Following the success of the 2024 edition, Italian Threads: Conversations on Fashion returns—a series of events organized by the Embassy of Italy in the United Kingdom in collaboration with the online media outlet ThePlatform, dedicated to one of Italy’s most iconic industries: fashion.
This project with ThePlatform aligns with the “Italian Fashion Days Worldwide” initiative, announced at the end of January by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, in partnership with leading industry associations.
Kicking off the 2025 series on Tuesday, February 11, were two prominent figures from the Italian fashion world: Carlo Capasa, President of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, and Antonio De Matteis, President of Pitti Immagine and CEO of Kiton. The event, titled “Runways and Trade Shows – The Work Behind the Scenes,” highlighted the extensive efforts involved in organizing a fashion week like the upcoming Milan Fashion Week (opening on February 25) or a major event like Pitti Uomo, which was held with great success this past January.
“Italian craftsmanship, expressed in all its forms—food, fashion, artisanal products, precision industry—is a powerful trademark, a model to follow, and an exceptional tool for diplomacy and soft power,” said Ambassador Inigo Lambertini, describing Capasa and De Matteis as key figures in the industry.
In conversation with Maria Silvia Sacchi, founder and director of ThePlatform, Capasa and De Matteis discussed the complex network of international alliances and relationships needed to set event dates, the “diplomacy” of fashion calendars, strategies to attract exhibitors and buyers from around the world, event selection processes, media relations, and the economic impact that fashion shows and trade fairs have on cities and the country as a whole.
Upcoming events in the Italian Threads: Conversations on Fashion series, curated by Maria Silvia Sacchi and held at the beautiful Embassy venue in Grosvenor Square, will cover topics such as:
Industrial Districts with Luca Isaia and Cristina Squarcialupi
Entrepreneurship and Creativity with Claudio Marenzi
Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence with Stefano Rosso
Sustainability with Davide Bollati
For information: stampa.amblondra@esteri.it
