Find out how the Olympic Games impact the fashion calendar in Paris

The 2024 Olympic Games will take place between July 26th and August 11th. In the meantime, Paris also has a schedule for Men's Fashion Week – which takes place between June 18th and 23rd – and also the couture week, which was brought forward to June 24th to 27th. With three events taking place very close together, the city had to adapt to some changes that affect fashion events.

Closed city spots

Some tourist and cultural attractions in Paris, which are also the setting for fashion shows, will be closed due to the 2024 Olympics. With the closure of traffic in some parts of the city, one of the concerns of fashion week organizers is transport and displacement. One example is the banks of the River Seine, which will provide the stage for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games.

Another point of concern is the closure of Place de la Concorde, a road and public transport hub. The place will be closed to cars from June 1st and the three metro lines that pass through the square will be closed from June 17th until September 21st.

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_{The Place de La Concerde will have its metro lines closed between June and September (Photo: reproduction/Neil Emmerson/Getty Images Embed)}

Concerned with the fashion calendar, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) was in contact with the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (COJO), Préfecture de Police, Paris City Council and the responsible ministries. FHCM provided a list of 260 locations commonly used during parade weeks. Of these locations, 208 were released by the responsible authorities and committees, and the other 52 were prevented from being used, due to accessibility problems due to preparations for the sporting event.

Regarding security at the shows, there was a request for brands to provide their own security, as the police would be busy during the period. A little help was also made available so that smaller brands could equip themselves with guards. Even with the planning and conversation between the parties, some brands decided not to present in Paris. Eight brands do not appear on the fashion show calendar. Givenchy Valentino, which is in the transition phase, did not present itself.

Higher prices also impact the parades

With the increase in hotel prices, some names preferred other alternatives. One example is Paul Smith, who will not present his collection at Men's Fashion Week, but rather at Pitti Uomo, in Florence. Another alternative was the decision of EgonLab, which will present a digital campaign in Paris, London and Milan. “We do a lot of business in Asia, but many Asian buyers will not come to Paris in June. For us, it was not viable to allocate so many funds at one physical event that very few people would probably see. We preferred to invest in a showroom in Milan, where a whole network of buyers will pass”, said one of the founders of EgonLab, Kevin Nompeix.

Another concern is the increase in prices for production, such as projectors and light fixtures. Most of the materials had already been rented in advance for the Olympic Games, which led to an increase in the rental price of these materials. In addition, there is also a concern about infrastructure and traffic. With the change and closure of some locations, more labor will be required, as well as more working time, considering the change in the flow of traffic and transport.

Featured photo: Olympic Games directly impact the Paris Fashion calendar (Reproduction/Alexander Spatari/Getty Images Embed)