The Pitti Uomo event that opened today in Florence (until 17 June) will be increasingly online. The most important world fair for the men's fashion sector has in fact launched a digital platform, e-Pitti.com, which will host the Pitti Immagine online fairs (therefore also Pitti W and Pitti Bimbo) and which involved an investment of 1,5, approximately XNUMX million euros. Starting today, "the first virtual fair platform dedicated to the fashion and lifestyle sector, able to host all the brands that take part in our shows", explained Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine.
With 75 photographs and more than 2 videos on e-Pitti, a catalog of over 10 products will be created in just three weeks. At the same time, the market place area opens, accessible only to registered buyers, which will allow negotiating and concluding orders even after the trade fairs have closed.
Pitti Uomo, which hosts just under a thousand brands and should exceed the 32 visitors of the last edition, opened with a certain optimism: the estimates for 2011 are positive, with significant growth forecasts for menswear, especially in France (+6,4% in April) and the United States (+6,3% in the first quarter). A recovery higher than expected but which remains held back by the Italian and European markets (Germany and France excluded) which still represent 70% of Made in Italy exports.
Finally, as regards the Fortezza da Basso, the traditional exhibition venue for Pitti Immagine events, in recent days it was presented by the Municipality of Florence, the Province and the Region of Tuscany, the three entities that in equal parts hold the property of the Fortress and the majority of the shares of the management company, Firenze Fiera, an 89 million euro recovery plan. 40% of the project is covered with regional funds and the rest with resources from the management company. The exhibition area will increase to 72.600 m45 (+67%), free spaces will grow by 27.300% (3 m5). Construction is expected to take XNUMX-XNUMX years.
