Junior fashion made in Italy reacted decisively to the pandemic: in 2021, according to the calculations of Confindustria Moda, it recorded a turnover of 3.05 billion euros, up by 15.5% on 2020 and just under 50 million euros compared to 2019 turnover. The increase goes hand in hand with that of the value of production, which, thanks to the rebound to + 16.8%, tries to reverse a negative trend that has lasted since 2016 and stands at 929 million euros compared to 930 in 2019. Exports, on the other hand, do better than pre-Covid: up by 18.6% on 2020, exceeding 1.3 billion and “detaches” 2019. The data were released in occasion of the opening of the 95th edition of Pitti Bimbo, an international fair that brings together the main brands dedicated to children – 211 brands, of which 143 foreign: a more “collected” version than usual – and closes today at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence.
Exports, which have already fully recovered after the annus horribilis due to the pandemic and have been growing steadily in relation to turnover for six years, are driving the accounts of the sector, as has happened and is happening for adults: currently they absorb less half (42.8%) of the sector’s revenues and, therefore, have enormous potential. The geography of the export of made in Italy childrenswear, available only for the baby segment, sees Switzerland (and therefore the luxury groups) as the first customer in 2021 and records significant growth in France (third market, + 60%), the USA (+ 98.5%) and United Arab Emirates (+ 113%).
Among the companies present at Pitti Bimbo that owe a significant share (70%) of their turnover to exports is the Elisabet shoe factory, 33 million euros in 2021 revenues, which has two proprietary brands (Morelli and Walkey) and produces and distributes under license the brands Tommy Hilfiger, Alviero Martini, Bikkembergs and Manila Grace Girl. According to Lara Vallasciani, CEO of the Monte Urano company (Fermo), «junior fashion did not suffer as much as adult fashion during the pandemic. Indeed, it held. Instead now, with the war in Ukraine, the situation is changing ». The business of the Marche shoe factory is not particularly exposed to Russia (worth less than 5%), but the effects of the conflict are making themselves felt in markets such as Poland and Germany. The latter is our first foreign market and is slowing down ». The recipe for challenging the unknowns is to invest: «We have launched new projects with our brands. For Walkey, for example, we made an agreement with Coccole Sonore for a collection with a Whiskey the spider and his friends theme ».
Even the Casillo Group, present at Pitti Bimbo with the news for SS 23, has chosen to invest to ride the wave of the post-pandemic rebound. «At the beginning of 2022 we acquired three new licenses: Kaos, Refrigiwear and Met – explains Roberto Sala, Italy commercial director of the group based in San Giuseppe Vesuviano -. We have also hired a new figure who deals with exports with a view to opening new markets for our brands, both licensed and owned: we are interested in the USA and Belgium, while here at Pitti we have made contact with Austrian buyers ” . Although exports have a very limited impact on turnover (around 8%), the group was affected by the war in Ukraine: «Russia was our first foreign customer; fortunately, the positive trend in sales in Italy offset the losses in that market. After the pandemic, the desire to buy has returned and fashion and ceremonial products are being preferred to sportswear. A trend that should have a positive impact on our company ».
That in Italy the purchase of children’s fashion has begun is also confirmed by the macro data: according to the surveys carried out by Sita Ricerca on behalf of Smi, in the calendar year 2021 (seasons SS 21 and AW 20-21), the sell out of junior fashion in Italy showed a recovery of + 14.6% in value and + 12.8% in volume. The boom in outlets (+ 121.8%) was instead followed by a downsizing of online sales (-16.2%).