FROM PORTUGAL REINVIGORATED AT MILANO ÚNICA
Albano Morgado, Anbievolution, Fitecom, Lemar, Modelmalhas, and RDD are the Portuguese companies that make up the FROM PORTUGAL delegation at the next edition of Milano Única, accompanied by the Paulo de Oliveira, Penteadora, Tessimax, Riopele, TMG and Somelos. The event is scheduled for July 6th and 7th in Milan, the capital of Italian fashion.
The return to physical fairs being lived with enthusiasm by the Portuguese delegation, which will return to Italy on July 6th and 7th for the 33rd edition of the renowned international fair Milano Única. It’s the case of Riopele, which reveals “a huge willingness to resume physical contact, both from our customers and ourselves”, says Rita Fortes, the company's Sales Manager. “We promise to surprise, both in the main collection and in the terms of sustainability”, adds the Sales Manager at Riopele, who, given the pandemic context, hopes to primarily attend Italian customers.
Sustainability is also one of Anbievolution's bets, which points out the advantages of physical fairs: "the customer has direct contact with the materials, which makes it possible to see the quality of the product, and in person we are also more likely to convey credibility to the customer", states André Andrade, manager of the Portuguese company. “We always attend Milano Única because we think it’s one of the best trade shows, and we always achieve good results”.
Thanks to the highly innovative character of the fair, it’s with great optimism that Fitecom is partaking in another edition of Milano Única, considered by João Carvalho, the company’s administrator, as “a reference in the fashion world, attracting customers from several countries”. Fitecom’s administrator, underlining the virtues of the on-site trade shows, also explains that “the type of product we are taking is mainly aimed at the mid/high range fashion market, so it is quite difficult to present it in digital terms since the touch is a very important factor”.
The Italian market, but also countries from northern and eastern Europe and customers from Japan are eagerly awaited by Albano Morgado at the 33rd edition of Milano Única. “The presence in physical fairs continues to be fundamental. Although, given the context, we are also finalizing our digital catalogue, so we can reach all customers”, reveals Belmira Rodrigues, from the company Albano Morgado, which will take to Italy a strong line of sustainable wools.
Also “clearly optimistic” is John Gomes, ModelMalhas’ commercial, who takes to Italy the company’s four lines: Advanced (technical textiles), Essential (basic), Fancy (fashion knits) and Premium (a selection of products). “Italy represents around 20% of our exports, so it is a very relevant market for us. However, we also hope to find clients from Northern Europe and from some eastern countries,” he adds.
The same range of customers is expected by Penteadora, which recalls the importance of physical fairs in “commercial relations. The body language gives important information about the customer and how they perceive the products. The return of the trade shows also gives the perception that everything is returning to “normal”, which is important for a greater willingness to buy and sell. And it also releases the stress of more than 12 months of confinement”, points out António Teixeira, the company’s administrator. To Italy, Penteadora will take “a wide offer in GRS-certified warp and weft fabrics, envisioned for suits and coats. Especially elastic fabrics that provide the so desired comfort and feeling of freedom”, he concludes.
A regular at Milano Única, LEMAR admits that we are talking about “a reference trade show. It has a creative atmosphere mixed with an ability to stimulate new trends. That is the spirit of this fair”, summarizes Filipe Salgado, the company’s manager for the Italian market. “For Milano Única, we bring our largest and most wide-ranging collection of sustainable fabrics, where recycled polyester and polyamide – our new biodegradable options – will undoubtedly be the stars of the season”, reveals Filipe Salgado, who essentially hopes to find clients in the Italian market.
The participation of Portuguese SME companies in Milano Única is framed by the From Portugal project, an initiative of Selectiva Moda and ATP - Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal, which aims to promote the internationalization of Portuguese companies in the fashion area. The “From Portugal” project is co-financed by Portugal 2020, within the scope of Compete 2020 - Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization, with an eligible support amount of € 11,042,311.82, of which € 6,065,501.91 comes from the European Union, through the European Regional Development Fund.
