Showcase La Spola n. 168

S H O W C A S E

FAIRS A torn-out calendar page INTERVIEWS Alessandro Barberis Canonico Roberto Luongo Antonio Franceschini

Showcase n. 168 - La Spola

COUNTRIES Paris’s united front DISTRICTS Como, today CITIES Unusual time, unusual restaurants

S H O W C A S E

08

16

22 34

8

Interviews / Interviste

Fairs / Fiere

ALESSANDRO BARBERIS CANONICO

Milano Unica A brave choice Milano Unica Una scelta coraggiosa

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A torn-out calendar page Un calendario strappato

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An unbroken thread Filo, un legame mai spezzato Countries / Paesi

ROBERTO LUONGO

ICE, the markets' temperature Agenzia ICE Il termometro dei mercati

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PV & WSN

ANTONIO FRANCESCHINI

Paris' united front Première Vision & Who's Next Il fronte comune di Parigi

An overall view Uno sguardo a 360 gradi

Cities / Città 64

GIANLUCA BRENNA

Como, oggi Como, today

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Unusual time, unusual restaurants Ristoranti insoliti in tempi insoliti

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64

registrati al portale per ricevere ogni giorno le notizie dal mondo del tessile abbigliamento

Editor in Chief Matteo Parigi Bini | Fashion EditorTeresa Favi, Marta Innocenti Ciulli | Economic Editor Matteo Grazzini Editorial Staff Francesca Lombardi, Virginia Mammoli, Elisa Signorini | Layout Martina Alessi, Melania Branca Translation Tessa Conticelli | Commercial Director Alex Vittorio Lana | Advertising Gianni Consorti Publisher Alex Vittorio Lana, Matteo Parigi Bini | via Piero della Francesca, 2 - 59100 Prato - Italy redazione@laspola.com

Baroni&Gori (Italy) Printing Questo periodico è associato alla Unione Stampa Periodica Italiana

EDITORIAL

Here we are ECCOCI QUA

by Matteo Grazzini Witnessing a new world, although it has not appeared in all its complexity yet. As journalists and insiders, we are witnessing a textile chain which has been attacked, wounded, shaken and offended by the virus, and yet is still alive, determined to restart, ready to go back to the splendor of its very recent past, even if it seems light years away now, hidden behind face masks, Plexiglas shields, thermal-scanners and other devices that once seemed to be possible only in science fiction films.

La Spola is here and ready to tell you how, when and why the Italian textile industry, from upstream to downstream, will regain its leading position in economy. Our first trade show on the summer calendar, Pitti Filati, paid the price of the Covid-19 health crisis, and so our magazine, like many trade shows, brands and companies, is now available in a double version, digital and print, though for the first time the Internet has been “granted” the privilege of the preview, followed by the paper magazine.

Despite the wealth of trade shows postponed or cancelled, companies that rushed to deliver pre-Coronavirus orders and then changed their mind about winter collections, digital platforms set up at the last minute to allow exhibitors to have a showcase and all other difficulties, our magazine is back to give voice to the influential figures who, during the lockdown, followed the evolution of markets and trade shows, as further evidence that the “Made in Italy” is here to stay, with or without face masks.

As we stubbornly resist any challenges that might upset our habits, we do not skip our usual article on the cities hosting the trade shows, although only Milan and Paris have the chance to do it right now. Because let’s face it, as much as the Internet is a useful, fascinating and unlimited resource, physical presence among the stands, with eyes and hands on the fabrics, is still crucial.

estimoni di un mondo nuovo ancora non del tutto rivelatosi nella sua complessità. Protagonisti, nel nostro ruolo di cronisti ed addetti ai lavori, di una filiera che è stata attaccata, ferita, scombussolata e offesa dal virus ma ancora viva, determinata a ripartire, pronta a tornare ai fasti di un passato recentissimo ma che pare lontano anni luce, nascosto da mascherine, divisori in plexiglas, termoscanner e altri dispositivi che finora in molti avevamo visto solo nei film di fantascienza.

La Spola c’è ed è pronta a raccontarvi come, quando e perché il tessile italiano, in tutte le sue forme, dal monte alla valle, tornerà protagonista dell’economia nazionale e mondiale. Il nostro consueto appuntamento estivo, Pitti Filati di giugno, ha pagato dazio al Covid-19 e allora noi, come tanti saloni, brand ed aziende, ci proponiamo in doppia veste, digitale e fisica, invertendo per una volta la presentazione della rivista e “concedendo” a Internet l’anteprima.

Tra fiere che hanno dovuto rinviare o annullare un’edizione, aziende che hanno fatto le corse per consegnare gli ordini pre-coronavirus e poi cambiare direzione sulle collezioni invernali, piattaforme digitali create in extremis per consentire agli espositori di avere una vetrina a dispetto delle difficoltà torna il nostro magazine, che stavolta riporta le voci autorevoli di chi, in pieno lockdown, ha seguito l’evolversi dei mercati e delle fiere. E ci sono le voci di aziende e imprenditori che ci accompagnano da anni nel nostro cammino a fianco del tessile italiano e internazionale, a dimostrazione che il made in Italy c’è e ci sarà, con la mascherina o senza.

Ma per non stravolgere neppure le nostre abitudini non manca la consueta rubrica che si occupa delle città che ospitano le fiere, anche se stavolta solo Milano e Parigi hanno la possibilità di mettere in scena i propri saloni. Perché per quanto Internet possa essere utile, affascinante e illimitato la presenza fisica tra gli stand, con le mani e gli occhi sui tessuti rimane determinante.

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Milano Unica, a brave choice ALESSANDRO BARBERIS CANONICO, UNA SCELTA CORAGGIOSA

by Matteo Grazzini

INTERVIEW

Who knows if Alessandro Barberis Canonico, the moment he shook hands with Ercole Botto Poala before Milano Unica’s audience, imagined that the handover ceremony would have been followed by the greatest crisis of the textile-clothing industry of all times, however imputable to external and unpredictable causes….

Last February, when Barberis Canonico took over as the head of the Italian trade show, the word “Coronavirus” was already commonly used, mostly to comment on the news coming from China. But in the months that followed, it became “the word”, the one that dominated any public debate, any decision-making or planning process, such as the one concerning the September show.

You chose to confirm the September date. Is it a gamble, a message of confidence or unshakable optimism?

A brave choice, and for two reasons.

First of all, two hundred exhibitors, at such a difficult time, are making an investment to say loud and clear that the textile industry is alive, they believe in it, they want to inspire their customers by offering new collections and products and styles, although they’re perfectly aware that many shops across the world are still shut down. The second reason is the chance to “make a show of presence” in the heart of Italy’s high-end and luxury textile industry. Although the sector has suffered some losses, those attending Milano Unica ensure the highest quality to the show, even if they know that customers will be unable to travel from a number of countries. We want to show that we are ready not for a rebirth, because we were never dead, but for the relaunching of the whole sector in markets which skipped a season, but where companies continued to work despite the lockdown.

What market are you the most worried about, as both entrepreneur and president of the trade show?

As President, I’m worried about Milano Unica’s results, because it’s a service for our customers. At present, what with the compulsory quarantine and all, we have no idea whom will be able to reach Milan. Those who can, will find an efficient show, will be able to move about freely, see the sample collections, talk to suppliers, find inspiration for the launching of new projects.

Chissà se nel momento in cui ha stretto la mano ad Ercole Botto Poala davanti alla platea di Milano Unica Alessandro Barberis Canonico immaginava che a quel passaggio di consegne sarebbe seguita la più grande crisi del tessile-abbigliamento, sia pure attribuibile a cause esterne ed imponderabili…

Lo scorso febbraio, quando c’è stato il passaggio di consegne al vertice del salone italiano, “cornavirus” era già una parola di uso comune, usata soprattutto per commentare le immagini in arrivo dalla Cina, ma nei mesi seguenti è diventata la base per ogni discussione pubblica, decisione politica o scelta di programmazione. Come quella di organizzare il salone di settembre.

Avete deciso di confermare la data di settembre.

E’ più una scommessa, un messaggio di fiducia a tutta la filiera o un convinto ottimismo?

Una scelta coraggiosa, per due motivi.

Il primo è perché i duecento espositori in questo momento difficile fanno un investimento per dire che il tessile è vivo, ci crede, vuole ispirare i suoi clienti con nuove collezioni e nuovi prodotti e stili pur sapendo che è difficile vendere perché molti negozi nel mondo sono ancora chiusi.

Il secondo motivo è la possibilità di dare un messaggio di presenza, nel cuore del tessile italiano di fascia alta o anche lusso. Anche se una parte del settore ha perso qualcosa i presenti a Milano Unica assicurano grande qualità al salone, pur sapendo che da alcuni paesi i clienti non riusciranno ad arrivare.

Facciamo vedere che vogliamo non rinascere, perché non siamo morti, ma rilanciare tutto il settore in mercati in cui è stata saltata una stagione ma le aziende hanno lavorato nonostante il lockdown.

Quale mercato la preoccupa di più, sia come imprenditore che come presidente del salone?

Come presidente mi preoccupa il fatto che Milano Unica sia una fiera di successo, perché è un servizio per i nostri clienti. Al momento non sappiamo, tra quarantene obbligatorie e blocchi vari, chi riuscirà a venire a Milano.

Chi ce la farà troverà una fiera efficiente, potrà spostarsi nei corridoi, vedere campionari diversi, discutere con i fornitori, trovare punti di ispirazione e far partire nuovi progetti.

Come imprenditore invece mi auguro che tutta questa

"We want to show that we are ready for the relaunching of the whole sector"

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Alessandro Barberis Canonico 11 La Spola

INTERVIEW

www.itemagroup.com contact@itemagroup.com

12 La Spola

INTERVIEW

Ercole Botto Poala and Alessandro Barberis Canonico

As an entrepreneur, I hope that the situation will clear up soon. The positive thing is that, if we look at what happened in Asia, in China, for instance, where the outbreak was handled by imposing a drastic lockdown, or in Japan, where the virus was more or less kept under control, on in Korea where the population was monitored through tracking apps, though to the detriment of privacy, we notice that things have somehow gone back to normal. People are working in offices again, social habits, including consumption, have been resumed and the increase in sales proves it. The same might happen in Europe and there have been a few positive signs lately, in particular, from Northern Europe. The one area of major concern is the United States, which is still far from flattening the epidemic curve. That is a very important market for the companies attending Milano Unica, for both womenswear and menswear, and, as far as trade shows are concerned, unfortunately, we don’t expect many visitors at least until late 2020.

