Pitti Bimbo, Italy – Trade Show Report

 

 

Over 8,300 buyers came to Pitti Bimbo this season (10,000 visitors). International buyer attendance rose 4.5% bringing the total of foreign buyers to 2,816. Among the “best performers” are Russia (+42%) putting the country into first place in terms of attendance; China  + 52%; South Korea + 40%; Turkey + 16%;  Great Britain + 13.5%; Spain + 10%; with double digit growth for Switzerland and Portugal and good increases in the number of buyers from emerging countries such as Brazil (which doubled its attendance), the Middle East and ex-Soviet Union.  The “top 10” therefore are Russia (300 buyers), followed by Spain (275) Germany (216), France (173), Great Britain (151), Turkey (131), Holland (129), Belgium (121), Greece (114) and Switzerland (78).

The show is immense, well divided into clear sections. My favorite are Apartment and New View for their design + the independent labels featured, and Sport Generation for the good mix of independent yet well established sports brands.

 

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Above, at Apartment : PERO – CLAUDIO CUTULI – GEMMA H. BAMBINO – A PHOTO EXHIBIT BY MILK MAGAZINE – C DE C – ANNE VALERIE HASH

Also showing at the Apartment section : Caramel baby & child, 120% Lino, Portami con te, Bonnie Young…

 

 

Above, at New View : ANNE KURRIS – A YOUNG VISITOR HUGGING A CREATURE FROM BRAND PAPINEE – MAAN – NEW VIEW DECOR – SIMPLE KIDS

Also showing at the New View section : Aymara, Bakker made with love, Dino&Lucia, Gold, Pale Cloud (new brand from the UK), Morley (new brand by the designer of Quincy), Troizenfants… 

 

 

Above, at Sport Generation : BELLEROSE – AMERICAN OUTFITTERS – IMPS & ELFS

Also showing at the Sport Generation section : Stone Island Kids, Woolrich, Essentiel Girls, Serafini, Ver de terre, Aeronautica Militare…

 

Milk magazine’s team after a delicious Tuscan dinner …

 

Fendi’s catwalk show

 

 

They said about Pitti Bimbo :

Brooke Gallagher, BERGDORF GOODMAN (United States)
“I noticed that there were many more people at this edition of Pitti Bimbo with a generally positive and optimistic feeling on the part of the vendors and the buyers and I am sure that this will help the entire industry. Lots of interesting names: classic and traditional brands in the main pavilion, as well as young names that I was very pleased to discover in the New View and Apartment sections”.

Laurence Armand, Director, Children’s Department, LE BON MARCHÉ (France)
“Pitti Bimbo is always a very interesting fair with a wonderful atmosphere. I always try to see all the pavilions: each edition brings lots of creative brands that present the best of Italian and international offerings. I was very impressed by Apartment: it is a very special and intimate place. And, the runway shows are yet another opportunity to get to know the brands and see the new collections”.

Lynne Crook, Buying Manager Childrenswear & Toys, SELFRIDGES & CO (Great Britain)
“As buyers, we always come with expectations about what the new season has to offer. It’s the first time that I have [seen] an overview of all the collections for fall-winter 2011-2012. Pitti Bimbo presents a full panorama of the season’s trends and showcases new brands as well as old friends. We look for style, color stores and shapes. The key trends at this edition are tweeds, heritage and Art Nouveau prints, purple and plum and lots of fur and ornaments”.