São Paulo – Fashion industry trade fair Who’s Next & Premiere Classe, held this month in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, should generate US$ 995,000 in deals for the 12 Brazilian companies and designers who participated in the event by means of Texbrasil, a Brazilian program for promoting sector exports. The figure is expected for the coming 12 months.
Aside from the Brazilian companies that attended the fair under the Texbrasil program, promoted by the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (Abit) in partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), other brands from the country participated independently as well.
During the three days of the fair, according to data from Texbrasil, roughly 300 contacts were made with importers from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Greece, France, Lebanon, Slovakia, Germany, Jordan, Turkey, Iran and Syria. At the event, the companies closed deals worth US$ 336,500.
The companies and designers participating by means of Texbrasil were Thais França, GIG, Marcia Ganem, André Ungaratto, Les Parents, Meudoxia, Patrícia Bonaldi, Piedad, Lucidez, Eliane Matos, Feriado Nacional and Miezko. They closed deals with the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia and Germany.
Aécio Neves, the governor of Minas Gerais, the state of origin of several Brazilian designers, attended the opening of the fair, on the 11th, as part of the activities of the business mission of the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais (Fiemg). Neves underscored the importance of designers from Minas Gerais taking part in the fair, so as to promote the fashion produced in the state in the Arab world, and seek new business opportunities. According to figures provided by the Abit, from January to September, Brazilian exports totalled US$ 1.29 billion.
Who’s Next & Premiere Classe is a traditionally French fair, and was held in Dubai for the first time. Texbrasil has already been participating in the French edition for a long time now, and went to the Emirates in order to get to know the market potential. In total, the fair in Dubai received 205 exhibitors from 16 countries, such as France, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, among others. The event received 1,200 visitors.
One of the fair’s differentials was the displaying of various models of abaya, a traditional garment worn by Arab women to cover the body. At the entrance to the fair, 15 models were on display to pay tribute to the country that was hosting the event for the first time.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