At the end of the lockdown, the President of SMI, Marino Vago, gave the districts a telling-off about their autonomous decisions and the confusion caused by such decisions. As for the trade show planning, how did Biella, Como and Prato behave?

Unfortunately or luckily, I served on the trade show’s board before becoming President and, before the Covid-19 outbreak, we joked about how hard it was to bring the districts together, because “Milano Unica” is far from being united, unlike what the

situazione si sblocchi.

La cosa positiva è che se andiamo a vedere cosa è successo in Asia, dove si sono mossi prima a livello di tempistica e in modo più incisivo sul blocco delle persone in casa, come in Cina, o in Giappone dove più o meno hanno contenuto il virus ed in Corea dove, magari a discapito di un po’ di privacy, hanno monitorato la popolazione, vediamo che le cose bene o male sono ripartite.

La gente è tornata a lavorare in ufficio, le consuetudini sociali, che portano anche i consumi, sono riprese e la crescita delle vendite lo dimostra. Lo stesso potrebbe succedere anche in Europa e qualche segnale sta arrivando, soprattutto dal nord. A preoccupare molto invece sono gli Stati Uniti, dove la curva dei contagi non solo non declina ma non accenna neanche ad appiattirsi. Quello è un mercato molto importante per le aziende che sono a Milano Unica, sia per la donna che per l’uomo, e come visite in fiera purtroppo avrà ancora da soffrire, almeno fino a fine 2020.

Alla fine del lockdown il presidente di SMI Marino Vago ha tirato le orecchie ai distretti per le decisioni prese in autonomia e la confusione che hanno generato all'interno di tutto il settore tessile. Per la decisione di organizzare la fiera Biella, Como e Prato come si sono comportate?

Purtroppo o per fortuna io facevo parte del consiglio della fiera già prima di fare il presidente e prima del Covid ridevamo della difficoltà di mettere d’accordo i distretti, perchè in effetti Milano non è ancora del tutto Unica come

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name suggests, there are still a few independent souls. However, the process of concurrence of interests is underway and I have to admit that the pandemic has united the districts’ representatives, bringing them to share ideas and focus on the trade show. Some companies prefer not to attend the show, but many of them will.

You took over Milan Unica at a time of growth and revival owing also to the decision of moving the show forward to July, followed by other fairs. When do you expect full attendance again?

Past President Ercole Botto Poala’s move was seen as a competitive advantage for those able to get a preview of sample collections. And although we were unable to hold the trade show in July as scheduled, there’s still time to do it, considering that picking the fabrics is usually delayed anyway. At this trade show, we plan to strengthen the women’s collection’s image, for Milano is weaker is this area. Two factors are crucial to the return to normality.

The possibility for customers to travel but, since there are still centers of infection and uncertainties about the vaccine, I’m afraid that February is still too soon. And then the economic factor. The sector will be facing another six months of difficulties in terms of sales, because of the changes in social behavior in various markets. In this case, I expect the situation to go back to normal within one year, in time for the next July show.

dice il nome ed esiste qualche anima indipendente ma il percorso di convergenza verso l’obiettivo è ben avanzato.

Ma devo dire che il virus ha compattato i vari rappresentanti dei distretti condividendo le idee e concentrandosi sulla fiera. Alcune aziende non se la sono sentita di partecipare ma in tante hanno voluto scommetterci.

Ha preso Milano Unica in un momento di crescita e rilancio grazie anche alla decisione di anticipare a luglio, poi seguita da altri saloni. Quando spera di riavere il salone a pieni numeri?

La mossa del past president Ercole Botto Poala è stata riconosciuta come un vantaggio competitivo per chi poteva accedere prima al campionario e anche se stavolta non abbiamo potuto anticipare a luglio siamo ancora nei tempi per fare una fiera, anche perché molte scelte di tessuto ormai si fanno in ritardo. Con questa fiera vogliamo rafforzare l’immagine della collezione donna, dove Milano era un po’ meno presente. Per un ritorno alla normalità ci sono due fattori.

La possibilità per i clienti di muoversi, e non so se a febbraio, visti i focolai che ci sono ancora e le incertezze sul vaccino, ce la faremo.

E poi il fattore economico perché il settore dovrà subire altri sei mesi di difficoltà in termini di vendite per i mutati comportamenti sociali in vari mercati. In questo caso ho buone speranze per una normalizzazione nel giro di un anno e per la fiera del prossimo luglio.

Nota: intervista chiusa in stampa il 26 luglio 2020

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The markets’ temperature ROBERTO LUONGO. IL TERMOMETRO DEI MERCATI

by Elisa Signorini

Italian area at Colombiatex

INTERVIEW

He was re-elected, one year and a half ago, as general manager of ICE, the agency which promotes Italian companies abroad, for which he has been working for over thirty years. Therefore, Roberto Luongo’s opinion on economy’s health is always very reliable.

The textile-clothing industry is one of the main engines driving Italian exports and Luongo has often attended the Milano Unica show, which is why La Spola asked his opinion about a situation as unique as the one that developed since the Covid-19 outbreak.

We have partially overcome one of the toughest crises in recent history.

What role has ICE played in dealing with the economic and financial emergency as far as both the Government’s measures and support to companies and associations are concerned?

This moment in history has been particularly challenging for us and for ICE-Agenzia, as we had to deal with great difficulties during the lockdown stage and, mostly, in the post-lockdown period.

We agreed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to take a number of immediate actions during the emergency period. In addition to measures taken before the Covid19 outbreak, such as many free services and the Flying Desks, we also introduced some extraordinary 2020 support measures, such as the cancellation of fees due to participate in promotional activities and the repayment of expenses already incurred. The Flying Desk consultancy service continued remotely, as well as online training and contacts and meetings with our counterparts.

We are increasingly focusing on digitization, which was our priority long before the pandemic, to help companies get familiar with digital marketing tools in order to make use of e-commerce and make the leap from offline to online large-scale retail trade.

This is the reason why we announced a competition for 100 professionals willing to take part in the Digital Temporary Export Manager (D-Tem) courses

Da un anno e mezzo è, per la seconda volta, direttore generale dell’ICE, l’agenzia che promuove all’estero le aziende italiane, per la quale lavora da oltre 30 anni. Il termometro sullo stato di salute dell’economia di Roberto Luongo è quindi di quelli infallibili.

Il tessile-abbigliamento è uno dei settori principali dell’export italiano e Luongo è stato più volte ospite e attento osservatore di Milano Unica e per questo La Spola ha voluto sentire il suo parere su una situazione sui generis come quella maturata dallo scoppio della pandemia per il Covid-19 in poi.

Siamo parzialmente usciti da uno dei periodi più difficili della storia recente. Che ruolo ha avuto ICE nella gestione dell'emergenza economica e finanziaria sia nei confronti delle scelte del Governo quanto nell'appoggio a aziende e associazioni?

Questo momento storico è stato per noi e per l’ICE-Agenzia un nuovo banco di prova per riuscire a far fronte alle indubbie difficoltà sia durante la fase del lockdown che soprattutto nel ripensare il “dopo”. In accordo con il Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, nel momento dell’emergenza abbiamo predisposto una serie di azioni immediate. Oltre a quelle già in essere prima dell’esplosione del Covid-19, come la gratuità di molti servizi e i Flying Desk, inizialmente sono state messe in atto misure straordinarie 2020 di sostegno, come l’annullamento dei costi di partecipazione alle iniziative promozionali nonché il rimborso per le spese già sostenute. La consulenza dei Flying Desk è proseguita da remoto così come la formazione on line e i contatti e le riunioni con le nostre controparti settoriali.

Stiamo puntando sempre più sulla digitalizzazione, che era una nostra priorità già prima della pandemia, per aiutare le aziende ad utilizzare strumenti di marketing digitale per far leva sull’e-commerce e sulla promozione della grande distribuzione offline to online anche per il futuro. Per questo motivo abbiamo predisposto un bando per 100 professionisti del settore per accedere ai corsi di Digital Temporary Export Manager (D-Tem) nell’ottica di supportare le aziende nei processi di internazionalizzazione, con figure professionali esperte in tali processi

"The network of relations has not been damaged by the Covid19 and textile trade shows will continue to receive the support of ICE"

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Roberto Luongo 19 La Spola

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Luongo at Milano Unica's opening ceremony in 2019

for the purpose of training professional figures with specific digital skills to support companies in their process of internationalization. We are also working on the Fiera Smart 365 model which, though not a replacement for live trade shows, will allow companies to introduce their products all year round to international buyers.

With MAECI, we’ve agreed on actions and projects to encourage our country’s recovery through exports.

Have any of your branches abroad sent particularly alarming reports?

The trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic varied widely from country to country, but in the end, it will have spread all over the world. Of course, in the early stage of the pandemic, the nearly daily reports from our offices around the world gave an accurate picture of the reality. But nearly at the same time, we planned, with the help of MAECI, Mercati in Diretta, a series of seventeen webinars on the main and most dynamic outlets for our exports. An important service aimed at staying constantly in contact with Italian companies and providing them with accurate information about the problems but also the opportunities to be seized at the time of recovery.

One of the most significant positive factors of the past few years for textile trade shows has been the growing support of ICE. How difficult is rebuilding the network of relations and reorganizing the trade show schedule going to be?

e con particolari competenze in campo digitale. Infine, stiamo lavorando al modello di Fiera Smart 365 che, pur non sostituendosi alle manifestazioni vere e proprie, consentirà alle aziende di poter presentare i propri prodotti 365 giorni l’anno ai compratori internazionali. D’intesa con il MAECI, molte sono le azioni e i progetti in campo per facilitare la ripresa del nostro paese attraverso il motore delle esportazioni.

Ci sono state vostre sedi all'estero che hanno inviato rapporti più preoccupanti di altri?

La diffusione del virus ha avuto un andamento asincrono e asimmetrico da Paese a Paese ma alla fine ha interessato e sta interessando tutto il mondo. Ovviamente nella primissima fase i rapporti, pressoché giornalieri, provenienti dai nostri uffici fotografavano principalmente questa realtà.

Quasi in contemporanea però abbiamo pensato di organizzare insieme al MAECI, Mercati in Diretta, una serie di 17 webinar sui principali e più dinamici mercati di sbocco del nostro export. Appuntamenti importanti per mantenere il contatto costante con le aziende italiane e attraverso i quali poter fornire alle nostre imprese un quadro quanto più preciso e puntuale delle problematiche ma anche delle opportunità da prendere in considerazione nel momento della ripresa.

