France -- "Dan l’air” – in the air – is a little expression that seems so simple. But it’s also a theme that perfectly sums up the spirit of this new edition of PAPP which takes place from Friday 4th to Monday 7th September 2009, Hall 7 of the Porte de Versailles.

“Dans l’air”, how to capture the trends that will make up spring-summer 2010 and translate them for 44 000 visitors. “Dans l’air”, a unique way to mix fashion and art to highlight the currents of the moment. “Dans l’air”, the desire to offer a breath of fresh air and creativity in a stormy world. “Dans l’air”, a moment in which to capture the way the wind is turning...

A new breeze
It’s time to stop dissipating our efforts! At a time when the fluxes of information are multiple and intrusive, PAPP has decided to concentrate on the essential. At Porte de Versailles, the scenography is simplified on the two levels to go straight to its goal, to let you capture the necessary information immediately, and leave richer in new fashion ideas.

The Fashion, Arts, Culture circuit starts directly at the entrance and continues right through the two levels to shine more light on the seven fashion universes of the salon. The event includes exhibitions, artists' installations, performances, catwalk shows and conferences, as well as Explosion de Modes, the trends forum covering 550 m². Just right for increasing understanding and conviviality.

A well-deserved breath of fresh air in a dense and intense fashion world.

"Re"-concentrating also involves inventing new tools to anticipate better, work ever more in advance, and capture the spirit of the times. The result is two new rendezvous in July 2009: Before by July on the 5th, 6th & 7th, offering a real preview of spring-summer 2010, and the 6th and 7th, Paris Fashion Days, with catwalk shows by prêt-à-porter brands which will set the tempo for the season.

WHAT'S UP AT PRET A PORTER PARIS?
The successful marriage of art and fashion
Creating bridges between clothing and art, and exploring the different territories of creativity: these are the objectives of PAPP. An extra supplement of soul which makes the salon essential for deciphering trends. This year, a gallery spirit is floating on the salon, with exclusive performances by Jean- Philippe Illanès.

Thus, we follow the path from the salon all the way to the trends forum imagined by this artist who studied at the Beaux-Arts de Paris. Influenced by the emblematic characters of conceptual art (Damien Hirst, Annette Messager …), he brings us into a universe composed of balloons of strange shapes, like a giant rabbit cut up in slices. After having participated in the Force de l’Art (at the Grand Palais), he is taking part in the next exhibition of the Fondation Cartier "Né dans la rue - Graffiti" from the 7th of July to the 29th November. An artist truly in the spirit of the times.

A trends forum which combines Less&Excess
When Alexandra Senes strolls through the universe of trends in the company of Francesca Gavin, the famous London trendsetter, it creates a passionate circuit for Explosion de Modes where silhouettes, colors and materials that will create the season mix together.

The two curators of this essential trends forum highlight all the ambivalence of fashion and the epoch through the theme of Less&Excess. Women’s hearts swing between abundance and minimalism. The temptation to accumulate is great; carried along by the multitude of information, sounds, images and offers, it is difficult to resist. Opting for asceticism, weighing up, measuring, tidying away… the idea is also seductive. The question, then, is: Are you Apollonian or Dionysian?

These antique dualities remain topical for the wardrobe today. In this binary universe, four women emerge. In the class for Less, a woman may be “in vivo” – organized and looking for lightness and tranquility. – or “in vitro” – with an element of exaggeration in her search for individual effectiveness and purity. On the side of Excess, the “in situ” – immersing themselves in an ocean of fluxes, zapping and grabbing all that gravitates around them without actually moving themselves – and the “ex situ” – travelling, voyaging, soaking up exotic cultures and distant spiritualities, and looking for new discoveries at the ends of the world.

Four types of women whose expectations in matters of fashion will influence tomorrow’s creations. To be discovered absolutely in order to understand spring-summer 2010.

A fashion series to take your breath away!
At PAPP, art is also there to give élan. The proof can be seen in the fashion series where parachutists take on the role of models. An off-beat way to present a “best-of” of the season.
 
Dan l’air - Pret-a-Porter Paris