It’s a Pity There Will Be No Pitti Fashion Fairs until January 2021

The Pitti Immagine 2020 summer trade fairs have been canceled, after being originally rescheduled for September of this year. Instead, the company will focus on amplifying their new online service––Pitti Connect––which will launch in early July. The Board of Directors also met online recently to make this painful decision. The video conference call was directed by president of the company Claudia Marenzi and also addressed concerns about holding the Pitti Uomo, Bimbo, Filati and Super fairs that were meant to have already taken place in the spring.

After discussing extensively, and using information provided by managing director Raffaello Napoleone and the general manager Agostino Poletto, the Board felt the drop in the number of exhibitors––most likely due to manufacturers and firms struggling to pay overhead costs and salaries during the Coronavirus lockdown and post-lockdown periods––would make going ahead with the  semi-annual event impossible. Even the original postponement dates for September 2020 did not provide enough time to coordinate the participation of other brands in the industry. Although Florence’s June fashion week has been cancelled, the Pitti fall/winter trade fairs will still be held in January 2021, while the spring/summer edition has been fast forwarded to June 2021. In the meantime, the Board resolved to steam full ahead with Pitti Connect, a digital platform which will still allow brands to showcase their latest summer styles. 

Marenzi expressed her sadness regarding the outcome, although it was almost inevitable given the current economic difficulties that so many manufacturing and distributing companies are facing, not to mention shops and department stores that are still grappling with uncertainties regarding how to reopen. The board felt that situation is compounded by the lack of communication and clarity by the Italian government and the European Union on providing financial support during this unique moment.  The resulting climate of uncertainty and the challenges of international travel have also caused buyers to think twice about coming to Florence for the events. 

Nonetheless, Pitti Immagine is determined to remain a reference point of Italian fashion, in particular for the artisan fabric and small business sectors, through their upgraded commercial services.  The management expressed that Pitti Immagine would have preferred to help “restart” business in Florence this summer; however, they will continue to support their partners online.

Napoleone reaffirms that Pitti’s attention to their digital platform, which he is confident will still allow Pitti Immagine to respond to interested brands and promote their latest products and needs. As many organizations and companies in the art and style worlds readjust to a post-pandemic world, the Board of Directors continue to work on Pitti Connect as we zoom into the next fashion season. (elizabeth berry)

To read more, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site.