Who's Next to launch site aimed at a wider audience

By

Jean-Paul Leroy

Published
Mar 11, 2013

In a few days’ time, Paris trade show Who’s Next will launch a new website marking the start of a new, more digital era at the show. Different to the virtual trade show by Pitti Uomo and the smaller New Black in France, the Who’s Next site isn’t looking to create a trade show that lasts all year long. At least, not for the time being.

Neither will the site launch into e-commerce (except for a few exclusive collaborations) even if the idea sounds tempting to the show’s director, Xavier Clergerie. The sites main objective is to give more visibility the brands that take part in the show, but allowing them to make the most of communication channels.

To lead the project, WSN Développement has recruited Jonathan Lipfeld, the 33 year-old founder of e-commerce site L’Atelier de la Mode, a site that offer products from young designers.

Coming from a family that works in textiles, Jonathan Lipfeld has much experience in the digital world. He first got onto the Paris trade show scene through his work with L’Atelier de la Mode.

Together, Lipfeld and Who’s Next will work together to create a site more accessible to the general public and less exclusively directed at fashion professionals. The challenge is to allow all kinds of internet users to access information they are seeking without imposing. For the professionals, the site will still allow access to regular information on the show such as date, a list of exhibitors and registration details etc.

As for the wider audience, the site will have a more editorial approach offering relevant content on trends, for example, accompanied by many visuals. The site will also feature current season offerings from brands that take part in the show.

At the recent editions Premiére Classe and Paris sur Mode, many clothing items were photographed, ready to appear on the Who’s Next side as they come into season in September. To ensure quality of content, WSN has recruited a freelance artistic director.

For the launch, the content on the site will be based on spring-summer. “As a start point, we have really worked on the site’s design and navigation,’ says Jonathan Lipfeld, speaking mainly of the ‘public’ side of the site. “These days, users really want to get to where they want to be in just one click. If not, they leave. That is where the desire to separate the general public and trade sections comes from. People only use the internet to find things out. The new version of the site will launch in March but will change every season, tailoring itself to the needs of the brands.”

The new Who’s Next site will be available in nine languages: French, English, Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

WSN will not be charging brands to use their online service. The cost of the booth at the show will include presence on the Who’s Next site.