Uno dei fattori positivi più rilevanti degli ultimi anni per le fiere tessili era stato l'appoggio crescente di ICE. Quanto sarà difficile ricostruire quella rete di rapporti e ri-

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Milano Unica Pavillion in Shanghai

The network of relations has not been damaged by the Covid-19 emergency and textile trade shows will continue to receive the support of ICE, in particular, to help them rethink future strategies. ICE is constantly by the side of trade show organizers, supporting them in the study and development of possible future scenarios. The trade shows’ schedule will be reorganized as soon as the organizers receive the guidelines from the relevant authorities.

In the meantime, we are strengthening our communication efforts and social media campaigns by using virtual promotional material to be distributed through our branches abroad.

What market for the textile-fashion industry do you believe is bound to recover sooner than others and which is the most troubled?

The evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, which appears to be causing sudden changes in the international situation, prevents us from making any reliable forecast at this stage. There are many centers of infection that develop unexpectedly, although, luckily, they are isolated phenomena. The pandemic will lead us to rethink our promotional methods, by opting for virtual approaches in several countries at the same time, in order to diversify market risk and rapidly counterbalance the most adverse conditions.

As far as market differentiation is concerned, the ASEAN countries should be the first to set the cycle in motion again, followed by mature European countries.

pristinare i calendari dei saloni?

La rete di rapporti non è stata danneggiata dalla situazione di emergenza e le fiere tessili hanno continuato e continueranno a ricevere l'appoggio dell'ICE, anche per ripensare le strategie future. L'ICE è a fianco degli organizzatori delle manifestazioni, anche nella valutazione e costruzione del possibile scenario futuro. I calendari dei saloni verranno ripristinati, in accordo con gli organizzatori, non appena questi ultimi avranno ricevuto le relative linee guida dalle autorità competenti. Nel frattempo, stiamo potenziando le azioni di comunicazione e le campagne sui social media, utilizzando materiale promozionale virtuale da divulgare tramite i nostri Uffici all'estero.

Quale le pare il mercato, per il tessile-moda ma non solo, destinato a risollevarsi prima e quale quello più in difficoltà?

L'evoluzione dell'emergenza, che presenta cambiamenti abbastanza repentini nella situazione internazionale, al momento non consente una previsione in questo senso. Ci sono molti fenomeni di focolai improvvisi, per fortuna isolati.

La pandemia in corso ci indurrà a ripensare le metodologie di intervento promozionale, optando per interventi virtuali su più Paesi contemporaneamente. In questo modo, si diversifica il rischio e si controbilanciano più rapidamente le condizioni avverse. Dal punto di vista della differenziazione dei mercati, i Paesi ASEAN dovrebbero essere fra i primi a riavviare il ciclo, seguiti da quelli maturi europei.

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An overall view ANTONIO FRANCESCHINI. UNO SGUARDO A 360 GRADI

by Matteo Grazzini

A detail of a fashion show organized by Cna federmoda

INTERVIEW

The Cna Federmoda Association is introduced to us by its National Secretary, Antonio Franceschini, the man, native of Emilia, who travels the world and is a constant presence at any trade show or event, such as Ricerca Moda Innovazione, just to mention one of them. And a man who has travelled the five continents most certainly has an overall view of a fast-changing world such as the post-Covid one.

Cna Federmoda was immediately in the front line during the lockdown and Phase 2. What were the main problems you had to deal with from March to June?

Our Studies Center confirms that the Coronavirus “storm” will have a strong impact on enterprises, which are expected to close 2020 with a 42% drop in sales and the fashion industry is definitely one of the hardest-hit sectors. The crisis brought 69,3% of enterprises with workers to seek funding assistance from social safety nets (51% of which limited to the period of suspension at zero hours work performance). And the area where the greatest use of social safety nets has been seen is fashion (78,9%). Generally speaking, enterprises do not have an excessively pessimistic view of things, but they are reasonably worried. The situation is expected to go back to normal in 2021.

You fought for the cost of face masks and the recognition of the “Made in Italy”. Has Covid-19 increased the competition between “East” and “West”?

We blew the chance to reassert, at the institutional level, the value of the “Made in Italy, in terms of mastery of specific skills and the production system’s flexibility. CNA Federmoda worked with other partners to build a chain that would bring home the production delocalized in other countries where the cost of labor is cheaper because of the lack of specific social and environmental conditions. Imposing a 50 cent-wage cost caused confusion and is far from the logic behind Italian production, unless there is state intervention. Spain, for instance, set the price at 0,96 euro. We realize how important it is not to weigh on family and business incomes, but it would have been advisable to pay more attention to the companies’ efforts to reconvert part of the production and find a way to “win this match together”. The national government could have cut VAT taxes, exempt these expenses from tax, introduce vouchers.

Employment is not seen as a priority, considering that the government keeps spending money for the guaranteed minimum income scheme and does not invest in the production sector. I believe end consumers have clearly realized the differences between our social and production model and that of countries from which we have imported a lot. Will it encourage conscious consumption behavior? Too soon to say, there are a few positive signs.

Fiera che vai, Cna Federmoda che trovi. E spesso a rappresentare l’associazione è il suo responsabile nazionale Antonio Franceschini, accento emiliano ad ogni angolo del pianeta e presenza costante nel cuore degli eventi, che siano saloni o eventi, come Ricerca Moda Innovazione, solo per fare un esempio.

E per chi ha occhi in ogni continente è forse più facile avere contezza di un mondo in grande cambiamento come quello post Covid-19.

Cna Federmoda è stata da subito in prima linea durante lockdown e Fase2. Quali sono state le problematiche maggiori riscontrate da marzo a giugno?

Il nostro Centro Studi conferma che il ciclone coronavirus avrà un pesante impatto sulle imprese, che chiuderanno il 2020 con un calo del fatturato del 42% e tra i settori più colpiti c’è la moda (-56,7%). La crisi ha portato al ricorso agli ammortizzatori sociali per il 69,3% delle imprese con dipendenti (di cui il 51% con sospensione a zero ore). Il maggiore utilizzo si registra proprio nella moda (78,9%).

Il peggioramento per oltre il 50% è il risultato della contrazione della domanda di beni e servizi e per il 15% dall'aumento dei costi per assicurare le misure di sicurezza. Il sentiment complessivo delle

"It would have been advisable to pay more attention to the companies’ efforts"

ragionevole preoccupazione. La previsione di un ritorno alla normalità è individuato con il 2021.

Vi siete battuti per il costo delle mascherine e il riconoscimento del made in Italy. Il Covid ha aumentato o diminuito la concorrenza tra "Ovest" e "Est"?

anche a livello istituzionale il valore del made in lità del sistema produttivo. Come CNA Federmoda insieme ad altri partner abbiamo lavorato per cozata dove il costo del lavoro è diverso a causa della mancanza del rispetto di condizioni sociali e ambientali. L’imposizione del costo a 50 centesimi ha ingenerato confusione e è lontana da una logica di produzione italiana ad eccezione che non vi siano interventi dello Stato sulle imprese. In Spagravare sui bilanci familiari e delle imprese ma sarebbe stato opportuno porre più attenzione allo sforzo delle imprese per riconvertire parte della produzione e trovare una formula per giocare insieme come Paese questa contribuente, mettere a disposizione voucher. Il valore del lavoro non è stato considerato una priorità visto che si continua a spendere in reddito tra il nostro modello sociale e produttivo e quello di Paesi da cui abbiamo

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INTERVIEW

Antonio Franceschini

You have partnerships and collaborations in nearly all continents. What market will recover sooner?

Our enterprises will be facing some particularly difficult months, having to find new presentation methods, channels, relational models. We are constantly in contact with our partners in America, Asia and Africa. The social-economic situation is dramatic everywhere. We need to strengthen our relationships with international professionals who are experts in the Made in Italy and deal with them through digital channels. Inevitable to resume doing business with nearer markets, Europe.

Initiatives, plans and ideas from September to December?

We need to bring attention back to the fashion industry through a plan aimed at preserving and relaunching the “Made in Italy”. In order to do this, it is necessary to take actions within the economic-institutional and global communication system. The textile chain is the mainstay and we need policies designed to hand skills down and which recognize the importance of all the links of the chain, while supporting technical and professional training and business transfer to third parties. Our skills are greatly recognized abroad, where major groups have adopted internal policies according to which a significant percentage of material is sourced in Italy. Now we need to encourage the employment of young people and make generational turnover easier. On the operational front, we are focusing on promoting the textile chain in digital mode and the enterprises producing for the end market through WeLoveModainItalyDigital. We also plan to relaunch the MoodMarket portal, which is still active as a data bank, but will also be increasingly able to serve as a platform for matching demand and supply. Last but not least, our traditional RMI–Ricerca Moda Innovazione event which, in September, will take place online in the form of webinars for the training and information of students, whereas the National Young Fashion Designers Competition will be back in 2021.

importato tanto. Servirà a portare ad un consumo consapevole? E’ presto per dirlo, qualche segnale è pervenuto.

Avete partnership e collaborazioni in quasi tutti i continenti. Quale mercato si riprenderà prima? con la necessità di individuare nuove modalità di presentazione, canali, modelli relazionali. Abbiamo confronti con partner in America, così come in Asia e in Africa; quella che viene presentata è una situazione socioeconomica drammatica. Dovremo consolidare rapporti con gli operatori internazionali che hanno competenze sul made in Italy, e proporci anche attraverso il digitale. Inevitabile ripartire dai mercati vicini, ovvero l’Europa.

Iniziative, programmi e idee da settembre a dicembre?

Dobbiamo rilanciare una forte attenzione sul settore con un piano che preservi e rilanci il made in Italy e per farlo è necessario intervenire nell’ambito del sistema economico-istituzionale e della comunicazione globale. Il noscano l'importanza di tutte le componenti produttive e che operino per sostenere formazione tecnica e professionale e trasmissione d'impresa. Le nostre capacità sono apprezzate all’estero dove importanti gruppi hanno adottato policy interne per cui una percentuale rilevante del materiale viene approvvigionata in Italia. Ora dobbiamo favorire l’inserimento di giovani leve e facilitare il passaggio di impresa. Sul fronte operativo stiamo interremo il portale MoodMarket, sempre attivo come banca dati ma che potrà che a settembre si proporrà con una serie di webinar come occasione di formazione e informazione per gli studenti, mentre il Concorso Nazionale Professione Moda Giovani Stilisti tornerà nel 2021.

