Digital is OK, but Live is the best

Not a firm thumb, but not a firm thumb either.

This has been the reaction of retailers to the first online edition of the Pitti Uomo trade show for men. While some regular attendees of the Florence-based fair enjoyed the virtual treasure hunt the organizers created, others felt overwhelmed by the depth of the content. Everyone said they missed the energy of the actual physical spectacle.

Pitti Immagine, owners and operators of Pitti Uomo, plan to revert to an in-person version in January that will also incorporate some of the digital components used for this release. It is also teaming up with Dolce & Gabbana on September 2 and 3 this year to unveil the brand’s bespoke and haute couture collections with runways in Florence at Palazzo Vecchio and Villa Bardini, respectively.

Until then, the group is banking on buyers and publishers visiting the new digital platform Pitti Connect, which went live on July 16 and will run through October. Among the projects presented, 15 short videos by Olivier Saillard featuring models from the 80s and 90s performing iconic pieces of men’s fashion. The group also shed light on sustainability through the Sustainable Style initiative, which features 13 emerging brands focused on providing environmentally friendly collections. In addition, the special Evergreen collection, ANDAM winner, Glenn Martens Y / Projects, is the special guest of the sustainable fashion section.

This section was one of the favorites of Bruce Pask, menswear director of Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.

What I admire is that they try to reproduce the grounds and buildings in a digital format, he said. They have marks listed in the buildings where they still are. As long-time participants, we know these buildings by heart. So it is successful.

Pask said he prefers to browse the virtual site as he would a physical show, so he knows which buildings to visit and which to ignore. It’s organized rather than having us go through a giant list of brands, he said. He also said that the Billboard, which highlights daily updates, is also helpful.

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He especially enjoyed browsing Y / Project and the other brands in the Sustainable Style section, including Nanushka, a new addition. It’s well organized and has a sense of purpose, he says.

But he admitted that discovering new brands is the hardest thing, but I actually managed to find a few. Our customers always want something new.

It must be difficult for a brand trying to break in, he admitted. When you walk into a show, you can quickly analyze a collection and do an assessment if that’s okay with you, then take a deeper dive.

And while the organizers have identified new additions to the fair, it’s not as easy as being there to touch and smell the collection. I was hoping we could get back on the plane soon, he said. I miss meeting people who tell me I need to check out a certain brand and having impromptu meetings.

There is no perfect substitute for being at a live performance, but given the circumstances, it was done very well.

Louis DiGiacomo, senior vice president and general manager of men’s merchandise at Saks Fifth Avenue, was also impressed with the way the virtual show was run, but failed to be there in person.

What Pitti Uomo has done to bring a mega men’s lounge to life on a digital platform is amazing, he said. The platform is well organized and easy to navigate, and they’ve done a great job of keeping the show’s momentum going in the digital world.

But what’s difficult from a traders’ point of view, he added, is losing the human interaction that is so important to trade shows. On the digital platform, we can’t ask designers about the brand’s heritage, who they do business with and their vision for the future. Pitti has always been such an inspiring place to check out emerging brands and new trends for men, and it’s hard to do that when you can’t touch the clothes and talk to the designers.

Dan Farrington, men’s gmm for Mitchell Stores, also praised Pitti Connect, but like the other merchants, misses the show in person. It’s Done Well I’ve been impressed with what a lot of people have developed digitally, but it’s not the same. It is really time consuming. When you walk into a show, you can watch the platforms, touch them, and navigate quickly and you can’t do it digitally. You have to watch sku by sku on the computer and it’s a real grind.

So Farrington said he was basically sticking with the brands that stores had worked with in the past. This way we know the cut and the details without being able to touch anything. It is more difficult to prospect for something new.

New brands of accessories are a little easier to navigate than clothes, he admitted. Some categories like shoes, belts, and bags are easier, but with clothes you really have to see it live, touch it, and see it on someone.

Considering the fact that Mitchells has very few buying options to spend for spring anyway, it works. We weren’t buying our regular amount, he said. We packed a ton of spring this year and postponed some.

Federica Montelli, Fashion Director of Italys Rinascente, said of Pitti Connect: The platform is very well built, clear and intuitive. The brands are well identified, lookbooks, videos, but also mood images are available for most brands and they present the essence of the brand and the collection effectively.

Like Pask, Montelli liked how the digital site was similar to the physical presentation of the show. The format maintains the same structure as the physical salon, making it easier for buyers with their existing benchmarks.

She also stressed that the duration of the digital fair was a positive element. It is convenient to find all the information about the salon and brands for a longer period of time, examining them all in the comfort and calm of the office or home. There are many brands both established and new that in the digital format are more aligned in terms of visibility and importance.

Even so, she said no digital show could compete with an in-person event. Walking and browsing the collections is sometimes faster and more efficient. But ultimately, the vibe and energy you experience during the physical show is so unique that it is difficult to transfer it through a digital platform. It’s nice to have the platform for a longer period of time, but nothing can replace the moment of exchange among all peers and in this industry and colleagues, which is so central to the Pitti experience.

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