Italian menswear in 2014 registered a 3% growth and revenues of 8.8 billion euros, according to data released by the Italian federation of fashion businesses, Sistema Moda Italia (SMI), for the 88th edition of Pitti Uomo menswear trade fair opening Tuesday in Florence.
Exports were key, as in previous seasons, with a 5.1% growth recorded in 2014 exceeding 5.5 billion euros.
Imports grew 10.3%, said SMI ahead of the men's wear salon running through Friday at Florence's Fortezza da Basso.
Overall, exports grew both in the European Union area, 4.5%, and outside the EU, 5.6%, though the European market remained the most important for Italian menswear with a 51.8% share of the sector's sales.
The domestic market stayed in negative territory, with a 3.6% drop last year, while production went down 2.7% after recovering in 2013, SMI said. Meanwhile, menswear exports in the first quarter of 2015 grew 3.8% from the same period last year while imports went up 13.1%, according to data elaborated by national statistics bureau Istat.
Ready-to-wear, knitwear and shirts grew above the average rate recorded by the overall sector from January through March 2015, respectively rising 4%, 6% and 5.7%.
Italian menswear this year has so far recorded an 8.7% drop in the French market while growing in Germany - 6.1% - the US - 14.6% - Britain - 13.5% - and Spain - 9.9%.
Italian menswear sales also showed profit in Japan in the first quarter, up 5.65, while decreasing 3.7% in China and plunging 22.9% in Russia.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
