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Ten Questions for Carole de Bona, Director of Vendôme Luxury Trade Show

Luxe-Mag.Com | November/December 2009

1. You created the Vendôme Luxury Fashion Fair ten years ago and since then it has become a reference point for both buyers and the press seeking innovative luxury fashion and accessories brands. What was your motivation for creating the fair and what is the philosophy behind it?

I have always wanted to create an ideal shop at possibly the chicest address in Paris where a woman can find all her objects of desire. Vendôme Luxury was born out of that dream which could be every woman’s dream, to discover the perfect shoe, dress or handbag. Creating not just a shop but a fashion fair where every season the best designer items in the world are exhibited for the first time more or less accomplishes that goal. And the show has earned a good reputation among buyers and the press along the way. So a Greek definition of my philosophy would probably be entrepreneurial Epicureanism!

2. How would you describe the unique positioning of the Vendome Luxury Fashion Fair compared to other fashion salons and showrooms held during the Paris Fashion Week?

Vendôme Luxury aims to provide a higher standard of luxury than most fashion fairs in Europe and indeed elsewhere. Our scrupulous selection of international designers as well as special attention to service and ambience set us apart. For a jet-lagged professional attending Paris Fashion Week, it is a welcome relief to be shown an intimate and special variety of clothing and accessories lines rather than scores of mediocre collections, in a pleasant and charming venue moreover. 

3. How has the Vendôme Luxury Fashion Fair evolved over the last decade? Has this evolution affected the relocation of the fair from the Ritz Hotel to the Meurice and Park Hyatt hotels?

For Vendôme Luxury, it is not relocation. The Ritz, the Meurice, and the Park Hyatt are all located around Place Vendôme. We take our name from the fashion capital’s most prestigious neighbourhood and the important thing is that we are still there! And our presence is growing. We plan to add another even more exciting venue in Place Vendôme in order to present the collections in a way that’s never been done before. The Vendôme Luxury Collection, to be launched in the near future, will feature about thirty of the world’s finest accessories and jewelry collections. This is a part of our evolution.

4. Can you give us an idea of the nature, profile and backgrounds of the brands that exhibit at the Vendôme Luxury Fashion Fair.

There is a wealth of diversity in terms of culture and background and in other areas. There are established as well as new and up-and-coming designers. Some have classic status, others are cult brands. There are designers who design for celebrities as well as celebrities who design…. It is a rather colourful mix! Having said that, superior quality is a virtue common to all the brands that we exhibit.

5. We notice that the brands that exhibit at the fair often don’t participate in the runway shows despite the fair being held during the Paris Fashion Week. Is this a criterion?   

Most of our exhibitors who have ready-to-wear or couture lines do participate in runway shows but in their own countries. They feel the need to show in Paris simply because it is the ‘climax’ of the fashion-week season attracting the largest number of buyers and press. Runway shows are for public exposure while showrooms are strictly ‘business only.’ We can organize both but it is up to the brands to decide which medium they prefer.

6. Can you give us a few examples of some brands that have attained international renown as a result of their participation at the Vendôme Luxury Fashion Fair?

Even before Vendôme Luxury, I was launching new fashion designers through other projects, such as Christopher Lemaire , Isabel Marant and Jeremy Scott. Vendôme Luxury’s first exhibitors included several brands who were ‘young’ at the time but have now become highly successful such as Anya Hindmarch, Nicole Farhi, Temperly London, Ivana Helsinki, Erdem, Jenny Packham… there are too many to remember!

7. We noticed that during the 2009 edition of the Vendôme Luxury Fashion Fair you had several artistic and cultural collaborations notably in contemporary art and cuisine with the likes of Yannick Alleno and Marc Brétillot. Can you explain these collaborations?

These collaborations were shown on the platform of the Vendôme Luxury Live, which was created in order to give a new perspective of our work to all visitors. We collaborated with art galleries and design studios such as Le Fresnoy, Tino Zervudachi, Tools Galerie in order to exhibit works from the likes of Martin Baas, Marcel Wanders and McCollin Brian. We also decided to collaborate with the star chefs Marc Brétillot and Yannick Alléno for our last exhibition because so little is known about the culinary design movement. With 16 designers from various fields of art and design, it was the most comprehensive exhibition the movement has ever seen. Perhaps this will create an impact for the movement. The creation of Yannick Alléno called the Vendôme Luxury Jewelry has been included in the menu of Le Meurice restaurant, so it’s spreading!

8. Have you noticed any difference in behaviour among the visitors, the press and the buyers from major department and independent boutiques that visit the fair?

Everyone was more relaxed this time. I think there was a higher level of confidence among buyers this season compared to the last because of the economic recovery. Ultimately, our success depends on the reaction of the exhibitors to the show and it was above our expectations. Some of the compliments they sent us after the show were so nice we have decided to put them up on our website!

9. What advice would you give to young aspiring creators, designers and entrepreneurs in the luxury industry today?

Craftsmanship is indispensable to the luxury industry. You must either master it yourself or work with somebody who possesses it. The most successful luxury labels are ones that have the best ateliers.

10. If luxury were a living thing what would it be?

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