Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Apr 23, 2019
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Pitti Bimbo 89 to feature lively programme with new section and Emporio Amani debut

Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Apr 23, 2019

The next edition of childrenswear show Pitti Bimbo is coming soon. From June 20 to 22, the 89th session of the benchmark Florentine event for children's fashion organised by Pitti Immagine will host 560 exhibitors, of which 337 from outside Italy (60% of the total), within the show’s magnificent, 47,000-square-metre Fortezza da Basso venue.


Emporio Armani Junior, Spring/Summer 2019; the label is debuting at Pitti Bimbo


Pitti Bimbo’s last summer session was attended by 5,350 buyers (2,450 of them from outside Italy) and 10,000 visitors in total.

The organisers hope to boost attendance next June thanks to an intense programme featuring many novelties and the return or first-time participation of 150 brands, among them the Armani group, for the first time at the show with Emporio Armani.

The Emporio Armani Junior Spring/Summer 2020 collection will be presented exclusively at Pitti Bimbo with a dedicated event at the Sala della Scherma. The line was launched in 1982 as Armani Junior, and has been part of the Emporio Armani collection since the Fall/Winter 2018-19 season. It includes the range for newborns and infants (0–36 months), and the lines for girls aged 4-14 and boys aged 4-16.
 
The other major novelty announced by Pitti Immagine is the show’s ‘The Kid’s Lab!’ section. It is located on the top floor of the venue's central pavilion, in a fresh, colourful and very sophisticated setting designed by Storage Milano. The new section will present all the latest experimental approaches in childrenswear, with exhibitors divided up among five sub-sections: ‘Kidzfizz’, for experimental brands; ‘#Activelab’, for athleisure/urban brands; an incubator area, ‘The Nest’, for up-and-coming brands; ‘EcoEthic’, for sustainable brands; and a series of mini capsule collections at ‘Kid's Evolution’.
 
The main pavilion's top floor will also host two children’s literature and illustration projects: ‘The Extraordinary Library’, a selection of international children’s books picked by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, and ‘OFF the PAGE...And in the World of Fashion’, a selection of works by 25 illustrators from around the world. The show’s section for experimental children's fashion will also include communal areas dedicated to exhibitions, editorial projects and events. Notably, Chopard Italia will present its project in support of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation for the reconstruction of the school in Muccia, in the province of Macerata, which was hit hard by the 2016 earthquake. Also, the “Una famiglia, tutti i colori” (One family, all colours) exhibition by New York photographer Tom Watson for the Mamme Per La Pelle charity association; a special area run by Milk Magazine; a section dedicated to ‘The Playful Living’ project together with Style Piccoli; and the presentation of the book ‘Craft the Seasons: 100 Creations’ by renowned French designer and illustrator Nathalie Lété.


pittiimmagine.com


Pitti Bimbo’s other main sections are ‘Apartment’, featuring labels with a couture inspiration; ‘Sport Generation’, for sportswear labels; ‘Superstreet’, dedicated to streetwear labels; and the ‘Fancy Room’ and ‘Editorials’ sections, showcasing the increasingly large contingent of lifestyle brands, exploring a variety of different childrenswear trends.
 
An array of major fashion names will exhibit at Pitti Bimbo 89, among them Dolce & Gabbana Kids, the CWF group with Little Marc Jacobs, Boss, Karl Lagerfeld, Billieblush, C.P. Company Undersixteen, Herno Kids, Miss Blumarine, Monnalisa, Petit Bateau and Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini, produced by Gi.mel.
 
Among the show’s new entries are Araia Kids, G-Star Raw, Jacob Cohen Junior, Lotto, Pinko and Tia Cibani Kids. Manila Grace, North Sails and Sundek will instead be making their come-back to Florence. In the ‘Fancy Room’ section, Italian object design brand Seletti will take part in Pitti Bimbo for the first time with a special installation; another two rookies are Meri Meri, with its party, home decoration, stationary and gift items, and Danish brand Maileg.
 
The Fortezza da Basso's central pavilion will also host a section dedicated to childrenswear brands from Andalusia (Calatea Kids, Abuela Tata, Beatriz Montenero, Mimosines, Nekena and Babine), whose participation is supported by Extenda, the Spanish region’s commercial promotion agency. The other nation enjoying special status at Pitti Bimbo 89 is Georgia, which will present a selection of its experimental and emerging designer labels: Antsi, Giraffe Kids, Eshvinkids and Spillow, whose participation will be backed by LEPL, the promotional agency of the Georgian Ministry of Economic Development.


The Armani group has never before exhibited at Pitti Bimbo


As usual, the Fortezza da Basso will host an intense programme of special events, with catwalk shows, meetings, conferences and debates. Among them, the Pitti Immagine show - scheduled at the Sala della Ronda on Friday June 21 - featuring a selection from the sophisticated, exclusive collections showcased at Pitti Bimbo’s ‘Apartment’ section, curated by Emiliano Frangipane.
 
Other scheduled catwalk shows are those by Natural Angel, Manila Grace, Stefania, the customary show by a group of Spanish labels under the Children's Fashion From Spain banner, and the show by the brands promoted by Kids.Modaportugal (Cherry Papaya, Knot, Laranjinha, Patachou, Phi Clothing, Piccola Speranza and Play Up). Italian childrenswear label Sarabanda will stage a cocktail party in the Sala delle Grotte and, on Thursday June 20, Tuscan label Monnalisa, for 50 years a leader in premium children's ready-to-wear, will present its new Spring/Summer 2020 collection with a show-event.
 
In terms of digital tools, the e-Pitti.com site will yet again put at the buyers’ disposal, once the physical show is over, its B2B platform featuring more than 370 brands and 2,000 products.

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