Develops, streamlines and promote Italian economic and business relations with world
Visitors’ turnout
75 per cent of the visitors came from abroad: A 5 per cent rise compared to last year. This fact – symbol of the 26th edition of Proposte – is proof of the Fair’s leadership at international level. The first places are taken up by the usual visitors, UK, Germany and France, but other significant increases have been observed as well: +10 per cent USA, +27 per cent Poland and Japan which, despite being faraway, show a 4 per centincrease. All 89 exhibitors stressed the excellent quality level of the buyers.
A 10 per cent drop in Italian visitors was recorded, “Something we had expected” declared the President Mauro Cavelli “since it mirrors the trend in today’s Italian market.”The “Textures Matter” Lecture By Mario Bellini. Mario Bellini, the worldfamous architect and designer, captured the attention of his audience with anecdotes and stories.
In the 1980’s, Bellini designed the exhibition centre of Villa Erba. This is one of the reasons that triggered the collaboration with Proposte. In the first part of the lecture the architect illustrated the architectural project of the pavilions, showing the original drawings, together with the setting up of the central pavilion conceived for Proposte 2018. He then continued with an excursus presenting a selection of upholstered artefacts designed during his career, concentrating on the pioneering use of materials and fabrics tested in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He then closed the lecture by stressing the importance of texture, seen as an external skin, in design and architecture projects, presenting by way example his recent project for the Louvre of Parigi, the new Department of islamic Arts.
Bfurnishing fabric sector, in its 26 years Proposte has constantly evolved and has transformed into an important and exclusive showcase for new furnishing fabric and curtain collections. At each edition it hosts increasing numbers of sector operators from across the world.
This year the fair was hosted from May 2-4, 2018 in the prestigious exhibition venue Villa Erba in Cernobbio (Como, Italy). The goal of the event was to develop, streamline and promote Italian economic and business relations with the rest of the world, placing greater focus on the needs of small and medium size denterprises. This edition enjoyed the participation of 89 exhibitors, 42 of which Italian. Once again, the ICE-Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalisation of Italian enterprises collaborated with Proposte by organising the incoming of 12 foreign professional journalists’ experts in this sector from: Ukraine (1), USA (2),UAE (1), Hungary (1), Belgium (1), Germany (1), Russia (1), Japan (1), Mexico (1), Turkey (1),Spain (1).
The inviting of foreign delegations to visit Italian events is an important tool in divulgating Italian trade among foreign buyers via the sector-oriented media. This favours the collection by the foreign press of direct knowledge of the product and of the territory where Italian ‘know-how’ is born.
Through this initiative, ICE-Agency offered concrete support in the promotion of Made inItaly abroad. Indeed, the international press – represented here by major trade magazines – is the ideal sounding board for disseminating information regarding Made in Italy excellences and has always been the attentive and exclusive promoter and mouthpiece of Italian style and, in this case, of furnishing fabrics.
With the renewal of its commitment, ICE-Agency intends to continue supporting Italian operators in their dialogue with foreign markets and to confirm the important role of Italian industry in the global exportation of quality products. Today is the opening day of the 26th edition of Proposte, the global review of furnishing fabrics andcurtain.
The installation – that also inspired all of the graphics of Proposte 2018 with its colours and lines – was based on the fabrics of the exhibitors that took center stage and composed a suspended spiral that fluctuates inside the great cupola of the central pavilion.
