For years now, the Italian junior fashion industry has been in a slalom between contraction in consumption, closures of independent shops, production relocations. 2020 confirmed these dynamics, aggravated by the effects of the pandemic: the sector he lost almost 15% of turnover, according to Confindustria Moda estimates, falling to 2.6 billion euros with a further reduction (-14.5%) of production made in Italy, which is now worth just over a third (795 million ). China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Turkey have long become the factory (also) of the tricolor brands.
The decline in corporate revenues, albeit substantial, was nevertheless lower than that recorded in adult fashion, also because children’s stores were the first to reopen their doors during the lockdown (from 14 April 2020) thanks to the derogation governmental.
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But now there is a need for a change of pace that the operators hope will come from Pitti Bimbo, the international junior fashion fair which reopened in Florence “in presence” after 18 months of stoppage due to a pandemic, for the first time together with Pitti Uomo (both will close tonight). This is a very reduced edition – with about 70 brands – which however wants to mark the presence of an Italian sector and fair.
«A fair that is a strategic showcase for children’s fashion», says Giovanni Basagni, owner of the Arezzo area Miniconf (Sarabanda, Minibanda, iDo brands) which at Pitti Bimbo presents the new production and distribution license of Superga, a brand that is making its debut in clothing.
«The spring-summer was not brilliant – adds Basagni – and we plan to close 2021 on the same levels as last year, to then accelerate in 2022 and return to pre-Covid values. The market is restarting, we are satisfied ». In 2020 Miniconf recorded -9% of turnover reaching around 60.7 million euros with an export of 15%. “The problem now is the increase in the prices of raw materials such as cotton, which grew by 30%, in addition to delays in deliveries from Asia,” concludes Basagni.