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A torn-out calendar page UN CALENDARIO STRAPPATO

by Matteo Grazzini

Texworld

FAIRS

In a normal, or should we say “ habitual” and “repetitive”, situation, this article would have been an overview of trade shows and fairs across the world. According to a scheduled calendar with set dates, though a number of big and small changes have been going on in the past few years, now would have been the time to deal with appointments, deadlines, air tickets, hotel reservations and whatever necessary to commute from one trade show to the next: Florence, Milan and Paris are the main destinations of a tour that would have covered also China, England, Colombia, and even the United States.

Instead, Covid-19 forced us to get off airplanes and trains, presenting everyone, from trade show organizers to exhibitors, from media to customers and insiders, with a changed world, with a calendar full of red X’s and cancelled dates.

The coronavirus pandemic reached its peak in March, but as early as February, the Milano Unica, Première Vision and, above all, Texworld shows experienced first-hand the uncertainty due to the news coming from China and doubts about the impact that the virus would have had on world economy. A tumult of comments, forecasts and opinions rose, being either denied or confirmed by facts in a matter of days, leading up to the lockdown which drove industrial production to a standstill.

The first trade show that paid the price for the establishment of “red zones” was, in February, Filo: trucks had been loaded and were ready to hit the road for MiCo to set up the stands, when news that the show had been cancelled broke. And so, a period of extreme uncertainty began for trade show organizers, who hesitated between postponing the shows, setting up digital platforms for the presentation of the collections or just sticking to the set dates while waiting for the health emergency to subside and the restrictive measures to be lifted.

At first, many decided to confirm the dates, so as to infuse faith and optimism in the whole sector, including themselves, but then the pandemic put everyone before the fait accompli.

Pitti Filati, one of the first shows on the summer calendar, was the most undecided as to whether postpone the event a few months ahead (to September) or to definitely cancel it, which is what happened in June: like for the “sister” shows Pitti Uomo and Pitti Bimbo, Pitti Immagine’s management opted for a digital platform, Connect, for online collection presentations and business meetings, while hoping for a return to normality within the end of 2020. The reasons, which would be the same for all the other shows, were two-fold: reduced attendance as compared with previous shows and uncertainty regarding the transfer of international clients, in particular, air travel.

Two cancellations in London where, at a moment of excessive optimism, it was believed possible to hold The London Textile Fair, but with the health situation getting worse by the minute

In situazioni normali e, viene da pensare, quasi abituali e ripetitive, questo articolo sarebbe stata una carrellata di presentazione di -

Ed invece il Covid-19 ci ha fatti scendere da aerei e treni mettendo clienti e i vari addetti ai lavori, davanti ad un mondo cambiato, ad un calendario pieno di croci rosse e di date scritte e cancellate più

Texworld avevano toccato con mano l’incertezza dovuta alle notizie in arrivo dalla Cina ed i primi dubbi sull’impatto che il virus

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Texworld Denim

The London Textile Fair

Colombiamoda

even beyond the Channel, John Kelley and his staff were forced to beat a hasty retreat. No TLTF and no debut for Texpremium, which was supposed to open the European trade show season in June: the newborn London show was designed to host high-end companies selling products for the luxury market. We’ll be talking about it again between late 2020 and early 2021.

No fashion collections on show in Colombia either, as Inexmoda decided to cancel Colombiamoda, scheduled for late July-early August. More than the pandemic, which had a relatively low impact on the country as compared with other South-American areas, the difficulty in transferring people and goods was the matter of major concern. A digital showcase with platforms for specialist fashion companies with buyers from Colombia and America, e-commerce for retail sales, presentations of collections by brands and designers, live streaming lessons from InexmodaUPB’s Knowledge Pavilion, online consultancy and master classes by fashion experts were made available for everyone.

Munich Fabric Start suffered the same fate, whereas Fabric Days is scheduled for September 1-3. The Bavarian organizers initially confirmed the show to be held at MOC, but then decided to move it at the Messe München-Riem, a space offering more distancing and safety for visitors and exhibitors. A few weeks later, however, came the final decision: a smaller show in terms of space and participants and a new name, Fabric Days, allowing any company that wants (and is able ) to reach Munich to showcase its fallwinter 2020/2021 collections. And then came the cancellation of Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Leatherworld, Shawls & Scarves, Texworld and Texworld Denim Paris, all postponed to February 2021. This was definitely not the welcome that Frédéric Bougeard, the newly-elected president of Messe Frankfurt France, expected to

creatura londinese avrebbe ospitato le aziende di fascia più alta, con Estate senza moda in passerella anche in Colombia, dove Inexmoda

quirenti provenienti da Colombia e America, e-commerce per vendite

deciso per un trasferimento al Messe München-Riem, uno spazio

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receive. At the peak of the pandemic, in fact, he had to make one of the most difficult and painful decisions of the past few years: the connection with Asian markets, crucial to the Le Bourget shows, in particular, to Texworld, had already jeopardized the outcome of the February shows and it would have happened again in September. It was impossible even to estimate the number of companies that would have been able to reach Paris from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Asia in general. There was no choice but to “stop the ride” for a while and wait for better times in order to have satisfactory figures again. And now the “survivors” chapter. In such rough seas, there were those who kept their course and speed, choosing a middle ground between successful strategy and gamble: Milano Unica and PV. Milano Unica reduced the show to two days (September 8 and 9) and moved the stands of the about 220 participating companies to pavilions 16 and 20, to a smaller space though maintaining physical distance between exhibitors, and changed the opening hours: the trade show will be open from 10am to 8pm. At time of printing, preparations for the show are already underway, with information about distancing and safety measures (digital badges, face masks, hand disinfection before entering a stand) being provided. The same measures are being adopted in Paris for the Première Vision show, which will be held as both a digital and live event. The Villepinte fair will take place from September 15 to 16, along with a virtual online event in order to give the exhibitors further (or alternative) visibility. Pavilions will also host the companies which were supposed to attend Milan’s Denim PV and Blossom in July, cancelled because of the pandemic. The virtual show will be hosted and broadcast by Première Vision Marketplace.

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DISTRICTS

Como, today GIANLUCA BRENNA. COMO, OGGI by redazione de La Spola

Switzerland at its back, all around it a region in which the word “virus” has become synonymous with grief and suffering, fear and bewilderment: Como experienced the Covid-19 crisis from a “privileged viewpoint”, being part of one of the hardest-hit regions in Europe.

And the Como district, like all Italian industrial districts, suffered the impact of the pandemic and now needs to be rebuilt and relaunched in more than one way. Gianluca Brenna, Deputy Vice-President of Confindustria Como in charge of business management, subsidiaries and alliances and, of course, of textile industry, tells us how.

What was the situation of Como’s textile industry at the end of the September trade shows, when the Coronavirus made its appearance in Italy, and how is it now?

2019 was a year of recovery, with figures comparable to those of the pre-2008 crisis. So, all things considered, the economic data were quite positive, although the Coronavirus delayed the financial analyses and the surveys are not complete. The first two months of 2020 were in keeping with the 2019 trend, but then the pandemic changed the course of history. After the lockdown, companies were anxious to go back to business, for they had orders in process and the winter production to be completed.

When the lockdown ended, it looked like Italian textile districts were competing to be the first to reopen. Has the virus brought Como closer to Biella and Prato or pushed them further apart?

There are two answers to this question. One for Como and one regarding its relations with the other textile districts. There is a renewed need for joining forces and sticking together within one’s district because this challenge cannot be overcome alone, but there is also the need to work together, like in the immediate post-lockdown days, through frequent contacts and improved relationships. We are aware that we’ve all been hit by the same storm and we need common visions to get through it, like, for one, on trade shows, to understand what we need to do.

So, are we better versions of ourselves now?

I believe that the pre-Covid market does not exist anymore and

Alle spalle la Svizzera, tutto intorno una regione nella quale la

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that we need to find one based on new selling and business models. We will be better people as soon as we will be able to face the challenges set by Covid-19 together, that is, the trends that were already happening and now are being accelerated, such as digitization and e-commerce, plus the sustainability theme.

The exports issue. What concerns you the most?

We’re afraid of what is happening from the health point of view, because the pandemic is spreading around the world, at different times and with multiple epidemics. The outbreak of the virus began in China and then arrived here, but the first major outbreaks in crucial markets, such as the United States, and which are not over yet, are very alarming.

How did the city of Como, with its economic activities and trade shows, deal with the virus’ impact?

As far as tourism is concerned, Como has a lake which attracts high-end foreign tourists, mostly English-speaking tourists, so figures are negative. Hotel owners expect things to go back to normal no sooner than 2023, but this is like wading across a river without being able to see the other bank. The same applies to retail trade: most clothing shops in Como sell to Swiss tourists and foreigners vacationing here. Figures rise only on weekends now. I don’t think it can be described as a shocking scenario, but rather as a slow return to normality. And slow means over a year.

Probably the textile industry will recover sooner than tourism, but no sooner than one year anyway. As for trade shows, the classic model was being challenged long before the pandemic because it served more of a public relations purpose than a substantive one, but now it definitely needs to be rethought, because I doubt foreign visitors will show up in September.

"Export?

Markets as the United States are very alarming"

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FAIRS

An unbroken thread FILO, UN LEGAME MAI SPEZZATO

by Matteo Grazzini With trucks ready to unload at MiCo and exhibitors and customers having suitcases packed and ready to go, the Filo 2020 February event was cancelled because of the lockdown, leaving the organizers scrambling to reinvent the 54th show, in a sea of uncertainties that nobody could have ever imagined.

But a Chinese saying goes: “ Time opens any door for he who waits”, and so the doors of MiCo in Milan are ready to reopen for Filo on October 7 and 8: the debut in a new exhibition space was delayed by 8 months and is now even more eagerly awaited. Moving from Palazzo delle Stelline to a larger location was supposed to be this year’s yarn show’s variable, and instead it was all postponed.

Paolo Monfermoso, along with the trade show’s staff, worked firstly to overcome the emergency situation and then to plan the show’s new schedule, with all the exhibitors by his side: “We kept close to each other- Monfermoso says- and we were moved by the companies’ closeness, which made us realize what Filo has become over the years”.

You didn’t give in to the temptation of transforming Filo into a digital event?

No, we didn’t. The live show is crucial for us, something for which the digital solution is an added value, not a replacement.

As a matter of fact, we worked on rescheduling the show for October as we moved toward further digitizing our services.

Even the webinar presentation of the October show, a mix of live and pre-recorded videos, is a clear sign of our commitment to keeping up to date.

I was a bit skeptical about the whole online thing, but I have to admit that the Internet event for the presentation of the 54th Filo show was very successful.

