Pitti Immagine Uomo '85, held in Florence, Italy from January 7th to 10th, attracted a total of 30,000 visitors, including 20,800 buyers (a 1.7% increase from the same period last year), with the number of Italian buyers increasing by 4%. Due to the overlap with the London Men's Collection, there were concerns about a slow start to attendance, but the four-day event was blessed with good weather, and the two days in between were packed with visitors.
In terms of nationality, Japan lost the top spot to Germany at the previous June event, but this time it regained the top spot with 833 buyers, just as it did in January last year, overtaking second-place Germany. A total of 120 countries attended the event, with buyers from Asia increasing by 5% from South Korea and decreasing by 20% from China compared to the same period last year. "We are extremely pleased with the results of this year's event. The Italian and Japanese markets are recovering, and talented buyers are returning. As a high-end menswear exhibition, we were able to present everything over these four days, from products of Italy's leading craftsmanship to the seasonal trends proposed by major designers. Italian men's fashion had previously been somewhat uncertain due to the impact of the market economy, but it has now fully recovered. The overall quality of the event has also been improved by the rich selection of sub-events, including the debut men's collections of Diesel Black Gold, Stella Jean, and No21, as well as Casamadre and Barbara Casasola of Pitti W (women's),, among other special programs," said Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine.
Sales for Italy's men's fashion industry fell 11.2% in 2009 and 0.5% in 2010, falling below the previous year, but have recovered steadily, increasing 4.2% in 2011, 1.6% in 2012, and 1.0% in 2013. Exports in particular are expected to grow 3.7% in 2013, led by exports to countries outside the EU at 6.5%. South Korea increased 34.4%. China and Hong Kong saw notable increases of 26% and 14.6%, respectively. Spain and Denmark also saw increases of 14.6% and 12.6%, respectively. Europe also continues to recover, with increases of 6.8% in the UK, 6.2% in Germany, and 5.1% in Switzerland.
As an exhibition that functions as a business meeting, Pitti Uomo has increased exhibitor turnover from the previous 10% to 15% each time, with each show focusing on upgrading each section. To achieve this, 12 professional specialists, divided into categories including design, distribution, production, marketing, and new talent scouting, will be checking exhibitors. New exhibitors are also thoroughly screened in advance, with samples sent.
The company is also strengthening its overseas press activities, expanding beyond the US and Japan, where it already has PR representatives, to Russia and Spain. While it has actively collaborated with retailers, such as Saks, Barneys, and Neiman Marcus in the US and Galeries Lafayette in France, through short-term windowjacks, the ongoing promotion at Isetan Men's, which began last year, is a first. The promotion, which involves holding an order-taking event for spring/summer items for general customers in late December before the season begins, is a first for a department store.
"Our challenge going forward is to become more international and strengthen our marketing capabilities. In that regard, our collaboration with Isetan Men's is important from the perspective of building a good relationship with the best retailer and expanding the market by connecting consumers with Italian fashion in a useful way. This is indicative of Pitti's future development," says CEO Napoleone.
