PORTUGUESE TEXTILES ON THE FOREFRONT OF CHILDREN’S FASHION

From June 21st to June 23rd, Florence will be once more the international capital of children's fashion, hosting another edition of Pitti Bimbo, the most iconic trade fair in the segment. In the front line will be the entourage "From Portugal", presenting a great variety of proposals.

Cherry Papaya - DR. KID - F.S BABY – KNOT - Meia Pata - NATURA PURA - PHICLOTHING

The seven companies that constitute the Portuguese delegation leave to Italy with the purpose of making new partnerships and expanding their brands in the international market. Every year, the fair counts with the visit of more than 5 thousand of the sector’s professionals, coming from 60 countries, and it’s known for marking the trends on children's fashion over the last years.

Participating since 2013 and already a veteran at Pitti Bimbo, FS Baby, one of the Portuguese companies present at the event, has no doubts about the importance of this event on children's fashion, especially in the baby clothing department. "In our opinion, it’s the most important fair in the baby clothing sector. Italy is an important market for us and represents some weight in our sales, which is something positive if we think about all of the market’s requirements and the level of competition", said Rodney Duarte, the brand representative, who is preparing a presentation of 200 new models in Florence, giving emphasis to the use of organic cotton.

Also in the baby clothing sector will be Natura Pura, a brand that is committed to increase its ecological proposals. Organic cotton is the brand's great bet to meet the special requirements of the little ones, in terms of health and welfare. Mónica Sendas, from Natura Pura, hopes to be able to bring her "ecological, practical, elegant, comfortable and 100% safe" products to new clients, and to create awareness for the fact that it’s a "proof of love and intelligence to care more and more each day for the babies’ skin ".

The Baby clothes segment will most definitely be the focus of the Portuguese representatives in Florence. Phi Clothing, also present at the fair, will seek to conquer new markets with its latest collection of robes and diaper covers.

Covering a slightly larger audience, with clothing proposals up to the age of 12, Knot is another Portuguese brand to mark its presence at Pitti Bimbo. With a new collection, under the “Sunrise” theme and inspired by the colours of the African savannah, the brand hopes to increase its presence internationally. "It will be very important for the consolidation of Knot, and, above all, we will try to increase the number of customers with the presentation of the new collection", says Rita Roxo, Sales Manager.

Cherry Papaya, another brand present at the event, promises to bring to Pitti Bimbo several novelties. Sandra Barradas,  the brand’s representative, leaves to Florence having in mind not only the Italian market but  also the opportunity of making contact with the  fair’s international public: "From the very first participation, we were quite satisfied with the diversity of clients that we managed to raise". Among the brand’s new proposals will be the long awaited "Cherry Woman", a line of especially thought “matchy matchy” clothes mothers and daughters.

"Quality, design, harmony and good taste" is the recipe that José Armindo, CEO of Inarbel and creator of the Dr. Kid brand, takes to Italy, a market where the company’s products are already successfully established. With several editions of Pitti Bimbo in the curriculum, the brand is presenting a wide variety of dresses, in addition to the usual knitted models.

Meia Pata, a "national leader in the adorned socks department", will be another Portuguese company to join the entourage "From Portugal" and to present in Florence a lot of new products. "We will present our line of socks, footwear, swimwear and a fine mesh capsule collection", says Carla Areal, CEO of the company. Already with some expression in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Angola, Mozambique and Italy, Meia Pata leaves to Italy focused on increasing its exports, and expects Pitti Bimbo "to open the doors to an even more global market."

The participation of the Portuguese companies at Pitti Bimbo is an initiative promoted by Selectiva Moda and ATP - Associação Têxtil e Vestuário de Portugal (Association of Textiles and Clothing of Portugal), which aims to promote the internationalisation of Portuguese companies in the fashion area. The From Portugal 2017 project is co-financed by Portugal 2020, under Compete 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation. The value of eligible support totals EUR 12,118,285.17, of which EUR 6,695,352.55 is provided by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.