Con i camion già pronti a scaricare il materiale al MiCo e le valigie di espositori e clienti già preparate il febbraio 2020 di Filo resterà paradossale e triste al tempo stesso, con il lockdown che impedì lo svolgimento del salone e lasciò gli organizzatori con un’edizione numero 54 tutta da inventare, in un mare di incertezze che nessuno si poteva immaginare.

Ma un proverbio cinese dice che “a chi sa attendere, il tempo apre ogni porta” e così per Filo le porte di MiCo di Milano sono pronte a riaprirsi il 7 e l’8 ottobre: un debutto nei nuovi spazi rinviato di otto mesi ma anche per questo atteso con trepidazione ancora maggiore.

Il passaggio dal Palazzo delle Stelline alla location più ampia doveva infatti essere il vero elemento variabile nel nuovo corso del salone nuova organizzazione poi, trovando alleati preziosi negli espositori: “Abbiamo continuato a seguirci a vicenda – dice Monfermoso – e la Non avete avuto la tentazione di trasformare tutto in una kermesse digitale? cosa per il quale il digitale deve essere un valore ulteriore ma non salone di ottobre abbiamo lavorato anche ad una digitalizzazione ulteriore dei nostri servizi. Anche la presentazione dell’edizione di Sull’online io ero un po’ scettico ma in realtà anche per l’evento su Internet per la presentazione della 54a edizione di Filo abbiamo

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Paolo Monfermoso

What were the main problems?

Besides the first fifteen days of lockdown, when we couldn’t even leave our homes, we kept busy by managing the application forms and dealing with customers’ needs. Once we had all the MiCo’s spaces filled up, according with the new safety rules, we dealt with the most difficult obstacles, such as the attendance of foreign exhibitors, which depends on the reopening of flight routes and the rules set by the various countries. We decided to extend the application time and take all the possible safety and health measures. We were greatly helped by Fiera Milano, which is structured to follow the organization step by step.

What are the expectations for the upcoming show?

Judging by the way the exhibitors have supported and spurred us during these past few difficult months, we realized that Filo is seen by many as a new beginning, as a big step towards the return to normality. In any case, textile companies were able to introduce their collections at the show one year ago, after which they did not have a second chance.

As an insider and “textile man” yourself, how do you see the textile industry’s situation in general?

The textile industry is definitely suffering, the Covid-19 lockdown had a serious impact on it and it is going through the same crisis as other driving sectors of the economy, such as tourism and the restaurant business. Despite their differences, all these sectors have one major concern in common, that is, the drop in consumption. Everyone is going back to business now, but nobody can hope for immediate results. 2020 will certainly be remembered as a very challenging year, but we need to find something positive in all the negative things that have happened to us: perhaps we could start by changing some of our habits.

Quali sono state le problematiche maggiori?

A parte i primi quindici giorni di blocco, in cui nessuno poteva neppure uscire di casa, abbiamo continuato a gestire le iscrizioni e le necessità dei clienti. Una volta riempiti quasi tutti gli spazi del MiCo, anche in considerazione delle regole di sicurezza, abbiamo cercato di capire gli ostacoli più particolari, come l’adesione o meno degli stranieri tenendo conto della riapertura dei voli e delle regole imposte dai vari Paesi. Abbiamo pensato ad allungare i tempi per iscriversi e a dare tutte le garanzie di sicurezza e igiene possibili.

In questo abbiamo avuto un grande aiuto da Fiera Milano, che ha una struttura in grado di seguire passo per passo l’organizzazione.

Quali sono le aspettative per questa edizione?

Da come gli espositori ci hanno seguiti e spronati in questi mesi ripartenza, del passo deciso verso un ritorno alla normalità. D’altronde le aziende hanno potuto presentare le proprie collezioni in Da addetto ai lavori e uomo “di tessile” come giuvid-19 lo ha segnato in modo netto e la sua crisi si accompagna a quella di tanti altri settori trainanti dell’economia, basti pensare al turismo e alla ristorazione. Nelle loro diversità i settori hanno avuto un comune denominatore, ovvero la contrazione dei consumi. immediato.

Sicuramente ci ricorderemo di questo 2020 come un anno decisamente particolare e nel negativo bisogna cercare di trovare qualcosa di positivo: magari dovremo cambiare alcune delle nostre abitudini.

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Quality and assistance BIANCALANI, QUALITÀ E ASSISTENZA The recent global market trends are quite clear: it’s all about change, reinventing oneself, virtual assistance and “less is more”, that is, less quantity and more quality. Some areas of the world are already looking to the future, with an actual market recovery based on digital solutions and remote assistance. These areas of the world show that adapting to the new trends is, yes, inevitable, but also profitable. Biancalani Textile Machinery is already one step ahead, as these trends have been an integral part of the company’s innovation process for years.

Reinventing oneself is an imperative. Brands and local governments are seeking for innovative solutions to rethink urban spaces and turn to professionals in the field for practical and effective ideas. A well-structured company like Biancalani has survived and grown over the years because it has succeeded in reinventing itself.

Biancalani’s technicians usually do not wait to be asked for solutions, but are problem-solvers themselves, by providing customers with a full consultancy service which includes alternative production strategies, inputs and support of any kind.

As for the “less is more” trend, a more conscious buying behavior is definitely making its way among end consumers who tend to reduce the budget for non-essential items. The textile industry does produce essential goods, but quality really makes the difference here. As a matter of fact, while quality textile companies and fashion brands have staying power, fast fashion is losing ground and is increasingly perceived as negative. Biancalani is a company based on quality: it has been a top textile machinery producer, while supporting sustainability by choosing the green solution, for decades.

And more recently, remote assistance, provided by the company’s highly qualified experts, has gone from growing trend to certainty for the future. For years now, Biancalani’s local and remote assistance has been synonymous with saving time and immediate, customized support to customers, without additional costs or waste of time.

I recenti trend globali di mercato sono chiari: parlano di cambiamento, di reinventarsi, di assistenza virtuale e di less is more ossia meno quantità e più qualità. Alcune aree del mondo possono già soluzioni digitali e assistenza da remoto. Quelle stesse aree del mondo dimostrano che seguire i nuovi trend è sì inevitabile, ma anche vantaggioso. Biancalani Textile Machinery è già un passo avanti, poiché questi trend sono parte del percorso aziendale da decenni.

Reinventarsi è imperativo. Brand e consigli comunali stanno cercando soluzioni innovative per ripensare gli spazi urbani e si rivolgono strutturata come Biancalani è sopravvissuta e cresciuta negli anni grazie alla capacità di reinventarsi. I tecnici di Biancalani spesso non aspettano che i clienti chiedano soluzioni, ma suggeriscono percorsi di produzione alternativi che il cliente ancora non immagina o danno input e supporto con un servizio di consulenza a 360°.

Il tessile e i brand di moda di qualità rimangono saldi mentre il fast fashion sta perdendo terreno ed è percepito in maniera sempre più di macchinari tessili che sono una certezza da decenni e che danno risultati altrettanto certi e a supporto della sostenibilità, come dimostra la green solution. moto fornita da esperti ultra specializzati è diventato una certezza per i clienti su misura e senza nessun costo aggiuntivo o spreco di tempo.

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Paris’s united front IL FRONTE COMUNE DI PARIGI

by La Spola

COUNTRIES

CEOs discussing trade show strategies for September, and much more, in the two-person interview with the managers of Europe’s major trade shows: Première Vision and Who's Next. The Parisian ambassadors of the textile, clothing and fashion business in general, Frédéric Maus - CEO of WSN, the company of Who's Next, Premiere Classe, Impact and Traffic- and Gilles Lasbordes- who, for Première Vision, oversees the Première Vision Paris, Made in France Première Vision and Denim Première Vision shows-, exchange their points of view and stand together at the post-lockdown starting line.

Why have Première Vision and WSN joined forces in 2020 to amplify this shared message?

Première Vision and WSN are working together to share a common message, to assure the whole industry of their commitment to maintaining their September trade shows. As key players in the upstream and downstream ends of the fashion industry, we believe that it is vital that we express our conviction, that: in today’s unprecedented and incredibly challenging climate, it is essential for the players in our industry to be able to reconnect, to resume the calendar of professional appointments.

Why did you decide to maintain the Made in France Première Vision, PVP & Who’s Next, Traffic, Impact and Premiere Classe events?

GL: At the September edition of PVP, visitors will design the Autumn-Winter collections which will be in stores in July the following year. Brands and manufacturers will not have been able to meet for 6 months due to the Covid-19 crisis. This meeting point is therefore essential to enable the discovery of new fabrics, leathers, components and designs, as well as bringing us together to face the sector’s latest challenges: changes in the fashion calendar, sustainability.

FM: It’s a duty. Being a leader in a market means being a key event during the good times, but above all, it also means being an unwavering support during more difficult periods. In addition to the collections of innovative brands to be exhibited at Who’s Next, the event will offer solutions to help players embrace two key future trends - with sustainability at Impact, and digitalisation at Traffic.

What form will these events take in September?

FM: We are preparing to take on differentd formats. Following such a unique start to the year, we will welcome a wave of optimism. Who’s Next will be the first major gathering of the post-summer period for the fashion community’s independent players, the brands will be even more attentive to the needs of their retail clients. Everyone comes with a common goal: to build the future of fashion. This is why we share targeted content in various forms, dealing with key issues so that every-

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Perché Première Vision e WSN hanno unito le loro forze

A city, two companies, a series of fairs and events for the fashion system.

Also in this hard 2020

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one can find the answers and partners they need for their recovery.

GL: For PVP we will be holding both a physical and digital event, that will complement the trade show taking place at the Parc des Expositions. Fashion forums and forecasts will be presented through multimedia formats. Our objective is to maintain Première Vision’s position as an event for exchanging perspectives on inspiration, creativity and business, as well as prospective analysis and identifying the market trends which will emerge a few months later, without forgetting to anticipate the key challenges which are driving the evolution of the entire industry. We began to digitalise the sector with Marketplace. We upgraded it to offer the industry new services and features; optimised e-commerce boutiques, expanded product catalogues, online appointment booking to prepare ahead of visits to the trade show.

What do you have planned for 2021?

GL: For PV 2021 will be marked by the change of dates for Première Vision Paris, which we announced last February. The trade show will now welcome its visitors from 2nd - 4th February - for S-S 22 collections - and from 6th - 8th July for A-W 22/23. This decision followed a survey conducted among manufacturers and brands, and was taken in order to meet their needs efficiently. Denim Première Vision will be in Berlin from 24th - 25th November. However, we look forward to returning to Milan in 2021, after the cancelled event last June.

