Another success for Pitti Uomo

The premiere menswear fashion fair Pitti Uomo has once again come to a close. This season the event, held at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence , attracted 710 exhibitors with 867 collections, and a total of 21,219 buyers.

“It was an energy-filled edition,” said Raffaello Napoleone, chief executive of Pitti Immagine. “The new points on the Pitti Uomo were really successful; the Fashion District contributed to making the new geography of menswear more legible, as did the reinforcement of the Classico work in the Main Pavilion. The overall impression we got of the buyers' quality is excellent, and in terms of numbers, the turnout was steady at the highs reached at recent editions. From the Pitti Uomo observatory we can say that the signals of recovery in men's fashions are here and we hear them in Florence , loud and clear.”

The majority of buyers were Italian (12,747), slightly down from last year due to a train strike on Friday. Foreign buyers included Germans, Japanese, British, Dutch, Turkish, French, Belgian, American and Chinese. Eastern Europe made a strong appearance, with Russia , Poland , the Czech Republic and Latvia all visiting the event in greater numbers than in previous seasons.

Despite the long waiting list to participate in the fair, the organisation does not plan on expanding it any further. It simply selects the newest, best brands each season. “Every season, a team of 14 of our people identify the best brands and most innovative companies and invite them to participate in the fair,” Napoleone said. Naohisa Fujita, fashion director of Japanese department store group Isetan, appreciates the groundwork that has gone into the selection process. “Innovation and research are in the foreground. Here you can make direct contacts with fashion designers and creatives from all over the world who have been pre-screened by careful scouting.”

www.pittimmagine.com
27 June 2007

Pitti Uomo attendance drops

Lower attendance levels at the Pitti Immagine Uomo trade fair in Florence did little to dampen spirits. With a total of 21,683 buyers visiting the fair this season, compared with last June's 23,055, Pitti is struggling with slow recovery of consumer spending in Italy and Europe . The lower attendance levels, however, are said to be a result of selective marketing. “When your fair works to select and do research, on an international market that is clearly split between a very small high segment and huge lower level, with a mid-range that practically no longer exists, well, you have to take into account that some quantity will fall by the wayside. But this does not mean lower demand,” said Alfredo Canessa, president of the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana, a major exhibitor at the fair. “On the contrary, all the important clients were there, and we saw lots of new faces from recently acquired markets. It's a better way of working: it is like making an appointment in your showroom.” The decrease in numbers was also said to have been caused by a train strike on 21 June and the World Cup Soccer. Furthermore, the decreasing amount of clothing stores in Italy is having an effect on visitors' numbers. Small, family-owned businesses are experiencing a downturn, which means fewer buyers per individual business.

Italian visitors made up the majority with a total of 12,897 buyers, down from 13,958 during the June 2005 edition. New markets with outlets for Italian and European styles have been emerging rapidly. Japan leads the pack with an increase of 8.27 percent since June 2005, followed by Russia and China . Switzerland also gained ground with 11.15 percent more visitors. Germany (1,108 vs 1,164 in 2005) remained largely static, as did Great Britain , Holland and Turkey . Spain , France and Germany showed a significant decrease in visitors' numbers, while the Baltic States, Canada , Ireland , the Arab countries, Austria and Greece showed some growth. Portugal , Belgium and the Northern European countries saw attendance numbers drop somewhat.

www.pittiimmagine.com
29 June 2006

UK buyers missing at Pitti

Now that the buying seasons are getting shorter and an impossible schedule of trade fairs are offering new fashion brands and accessories across the globe, it is little wonder that Pitti Uomo, once the most revered of the menswear shows, was devoid of British buyers and press this year.

Barcelona and Berlin ‘Bread & Butter' seem to have lured UK buyers as the shows are more contemporary and edgy. Florence would need a change in fashion direction to offer “cleaner” and more luxurious product to tempt our stores. Noticeable was the high concentration of Dutch and German buyers. Whilst 60 UK brands showed at the exhibition, many were expecting to see more UK stores. Highlight of the week was Martin Margiela's show and the re-freshed Missoni Sport AW06 menswear collection.