Body Look: International Trade Fair for Body, Beach and Legwear, Fabrics and Accessories (22 to 24 July 2007)

13th Innovation Forum Body, Beach & Legwear on 21 July 2007 in Düsseldorf The key to success: live products and make them experienceable The afternoon before the opening of the Body Look trade fair (22 to 24 July 2007) saw over 120 participants gather at the 13th Innovation Forum focusing this year on “Fashion and Bodywear caught between Beauty and Function”. The Igedo Company as organiser of the Innovation Forum and Body Look picked up on an area here with great potential for both retailers and producers if properly approached

Commenting on these business opportunities in his welcoming speech Igedo Company CEO Frank Hartmann said: “High-tech opens up new horizons, new markets and new niches for the body and beachwear sector.” This, Germany’s only dedicated platform in the field, was hosted by Sabine Schommer, Project Director of Body Look.
The potential for increasing turnover with fashion plus function was elucidated by Hermann Fuchslocher of HFU Hermann Fuchslocher Unternehmensberatung using “eye-opening” data: “The over 500 interviews we conducted with experts in the sector show that the lingerie and swimwear market could generate additional retail sales worth between EUR 100 and 150 million under one condition: a closer look at the topics wellness, care, fitness and health.” The figures presented by the business consultant also proved that competence is the ‘be-all and end-all’ for successful retailing of functional underwear, lingerie and waterside fashion. “The point here is to obtain a basic competence going beyond the product proper. This forms the basis for credibility in terms of value for money and image.” Special importance in terms of attaining credibility should be attached to target-group related, function-focused and identification-driven advertising. The expert views “personal selling” as the true recipe for success and a real opportunity for specialist retailers.

Interviews showed that in the medium-priced to high-end segment the “communicator”, i.e. sales assistant, plays a pivotal role in 80% of cases. To make sure the added value of functional products is plausibly communicated to shoppers sales staff must have the relevant information. “New market potential must always be backed up by competence. Products must be lived and made experienceable,” said Fuchslocher.

Prof. Dr. Marie-Louise Klotz, Dean of the Textile and Apparel Faculty of the University Niederrhein, Mönchengladbach, addressed the topic from a completely different perspective. She described the differences between natural fibres, synthetic and cellulose-based man-made fibres very clearly and highlighted the benefits of using high-tech fibres for consumers. “Natural products still play a role, above all in blends with man-made fibres that ensure the added value of a fabric”. This added value also includes protection against bacterial growth without chemical additives, shape retention, lightness, protection against electrosmog, moisture transport and body temperature control. However, this is by far not the end of possibilities for research labs. Which is why Prof. Dr. Klotz confidently concluded her lecture by saying: “We can look forward to tomorrow’s developments.”
As a physiotherapist, Hanno Irle is faced with the consequences of poor-quality or non-existent functional and sports underwear. “Leisure sportsmen, especially, still spend more money on hardware than on the software, i.e. proper clothing.” As physiotherapist to the FIFA World Cup 2006 she described the significant effects seemingly minor cut details may have: “Seams in the armpit cause skin irritations, movements start to become arrhythmic, which results in cramps. Or if standard bras are worn during sports their narrow straps will most probably cause strains in the neck and headaches.” Such pains would be avoidable if those leisure sportspeople went for underwear with glued seams or sports bars with wider straps, which have been available on the market for quite a while already. Here Hanno Irle sees plenty of room for awareness-raising and closed by saying: “Appropriate clothing can make or break sports success.”
Sylvie Nützel-Lange, Marketing & Fashion Consulting Invista Deutschland GmbH from Hattersheim concluded the line-up of speakers with a final look at the current fashion market. She covered such crucial topics as retail concentration, verticalisation, E-commerce, climate and environmental change, longer product life cycles as well as the changes in fashion caused by parting with dress codes, changes in demography, physique and lifestyle.

Like some speakers before her Sylvie Nützel-Lange pointed out the significance of the well-heeled yet demanding 50+ generation. In 2010 one in three Germans will be over 60. Her forecast for the future: “There will be a change from wealth-driven consumption to meaningful consumption. Appearances move to the background, inner values are gaining in importance. Peace of mind and quality of life will replace
appearance and materialism.” For the fashion sector this means: feel will be just as important as the look, well-being more important than fashion trends and smart fabrics will outperform silhouettes. To Sylvia Nützel-Lange body shaping, climate and body protection, intelligent basics, body & emotional care as well as industrial textiles qualify as possible functional added value that live up to consumer’s altered
requirements. Her recommendation for industry and retail: “Make the move from consumption to care marketing. Anticipate consumers’ wishes at an earlier stage, offer perceivable added value and market it more clearly.”
The following panel discussion in which the speakers were joined by Oliver-Daniel Bogatu, Cognis, Günther Dix, Advisory Board of Body Look, Barbara Fendt, Outlast Europe, Elke Giese, DMI, Norbert Klose, Medima as well as by Maryan Mehlhorn, Maryan Beachwear Group, proved an excellent opportunity to take a closer look at some interesting approaches and issues. The resulting statements could be summarised as follows: a close connection between fashion and function, the need for competent sales staff and the importance of a professional and targeted presentation at the POS.