To keep Paris under the control of the Olympics

To keep Paris under the control of the Olympics, the French Federation of Haute Couture and Homme (FMCM) has moved up the date of Men's Fashion Week from June 18 to 23, 2024. However, the fashion event, organized around the official calendar of the FHCM and the off-site diary, will still be affected by the global sporting event, the opening ceremony of which will take place on July 26.

In interviews with FashionUnited, several news agencies reported logistical difficulties and a decrease in the number of brands participating in Paris Fashion Week, dedicated to the spring and summer 2025 menswear collections. This is especially true for the Lucien Pagès agency, which is responsible for the fashion shows of several luxury brands: "This is mainly due to the price increase and the possible logistical complexity of the Paris Olympics," Daniel Urrutia, fashion PR expert at Lucien Pagès, explained in an email that there are no plans to set up a special system during the Olympics.

"Despite the possible restrictions, we must adapt and continue to operate as efficiently as possible."

The capital will be forced to close several main roads. Some roads will be closed to traffic, notably the Boulevard Reine, between the Alexandre III and Invalides bridges, the Alexandre III bridge and the nearby low quays. The Place de la Concorde has also been closed since the beginning of June, as will the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais.

“When choosing a venue for a presentation and/or fashion show, the risks posed by accessibility (logistics and people flow) must be weighed against those posed by accessibility. Therefore, we will give priority to venues with fewer access restrictions,” said Livio Facchini, founder of Public Image PR. The director added that he has also seen a decrease in the number of brands present, highlighting the preference of menswear and mixed brands to postpone press conferences until September.

Lyor Amar, co-founder, also said that many brands have cancelled fashion shows, presentations and other events in June due to the Olympics. “Haute couture, on the other hand, seems to be less affected,” he added. FashionUnited found that other industry experts share the same view on Haute Couture Week (June 24-27).

Stephanie Veuriot, manager of the Autrement PR agency, spoke of the difficulties in finding a venue: "We were looking for sports venues (gyms, tennis courts, football pitches) on behalf of the Prototypes brand, which hijacks and recycles sportswear, but we were constantly rejected by the Paris City Hall events department. The Olympics and maintaining sports courses for the city's inhabitants were top priorities". The company eventually chose a tunnel along the Seine, but later learned that these tunnels would be closed for the opening ceremony.

Stephanie Veuriot revealed that she had to turn down an assignment for a foreign sportswear brand that wanted to stage a show at the end of July to attract the fashion press, and she regretted that the agency and its team found themselves "alone, as usual, fighting for solutions to keep the company running smoothly".