Has anyone out in Fodor's land ever attended this prestigious fashion trade show? I am staying in the Rue Cler area and wonder how far it is to the Paris Expo/Porte de Versaille and how I would get there? Thanks so much.

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I'd take a taxi.

However, I never do the Paris shows. I usually go to a few of the London ones, and sometimes the parties afterwards, however, many London based designers show in Paris and not in London - it's all rather confusing.

I certainly haven't because they aren't open to the general public--I used to be a mgt trainee at Bloomingdales but got sick of that business before I could get to do anything fun. You are fairly convenient to the location as that isn't very far to go from rue Cler.

There is a metro stop right there at Porte de Versailles (15th arr.) It's on line 12 which has stops at Montparnasse station, Sevres Babylone in the 7th and Pasteur in the 15th. From rue Cler, you could take the metro to Pasteur to change to this line -- you'll have to change from Ecole Militaire to a different line at La Motte-Picquet which will go to Pasteur stop. At Pasteur, go in direction "Mairie d'Issy" and the Porte de Versailles stop is a couple before the end of line.

I would take the bus, and avoid all those transfers, as bus no. 80 goes right to it and you can get on around Ecole Militaire, also. The bus comes down ave Bosquet from the Right Bank, and then turns onto ave de la Motte Piquet, so there is a bus top right about that corner. You can get a map on www.ratp.fr

I just checked the website at http://pretparis.com .

It turns out that I'll arrive on Sept. 4 and will leave on Sept. 6, so I can potentially see this (this is from the 3rd to the 6th), but I'm not a fashional professional.

What's there to see? Can someone else comment? Is there anyway for the general public to get in (they do mention that they will check for an invoice or a card on the website)?

My experience of European textile industry shows is that they're a great deal less obsessive about keeping visitors out than their American equivalents (getting into MAGIC is like dealing with Communist bureaucrats).

Fill in the form online and pay your €15. I dislike encouraging immorality, but no-one's going to waste energy checking whether you really are a sales representative, importer or whatever else you present yourself as. That's certainly been Mrs F's experience (though in her case, it's nothing but the truth)

If the badge doesn't get to you before you leave home, take the emailed confirmation and present yourself at the desk

Thanks. As stupid as this sounds -- can one buy anything at these shows? I suppose not. I guess I'm trying to think if I should actually try to go. It'll be an interesting experience, that's for sure, but I don't want this to be a complete waste of time either.

You can most certainly buy 100 dozen, to arrive at your place of business early next year, once the nice ladies in Shenzhen or Bandung have finished them.

But single items: no. That's the point of a trade show. What you'll get from it is a sense of what'll be on sale in Spring 05.

I guess I'll probably skip it then. But I'd be interested in other comments too, obviously. Thanks.