Posted December 2, 2015

 

Holy boughs of holly. Where did December come from? Seems like only last week I was covering AATCC’s International Conference in Savannah. Was that really nine months ago? And has it been six months since STA members gathered in Hilton Head for their Annual Meeting?
 

2015 – you are a fleeting mistress. Slow down and let’s experience your ambience a bit longer, lady. You’ve been “eventful,” to say the least.

 

That’s what happens, I guess, when you circle a Big Event on your calendar and plan for it for months – all while plugging and chugging along to keep things moving, updated and covered. And when that Big Event comes to pass, you suddenly find yourself hearing “Deck the Halls” everywhere you go.

 

Now with more than a week to catch my breath, I must say that ITMA 2015 in Milan was one for the record books – and not just in sheer numbers. Based on conversations I’ve had with numerous ITMA veterans, visitors and exhibitors, the 17th edition of the quadrennial trade show ranked up there with the best of ’em. Last night at an association planning meeting, for instance, an exhibitor told me, “This was the best ITMA I’ve attended, based on size, organization and the number of decision makers and ‘serious’ visitors attending – and I’ve been to every one since 1979.” Two other longtime attendees shared similar sentiments with me recently, as well. And several expressed gleeful surprise at the number and quality of U.S. visitors who made the European trek.

 

I would have to concur – though I’ve covered only four ITMAs. As I made my rounds, I noticed the prevalence of a positive vibe throughout the show’s eight-day run. People – Americans even – seemed eager, energetic and excited again about future prospects as visitors gathered en masse to see the latest and greatest in various stands. And I can honestly say I heard no negative comments about the show itself, a first for me.

 

Personally, ITMA was exhausting but exhilarating. Even with eight solid days, I couldn’t get to every stand on my list. I did try, though, even at the expense of not spending much quality time with many exhibitors. My Walter Mittyesque mission to see “everything” took me from the weaving hall to the finishing hall and back again – and going hall to hall was quite a haul. Texts and calls from exhibitors needing my presence ASAP had me often postponing the day’s “plan” and zigzagging across Fiero Milano Rho as if in a virtual game of Pac-Man. My Health app logged me walking more than six miles each day, and I actually returned weighing less than when I arrived in Italy. (Take that, rich and savory pasta.)

 

Other than seeing many well-known faces, the best thing for me was meeting new people from the U.S. and around the world. Among them were the good folks from Innovative Textiles in Colorado, who were talking with Harrell Ligon of Lang Ligon & Co. in the LGL Electronics stand when I stopped by. In addition, I enjoyed walking the show with Al Thomas of Frankl & Thomas and meeting several of his principals who stretch the globe. It was also good to see retailer and brand representatives from Nike, New Balance and Levi Strauss. And where else but ITMA would I run into people from Mattex Group, Beverly Knits and Acme-McCrary, not to mention putting faces to names with companies’ marketing folks with whom I’ve corresponded from afar? You think you know everybody in the industry until an ITMA comes along.

 

This week and over the next few weeks, I’ll continue to provide post-show reports on each of the companies I visited. I hope the coverage is informative, especially during this, the most wonderful time of the year.