Every June in Paris, an event takes place whose very DNA includes fashion. Viva Technology — part trade‑show, part conference was co‑founded by LVMH, which is also one of its exhibitors. I decided to head to France, attend VivaTech, and share my impressions with you.

Eye‑catching brand booths

Nestled between the stands of Scaleway (a European cloud provider) and Meta, a not‑so‑small LVMH pavilion showed off a range of innovations. One that grabbed my attention was a product scanner that uses photogrammetry to digitize Louis Vuitton handbags or shoes with remarkable speed, precision, and quality (the technology comes from the start‑up Rigsters). Another standout was Loro Piana’s provenance‑tracking for cashmere, powered by Machinezero. Close to the LVMH space I found the L’Oréal stand, where I learned the company not only partners with (many) start‑ups but also invests in them. Unfortunately I couldn’t explore much—crowds were huge (the LVMH booth was packed too, but I was more persistent and patient there).

Engaging talks and panel discussions

Attendees could choose from numerous official stages as well as brand‑run mini stages. LVMH, for instance, hosted its own stage where group employees gave 15‑minute talks. Other executives joined panels on Viva Technology’s main stages. Beyond fashion‑tech sessions, you could hear about AI or even graphics cards (GPUs) — plenty of inspiration.

Fascinating people at VivaTech

VivaTech attracts more than just tech insiders. Through the dedicated networking app you can find professionals—including senior leaders—from brands such as Hugo Boss, Chanel, Louis Vuitton (naturally), Dolce & Gabbana, and many others. It’s an incredible chance to exchange insights with peers—and perhaps meet a future employer. The app proved invaluable to me: I connected with some very interesting fashion‑tech start‑ups. I always recommend making the most of such tools.

Start‑ups that could reshape fashion

Both giants and small players attend VivaTech—this year there were 14,000 start‑ups. As I mentioned, several promising young fashion‑tech companies sent me networking invites in the VivaTech app (a topic that might deserve its own article). Full disclosure: I represent one of these fashion‑tech firms myself. Most of my week is devoted to my (very exciting) work at WEARFITS, where we build AI‑ and AR‑powered try ons for fashion, accessories, and footwear. As it happens, WEARFITS founders Łukasz Rzepecki and Chris Hrycak were at the event too. They were far from alone — thousands of founders were pitching, and the investors present had their hands full. You could also find many of these young companies at the mini‑booths spread across the halls. If I’d tried to meet only start‑up reps and no one else, even the four‑day event wouldn’t have been enough!

LVMH Innovation Award

Viva Technology hosts the LVMH Innovation Award ceremony, honoring the most innovative start‑ups (not limited to fashion tech) that align with LVMH’s strategy and values. The competition is held once a year, and selected companies get to meet the key people steering innovation across the entire group. Fun fact: LVMH works with start‑ups through programs such as the La Maison des Startups incubator and The Lab  LVMH.

All right, but what does it cost?

A trip to Paris has never been cheap, and you need to add the event fees on top. When it comes to tickets, there are ways to save. For example, students paid €50 to attend in 2025, start‑ups €300, and regular participants €650. Organizers also roll out various promotions (e.g., two tickets for the price of one) to attract visitors. Then come airfares, which currently start at about PLN 1,000 (€200-250). A mid‑range hotel (3–4 stars) for four nights runs around PLN 3,000–5,000 (€800-1200). Add food, metro rides, or taxis if that’s your style, and the total climbs quickly. Yet the opportunities the event offers are plentiful. So if you can swing it, Viva Technology is well worth attending.