Alicia Rhodes and Samantha Quiroz, Product Development Manager and Designer of AETHER APPAREL (United States):
This is our first time at Pitti Filati. The fair is fantastic, you can feel a great amount of creativity in all the stands starting from the layout of the spaces which are realized in a very innovative way. But that’s not all: every knitting mill is very well prepared on everything; we received a reply to every question and we would like to compliment you on the high quality and expertise of the fair. We met companies and designers from all over the world; the show is truly international and an excellent opportunity for exchange and discussion. Among the sections we liked the most, the Spazio Ricerca: Yarns United was an interactive space and it was really very inspiring. The section dedicated to sustainability was also exquisite, an increasingly topical subject that has now become established on the trend panorama.
Darci Hamilton, Production Manager of ECOLOGYST (Canada):
A really great energy. The people are very helpful, the fair is creative and offers a huge variety of new technologies. I chose to participate because we have a series of new projects to develop; we are evaluating the possibility of starting to produce in Italy and the fair seemed to us to be an excellent opportunity to assess the pros and cons, to get early feedback and establish partnerships. I am very satisfied with the results achieved.
Julia Seregina, Co-founder of JULIA SEREGINA (United States):
I find it a really inspiring fair with proposals that are always new and up-to-date. I have transferred my brand from Moscow to New York, my requirements have changed but at the fair I always manage to find what I’m looking for: maybe this is the reason that each time I choose to spend three whole days at Pitti Filati, I want to have time to see everything. I would define it as a regular community of knitwear ‘fanatics’, a family which is really professional and expert in the world of knitwear. Even the tiniest details of the design are always well handled and don’t forget we are in Italy: the Italian atmosphere is the best, together with that of New York.
Anna Selyanina, Designer and Art Director of LARISA SELYANINA (Russia):
Pitti Filati is a regular community of knitwear professionals, a kind of celebration of knitwear where the people are open and share ideas and new technologies. I find it to be a fair that is one of a kind for three reasons: the Spazio Ricerca is extremely important, I spent an entire day there studying all the trends and the inspiration proposed, the flag display is a work of art; the event is an opportunity to meet manufacturing companies, I have lots of goals and being able to see so many alternatives at the same time is really useful. Finally, professionals from the whole production chain take part in the fair, members of the trade with specific knowledge of the world of yarns. Plus, the organization and design are precise and innovative.
Giulia Bastiani, Knitwear and Jersey Designer of JIL SANDER (Italy):
Pitti Filati is the best fair on an international level for the world of yarns and knitwear, its proposals are always valid and the organization is welcoming and good. Vintage Selection in the Cavaniglia Pavilion was very interesting, with lots of exhibitors and exceptional garments.
Barbara Bobbio, Director Knitwear Production of YVES SAINT LAURENT (France):
Pitti Filati is a regular rendezvous for me. The knitwear production chain is increasingly complex for a whole series of reasons linked, for example, to traceability and ethicalness, and the fair represents a meeting point with all the companies involved in production, not just Italian but international. We want to have direct contact with yarn manufacturers and with all our partners and Pitti Filati is the perfect crossroads for that in addition to being an important showcase for our future projects. The fair is very available and well organized. The world of yarns has always been connected to nature and I am convinced that the direction towards sustainable fashion is the right one.
Echo He, Knitwear Designer of SHENZEN ELLASSAY FASHION CO (China):
This is the first time that I have taken part in Pitti Filati, one of the most important fairs in the world for knitwear designers. In China we have several events but none is so complete and detailed: here I have discovered lots of new types of yarns and working processes and I have already established some important partnerships. The Spazio Ricerca is really inspiring and I find Sustainable to be an important project: sustainability is a theme that I see is already well-structured in Italy whereas this is not the case in China yet. I am committed to valorizing this aspect to the maximum in my own country as well. At the fair I found a great variety of truly interesting recycled yarns. Our company has six different brands in the world, I was looking for something elegant and luxury and I found several proposals.
