Proposte – as popular as ever

17 May '11

4 min read

Journalists at the inauguration ceremony for Proposte last Wednesday all seemed to agree on one point: “If the Americans turn up, we'll know the recession is finally behind us”. And turn up they did: 268 American visitors attended this year, a 21% increase compared to last year.

Overall attendance at Proposte 2011 dropped by 2.69% compared to figures from 2010. Interestingly enough, however, there was an increase in foreign attendance: this year, 61% of all visitors came from abroad, compared with 59% last year, bringing them increasingly closer to representing two thirds of all attendees. These numbers show an increasing demand for Made in Italy and Made in Europe brands worldwide.

If it is true, as President Mauro Cavelli has reported, that the furnishing textile industry has been growing at an average rate of 4% annually, it should take approximately eight years for it to return to pre-recession levels. Despite such predictions, the results of this year's trade fair suggest that its 106 exhibitors might not have to wait that long. The turnout from Europe, which continues to be one of the foremost export markets for Made in Proposte fabrics and curtains, was excellent, particularly from France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Switzerland.

As expected, there was a drop in attendance from Greece, -33% to be precise. Predictably, the presence of Japanese attendees also diminished, in their case by 20%. Otherwise, Chinese attendance nearly doubled, the number of Indians attending remained constant, and a certain Russian contingent remained as loyally present as always. See the attached tables for a detailed report on attendance figures classified by country of origin and category.

In keeping with recent tradition, a press conference was held to inaugurate Proposte's annual event. On May 4 at 11.30 am, Proposte President Mauro Cavelli, Ambassador and
President of the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) Umberto Vattani, and Confindustria Vice President for Internationalization Paolo Zegna, gave a brief report on the textile market and the role occupied by Made in Italy brands on a global scale. They concluded by wishing exhibitors a prosperous and enjoyable time at the trade fair.

Enhancing product communication, creating networks among companies, relocating production to countries that charge prohibitive customs and duties: these were some of the ambitious objectives put forward by the President of the trade fair, who is a firm believer in the creative potential and business prowess of Proposte's exhibitors.

According to Cavelli: “This trade fair is unique the world over: top fashion trends in interior decoration are launched here by just over 100 exhibitors and then channelled to over 70 countries worldwide through these companies' clients. Proposte's excellence is made possible by its select visitors, exhibitors/researchers, and the months of work it takes them to create collections that expertly blend classic, eclectic, romantic, and technical styles.”

More Textiles News - Italy...