At Pitti Bimbo 98 with Raffaello Napoleone

CEO of Pitti Immagine since 1995. Since his tenure Pitti has developed a diverse array of shows from fashion to food, to fragrance. Here he devotes his time to kids fashion & lifestyle.

Italians are passionate about fashion & family. Is this an important part of Pitti Bimbo’s personality?
I would say yes. Pitti Bimbo is definitely integrated into the relationship that exists between family, boys and girls. It is a relationship that I’d define as indispensable, in which the family directs the children in their path of choices, the girls and boys try to affirm their position at the same time. In this sense, Pitti Bimbo tries to give itself guidelines to best direct and orient itself in this relationship between adults and children.
What do you personally enjoy most about the show? As it happens with all our shows, the most interesting part is the continuous and useful dialogue for operators, between the larger companies with a consolidated role on the one hand, and the companies that carry out research and innovation on the other . This dual channel of comparison which is active and vital, and which is then inherent in our company’s strategy. Our shows, and so Pitti Bimbo, give large brands as well as small ones the opportunity to have market opportunities, to promote themselves, to do research and create connections between the different souls of clothing, accessories, etc…

What creates a good relationship between:
Trade show and brand? The fact of creating an environmental situation – in terms of invited companies that participate in the shows – similar to each other, all motivated to develop relationships with Italian and international markets.

Trade show and buyer? And the same type of relationship is created between the fair and buyers, who know that at our shows they will find selected companies, sought-after brands, expressions of the highest quality, or rather essential elements to support their business. Good salons are those that do not waste time, which allow operators in the sector to return home richer, with information, useful contacts, possible connections, to develop their activities and their business.

" The fashion sector is certainly a sector in repositioning, in light of the geopolitical situation, of the great evolutions that characterize retail (from physical retail to e-commerce). However, we are optimistic about the creative and manufacturing capacity of our companies, and of the kidswear industry in all its facets."

Raffaello Napoleone

Pitti Bimbo 98

Excluding the brands and visitors, how many people are involved in making Pitti Bimbo happen? The entire Pitti structure involved, from sales, to marketing, communications, IT, events, each of the company’s sectors, has a total team of around 50 people. More obviously, a network of external consultants, a machine of professionals coordinated by Pitti for the creation of each new edition.

Other than driving wholesale sales for the brands what are Pitti Bimbo’s objectives for the show? In addition to business, Pitti Bimbo’s objectives are to give signals of orientation, trust, input on prospects, on potential partnerships to be developed with the fashion supply chain. As I have already said, to return home enriched and more confident and convinced, determined on the choices to be made and the paths to follow.

The theme this season is ‘Pitti Time’. What is the process of choosing a theme and do you enjoy it? The theme of each edition is chosen trying to interpret the evolutions characterizing the fashion industry at that precise moment, which follow each other from season to season. Our desire is to choose the hottest interpretation each time, just as we have identified over time – with PittiTime – a very hot topic at the moment for fashion, which is characterized by continuous accelerations, constantly evolving timing. It’s a very rewarding challenge for us every time, it allows us to keep track of what’s happening on the market.

Pitti Bimbo 98

How is the kids’ market performing currently, in your opinion? Like all industries, not only fashion but also other manufacturing industries, it is going through a complex phase, which manifested itself at the end of 2023, and which will also be strong for at least the first six months of 2024. The fashion sector is certainly a sector in repositioning, in light of the geopolitical situation, of the great evolutions that characterize retail (from physical retail to e-commerce). However, we are optimistic about the creative and manufacturing capacity of our companies, and of the kidswear industry in all its facets.

Some advice for labels exhibiting first time at the show? Having the perseverance and coherence to follow up – on an entrepreneurial level – to the dynamics of the child’s world. That is, always being hyper-curious about the stimuli that push children to be interested in a product or a trend, and those that push parents and grandparents, in turn, to buy a product. Knowing how to renew yourself by following, as they say in France, “l’air du temp”, the spirit of the time.

What can we all be doing in the kids fashion industry to produce growth or are we still consolidating post covid? Definitely pay close attention to all the phases that bring the product to the market. From the conception of the product, to sampling, at all levels and subsequent steps. Today more than ever it is necessary to form ever closer relationships, collaborate with the various actors, with distribution… it is crucial to integrate into the dynamics of the entire chain, it is the time to increase complicity between operators in the sector.

Finally favourite thing about Autumn / Winter? I see the outdoors, dressing for life in the open air as a rapidly growing stylistic trend, this applies to adult fashion but certainly also to children. So as a favorite thing I would choose the outdoors in general, the lifestyle that characterizes it, which is going very strong and increasingly characterizes the lives of children. I also say this as a grandfather of 7 grandchildren, aged 8 months to 11 years!

Next edition:

Pitti Bimbo 99

19-24 June, 2024
Fortezza da Basso

https://bimbo.pittimmagine.com