Just before New York’s impending heat dome arrived, Italian style was heating things up in Lower Manhattan. The Italian Trade Agency, aka ITA, hosted a New York-style party at the Standard Hotel’s Boom Boom Room overlooking the Hudson River at sunset for a fashion-centric event highlighting fashion and accessories brands that exemplify ‘Made in Italy‘ products.
The live model presentation format dubbed ‘Always Be Extra’ featured over 40-plus Italian designers in the women’s, men’s, and accessories categories, allowing guests to experience the wares up close while enjoying Italian-inspired cocktails and nibbles. FashionNetwork.com spoke with the Italian Trade Commissioner, Erica Di Giovancarlo about how the ITA, a non-profit sector of the Italian government dedicated to supporting the growth of brands in the U.S., about how the agency promotes Italian industry.
Groups of models rotated around the 18th-floor sun-filled room overlooking the Hudson River, changing into three different clothing and accessories looks for guests, such as Olivia Palermo and model Nadejda Savcova, to check out the collections. At the same time, Di Giovancarlo explained the agency’s primary function and how it has evolved since the Pandemic.
The soirée was the first of its kind for the sector. Typically, the ITA helps brands to participate in trade shows such as Coterie in New York and the Chicago Collective by sponsoring booths and helping with up to 50 percent of related costs. The Always Be Extra event was timed outside the typical market periods, such as September and January, for Coterie so organizers could access the products not currently being shown to buyers. The event planners also organized photo shoots to gather content to promote further the agency and its Italian designers, many of whom are based in smaller towns and regions and don’t have as much access to the fashion machine of Milan.
“It’s a good way to promote this sector,” Di Giovancarlo enthused, adding, “The shoot in Central Park is in an iconic American spot; it’s the park known around the world and a great place to show Italian-made goods. Fashion needs a stage, so it was a good way to show the value of the products.”
The brands on display—such as Opificio Modenese, DeSantis by Martin Alvarez, Artico, Gala Gloves, Tenné, Valentina Poltronieri, Of Handmade, Gaiofatto, Ghilardi1940 and Buti—are part of the ITA’s ExtraITAStyle initiative, an online showroom and buying platform launched in 2019 in a similar vein as JOOR and NuOrder.
“The pandemic opened us up to think of new ways of promoting our brands and ways to approach buyers; it was strangely a productive era; it stimulated our creativity and how to survive an unprecedented period,” she said, continuing.
“We needed to find a way for our companies to still produce goods and export to promote their products even if they couldn’t travel to exhibitions and trade shows; in the different sectors of the ITA, we created different initiatives, and for fashion, we created ExtraITAStyle which currently features over 70 brands.”
Di Gionvancarlo noted that as a government agency, the ITA is available to any viable business. “Though we do look for quality and sustainability. The latter is a must; it’s our duty to promote,” she explained.
The U.S. is essential for the agency, with five ITA offices in the U.S., each targeting different industries such as Chicago for machinery and technology, Houston for Aerospace, Miami for design and boats, and Los Angeles for biotech and innovation.
“The New York office is the headquarters of the American ITA network and is in charge of food, wine, fashion, accessories, shoes, and cosmetics. We also have a desk for attraction investments to Italy,” the commissioner continued.
Di Giovancarlo assumed the post in January 2024 and previously held the role in Sao Paolo and Brazil. Another new addition to the New York office is director of fashion and beauty, Alessio Nanni.
“The U.S. is the most important country for Italy outside of Europe, and it’s still growing. We aim to heighten the attention of the ITA by organizing activities for each sector that highlight the newest technology; for instance, we are strong in biometrics and pharmaceuticals,” she said.
Special training programs are also under the agency’s purview.
“We have organized training in the U.S. for chefs, for instance, or for technicians to use Italian machinery so that it is focused on using Italian products.”
It’s not to say that once brands connect with partners in the U.S., the agency’s role is done.
“Italian companies are usually small and can’t always meet demands in a big market. Our duty is to help them meet the right counterpart, which is why we work hard to promote investment in Italy. We are trying to highlight these opportunities as well,” she continued.
Like other economies, post-Covid inflation has put a strain on Italian companies as well.
“Inflation is an issue the companies face; it’s worse in Italy than here. It’s hard for small family-run companies that don’t have the resources and strength. In this case, our help is critical,” Di Giovancarlo said.
Key to any of the ITA’s initiatives is exposure; thus, high-profile events such as the party, a solid social media presence, and marketing initiatives at trade shows and other industry functions are a part of getting the word out. But Di Giovancarlo is also scheming new ways to promote ‘La Dolce Vita‘ through its brands.
“I’m hoping that we can organize a very big event in 2025 that combines a lot of the sectors that represent the Italian lifestyle, fashion, accessories, fashion, furniture, accessories, food, wine, and boats, for example.”
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