In the favourable period of economic growth and increasing retail sales the international fashion trade fairs STYL and KABO, the biggest B2B presentation of the fashion industry for the Czech and Slovak market, flourished as well. The trade fairs’ offer stabilised four years ago, and the 47th edition of the event maintained a high standard of quality. Fifty-four companies, thirty-five at the STYL trade fair and nineteen at the KABO trade fair, introduced themselves for the very first time. In total, 284 exhibitors from 12 countries and 632 represented brands presented their collections of textile, clothing, footwear, and leatherwear. The novelties for the Autumn and Winter 2016/2017 season were viewed by five thousand professional visitors, retailers and buyers.

Echos

Livia Klausová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Slovakia
The fashion show LUXURY CUT, for which real original models were lent, was very interesting. I have attended STYL and KABO every years and I can see how the pavilions change for the better each time. Every year the level of quality moves upwards. It is true that I have found my range of companies to whom I’m faithful and who I visit here, but I like to look at those who exhibit here for the first time or return after several years as well.

Radim Dvořák, CEO at Snaha, plc.
At the KABO trade fair we introduce new models which arose due to our collaboration with the project LOCAL ICONS, where we aimed mainly at private stores in smaller to medium-sized towns. We were very interested in the reactions of buyers for shops and boutiques. In the last twenty years, Snaha hasn’t presented any new models, and therefore we were very nervous about the reception of the models by sellers and end customers. To make new models without having confronted the market would be a bad idea.

Vlasta Mayerová, Secretary of the Czech Footwear and Leatherwear Association
The attendance was quite good. The trade fair offers mostly collections for autumn and winter, but many exhibitors have still added their current offer which is intended for the stores in spring and summer. Unfortunately, due to this year’s weather, winter collections have not sold out; winter shoes still remain in retail stores, but shoes for the whole year are sold all the more.

Drahomíra Gřešová, Director of the company PEGRES footwear, Ltd.
In comparison with last August a lot of visitors came to KABO, during the weekend many people visited our stand and we also have a lot of orders. Our offer mostly consists of shoes for the whole year, so our sales are not affected by the weather, and most importantly, we are able to deliver the goods within a week from being ordered, which is very welcomed by our customers.

Kateřina Ščuková, Brand Manager, PM-STYL Ltd.
This is our first time exhibiting handbags here, but we have been exhibiting clothing in Brno for more than ten years. In our Central European premiere we presented the London brand of handbags Pauls Boutique and I think that it was successful. With the handbags, we will supply our usual customers in fashion boutiques, but we looked for specialised leatherwear stores at the KABO trade fair. We’re a new brand and we still need to expand on the market, but we have found many new and many interesting contacts at the trade fair. Even the traders themselves were enthusiastic about our handbags and they look forward to selling them because the handbags are very different at a first glance.

Václav Vaněk, Director of the company V+J OBUV, Ltd.
After a bad winter I was worried about the outcome of the KABO trade fairs, but I have to say that the course of the event has been standard and we are happy with it. For the first time ever, we have introduced here the Croatian brand of children’s leather footwear FRODDO, which was sought after very much. This is partly due to the fact that the footwear was certified with the brand “Žirafa” (Giraffe), because customers like children’s footwear to be branded this way; it is a good sale boost and, of course, a certification of quality.

Jana Kabrhelová, co-owner of the company Kabrhel-Perab
We present five women’s and five men’s clothing brands in Brno. The brand TRAMONTANA, which also opened the STYL SHOW fashion show, is our flagship. What’s good about fashion shows is that sellers have an opportunity to see the collections being worn by models, and if they like something, they will come to the stand for specific things. That is why we participate in fashion shows regularly.

Petr Vykoukal, Sales Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the company FELINA ČR
This year we introduce the collection for Autumn/Winter 2016 by the brands FELINA and CONTRELLE by FELINA, where we highlight the novelties for this year’s season, which we also do in the context of the trade fair fashion show FELINA LINGERIE FASHION SHOW. We are going to participate in the trade fair again in August, when we want to introduce the collections for Spring/Summer 2017 to the visitors.

Martin Závorka, owner of the company UNIDAX, Czech Bags and Accessories
I have been coming to STYL and KABO since 1991. We try to offer fashionable luxurious handbags, leather or made of a combination of textile and leather. Eighty per cent of the goods that we sell are our own that we manufacture in Prague. Nowadays, when there is an overflow of imported goods made from imitation of leather, and when we struggle against e-shops, who successfully sell cheaper goods, it’s important to have staff who want to work, to have our own network of stores, and to present ourselves.

Chris Chatziantoniou, owner of the company Miss Rosy Lingerie, Greece
Our company is one of the biggest lingerie manufacturers in Greece, which we not only sell at home but we also export abroad. This is our first time at the Brno trade fair, so we will see how the Czech market reacts to us. Some visitors came to our stand right after they saw our collection at the fashion show. We present mainly satin lingerie in Brno, but we would also like to find a sales representative here, who would take care of the Miss Rosy brand on the Czech market.