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Italy aims to crack US market for fashion exports

ROME: Italy will unveil a plan next month to try to boost fashion exports to the United States, Foreign Trade Minister Piero Fassino said in an interview published on Saturday.

"The U.S. market is absolutely strategic and it is also the most competitive because everyone is trying to get in," Fassino told business daily Il Sole 24 Ore.

"That's why we have to be able to compete at an appropriate level. Our plan will be presented on February 18...it's about innovative and multimedia communication to promote the image of 'made in Italy'," Fassino said.

The minister said clothiers, furriers, jewellers and furnishers had all been involved in the plan, but he declined to give more details. A similar promotion is planned for Asia.

Fassino expected rising fashion exports this year.

"The prospects are good...The American market is strong, there is renewed demand in Asia and clear signals of recovery in Europe, while even in Russia things are starting to improve," he said. "All the conditions are there for exports to rise again."

Fashion association Moda Industria said earlier this week that exports picked up in the second half of 1999, indicating that the year was less of a disaster than had been feared.

Production of clothing, shoes and textiles in 1999 fell 1.7 percent to 45.3 trillion lire ($24.10 billion) and exports were down 4.2 percent at 23.7 trillion lire, according to Moda Industria preliminary figures.

Italy's trade surplus for the sector is expected to have slipped to 12.74 trillion lire from 13.55 trillion lire in 1998.