Lthe “live” restart last summer, first among the great Italian fairs, had been a sort of post-Covid dress rehearsal. In the winter edition, the 101st scheduled from 11 to 13 January 2022, Pitti Uomo it will reaffirm its global leadership as a men’s fashion show by taking another decisive step towards normality, in three directions. First: the increase in the brands they exhibit, which will go from 340 to almost 600, 30% of which are foreign (they were 1,200 pre-pandemic). Second: the return of some non-European buyers, especially Americans (the Orientals still have travel restrictions). Third: the rebirth of events, presentations, fashion projects that have so much significance in the affirmation of the Florentine fair. “We are ready for a brilliant edition – explained Claudio Marenzi and Raffaello Napoleone, president and CEO of Pitti Immagine, presenting the next exhibitions in Florence – capable of responding to the need for discussion that exhibitors and buyers have indicated as the first reason for the participation in fairs ».
The aftermath of Covid will be seen, in addition to the security measures, in themerger with Pitti Bimbo, the junior fashion show that will take place (again) on the same dates and headquarters of Pitti Uomo, at the Fortezza da Basso (but from June 2022, Pitti Immagine has already announced, the two fairs will separate again), and will host 170 brands, 40% of which are foreign.
After all, the market, albeit significantly improved compared to last year, is still grappling with the uncertainties of Covid that add to the increase in the prices of raw materials, energy and logistics, factors that are driving inflation. Marenzi and Napoleone cross their fingers: “Also in 2022 the fashion market will have ups and downs and we will have to get used to some schizophrenia, but from 2023 the recovery will be complete”. Meanwhile, the 2021 data on the Italian fashion industry, released by Pitti Immagine, indicate a turnover of + 19% in the first eight months compared to the same period of 2020, and an export of + 22% in this case referring to the first seven months. The difference from pre-crisis levels is around 10% and confirms that fashion has so far recovered more slowly than other manufacturers.
This is especially the case for the men’s fashion industry, which marks + 16.4% in exports in January-July 2021 over the same period of 2020 (Confindustria Moda elaborations on Istat data) and an unimaginable novelty until pre-Covid: China with + 81% has practically equaled the United States in value in the purchase of Italian men’s fashion. Given the impossibility of coming to buy (at lower prices) in the West, the Chinese are buying up at home.
L’special guest of the 101st edition of Pitti Uomo will be the brand Ann Demeulemeesteer, purchased in 2020 (together with the Belgian designer’s archive) by the Milanese entrepreneur Claudio Antonioli, who brought production back to Italy and is planning the international relaunch. The special events of the fair will be signed by Kiton with the new Knt brand; Lardini with a capsule made for the occasion; Wp Works in progress with the new license of the American brand Filson; Award-winning that extends from sneakers to clothing; and then Caruso, Paul & Shark, Ecoalf, Ten C, Save the Duck, Marc O’Polo. Pitti collects the applause of Carlo Capasa, president of Camera Moda: «Creating a fair of this size at a time like the present is an exceptional thing and is good for the sector. Just look at New York which fails to make the man or Ispo Monaco which also canceled the January edition ».