Awareness and the will to react, with new energy and creativity at the service of the markets.

News

Edition 98

22.01.2024

From Pitti Bimbo and the Fortezza, the kidswear community has sent strong signals, in a time of change for the sector. The 98th edition closed with a final attendance that exceed 1,800 buyers, from over 50 international countries. Many special events, presentations, talks have animated the Fortezza and launched trends and ideas for next season's kidswear.

This edition of Pitti Bimbo captured a sector that is now more than ever aware of the great transformation it is undergoing and of the injection of energy and positivity needed to face the coming seasons. Our over 200 exhibitors, the Italian and international buyers who came to Florence, have reiterated the importance of meeting at the Fortezza da Basso: to present and discover new collection items and new kidswear fashion trends, but increasingly also to discuss the needs of the market and a distribution system that have been revolutionized in just a few years, by new lifestyles, different consumer habits, and rapid social changes. Among the operators, we recorded a strong determination to share new strategies to reach consumers, network, and collaborate more in promotion and sales. Overall, we recorded a slightly lower attendance compared to last January, especially from Italy; a result, however, expected given the strong restructuring of the Italian distribution. But those who participated at the Fortezza during these three intense days were a selected and high-quality audience of buyers, determined together with our exhibitors to re-energize the sector.

— Raffaello Napoleone, amministratore delegato di Pitti Immagine

Pitti bimbo 98 (Florence, 17-19 January 2024) attracted over 1,800 buyers, with the foreign front representing over 500 attendees (about 30% of the total) from more than 50 countries. This edition's top 12 foreign markets were Great Britain, Spain, the United States, Germany, Turkey, France, Russia, China, Belgium, South Korea, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.

Very positive feedback was collected for the special participation of INDA KIDS, the sales and strategic consulting agency with thirty years of experience in the children's sector in Italy, which animated a series of spaces in the Area Monumentale of the Fortezza, presenting new collections of leading names in kidswear, among designer brands and innovative labels.

Great attention among buyers and the press also for the debut of PittiPets, the section dedicated to accessories, furnishings, and clothing for pet friends, which, after its success at Pitti Uomo, also joined the kidswear show, and for the Pitti Bimbo Editorial dedicated to the Pajama Party!

This edition of Pitti Bimbo was also an important stage for promotion and communication. Thanks to a program of events, exhibitions, and new presentation formats, the atmosphere was dense with creativity and professionalism. From the second edition of "Petite Parade," the performance runway show that starred the brands of Apartment and The Kid's Lab!, to the launch of the UniCredit Bimbo Arena, the new space that offered a rich program of talks – including "The Alphabet of Sustainability," a conversation between fashion editor Giorgia Cantarini and Marina Spadafora, Italian coordinator and lecturer of Fashion Revolution, the event-talks curated by Alessandro Enriquez, the "chat show" and the "kidswear therapy" by Pirouette - presentations, campuses, and events. Among the new formats debuting, with great participation, the "The Kids are Coming" campuses by Istituto Marangoni Firenze and the special fashion Speed Date curated by Paul&Paula; and again, the Style Piccoli exhibition, the one celebrating the 20 years of MilK Magazine and that of the posters and covers of Internazionale Kids magazine, which also curated two talks.

Just like many, well-attended events were proposed by the brands in the Fortezza during the days of the fair, such as those of Nanan, Philipp Plein, Molo, Infantium Victoria, and John Richmond Kids, just to name a few.