The fair, to be held at Expo Center Norte, counts on 135 exhibitors from all over the country. A total of 9,000 buyers are expected to attend the fair until Friday, January 25, the last day of the event.
The Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (Abit) supports the event by bringing in international buyers. "We do not yet know how many will come or where they will come from, but the usual average is 80 people," claims Humberto Rebonato, one of the directors at the fair, which is promoted and organized by company Interfeiras Eventos. "There are always people from South America, the United States, Europe and Arab countries."
At the fair, in addition to clothing and shoes, exhibitors will showcase their newest accessories, decoration items and even layette sets turned to the younger crowd.
Brands such as Petistil, D'Viller, Pacífico Sul, Passagem Secreta and Hello Kitty will be present. The fair is expected to generate 110 million reais (US$ 62 million) in business deals, 5% more than in the last autumn/winter edition of the fair.
FIT 0/16, which is held twice a year, has existed for 15 years, and is currently four times larger than it was in its early years. The focus is primarily on the high-income public. "Presently, FIT is South America's largest children's fashion fair," says Rebonato.
Brand Petistil, one of the most traditional in the children's fashion market, has been participating in FIT 0/16 since 2002. The store has existed for 50 years, and its roots trace back to the wholesale market. In 1983, the storeowners decided to establish their own retail stores. In this decade, however, they went back to wholesaling as well.
Petistil has already exported to neighboring countries such as Bolivia and Costa Rica, and even to Lebanon. According to the marketing department at the company, however, those were sporadic exports, with no continuity.
"Of course we have a desire to export, but it takes long-term work, as it needs to be very well done," explains Ana Maria Sousa, of the company's marketing department.
Service
FIT 0/16
From January 22 to 25
Site: www.fit016.com.br
Anba