U.S. MARKET GLEAMS FOR VICENZAORO EXHIBITORS
Byline: Alessandra Ilari
VICENZA, Italy — The action at the show was brisk, but many exhibitors at the recent edition of Vicenzaoro, the Italian jewelry fair here, had their minds on the U.S. market.
The show, which took place in the exhibition hall of the Vicenza fair grounds Jan. 14-21, drew 17,434 attendees, up 18 percent from the same show a year ago. The number of U.S. buyers in attendance was up 2 percent, to 674.
Several jewelry company executives said they had registered worldwide sales increases of up to 20 percent in 1995 and expect to post similar results this year. But in light of weak domestic sales caused by the sluggish economy, many of the jewelry makers said they were stepping up their efforts to market to American retailers and consumers. Some noted they already had a significant business in the U.S., which they were looking to expand.
A number of executives at the show said their firms have either opened U.S. offices and showrooms or hired U.S. sales agents.
“The U.S. accounts for 35 percent of our volume, so it made sense to open an office in New York,” said Matteo Rigon, coowner at Superoro. The chain manufacturer opened its office there a year ago.
Giancarlo Chimento, vice president of Chimento, one of the many diversified jewelry makers at the show, said that his goal over the next five years is to make the company’s U.S. volume even with that of the Italian market. “To further penetrate the U.S., in 1992 we formed a company called Chimento USA,” Chimento said. The company’s U.S. office is in Miami.
“We had noticed that if a U.S. client likes and believes in the product, that client is very faithful,” he pointed out.
Because of a growing interest from U.S. retailers, Giuseppe Venditti, owner of Kria, said his firm will begin working with U.S. sales agents in February.
Venditti also noted that the firm for the first time will invest in ad campaigns this year to back up its international sales effort, including that in the U.S.
Peggy Grosz, U.S. distributor for Stephan Hafner, a high-end Swiss designer based in Bologna, said that her firm will be pushing for big U.S. gains this year.
“Currently, we have 45 sales points in the U.S. and we reached $3 million sales in 1995, which we expect to double in 1996,” said Grosz.
On the trend front, buyers shopping the fair had plenty to choose from, but the most widely visible looks included textured-finish gold, combined, in many cases, with shiny gold; twisted, rope-like bracelets and necklaces; colored golds in pinks, yellows and whites, either alone or in various combinations; chunky rings with yellow stones, and white gold and diamonds for daytime.
Ilaria Furlotti, president of Alfieri/St. John, said the company was doing well with white gold jewelry in the U.S. “Our bestsellers have been white gold and diamond banded rings, matched necklace and ring sets and Star of David pendants on long, thin chains,” she said.
At Fibo, Daniele Mantuano, commercial manager, said his U.S. clients had been opting for hollow chains in three-color combinations with important, sapphire-and-ruby studded clasps. In 1995, Fibo’s sales reached $32 million, 60 percent of which was generated in the U.S.