FM: For almost two years, WSN has been in a constant state of development. We launched Impact and the integration of Traffic into Who’s Next this year will continue to bring a growing number of solutions to our clients. In 2021, WSN will continue the hybridisation of its events by embracing the ongoing digitalisation of physical events.

We have already taken the first step by integrating remote one-to-one appointments into our next event. Our ambition for the future is to develop new tools and offer different experiences to existing platforms.

GL

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S.R.L.

A ZETA FILATI s.r.l. tel. +39

Via F.lli Buricchi, 15 - 59021 VAIANO (PO) fax +39 0574 946 722

www.azetafilati.it info@azetafilati.it 46 La|Spola

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A virtuous “Net” GRUPPO COLLE. UNA “RETE” VIRTUOSA Carl Adam Petri was a German scientist who left an indelible mark on mathematics, computer science and chemistry. So it is no chance that his name has been used to describe a number of concomitant causes and events which may be applied to Gruppo Colle, the company which is planning to face the post-pandemic world with a new vision of the future and of business. Petri is known, among other things, for the graphical representation of his theory, the so-called “Nets”, and his circles could represent Gruppo Colle’s business expansion and interaction with relevant subjects. For instance, the dyeing plant cannot produce furniture, but it can merge the Coronavirus pandemic is not one of the Cantagallo-based company’s major concerns, although a decline in sales growth is expected. Every crisis brings creativity and, in this case, it might bring a broadening of the range of interest, not only within the Pratese district, but all over Italy.

“The Italian textile industry- Gruppo Colle says- has become a one big single district, there’s no point in setting limits to theory, when applied to the districts’ “political” governance process: “ The Italian textile district as a whole - they go ondoes not reach the turnover of Inditex alone. Therefore, we can gain an equal seat at the table with big brands only if we negotiate from a position of strength, knowing that we are important to them. And without embarking on a headlong rush as we’ve seen single companies or districts doing lately.

As a matter of fact, companies should start accepting the idea of joining forces, because they are too small to take part in the competition on their own”.

Carl Adam Petri è uno studioso tedesco che ha lasciato un’impronta indelebile nella matematica, nell’informatica ed anche nella chimica. Non è un caso quindi che il suo nome sia stato usato per descrivere una serie di concause ed eventi che potrebbero re il post pandemia con una visione nuova del futuro e del lavoro. teorie, la cosiddetta “Rete” ed i suoi cerchi potrebbero rappresentare l’allargamento del business e l‘interazione del Gruppo Colle con soggetti attinenti: ovvero la tintoria non può mettersi esempio.

La contrazione dei numeri in seguito all’epidemia di coronavirus non preoccupa in modo particolare l’azienda di Colle di Cantagallo, pur in previsione di una riduzione importante di fatturato.

Ogni crisi porta inventiva ed in questo caso potrebbe portare ad un allargamento del cerchio di interesse, non solo all’interno del distretto pratese ma in tutta Italia.

“Il tessile italiano – dicono al Gruppo Colle – ormai è un unico grande distretto, non avrebbe senso circoscrivere il raggio di aziocata ai processi di governance “politica” dei distretti: “Tutto il tessile italiano messo insieme – prosegue l’analisi – non arriva al fatturato della sola Inditex e quindi è necessario presentarsi al tavolo dei grandi brand non come distretti isolati o men che meno a trattare, con la consapevolezza che noi siamo importanti per loro. E senza quelle fughe in avanti che abbiamo visto fare anche recentemente da alcuni singoli soggetti o distretti. Anzi, anche le aziende dovrebbero inziare a pensare ad associarsi, perché da sole sono troppo piccole”.

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MILANO UNICA Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale

8-9 Settembre 2020 #UnitedtobeUnique Dove inizia la moda.

Collezioni tessili e accessori per abbigliamento Autunno/Inverno 2021/22 — milanounica.it

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Sustainable foresight A ZETA FILATI, TRA LUNGIMIRANZA E SOSTENIBILITÀ A Zeta, far-sightedness and sustainability When Coronavirus attacks, sustainability fights back. This is the strategy that most of the Italian textile companies have adopted to face the challenges posed by Covid-19, and even A Zeta Filati has chosen to continue along the path taken some time ago, that of sustainable products.

The remarkable growth of the past few years will allow the company to cushion the decrease in sales, which are expected to drop by 30% due to the health crisis, as far as both clothing and upholstery are concerned. A Zeta is ready to make a comeback on the trade show scene starting from the October Filo show.

Actually, in early July, the company, along with the Mister Joe brand which is under the same ownership, took part in the Ri-Filiamo event held in Montemurlo: a positive experience which brought some optimism to the sector and the district.

At the Filo show, the spotlight will be on sustainable yarn collections, which A Zeta will be offering to a market that has been asking exclusively for this kind of products lately. Over 2020, the company has also expanded its range of certifications: in addition to GRS (Global Recycle Standard), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) which promotes sustainable forestry and traceability of by-products. The company is in the forefront of raising awareness on the sustainability theme, even in secondary collections such as the summer one: “Such investments are synonymous with far-sightedness, positive image and sensibility to the markets and customers”- A Zeta Filati says.

In the meantime, the company has been busy going back to business and, although badly hit by the lockdown both economically and financially, A Zeta felt duty bound not to penalize the textile chain, already seriously damaged by the health crisis, by fulfilling its obligations with suppliers and granting customers’ payment extensions, rather than discounts.

Se il virus attacca la sostenibilità risponde. E’ questa la tattica che causate dal Covid ed anche A Zeta Filati ha deciso di proseguire sulla strada intrapresa già da tempo, quella dei prodotti sostenibili.

La grande crescita degli ultimi anni ha permesso all’azienda di ammortizzare il calo, previsto nell’ordine del 30%, dovuto all’emergenza sanitaria tanto sulla parte abbigliamento quanto su quella dell’arredamento e adesso A Zeta è pronta a tornare sulla inizio luglio, insieme al marchio Mister Joe che fa capo alla stessa proprietà, c’è stato un approccio alle collezioni con l’evento RiFiliamo che si è svolto a Montemurlo; un’esperienza positiva che è servita a ridare ottimismo al settore ed al distretto. de solo prodotti di questo tipo. Tra l’altro nel corso del 2020 si è

gestione forestale e la tracciabilità dei prodotti derivati. L’azienda rimane così all’avanguardia e ai vertici per la sensibilizzazione verso il tema della sostenibilità, anche in collezioni più marginali di immagine e di sensibilità verso i mercati e la clientela” dicono ad A Zeta Filati.

Nel frattempo la ripartenza è stata intensa e seppure colpiti ecocrisi A Zeta si è sentita in dovere di non penalizzare ulteriormente rispettando gli impegni presi con i propri fornitori e concedendo preferendole alla concessioni di sconti.

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7-8

th

54 EDITION

OCTOBER2020

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF YARNS AND FIBRES FOR WOVEN AND KNITTED FABRICS FOR APPAREL, FURNISHING AND TECHNICAL TEXTILE

MiCo

Milano Convention Centre

MicoLab - Gate 16 - Via Gattamelata, 5 • Milan | Italy Opening time:7 from 9am to 6pm - 8 from 9am to 5pm

filo.it

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Evolution & Revolution FADIS, EVOLUZIONE & REVOLUZIONE Fadis is synonymous with precision winding machines; the oldest company owned by the same family since its establishment in 1960.

It is a leading company in the production of soft winders, rewinders, assembly winders, hank to cone winders, reeling machines, spooling and cops winders, intermingling and air texturizing machines for the processing of any kind of yarn. The last machine born is the Sincro Multipla Aquajet air texturing machine. This machine model is perfectly combining the main features that are characterizing every Fadis product: flexibility, easy handling and quality of the yarn.

Starting from our Sincro Multipla Aquajet, and thanks to our “open platform” building concept, we entered in the world of air texturing but in the “ Fadis way” as the idea is to give each customer the machine he really needs, with the possibility to modify it at any time new markets demands arise. Starting from Fdy- Foy yarns, either PA or PES or PP, any combination can be created, also with elastane component, for different end uses such as active wear, sportswear, underwear, knitted fabrics, carpet backing, outdoor and upholstery.

A uniqueness of the Sincro Multipla Aquajet is the presence of an on-line tension sensor placed before the take up that assure a constant, automatic control and adjustment of the take-up tension, without any intervention of the operator, important for a better performance of the bobbin and essential for the proper preparation of soft packages, very often required. This feature is not present on any other air texturing machine in the market. The Sincro Multipla Aquajet has therefore been studied in a way to allow the core and the effect yarns entering in the air texturing wet box without any angle to guarantee a perfect air texturing result and consequent higher yarn quality. The same straight path is there between the air texturizing jet box and the master roller and between the master roller and the drawing / stabilizing roller.

Depending on numbers of plies to be intermingled and feed bobbin size, the machine can be supplied either with upper creel or with a separate creel with same Tens Control on-line tension device. There are 5 different machine versions. Since each overfeed motor and spindle is independent, then it is possible to tailor its proper machine version from 2 rollers up to 5 rollers, spindle by spindle.

Dal 1960 Fadis è sinonimo di roccatrici di precisione. Da sempre di proprietà e gestita dalla stessa famiglia, Fadis è leader nella produzione di focacciatrici, roccatrici, binatrici, dipanatrici, aspatrici, rochettatrici, interlacciatrici, macchine per la ricopertura ad aria, testurizzatrici ad aria e copsatrici per la lavorazione di L’ultima macchina nata è la testurizzatrice ad aria Sincro Multipla Aquajet, che unisce tutte le caratteristiche principali che caratterizzano ogni prodotto Fadis: costruttiva “piattaforma aperta”, Fadis è entrata nel mondo della testurizzazione ad aria ma nello "stile Fadis", cioè con una macchina che risponda alle esigenze necessità di mercato. abbigliamento sportivo, intimo, tessuti a maglia, tessuti da esterno, tappezzeria e tappeti. L'unicità della Sincro Multipla Aquajet è la presenza di un sensore costante controllo e regolazione automatica della tensione di avvolgimento senza alcun intervento dell'operatore, per aumentare il rendimento nelle fasi successive funzione non è presente su nessun'altra macchina testurizzatrice ad aria presente sul mercato. La Sincro Multipla Aquajet è studiata in modo tale da consentire al ad aria senza alcun angolo per garantire un perfetto risultato e una migliore qualità e il rullo master e tra il rullo master e il rullo stabilizzatore. macchina può essere fornita con una cantra superiore o separata con lo stesso teste di raccolta lavorano in modo indipendente l’una dall’altra, è possibile adatta la soluzione più completa disponibile sul mercato.

