If it had been a soccer match it would have rewarded the boldest bettors, ready to bet on an away win on a difficult field: expectations for Première Vision, the consensus opinion, were relatively cautious due to a whole series of factors that actually put even the most pessimistic off the track.

After an excellent Milano Unica, it seems that the textile sector can also send an excellent Première Vision to the archives, which on its second day increased the number of visitors and the feeling of brilliance, also accomplice, at the level of visual perception, to the presence of students from French fashion schools. After yesterday’s already good debut, thus came an important confirmation for exhibitors and organizers.

The effects of the new strategies, which also include major investments in incoming for very high-end buyers, are already becoming apparent and give confidence for the near future of the show.

Among the “loyalists” to PV is, for example, Lombard Gipitex, where sales manager Daniele Donzelli can already draw a positive balance: “We confirmed our trust in PV,” he says, “and we appreciated this core of Italian-ness represented by Italian Touch, which helps visitors understand where Italian companies are. The turnout at the booth in the first two days was definitely higher than previous seasons, also in terms of quality, with many creative directors of brands. We started out with moderate expectations but we have changed our minds, closing a circle of quality opened at Milano Unica, because even there more than quantity the type of visits counted.”

But some perplexity remains for July: “We are evaluating,” Donzelli concludes, “because for women’s fashion and prêt-à-porter September is more suitable; July may be good for men’s fashion, and therefore more Milan than Paris. And then already now we are at the fifth fair in less than two months and we have to figure out where to invest and where not to.”

A concern that looks five months away but does not impact the present: in halls 5 and 6 one sees stands as full as in the “good times” and only in the accessories part, in hall 4, was less liveliness noticed. Tomorrow is the last day of the fair, waiting for the official numbers that will give an even clearer picture of this positive Italian-French trade fair round.