The FHCM is a historical institution as well as the organizer of iconic Paris Fashion Week®. It brings together fashion brands that foster creation and international development ®. DEFI promotes the long-term development of young companies from the very beginning and is the major partner of the DA initiative.
Inside the Palais de Tokyo, twice a year is the Designers Apartment, an accelerator for brands and designers taking their first steps into the fashion spotlight. The building is ‘the dynamic place’ for artists today and a hub for contemporary art, creativity and technology. And located next to the Paris Fashion Week® centre, the Designers Apartment gives emerging brands the opportunity to present themselves to a global audience.
Designers Apartment is a programme that was created to nurture the next generation of talent who have chosen to call Paris home and have registered their company in France. Being part of the programme includes receiving workshops and mentoring throughout the year that gives the brands the best chance in succeeding.
The creatives behind the brands competing for a place in the Designers Apartment hail from all over the world, from Japan and China to Turkey and Argentina. Some come from renowned fashion institutes like Central Saint Martins, IFM and the Royal Academy of Antwerp. Whereas others are the winners and finalists of the most prestigious fashion prizes including Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris and Festival de Hyères.
SS20 Designers Apartment prom is composed of Alphonse Maîtrepierre, Arthur Avellano, Boyarovskaya, Dawei, EGONlab, Ester Manas, GAMUT, GNDR, Kenta Matsushige, Marianna Ladreyt, Mossi, Sadaels and Savoar Fer.
As an echo to the FHCM commitments all of the brands move towards a strong, innovative and realistic creation. The eclectic mix of designers and brands all bring their own unique vision to life, with a wide range of deconstructed tailoring and gender-fluid concepts to evening and streetwear.
Having been featured in publications and stocked worldwide, the current class are already making their mark on the industry. Fashion e-tailer La Redoute also supports the programme by selecting a designer each season to create a capsule collection to be sold online. After successful collaborations with Kenta Matsushige and Dawei, they chose Savoar Fer to carry on the tradition for Spring Summer 20.
All chosen brands hope to follow-up in the footsteps of past alumni Koché, Y/Project, Afterhomework and Mazarine, who all benefited from the DA initiative using it as a springboard onto the official Paris Fashion Week® calendar.
“Designers Apartment is an integral part of a broader training programme that facilitates access to the fashion ecosystem and supports brands on a legal, social, economic and logistical level.”
