Pitti Immagine criticises London Collections: Men clash

Pitti Immagine has criticised the British Fashion Council’s decision

to hold the second edition of London Collections: Men from January 7 to 9, as two days overlap with the dates already set for its menswear tradeshow Pitti Uomo, which will run from January 8 to 11.

The Italian company which produces a number of international fashion and lifestyle events and trade fairs including Pitti Uomo and Pitti Bimbo has issued a statement as it believes that the BFC’s date clash offers “a distorted view of the competitive context of the top men’s fashion fairs”.

In June, when the BFC held its inaugural London Collections: Men it launched the showcase to kick-start the menswear calendar as well as highlight British talent, the decision to clash with the Florence-based tradeshow will mean that brands and buyers are going to have to make a decision on which event to attend for the autumn season.

CEO of Pitti Immagine, Raffaello Napoleone, added: “In what is such a delicate moment for half of the world’s economies, while fashion fair organisers are all working hard to draw up an international calendar that will increase the efficiency and coherence of the work carried out by buyers and journalists and, at the same time, minimize costs.

“It seems that the board of the BFC is taking none of this into account. I am truly surprised about this as the subject was discussed with the management of the BFC last June and it appeared that the right conditions were in place for a different outcome that would reduce the potential risk of inconveniencing the exhibitors (including a number of excellent British brands), buyers and journalists who usually attend Pitti Uomo.”