Dushane Noble, Director of Knitwear Design of THEORY (United States):
This is our first time at Pitti Filati. The fair is fantastic, you can feel a great amount of creativity in all the stands starting from the layout of the spaces which are realized in a very innovative way. But that’s not all: every knitting mill is very well prepared on everything; we received a reply to every question and we would like to compliment you on the high quality and expertise of the fair. We met companies and designers from all over the world; the show is truly international and an excellent opportunity for exchange and discussion. Among the sections we liked the most, the Spazio Ricerca: Yarns United was an interactive space and it was really very inspiring. The section dedicated to sustainability was also exquisite, an increasingly topical subject that has now become established on the trend panorama.
Darci Hamilton, Production Manager of ECOLOGYST (Canada):
A really great energy. The people are very helpful, the fair is creative and offers a huge variety of new technologies. I chose to participate because we have a series of new projects to develop; we are evaluating the possibility of starting to produce in Italy and the fair seemed to us to be an excellent opportunity to assess the pros and cons, to get early feedback and establish partnerships. I am very satisfied with the results achieved.
Julia Seregina, Co-founder of JULIA SEREGINA (United States):
I find it a really inspiring fair with proposals that are always new and up-to-date. I have transferred my brand from Moscow to New York, my requirements have changed but at the fair I always manage to find what I’m looking for: maybe this is the reason that each time I choose to spend three whole days at Pitti Filati, I want to have time to see everything. I would define it as a regular community of knitwear ‘fanatics’, a family which is really professional and expert in the world of knitwear. Even the tiniest details of the design are always well handled and don’t forget we are in Italy: the Italian atmosphere is the best, together with that of New York.
Anna Selyanina, Designer and Art Director of LARISA SELYANINA (Russia):
Pitti Filati is a regular community of knitwear professionals, a kind of celebration of knitwear where the people are open and share ideas and new technologies. I find it to be a fair that is one of a kind for three reasons: the Spazio Ricerca is extremely important, I spent an entire day there studying all the trends and the inspiration proposed, the flag display is a work of art; the event is an opportunity to meet manufacturing companies, I have lots of goals and being able to see so many alternatives at the same time is really useful. Finally, professionals from the whole production chain take part in the fair, members of the trade with specific knowledge of the world of yarns. Plus, the organization and design are precise and innovative.
Giulia Bastiani, Knitwear and Jersey Designer of JIL SANDER (Italy):
Pitti Filati is the best fair on an international level for the world of yarns and knitwear, its proposals are always valid and the organization is welcoming and good. Vintage Selection in the Cavaniglia Pavilion was very interesting, with lots of exhibitors and exceptional garments.
Barbara Bobbio, Director Knitwear Production of YVES SAINT LAURENT (France):
Pitti Filati is a regular rendezvous for me. The knitwear production chain is increasingly complex for a whole series of reasons linked, for example, to traceability and ethicalness, and the fair represents a meeting point with all the companies involved in production, not just Italian but international. We want to have direct contact with yarn manufacturers and with all our partners and Pitti Filati is the perfect crossroads for that in addition to being an important showcase for our future projects. The fair is very available and well organized. The world of yarns has always been connected to nature and I am convinced that the direction towards sustainable fashion is the right one.
Echo He, Knitwear Designer of SHENZEN ELLASSAY FASHION CO (China):
This is the first time that I have taken part in Pitti Filati, one of the most important fairs in the world for knitwear designers. In China we have several events but none is so complete and detailed: here I have discovered lots of new types of yarns and working processes and I have already established some important partnerships. The Spazio Ricerca is really inspiring and I find Sustainable to be an important project: sustainability is a theme that I see is already well-structured in Italy whereas this is not the case in China yet. I am committed to valorizing this aspect to the maximum in my own country as well. At the fair I found a great variety of truly interesting recycled yarns. Our company has six different brands in the world, I was looking for something elegant and luxury and I found several proposals.
Dushane Noble, Director of Knitwear Design of THEORY (United States):
I liked the artistic direction and the atmosphere of this season a lot. Bold but simple, which I believe was also our experience at the fair. The event has evolved: it is great to see an increasing number of knitting mills taking the digital path. I also really liked the students’ catwalk show: it is always exciting to see what they are doing. Sustainability seems to be the most widespread trend and I am pleased that it is becoming the norm rather than an option.
