A.I.C.I. ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DES CRÉATEURS INDÉPENDANTS  

ABOUT AICI

Since 2003, the staunchly independent Area show has introduced some of the most groundbreaking design work of any exhibition on the international fashion circuit. 

With a series of revolutionary introductions copied by the entire industry, and a list of some of the most original and noteworthy collection launches in recent years from around the world, Area’s assault on the insular nature of the fashion industry’s distribution and presentation habits has put the show at the cutting edge of fashion. 

Behind the show, lies a fundamental organization concept that is focused on allowing the most serious design practitioners to achieve and present their best and most ambitious work.

Area operations and events are entirely produced, financed and organized by the participating designers of each edition. This important aspect allows designers to be free from compromising 3rd party elements, and guarantees the highest artistic control and integrity.

This unique approach is made possible by the Association Internationale des Créateurs Indépendants (AICI), a behind the scenes designer trade group concept created to serve the unique interests of selected independent designers at a specific international level. Independent designers are defined by the AICI as designers or firms which perform creation, production, distribution, and financing functions in-house. An emphasis is placed on artistic integrity and creativity, technological leadership, and appropriateness to the top levels of the international market.

A record of service to the independent designer
 

Few concepts or entities have done more to serve the interests of the serious international independent designer than AICI. From the start, the AICI has continuously facilitated improved organization and execution of promotional, marketing and sales efforts for its participants. It has developed some of the lowest presentation costs in the industry for designers to present their works in Paris to the world market both in the showroom and on the runway. And it has saved participants hundreds of thousands of euros in bad payment losses by pioneering the sharing among designers of financial payment history information and risk factors of specific retail buyers in the international market.

The AICI has facilitated the sharing of production resource information, contacts and know-how worldwide among designers to improve their production capabilities. It has assisted in developing collective purchasing strategies for selected services and items to reduce costs for participants and developed financial funding mechanisms uniquely tailored to meet participant's needs and objectives.

In 2005, the AICI published the first comprehensive sales training manual for selling independent designer collections in the international market, and has compiled one of the industry's most valuable confidential private contact lists of designers, buyers and journalists at the world level.

The AICI has provided a vast amount of pro bono or minimal cost educational, mentoring, consulting, seminar and training services to active participants in all aspects of the field from design and distribution to production and finance.

In several landmark cases, the AICI has played a crucial role in improving and protecting independent designer's legal rights and financial interests in licensing contract negotiations, international trade, and intellectual property law.

Perhaps most importantly, the AICI has been instrumental in facilitating the continuous improvement of artistic creativity, design quality, and image presentation of independent designer fashion at the world level. Since September 2003, AICI has enabled more than 65 independent designers from around the world to present more than 189 collections in Paris to an entirely new level of design achievement and recognition.