Internationalization via ICE
Roberto Luongo, General Director of ICE, the Italian Trade Agency, talked exclusively to WMIDO about the synergy created with the Italian fashion industry and Mido-Anfao.
What does ICE do to foster the internationalization process for the fashion system?Sharing and operating synergies with entrepreneurial and trade associations. With this approach the Government is promoting strong coordination also among the other sector’s main players: the Camera della Moda, Milan, Pitti Immagine, Ente per la Moda, Florence, the three districts of Como, Prato and Biella, Rome and Sistema Moda Italia (SMI). The result is a “plan for fashion” with significant funding.How does ICE support the eyewear sector?For some years now and in close collaboration with Anfao-Mido, ICE has been supporting the Italian eyewear industry in foreign markets through a packed program of promotional actions dedicated to our companies. The first step is the yearly identification of countries that will be targeted by an action. Focus on countries intersects with deciding what kind of promotion is most suitable for the selected market and the special characteristics of the eyewear segment.In mature markets or those that host important exhibitions, ICE’s action generally focuses on setting up an Italian collective that underscores the quality and exclusive image of Made in Italy products. In newly-developing countries, actions are targeted with a workshop-independent exhibition, professional meetings between participating Italian companies and buyers from the host country and neighbouring markets.At Mido ICE organizes the incoming of operators from markets that are strategic for the sector.What were the main actions in the optics-eyewear sector in 2015?For Mido 2015, the showcase for Made in Italy, we invited about 170 buyers and journalists to Milan and presented to them the best of our products in a packed program of events that occupied the delegations for about three days. In March, we curated the Italian pavilion at Vision Expo East in New York City, which involved 25 companies; in Miami in October we strengthened North American actions with a two-day workshop in which 30 Italian companies took part.In May, actions were dedicated to centre-east Europe through a workshop held in Zagreb with 25 Italian producers in attendance and 154 buyers from all the countries in the area, including the Balkans and markets close to central Asia. In August, we sounded out the Swedish market and for the first time accompanied 21 companies to the Optikmassan exhibition in Stockholm. 2015 closed in November with the traditional appointment in the VOS excellence area at the Optical Fair in Hong Kong, which this year hosted 23 Italian companies thanks to ICE.What about future programs?We are already working on support actions for the next Mido. We are counting on bringing numerous delegations of buyers. Italy’s official participation at the next Vision Expo East in New York City is already at an advanced stage. Without a doubt, we will repeat the appointment in east Europe in spring and the Optical Fair in Hong Kong. Together with Anfao we are also defining other possible areas for action between now and 2017.
What does ICE do to foster the internationalization process for the fashion system?Sharing and operating synergies with entrepreneurial and trade associations. With this approach the Government is promoting strong coordination also among the other sector’s main players: the Camera della Moda, Milan, Pitti Immagine, Ente per la Moda, Florence, the three districts of Como, Prato and Biella, Rome and Sistema Moda Italia (SMI). The result is a “plan for fashion” with significant funding.How does ICE support the eyewear sector?For some years now and in close collaboration with Anfao-Mido, ICE has been supporting the Italian eyewear industry in foreign markets through a packed program of promotional actions dedicated to our companies. The first step is the yearly identification of countries that will be targeted by an action. Focus on countries intersects with deciding what kind of promotion is most suitable for the selected market and the special characteristics of the eyewear segment.In mature markets or those that host important exhibitions, ICE’s action generally focuses on setting up an Italian collective that underscores the quality and exclusive image of Made in Italy products. In newly-developing countries, actions are targeted with a workshop-independent exhibition, professional meetings between participating Italian companies and buyers from the host country and neighbouring markets.At Mido ICE organizes the incoming of operators from markets that are strategic for the sector.What were the main actions in the optics-eyewear sector in 2015?For Mido 2015, the showcase for Made in Italy, we invited about 170 buyers and journalists to Milan and presented to them the best of our products in a packed program of events that occupied the delegations for about three days. In March, we curated the Italian pavilion at Vision Expo East in New York City, which involved 25 companies; in Miami in October we strengthened North American actions with a two-day workshop in which 30 Italian companies took part.In May, actions were dedicated to centre-east Europe through a workshop held in Zagreb with 25 Italian producers in attendance and 154 buyers from all the countries in the area, including the Balkans and markets close to central Asia. In August, we sounded out the Swedish market and for the first time accompanied 21 companies to the Optikmassan exhibition in Stockholm. 2015 closed in November with the traditional appointment in the VOS excellence area at the Optical Fair in Hong Kong, which this year hosted 23 Italian companies thanks to ICE.What about future programs?We are already working on support actions for the next Mido. We are counting on bringing numerous delegations of buyers. Italy’s official participation at the next Vision Expo East in New York City is already at an advanced stage. Without a doubt, we will repeat the appointment in east Europe in spring and the Optical Fair in Hong Kong. Together with Anfao we are also defining other possible areas for action between now and 2017.
