Porte de Versailles district benefit from increased occupancy, while restaurants, cafés, retail districts, and cultural attractions experience higher visitor spending. Airlines serving Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris Orly Airport also benefit from elevated international passenger demand associated with business travel.

Increasingly, business travelers extend their visits beyond exhibition schedules, combining professional commitments with leisure activities. This “bleisure” trend encourages delegates to explore iconic attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Musée d’Orsay, Montmartre, the Champs-Élysées, and the Seine River, further strengthening France’s visitor economy.

Why Paris Remains a Leading Global MICE Destination

France continues to rank among the world’s premier destinations for international meetings and exhibitions thanks to its extensive transport network, world-class hospitality infrastructure, internationally recognized convention facilities, and strong government support for business tourism.

Paris offers exceptional accessibility through two major international airports, an extensive high-speed rail network, comprehensive public transportation system, and one of Europe’s largest hotel inventories. These advantages enable the city to host major global exhibitions while accommodating tens of thousands of international visitors.

The city’s blend of business infrastructure, cultural heritage, gastronomy, luxury retail, and tourism attractions makes it uniquely positioned to attract both professional and leisure travelers.

Travel Information for International Visitors

International delegates can reach the venue via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or Paris Orly Airport, both of which offer extensive connections to destinations across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is well connected through the Paris Métro, tram network, buses, taxis, and ride-hailing services.

Visitors are encouraged to review France’s official visa requirements before travel and book accommodations well in advance due to strong demand during major exhibition periods. Hotels ranging from luxury properties to business-focused and budget-friendly options are available throughout the Porte de Versailles area and central Paris.

Looking Ahead

As global demand for international business events continues to grow, Who’s Next Paris remains an essential platform connecting brands, buyers, and fashion professionals across continents. Its international exhibitor base, strong buyer participation, and strategic location at France’s largest convention venue reinforce Paris’ standing as one of the world’s foremost destinations for fashion business and MICE tourism.

Beyond showcasing the latest collections, the exhibition demonstrates how business events stimulate international travel, strengthen hospitality and aviation sectors, support local enterprises, and enhance France’s reputation as a global center for innovation, commerce, and creative industries.