Terror attacks around the world and the recent death of style icon David
Bowie form a gloomy backdrop for the winter 2016/17 menswear shows that
kick off here on Friday.
But Carlo Capasa, President of the Italian Chamber of Fashion, is confident
the big names of the fashion world will kick back with a “dose of positive
energy” over the next five days.
“Fashion represents one of the great strong points of our Western culture,”
Capasa told AFP. “It is a world of multiple possibilities, where the young
are
welcome, can get answers and express themselves, and where the only thing
that
counts is your talent.”
More than 40 catwalk shows are scheduled for the latest mens fashion week
in the Italian style capital with the big Italian names like Armani, Dolce &
Gabbana and Prada complemented by a handful of international brands,
including
Britain’s Vivienne Westwood.
Norwegian designer Peter Dundas’ eagerly awaited first menswear collection
since his return to Roberto Cavalli will get proceedings under way on Friday
evening.
Along with the dampening effect of the threat of terror attacks, factors
such as economic sanctions on Russia and uncertainty in China and other
emerging markets have helped to make it a difficult year for sellers of
upmarket menswear.
“In a conjunctural context that was globally favourable but still too
fluctuating and uncertain, Italian menswear sales should register modest
growth for the year,” said the Italian Textile Federation (SMI).
With the help of the euro’s significant decline against the dollar, the
organisation’s number crunchers are expecting growth of 1.8 percent to a
total
of nearly nine billion euros worth of sales. That is significantly down from
the 3.8 percent growth SMI was predicting at the time of the Spring/Summer
menswear collections in June.
With domestic demand weakening, export growth is expected to slow to 2.4
percent, compared to 5.1 percent in 2014. Exports account for nearly two
thirds of Italian menswear sales.
SMI President Claudio Marenzi said another year of modest growth (2
percent) was anticipated for 2016. “Our goal has to be maintaining the
global
dominance of Italian fashion, not only in terms of creativity but also in
terms of industry,” Marenzi said.
Gaetano Marzano, president of the Pitti Uomo industry event in Florence
which precedes the Milan shows, said his main hope for 2016 was that the
dollar’s recent strength against the euro would be sustained.
“And that Americans will continue to spend because they have become our
biggest clients, particularly for men’s fashionwear,” he said highlighting a
16.2 percent rise in menswear exports to the USA in 2015.
“The accessible elegance of ‘made-in-Italy’ is also very much appreciated
in northern Europe,” Marzano added, highlighting strong growth in Britain
and
Germany, which was only partially offset by disappointing falls in sales to
France and Switzlerland.
“The real challenge is in the East (of Europe) where people adore Italian
fashion and are now beginning to be able to afford it.
“Hopefully the problems with Russia will be resolved,” he added,
revealing
that sanctions imposed over Moscow’s actions in Ukraine had reduced sales
there by a third. (Laure Brumont, AFP)
Photo: AFP