No long faces and pessimistic forecasts. Lots of smiles and confidence in the restart. At Pitti Uomo number 100, the most important men’s fashion fair in the world returned “in presence” to Florence after two digital-only editions due to Covid, producers are anything but resigned. The phase of the pandemic served to seek efficiency, rethink the company organization, explore new markets. And now that stores and department stores have reopened their doors in (almost) all countries, Italian brands are ready to accelerate.
“In 2020 we lost 19% of our revenues, dropping to 125 million euros – explains Enrico Airoldi, general manager of Paul & Shark – but the spring-summer pre-collection went well, and already at the end of the year we aim to return to pre-Covid levels thanks to Asia, Russia and Europe. We are also trying to win back the Italian market, which was worth 10%, looking at a younger consumer ».
Man style in search of deconstructed elegance
Post-pandemic consumption has also led to a less formal and more “deconstructed” brand of classic elegance such as the Neapolitan Kiton, which sells for 85% abroad and now sees pink: “In the first six months of the year we grew by 30%, returning in line with pre-Covid levels – explains the managing director Antonio de Matteis, who in the 2020 experienced a 25% decline in turnover compared to 135 million in 2019 -. We are growing in all markets – he continues – thanks also to the strategy of “looking after” the smaller European cities, where tourist flows are less important. For the rest, China was worth 10% and is now approaching 20%: we will open three stores by 2021. We have also opened at the Dubai Mall and we are building a new store in via Sant’Andrea in Milan, on two floors to accommodate the women’s collection: today it is worth 20% but in the next five years we want to bring it to 50% ». Kiton points out the growing importance of restocking to meet the needs of stores that now make more limited orders and do not fill their warehouses. “The possibility of restocking, which is typical of structured companies, will be a central theme in the restart phase,” says de Matteis.
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Flexibility on restocking
A topic that is very close to the heart of a shirt manufacturer like the Veneto region Xacus, thanks to an automated warehouse capable of responding to the needs of a thousand Italian customers. “What can change the scenario are the reorders – says Paolo Xoccato, owner of the family business who in 2020 lost 25% of turnover compared to the 25 million made in 2019 -. In the last two months we have exceeded the 2019 reordering level: our customers are performing better in formal wear and, if this trend continues, it could save the 2021 budget “.
The pull from Russia and the domestic market
The desire to return to normality is great, among the stands of the 338 brands (20% foreign) that at Pitti Uomo present (until 2 July) the collections for spring-summer 2022. “We are returning to pre-pandemic levels – explains Jerry Giannini, owner of the Marche shoe factory Doucal’s, 16.5 million in 2019 turnover for 60% abroad -: the sales of the autumn-winter season are back on the quantities of the previous year and now the Italian and Russian markets give us hope ».
After all, at the inauguration of Pitti Uomo, the Minister of Economic Development, Giancarlo Giorgetti, spoke of “signs of a restart” while the president of the Ice agency, Carlo Ferro, stressed that in the first four months of the year the export of Italian fashion has exceeded the pre-Covid levels, marking + 21% compared to the same period in 2020 and + 4.2% compared to 2019.