Childrenswear show Playtime goes 100% digital this season
On July 4, 5 and 6, the Parc Floral exhibition centre in the French capital was due to host the 27th edition of Playtime Paris, the trade show dedicated to childrenswear and the world of kids. However, owing to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, notably on international travel, organiser Picaflor decided to cancel the event. The show has not been postponed to September, as previously suggested, and its sibling events in New York and Shanghai have been cancelled too.
Picaflor said that it seemed unreasonable to “expect exhibitors to invest in a session that was going to have too few visitors.”
For this summer season, the organiser is going 100% digital, connecting exhibitors and visitors, both in France and worldwide, in a virtual way. A tried and tested online solution, since Playtime introduced its B2B e-marketplace, ‘I Love Playtime’, five years ago, and is now raising it to the next level.
Chantal Danguillaume, Playtime’s commercial director, said that, before the Covid-19 crisis, l Love Playtime featured about fifty exhibitors, a number that has now risen to 350. To encourage brands to join, Playtime has halved the annual subscription rate, and accelerated the introduction of new commercial tools.
I Love Playtime incorporates an online payment function for orders placed on the site, and video meetings on I Love Playtime will be possible from next week. “This will enable buyers to view our exhibitors’ showrooms and collections, and especially to receive advice,” said Danguillaume.
I Love Playtime, which underwent a design make-over for the occasion, will also feature more editorial content, to enable buyers to discover new brands and seasonal trends, as though they were visiting a physical show. On July 16, Milk magazine will award its customary seasonal prizes.
I Love Playtime will be operational throughout the year, but is expected to be especially busy in July, August and September. “Some exhibitors will be monitoring their cash-flow situation, and trading will be livelier in the USA in September,” said Danguillaume.
Playtime Paris is set to hold its next physical edition in January 2021, again at the Parc Floral exhibition centre in Paris. “We all wish to meet up again at the show, but no one has a crystal ball, and we remain upbeat but not naive. We will act as circumstances dictate. At any rate, there will be fewer opportunities to travel, and we are assessing new formats,” said Danguillaume.
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