“It’s virtually again to pre-COVID ranges,” commented one veteran British customer to Pitti Uomo Immagine in Florence as Wednesday, the second day of the four-day occasion, loved packed aisles just like the opening day.
If there’s a widespread feeling that 2025 might be a difficult yr for multi-brand independents throughout the UK and Eire, the conclusion from Pitti is that many retailers are able to rise to the challenges.
All the time good observers of the scene, brokers reported a willingness for forward-looking patrons to hunt out one thing new. Daniel Cutler, UK and EU wholesale director for Rodd & Gunn, an city way of life assortment from New Zealand, noticed 20 shoppers on Tuesday, together with a dozen from the Irish Republic.
Daniel Cutler, Rodd & Gunn
“Since COVID, good retailers have begun to keep in mind that their most necessary model title is the one which’s above the door, so they’re wanting on the product, not the label,” he stated. “There may be nonetheless an incredible quantity of discounting of manufacturers occurring and even when it isn’t on present season inventory, it nonetheless devalues the manufacturers concerned. Unbiased retailers want one thing new within the product combine.”
Marc Querol Pio , Double H Company
On the stand of Portuguese footwear model Formidable, Marc Querol Pio, director of London-based Double H Company, noticed that even patrons who had skilled a tricky 2024 must make the journey to Florence: “At this time the enchantment of the present is that it serves each the mainstream menswear sector and people in search of stylish area of interest manufacturers. It needs to be value at the least a day’s go to.”
John Lambert, County Garments
John Lambert, who owns the eight-strong County Garments chain in south-east England, was on his second go to to Pitti as a part of the IMC shopping for group get together: “After my first journey final June that is my first autumn-winter Pitti and I’m discovering it simpler to soak up issues. The primary go to was overpowering simply due to the dimensions of the present. I’m discovering plenty of inspiration about how I can current issues in my store and I’ve positioned just a few orders. As a mainstream retailer it’s too simple to have a tendency to stay to the manufacturers you already know. The IMC group is encouraging its members to attempt new issues.”
“Independents have gotten to commerce up, to take care of manufacturers that give them a very good margin and some extent of distinction,” stated agent Iain Leighton, who was on the stand of German trouser specialist Meyer, the place guests included a five-strong get together of patrons from Glasgow-based Slater Menswear.
For the primary time this season the variety of German exhibitors at Pitti Uomo has exceeded the variety of British companies. In June 2024 French exhibitors overtook the UK group to be probably the most quite a few after the Italians. The UK has now slipped into fourth place; Paul Alger, director of British group organiser UKFT, is fast to level out that the British authorities has given no grants to help exhibitors since 2021, in distinction to its EU counterparts.
Paul Alger, UKFT
Among the many 44 manufacturers of the UKFT group, there was widespread satisfaction with how the primary two days had carried out, with a robust turnout from patrons from Italy, German, Spain, the Netherlands, however reportedly fewer from the US, Japan and South Korea. Exhibitors reported loads of Russians in attendance regardless of the sanctions on commerce with Ukraine’s invader. Pitti publishes attendance figures after the present.
Building work continues on the Fortezza da Basso advanced, which has diminished the house out there to the Pitti organisers. British exhibitors relocated from their normal positions within the Arsenale constructing have been pleasantly shocked on the effectiveness of their new state of affairs on the higher flooring of the principle central pavilion.
Megan Sanders, Sanders
“We got solely 4 weeks’ discover of the change, so we have been apprehensive concerning the impact, however this has labored out nicely,” stated Megan Sanders, of Northants-based footwear model Sanders, who’s the fifth technology of the household and the primary feminine to be a director of the corporate. “The present appears rather a lot busier than January a yr in the past and on this new venue we’ve got seen a greater combine of individuals, together with a number of Italians, different Europeans and Scandinavians. Conversely, we’ve seen fewer Japanese, most likely as a result of financial state of affairs there. We noticed one buyer who used to return with 5 or 6 colleagues pre-COVID; this time he was on his personal.”
On the adjoining stand Alastair Croots of Yorkshire-based bag maker Croots was additionally happy with the brand new place and the present’s footfall: “It’s not nearly numbers. This present brings in the appropriate type of prospects.”
Simon Walker, Ma.Strum
Regardless of its repute as a basic and mainstream occasion, Pitti Uomo offers a potent worldwide assembly place for extra modern and sporty collections. Within the Dynamic Perspective part of the present, Pentland-owned outside model Berghaus was exhibiting retro kinds from its Icons assortment for the second winter season. The “technical merchandise with vogue enchantment” included the Meru jacket favoured by Liam Gallagher of Oasis within the late Nineties and the group reported a number of curiosity from markets as far aside as China and Germany.
In the identical space and again at Pitti Uomo for the primary time in eight years was British technical sportswear model Ma.Strum, which additionally had a busy time. World head of gross sales Simon Walker remarked: “If you wish to be seen internationally, it’s a must to be right here. It’s laborious to attain that recognition from the UK. Now we have a number of curiosity from retailers, plus from individuals who doubtlessly can signify us in abroad markets.”
Raffaello Napoleone of Pitti Immagine
With virtually half the 107th version of the present accomplished, Pitti’s long-serving common supervisor Raffaello Napoleone was happy however not shocked on the encouraging attendance. He stated: “When the worldwide market is tough, as it’s now, folks want to fulfill. However they can’t afford to fulfill in a number of locations as they do in good occasions. So Pitti is the place to be as a result of it’s the one place the place the complete world of menswear – retailers, suppliers, producers, textiles producers, everybody – comes collectively. However we’re nonetheless selective and filled with context. Time at Pitti isn’t wasted time. Individuals arrive house feeling richer for having been at Pitti Uomo.”
Most important picture: Courtesy, Pitti Uomo. All different photos: Eric Musgrave