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London - S/S 2021

Lidò - S/S 2021

Ready to go again FIL-3, PRONTI ALLA RIPARTENZA The textile industry in general and, in particular, the spinning sector, has lived through many crises, but this one is spirit alone and is bound to leave lasting scars. But those who have spent a lifetime among textile machinery and raw materials and are passionate about their job do not give in so easily. Such is the case of Fil-3, ready to go again, starting from trade shows and continuing in the direction GRS (Global Recycle Standard), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and RWS (Responsible Wool Standard): the 4Sustainability spot checks on raw materials and yarns continue as well.

The company’s future, in order to forget the recent past and return to the “before Covid-19” normality, begins at Filo, with a collection adapting to the changes brought by the pandemic and the fruit of an in-depth study on what people expect after a health crisis: a capsule collection sentation.

As pioneers of the online frontier, the acceleration of digital transformation brought about by the pandemic has launch the collection online on our company’s websiteManaging Director Giacinto Gelli says- and to stay in contact with customers through the Net. We’re also ready for presentations via Internet in case of further cancellations of trade shows”.

A pandemic can paradoxically have some positive conseGelli concludes- so our price list will remain unchanged and there might even be some price cuts”.

Di crisi il tessile in generale e la filatura in particolare ne hanno affrontata tante ma quella di questa prima metà del 2020 è sicuramente insolita, difficilmente gestibile con il solo spirito imprenditoriale e destinata a lasciare traccia per qualche anno.

Ma come sempre chi lavora tra macchinari, materie prime e passione non si è lasciato travolgere. E’ il caso di Fil-3, pronta alla ripartenza, a iniziare dalla fiere e passando per il lavoro sulla sostenibilità, il servizio ai clienti e le certificazioni, tra sigle ormai conosciute come GRS (Global Recycle Standard), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) o RWS (Responsible Wool Standard): proseguono anche i controlli a campione di 4Sustainability sulle materie prime ed i filati.

Il futuro immediato, per cancellare il recente passato martoriato dal coronavirus, passa fa Filo e da una collezione adattata al cambiamento dei tempi imposto dal Covid-19 e frutto di uno studio approfondito su quello che l’uomo si aspetta dopo un’emergenza simile: una capsule collection basta sui colori attesi dalla mente umana. Meno tonalità ma più attenzione e una presentazione diversa dal solito.

Da pionieri nell’online l’accelerazione digitale impressa dalla pandemia non ha certo preso in contropiede Fil-3: “Siamo stati tra i primi ad avere la collezione in HD sul sito aziendale – dice l’amministratore delegato Giacinto Gelli – e a rimanere in contatto con i clienti attraverso la Rete. Siamo pronti a preparare anche delle presentazioni da fare via Internet nel caso si dovesse ripetere l’annullamento dei saloni”.

Se mai una pandemia può lasciare tracce positive queste vanno ricercate nei costi delle materie prime: “La lana costerà meno – conclude Gelli – quindi il listino dei prezzi non cambierà e potrebbe esserci addirittura qualche ritocco al ribasso”.

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Fancy yarns since 1983 FILATURA ALMA, FILATI FANTASIA DAL 1983 Our firm produces and sells weaving, knitting, and furnishing yarn with a wide range of Winter and Summer samples. It renovates in every season to meet market demand that is more and more exacting and to respect the tendency of “made in Italy� production.

The strenghts of our firm are given by continuative technique innovation, that is the result of our matured experience in the textile sector, by work, by passion of qualified technicians and by continuity of strategies of social governance.

For these reasons we have noticed positive results given by exponential growth in the last few years on both local and international market.

We have been adopting solutions tailored to every customer. Our vanguard machineries and our ability allow us to process various types of product, from single yarn to elaborated fanciful yarn.

We guarantee agreed time of delivery as we can follow all the stages of production, from the raw materials to the creation of finished product and to final product quality control.

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Relies on digitization FILMAR PUNTA SUL DIGITALE Filmar introduces Filmar Live Digital Experience, a service for customers and professionals allowing customized interaction with the company in a virtual environment for the purpose of learning about the latest developments in sustainable yarns, colors and trends. Fashion designers, style departments, knitwear factories and weaving mills can avail themselves of a Filmar yarn consultant. “In the light of the market’s latest changes - Michelle Marzoli, Filmar’s Communication Manager, says- we take a positive and innovative approach to the future. Such a complex time is an opportunity to speed up the digitization process, which Filmar has been developing for some time now. In order to be more effective in meeting our customers’ needs, we are experimenting with alternative methods for the presentation of the 2021-2022 fall/winter collections. As soon as we realized that the situation would not change any time soon, we devised a solution to bridge the distance and make our service available to everyone.

Our products, are designed to be touched and held and guarantee accuracy of colors”. Which is the reason why this initiative is not a replacement for physical presence at trade shows and live events. In particular, Live Digital Experience allows Filmar to introduce the collections and developments by making use of an integrated service which starts with a digital meeting and evolves into the forwarding of samples to the customer, followed by an online appointment and a face-to-face meeting.

The meeting includes customized service in the form of video-call with an expert to help the customer find the most suitable yarns for the development of knitwear, hosiery and fabric collections, but also to learn more about Filmar’s philosophy based on sustainability, traceability of the textile supply chain, transparency of production processes and social responsibility. Cottonforlife is another of the company’s initiative aimed at promoting the growing of long and extra-long Egyptian cotton fiber according to the rules of organic and sustainable farming, such as the Better Cotton program. Cottonforlife, along with the UNIDO, promotes the start-up of environmentally friendly and responsible farming and industrial chains, thus contributing to the development of sustainable fashion. Filmar Live Digital Experience will be further developed and improved to stay connected with customers, weave relations and establish increasingly solid relationships to successfully meet their needs.

Filmar presenta Filmar Live Digital Experience, un servizio immediato per clienti e operatori del settore che possono interagire in maniera personalizzata con l’azienpossono avvalersi della guida personalizzata di un Filmar yarn consultant, una sorta di consulente personale, che li assiste nella conoscenza e nell’utilizzo delle nuove collezioni.

“Alla luce del cambiamento che il mercato subisce - spiega Michelle Marzoli, responsabile Comunicazione di Filmar - guardiamo con positività e innovazione al futuro. Questo momento complesso si è rivelato un’opportunità per accelerare la rispondere alle necessità dei clienti sperimentiamo una via nuova per la presentazione della collezione autunno inverno 2021-2022. Quando abbiamo capito che la situazione non si sarebbe stabilizzata velocemente abbiamo pensato ad un modo per accorciare le distanze e rendere il nostro servizio fruibile a tutti, in Italia e all’estero. Ma il nostro prodotto rimane molto legato alla percezione e al tatto, così come alla fedeltà del colori”. le collezioni e le novità con un servizio integrato che parte dall’incontro digitale per poi svilupparsi con l’invio dei campioni al cliente, subito dopo un appuntamento L’incontro prevede un servizio personalizzato, con una video-call con un esperto, bilità sociale. Durante gli incontri vengono presentate tutte le novità di Filmar e di lunga ed extra lunga coltivato seguendo i disciplinari dell’agricoltura biologica e sostenibile, come per esempio il programma Better Cotton. Cottonforlife inoltre, con l’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo Industriale, aiuta l'avvio muovere la moda sostenibile. Filmar Live Digital Experience verrà potenziato e

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Tradition and innovation RIFINIZIONE VIGNALI: TRADIZIONE E INNOVAZIONE For many years, Rifinizione Vignali has been a name associated with quality and innovation in the field of textile finishing, because of the wide range of state-of-the-art treatments it offers. Quality service has been the company’s strength for 72 years, along with the Vignali family’s uninterrupted ownership of the company. Rifinizione Vignali, in fact, began operating back in 1947, when Silvio Vignali took his first steps as entrepreneur by teaselling blankets. The years 1954-55, with Silvio’s son Ivo joining the company, marked a great turning point in the business. Rifinizione Vignali changed and expanded its production range and processing methods with a view to further industrial development. Ivo is the current president of the board of directors and the third-generation members of the family, Barbara and Silvia, have joined the company too.

Over the years, in addition to new finishing treatments of fine and innovative fabrics, in par-ticular, upholstery fabrics which had not been produced in the Prato area until then, the company became highly specialized in the finishing of acrylic carpets and faux fur coats. In more recent times, Rifinizione Vignali also specialized in the finishing of velvets and fur-nishing fabrics.

In the sixties, the company believed it was time to upgrade the entire machinery fleet and, in 1973, a new dyeing mill, Ma-Vi, was started, adding to the one operating within Rifinizione Vignali.

Then the company further expanded its activity, soon becoming well-known not only in the Prato area, but also across the country and abroad. Today, the company can count on a base of regular customers who continue to trust Vignali’s experience and rely on its inno-vative solutions. At present, Rifinizione Vignali, together with Tintoria MA-VI, employs about 100 people and is increasingly committed to research on new technologies and improve-ment of processing and service quality, with an eye to sustainability of production processes.

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FADIS S.p.A. - ITALY - Via Colombera 70, 21048, Solbiate Arno (VA), Italy - tel: +39 0331 989533 - fax: +39 0331 989532 - email: sales@fadis.it - website: www.fadis.it

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The ideal partner LIDO BARNI, IL PARTNER IDEALE PER L’INDUSTRIA TESSILE In textile processing, there are details that make the difference and the Lido Barni company knows it only too well, for it has been operating in the field of textile machinery accessories in Prato since 1976.

Established by Lido Barni and currently run alongside his son Lorenzo, the company deals with the design, assembly and marketing of components and accessories for textile production and mostly at the specific request of customers. “ The fascinating aspect of this job- Lorenzo Barni, who is in charge of design, explains- is trying to solve problems arising from textile processing or make a particular production stage simpler and faster”.

At first, Lido Barni dealt with components for weaving, but later the production range was extended to include components for warping, spinning and twisting, providing on-site assistance and making pieces compatible with customers’ machinery, but mostly adapting the machinery to special production processes, inspired by the creativity of textile entrepreneurs who usually have something in mind before knowing if it can be done or not.

Realizing how to do it, with the machinery at their disposal, is the task of Lido and Lorenzo Barni and of their four employees.“Most of our customers are local- Lido Barni explainsbut following our participation in the 2017 ITMA show, we began working with foreign companies which had no trouble finding spare parts, but couldn’t find original adaptations”.

