SPC talks to Jacques Sebag about plans for in-cosmetics in-focus 2010 fashion feature, sponsored by SPC
2010 is the 20th anniversary of in-cosmetics and where better to celebrate the success of this industry leading exhibition than Paris, home of the beauty industry. But this year’s event will be about more than just beauty.
As Paris is also the fashion capital of the world, this year the popular in-focus feature will examine the relationship between fashion and beauty. To understand just how this will be achieved, SPC spoke to Jacques Sebag from Re-Source! who co-ordinates this conceptual element of the event.
1. Can you explain exactly what in-focus is?
in-focus is the show’s central visitor feature. Each year we take the theme of beauty and connect it with another topical concept to explore the relationship between the two. Essentially, it’s a laboratory where formulating chemists, product designers and marketers come to see, touch and smell the future concepts in personal care.
Using ingredients as the source of creativity and inspiring experiences, in-focus acts as a forum where ideas are exchanged, current perceptions challenged and prototypes discussed to stimulate product development.
2. We understand in-focus 2010 will be a slightly different experience from previous years as the show celebrates its 20th anniversary. What’s the plan?
In the past there was always a central theme to in-focus but the projects were not interlinked themselves – each participant did their own thing connected to the theme.
In 2010 we will take this a step further and actually create a collaboration between all the participants. There will be groups of ingredient suppliers working with formulation designers to explain their vision of the theme. Greater interaction and synergy between participants along with a better layout and staging of the feature itself will hopefully help visitors to understand and acquire a better vision of future trends in the areas of fashion and beauty.
3. The theme for in-focus this year is fashion. Why did you choose this topic?
Fashion was a natural choice for in-focus this year, especially given the fact that the show is being held in Paris, fashion capital of the world.
In French we have a saying, ‘se faire belle’, which means to make yourself beautiful, and for us fashion is an inextricable part of that routine. Together the two make up an important part of our identity, so with the show in Paris this year, the theme of fashion was the natural choice.
4. For you, what is the link between fashion and cosmetics?
Beauty and fashion run parallel to each other. While fashion is probably the more superficial of the two concepts, once removed you find it is completely essential.
If you look at some of the best beauty products, they have such a dramatically sensorial effect on the skin that they make you look and feel as good as when you are wearing a high fashion item. Conversely, some high fashion items and particular fabrics have been likened to a second skin. This parallel lays bare the structural and functional relationship between textiles and cosmetics, fashion and beauty.
5. What kind of products can we expect to see showcased on the feature?
in-focus 2010 will be a festival of ultra sensorial textures designed as creative new fabrics, colours directly inspired by fashion and fragrance trends and a genuine global trend book made of creams, gels, elixirs and powders.
6. Which suppliers can we expect to see participating in the feature this time?
Many of the industry’s largest suppliers and formulation laboratories are involved in
in-focus 2010. Each will be presenting genuinely new products or concepts in a creative, eye-catching, inspirational and interactive way. Companies signed up to date include Arch, BASF, Créations Couleurs, Croda, Merck, Sinerga, Stéarinerie Dubois and Symrise to name a few. Affix, Laboratoire BF, Labosphère and Strand Cosmetics will also be involved on the formulation lab side.
SPC & cosmeticsbusiness.com will be keeping you up do date with developments in the build up to in-focus at in-cosmetics over the next few months.
in-cosmetics 2010 takes place from 13-15 April www.in-cosmetics.com