The 10th International Exhibition on Lingerie, Hosiery, Beach Fashion and Accessories ended with an outstanding commercial success: INTIMA Punto & Seguido.

The new trends for spring - summer 2008 were displayed in glamorous fashion shows, with the presence of major players in this industry.
For three days, and across 6,000 sq mt, 87 exhibitors gathered to show their latest collections and new trends in men and women’s “intimate world”. More than 6,727 pros and businessmen from this industry had the chance to look at it and get updated.

A warm climate was the right framework to get updated and do good business. Eight fashion shows displayed new products, colors and trends. Top models such as Nicole Neumann and Paula Chavez, among a number, filled runways with glamour and showed the creations of different brands.

Year after year this industry is becoming stronger and stronger as production and sales expectations grow. Argentina displays a great potential in the regional market, being one of the few countries in the area with a mature lingerie and beachwear industry. Argentinean design quality is another factor, promoting sales of local products for their differentiating character.

Looking at that scenario, the ExportAr Foundation, together with Indexport Messe Frankfurt, organized the 2nd International Lingerie Buyers’ Round, and invited international buyers to come and see local products.

The Head of Cabinet of the ExportAr Foundation, Mr. Diego Nelli, addressed the business audience and stated: “(...) the success of a company, when it is starting to develop external markets, does not depend on its product’s attributes alone, but on having a range of logistics, commercial and financial skills much more sophisticated than those needed to sell in the local, domestic market. The fact of going out to the world requires the cooperation of businesses, states, organizations, so as to create the tools required today to develop new markets abroad. The organization of this 2nd International Buyers’ Round is the product of that cooperation, of that interaction between the public and the private sectors. Its purpose is to offer Argentinean companies the possibility of getting in direct contact with foreign prospects and, in turn, help foreign companies see products and designs on site, even the production capacity that their potential suppliers may have.” 

Special business agendas were put together bearing in mind the needs of foreign companies vis á vis the exportable supply of local companies. There were a total of 130 meetings, which involved 29 Argentinean companies and 6 foreign companies from Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile.

The results were highly positive, because competitiveness for product price, quality and design supports this industry’s exports. 

Another prestigious highlight at INTIMA Punto & Seguido 2007 was an event organized by INVISTA for the LYCRA® brand, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the brassiere. The purpose was to highlight the 100th anniversary of the brassiere which, along the last decades, has become a critical item in the protection, comfort and intimate health of women. Its history is closely related to the main conquests of women in the last century. 


The exhibitors were quite satisfied with their participation and achievements at the exhibition. Some stated:

ALLONDRA 
Marketing Manager, Miguel H. Staniscia
“The exhibition exceeded our expectations. We had lots of people without a seat at our fashion show for the enormous appeal of Nicole Neumann, the company’s face for a year now. The quality of public was very good (…) The fair is very well put; they know how to do things.”

CELESTE MOLINARI
Owner of the company, Celeste Molinari
“We are a company based in the city of Mar del Plata, focused on the design and manufacturing of beachwear and lingerie. This is our first time at the fair and we managed to get a very good experience, which exceeded our expectations as to public quality and numbers. We can say that we have closed a number of transactions, both with local and foreign companies. It was quite positive and, of course, we will be here again next year”.

ANGELANE
General Manager, Ester Burkiewics
“We are a local brand and we are building contacts abroad. We did quite well in the business rounds. We are very happy with the opportunity to introduce ourselves given by the company. I would come again because I can see better expectations than those I already had. The quality of public was good (…) We have got many new leads which, we expect, will bear fruit. We would come back in 2008. We really liked being here and showing our brand.”

LYON D’OR 
Marketing, Christian Nayar
“This is our third year at the fair. The truth is we are really happy to be here. Not only for the fact of coming once more but for the quality of the visitors and the transactions you can close both with local and foreign parties. As usual, the fact of being here is important. Like coming one more year with all our staff, working and showing the new products and designs for this year.”

SELÚ
Director, Luis Cantilo
“This is our second time since Messe Frankfurt first got involved with this fair. As usual, we are quite happy. We cannot say much about the organization, because it is always spotless; the place is well decorated, arranged. We are pleased to join this event, and, I expect, we will keep on coming in the future.”

TDB 
Director, Airton Bobrow
“We sell fabric for lingerie and beachwear. I am very happy to be here, at Intima Punto & Seguido, for the first time. I am impressed at the number of people who came to our booth, and I hope that the exhibition is a success for all.”

Such as the past edition, the organization of the fair was in the hands of the company Del Burgo & Asociados, the editors of the most important magazine in this industry, and Indexport Messe Frankfurt, the prestigious organizers of technical fairs.

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