Alternative Fragrance & Beauty: a show with the looks of a concept store in the heart of Paris

Premium Beauty News - You describe Alternative Fragrance & Beauty as a new generation show. Can you tell us a bit more?

Julie Cartigny - The Carreau du Temple is a venue dedicated to urban lifestyles. It is a real breeding ground for projects right in the heart of Paris. Alternative Fragrance & Beauty perfectly fits this concept, although we also strive to get off the beaten track.

The word “show” too often rhymes with hubbub, turmoil in the aisles, and lack of natural light. It is an exhausting experience, so we have decided to offer everyone a break, so they can discover brands in a different way.

The scenery designed by the Cent Degrés agency makes this “circular” walk quite atypical, as every brand can reproduce their own worlds with specific decorative items. This way, Alternative provides brands with a maximum of opportunities to tell their stories.

As influences, sectors, and markets are opening up, it also seemed important to us to open the doors of this event to all exceptional product enthusiasts. The late-night opening on the Friday night and the whole day on Saturday, June 18 will make it possible for exhibitors to create a bond with this public of beauty lovers, without any intermediates. The exhibitors willing to sell their products will be able to do it, and the general public will have access to about ten free conferences.

Premium Beauty News - How many brands are you expecting?

Julie Cartigny - Alternative Fragrance & Beauty will welcome more than 130 brands: 60% from the worlds of makeup, skincare, hair care, and accessories, and 40% from perfumery (alternative perfumery, home perfumery, and all types of diffusers).

We will offer an exceptional overview of innovation in this sector, from slow cosmetics to the most sophisticated skincare products, and demanding perfumery. Again, the idea is to gather an international, original offering with different retail positionings targeting networks like department stores and concept stores, but also independent hotels, spas, organic networks, independent perfume stores, pharmacies, selective distribution, distributors willing to broaden their portfolios…

Premium Beauty News - The Beauty Challengers Awards used to be organized at Beyond Beauty Paris. They will now be part of this new show, but have you changed the model?

Julie Cartigny - The Beauty Challengers Awards is a widely recognized competition that has existed for more than 10 years. Many brands now enjoying a solid reputation have been supported by global experts who spend some of their time every year to discover tomorrow’s beauty.

This year, we have decided to open the doors of our offices – a whole week at the end of May – to about forty influential jurors (decision makers or influencers), as well as to approximately thirty well-informed consumers, who will vote to reward the best brands. Again, it seems crucial to us to strengthen the direct relationship with consumers.

Premium Beauty News - Can you also tell us about your partnership with Olfactorama?

Julie Cartigny - We are delighted to benefit from the energy of the Olfactorama team, who will award their own prizes to the best perfumes of the year on the night of June 17, in the Carreau du Temple auditorium.

Olfactorama, who will be present throughout the event, have also devised an Olfacto Blind Test for the show, where professional visitors will be able to blindly assess the perfume brands present. A dedicated award will be attributed following a visitor vote. Again, that’s a first!

Several other areas and animations will be organized throughout the three days to make both professional visitors and the general public live new experiences and stimulate their senses by visiting the IFF/Cent Degrés/Procédés Chenel/AESTHETE/Sensorial studio areas… to smell, touch, taste…

Premium Beauty News - How many visitors are you expecting?

Julie Cartigny - We are expecting between 1,000 and 1,500 professionals, including 20% foreign people, and over 1,500 visitors from the general public, though this is difficult to quantify. Consumer expectations are changing, and so is the offering in points of sale.