Lately, all energies have been directed to the construction of small machines preparatory to other processing stages, in order to make the process easier or ensure results otherwise unattainable. Lido Barni often works exclusively for a specific customer and is the patent holder for machines such as the so-called paraffinizer, built in 1995, which improves the smoothness of weft threads, especially when yarns tend to be very dry.

Nel processo di lavorazione tessile ci sono dettagli che fanno la

spiega Lorenzo Barni, che si occupa della progettazione

spiega Lido Barni

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the original

filoscozia attitude #filoscoziatheoriginal produttori autorizzati Filmar Spa e Cotonificio Olcese Ferrari Spa

filoscozia.it

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Automation and service GT2000: AUTOMAZIONE E CURA DEL CLIENTE hand technology at the service of textile processing: tidiness and automation really stand out, as well as the workers’ safety and expertise. All the credit goes to the farsightedness of Andrea Belli, the company’s founder and managing director, who still works six days out of seven and has no intention to retire. “The

di Andrea Belli -

Consumers and consumer associations are increasingly attentive

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a uniform treatment of all the players in the sector, in addition make the sector more attractive to foreign investors”.

Andrea Belli seems to pay no attention to his age, seventy years old, for he has just purchased a highly advanced warping machine for 700 thousand euros, which ensures lower energy

Como area, which still accounts for 80% of the production of this warping mill which does not specialize in wool yarns, control, storage in an automatized and computerized warehouse.

As much as technical skills are important, Andrea Belli pays also -

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CITIES

Bar Luce - Milan

Unusual time, unusual restaurants RISTORANTI INSOLITI IN TEMPI INSOLITI

by La Spola The time we are going through is definitely unusual, chaotic, bizarre and deviating from the norm. Trade shows have reduced the number of exhibition days and extended the opening hours: in any case, the time at one’s disposal to explore the cities hosting trade shows is limited and there’s nothing better than a lovely dinner to crown a busy working day. And considering that the current time is so extraordinary, why not experience some out-of-the-ordinary restaurants? Milan and Paris (Florence and London have to step aside for the time being… ) have more than their fair share of unusual dining experiences. We offer a wider choice for Milan, but only because the trade shows attracting exhibitors and customers are two, Milano Unica in September and Filo in October. And despite the differences in history, architecture and pace of life, there are a number of similarities between the two cities.

History is exactly the theme of the first restaurant on our list: Beda House, more of a pub than a restaurant, located at 2 Via Murat at the corner with Viale Marche. As soon as you step inside, it’s like travelling back in time, the indoor garden being halfway between a Gothic church and Milan back in the seventies. The food is not what you would describe as gourmet, but there is a wide choice of beers. At LùBar (16 Via Palestro), the feeling is that of dining in an art gallery, housed in the southern wing of Villa Reale, in a porticoed space that was once the carriage house. An eighteenth-century atmosphere, Sicilian cuisine and, weather permitting, a park where you can listen to jazz music and relax. The time machine will also take you to Risoelatte (6 Via Camperio), a trattoria with fifties to sixties-style interiors, more like the private kitchen of a typical Milanese casa di ringhiera, the kind you see only in movies now. Strictly traditional cuisine, generous helpings and intense flavors. The menu includes purple rice and milk with soft fruit, Milanese-style risotto

Il periodo che stiamo attraversando è decisamente insolito, caotico, bizcon orari allungati e talvolta gli stessi di sempre: in ogni caso le ore per godersi le città che ospitano i saloni sono limitate e la cena rimane il modo perfetto per concludere una giornata di lavoro.

E visto che i tempi sono insoliti perché non calarsi anche in realtà gastronomiche sui generis? Milano e Parigi (per stavolta Firenze e Londra ranno espositori e clienti sono due, Milano Unica a settembre e Filo a ottobre. Ma non mancano le similitudini tra due città così diverse per storia, architettura e ritmi di vita. pub che ristorante, in via Murat 2 angolo viale Marche, una volta varcata la soglia si torna indietro nel tempo, tra una chiesa gotica e una è invece quella di mangiare in una galleria d'arte, ricavata nella parte sud di Villa Reale, in un portico che una volta ospitava le carrozze. all’aperto per ascoltare jazz e rilassarsi. Macchina del tempo anche per

la cucina, con porzioni abbondanti e gusti intensi: tra le proposte riso e latte viola con frutti di bosco, risotto alla milanese con ossobuco e Tappa obbligatoria per chi ama il design ma non solo è il bar Luce, in Largo Isarco 2: ci si può andare anche solo per guardare gli interni e

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Potafiori -Milan

Dialogo nel buio - Milan

Café des chats - Paris

with ossobuco and tiramisu cake served in a sixties-style cup.

A must-see for design lovers is bar Luce, at 2 Largo Isarco: we recommend to go there even if only for the experience of taking a look at the venue’s interiors and design. The menu is more café-like than restaurant-style, so with limited options. In order to recreate the atmosphere of old Milano, the Prada Foundation recruited film director Wes Anderson to design the interiors and he gave free play to his imagination: hypnotic wallpaper, round chandeliers, pastel tones, Formica tables and wonderful, at least sixty-year-old pinballs machines make the place and experience unique. Nature is the star at Potafiori, at 17 Via Salasco. If you have a green thumb or simply love colors and sweet scents, this restaurant- a brilliant combination of food, floriculture and music- is the place for you. While dining, you can also pick the flowers you want to take home. The owners describe the place as a “flower bistro by singer-florist Rosalba Piccinni” and the delivery (or takeaway) service applies to both the food and plants. The menu includes frisa bread salad, shredded burrata cheese, mackerel confit, centrifuged cucumber juice, red Mazara prawns over Scapece-style zucchini cream.

And now the similarities with Paris: darkness and cats. In Milan, you can have a drink completely in the dark at Dialogo nel buio (Institute for the Blind of Milano, at 7 Via Vivaio): wristwatches, mobile phones, lighters, fluorescent clothes, including shoelaces, are to be left at the entrance in a locker. Then you step inside a dark room guided only by the other senses: touch, hearing, smell and taste. Not only food (limited to snacks accompanying the drinks), but mostly a one-hour journey of the senses. Cat lovers should head straight to Crazy Cat Cafè, at 5 Via Napo Torriani 5, just steps from the Central Train Station: cats are free to roam the dining room, but dinner is served only on Thursdays and Fridays.

quindi con una scelta non troppo ampia. Per ricreare le atmosfere della al regista Wes Anderson, che non ha posto limiti alla fantasia. Carta da parati ipnotica, lampadari rotondi, colori pastello, tavolini in formica e l’esperienza. pollice verde o semplicemente adorate colori e profumi questo ristorante la consegna a casa (o l’asporto) riguarda non solo il cibo ma anche le di Mazara in purezza su crema di zucchine alla scapece, cipollotto Polpette vegetariane di melanzane, mandorle, pomodori secchi e limone su salsa di patate arrosto e cinque dessert dolci.

E ora le due similitudini con Parigi: il buio ed i gatti. A Milano si può prendere un aperitivo in un luogo completamente privo di luce al Dialogo nel buio (Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano, in via Vivaio 7): orologi, scarpe, vanno lasciati un armadietto all’ingresso per entrare poi in sala senza nessun ausilio, guidati da tatto, udito, olfatto e gusto. Non solo gastronomia (limitata agli aperitivi) ma anche percorso sensoriale di un’ora. Per chi ama i gatti c’è il Crazy Cat Cafè, in via Napo Torriani 5, a due passi dalla stazione Centrale: felini liberi in giro per il locale ma orari serali solo il giovedì e venerdì.

A Parigi l’omologo è il Café des chats, in rue Sedain 9 dove i quattordici

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Dans Le Noir - Paris

Nos Ancêtres les Gaulois- Paris

Its Parisian counterpart is Café des chats, at 9 Rue Sedain, where fourteen cats, each with its own name (Salem, Gavroche, Apollon, Alaska…) and presentation on the restaurant’s website, rule the roost. This is actually a real restaurant, just steps away from the Bastille, in a lively neighborhood of Paris. Home cooking and part of the restaurant’s proceeds are donated to local animal rights associations which rescued the cats now kept at the restaurant. Dans le noir? (40 and 51 Rue Quincampoix) offers the chance to dine completely in the dark. Members of the staff, all visually handicapped, escort you to your table where you will enjoy some delicious, even gourmet, dishes. Several menu options, ranging from 48 to 100 euros, Champagne wine included. In Paris, you will travel back in time at Nos Ancêtres les Gaulois (39 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île), in a neighborhood which is fascinating and historic itself. A medieval atmosphere, with many references to the Gauls, and it definitely feels like time has stopped when you ask for the bill, for the price is always the same, despite inflation and currency fluctuations: 50 euros to enjoy dishes based on age-old recipes of meat roasted on coals in the fireplace, roast potatoes and vegetables. Our list ends with Le Refuge des fondus (17 rue des Trois-Freres), whose most unusual feature is not the menu- which revolves around fondue, both savory and sweet- as much as the fact that wine is served in huge feeding bottles. There are also fixed menus and some unbreakable rules. For instance, men on one side of the table and women on the other, no exceptions.

Lubar - Milan

gatti, ognuno col proprio nome (Salem, Gavroche, Apollon, Alaska…) e la propria presentazione sul sito del locale, la fanno da padrone. In questo caso però si tratta di un vero e proprio ristorante a pochi passi dalla Bastiglia, in una zona vivace della capitale francese. La cucina è casalinga, parte del ricavato è devoluto alle associazioni animaliste che hanno recuperato i trovatelli ospitati nel ristorante. Dans le noir?

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Despite the differences in history, and pace of life, there are similarities between the two cities

di sala, composto da persone non vedenti si viene accompagnati al tavolo per assaggiare le proposte, anche ricercate, della cucina. Possibili diverse forEscape Game: un’ora di tempo per trovare l’uscita da una stanza, ovviamente al buio.

Il salto indietro nel tempo in salsa parigina si fa al Nos Ancêtres les Gaulois (39 Rue Saint-Louis te e storico. L’atmosfera è medievale, anche se non mancano riferimenti ai Galli, ed il tempo sembra essersi fermato anche alla cassa, visto che il prezzo,

ricette antiche basate su carne arrostita sulla brace dei camini, patate

salata quanto dolce, ma il fatto di servire il vino dentro a grandi bimaschi tutti da una parte e femmine dall’altra, senza eccezioni.

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