While we were visiting Florence we got a chance to visit Pitti Market. It happened to be men’s fashion week so almost all of the clothing was for men. There were a few things for women and a lot of accessories as well. Everything being sold was for Spring/Summer 2012. I have never been to a trade show before and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But I do want to be a buyer so was very excited to check it out. As the Professors purchased our tickets, I sat and watched people walking in to observe how they dressed. The dress was what I like to call “Italian Casual.” It’s not what we would consider casual in the United States; to us it’s more business casual. But it is a dressed down look here in Italy. I also noticed the men seemed to be a little bit more professional than the women did. All in all, everyone looked very chic and ready to shop.
When we walked into the first tent I was just in awe. I didn’t know where to go or where to look; it was a little overwhelming at first. I was very interested in watching the relationship between the buyer and the vendor. I noticed that a lot of them have very close relationships, which seems vital in this industry. It’s all about whom you know. Watching the relationships grow and even the whole vibe of the market just reconfirmed that being a buyer is truly what I would love to do. It looked so exciting, running around and finding what you need for your stores. It seemed exciting, but also very stressful. I noticed that there were many areas around Pitti where you could just relax. You could get drinks, food, candy, whatever you needed to help you distress. Take a minute to sit down (away from the vendors) re-energize, and then go in another tent back into all of the chaos. These lounge areas seemed vital to make it through the day. Some buyers can run in, get what they need and run out. And others may take all day. No longer how long you need to find the right pieces, its nice to know that you’ll have a place to rest.
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