As the leading hair & beauty industry event in France, MCB by BS is expanding its influence, across other areas of the world, attracting players on the lookout for suitable partners. The upcoming edition in October is full of initiatives to showcase our talented industry, as well as opportunities to increase export business.
To introduce this highly anticipated event in our industry, Estetica Export has spoken to Christophe Gabreau, President of Standing Events.
We are approaching the 41st edition of MCB by BS Paris, which is taking place from October 12th–14th.
Can you talk us through your successes last year?
“Following on from post-Covid edition of 2022, had a full year in 2023, with events that we were able to prepare well in advance. We enjoyed great interest from both national & international visitors and full-on participation by major professional brands from across our sector.
As a unifying player in the world of hairdressing and beauty, Standing Events plays a key role in catalysing the underlying trends affecting the sector.
We have made progress in supporting exhibitors by guiding them in their communication approach, with the full use of our digital campaigns to support their physical presence on the booths.
In addition, we have made progress in identifying visitor expectations, through satisfaction surveys and the expression of wishes in conference and round table programs, thus facilitating quality meetings during trade shows”.
What are the main innovations you are proposing for the coming edition?
“We make it a point of honour to celebrate talent and innovation by supporting young talents and rewarding their expertise through various initiatives:
• The World Hairdressing Championship, in partnership with the WTO – the World Hairdressing Organization – will see competitors from 5 continents compete for two days. There were 1,300 in 2023.
• The Emergent Talent competition will be 10 years old this year. Discoverer of new nuggets, Standing Events honours young talents in this competition: 8 participants trained by experienced mentors will confront their creativity.
• The Grand Prix de l’Innovation, which celebrates innovative products and services.
• The Best Salon Award, which rewards the most beautiful hair salons.
This year, the MCB by BS is innovating with the creation of its own artistic program around the theme Slow Fashion Hair. Through this common ‘fil rouge’ (central theme), we want to pay tribute to excellence founded on 3 pillars:
• Excel: the excellence of the gesture
• Embellish: the art of transformation
• Valorise: valorise the know-how
This programme, which begins with an opening evening on Saturday, takes place within a brand-new artistic scene at the heart of the show, the MCB by BS ARENA, equipped with the very latest sound and light technologies, able to accommodate 3,000 people and offering a programme of more than 10 hours of shows”.
What about the other exhibitions you organize in Lyon and Nantes and the BS Congress?
“This year, we have organized the 8th and 9th editions of the BS Congress, in Deauville last June, and in Cannes in September.
These popular events are aimed at a particularly receptive audience of decision-makers. They offer a tailor-made experience to brand managers, allowing them to meet leading partners in a favourable environment and in a setting promoting an atmosphere conducive to networking.
Our other trade show brands, the Beauté Sélection in Nantes and Lyon have an important place in global beauty year on year. This year’s event in Lyon in November will focus on barbering trends, nail styling, eye beauty and spa”.
From your point of view, how is the hair & beauty sector doing in France?
“The Covid period, and the resulting trends that followed – in particular remote working – have changed consumer behaviour. Their expectations are changing, and visits to hair salons have become less frequent.
The activity is also subject to political tensions, but the sector is demonstrating resilience and dynamism, with new innovators emerging in the sector.
The sector is also adapting to new consumer expectations, with a qualitative improvement in customer reception, a reinvented offer of services & benefits and unique loyalty experiences. These developments are very encouraging for the sector.
Improving the skills of beauty professionals is also essential, with an increased demand for specialized training”.
Do you think trade exhibitions are becoming more important for our sector? How are they changing?
“We have had some very good editions over the last two years, both in the trade fair format and in the congress format. This is confirmation of the importance of such B2B events for our sector, with the need for professionals to meet and engage face-to-face – and for brands to make themselves known and interact with existing and potential new customers.
As confirmation of the importance of the trade fair for the sector we have already received 25% more applications to apply for the Grand Prix de l’Innovation which will take place during MCB by BS in October. This also underlines the importance for brands to showcase their products in person”.
Do you see any new trends in our industry that are attracting more attention than others?
“In general, hair care brands are striving to offer product ranges that are suitable for all skin and hair types, with strong increase in treatments for textured hair. The men’s beauty market is also growing rapidly, with more dedicated products. Furthermore, professional nail care and manicures are growing in popularity.
We are also seeing the integration of technology and connectivity in beauty care, which is transforming the customer experience. These developments are promoting the emergence of new training and educational requirements for hairdressers and beauticians, who until now didn’t need address such issues in their initial training cycle”.
What are your plans for the future?
“We are working closely to create platforms that support industry professionals in their development, focusing on innovation, the emergence of new trends and support for young brands and start-ups in order to help meet new consumer expectations”.
