Ilaria Dazzi: “Antiques, historical design and vintage are helping to open up new Asian frontiers.”

(Parma, 2 October 2023) – A key destination for finding fashion, design and beauty. This is how Asian buyers perceive and discover Italy at Mercanteinfiera, the exhibition of antiques, historical design, modern antiques and vintage collectibles being held at Fiere di Parma until Sunday, October 8, also hosting during the first weekend buyers from the USA, Northern European countries – particularly Scandinavia – and Vietnam.

An event that is becoming more and more not just a commercial but also a cultural bridge, helping to connect different cultures, including countries like Vietnam, still hard to reach through official channels.

“As retailers –  explains Tran Thi Hoai Anh, CEO of the franchising distributor Runway Vietnam, – we are always interested in bringing beautiful objects to Vietnam and to neighbouring countries.  Mercanteinfiera is a great exhibition where to find fashion, vintage items, jewellery, glassware and ceramics. In Vietnam, we make every effort to introduce Vietnamese customers to true Italian beauty. It is not just about the object itself, but also about the designer’s name, who manufactured it, and why it was made. The story behind it.” Interest in our country is confirmed by the economic data: Italian fashion accounts for about 70% of Runway’s sales.

The representation from the East, this year predominantly female, continues to be strong, with many extremely knowledgeable operators, with excellent taste, looking for high-quality items. “Antiques, historical design and vintage,” – points out Ilaria Dazzi, Exhibition Director of Mercanteinfiera – are helping to open up new Asian frontiers, such as Vietnam, with which the study of cultural relations is still ongoing, because mutual knowledge is not always very advanced.”

Mutual knowledge is sought after and requested by Vietnamese society itself. “The new generations – concludes Tran Thi Hoai Anh – are increasingly open to the world, they travel a lot, they visit Italy frequently, and participate in events like Mercanteinfiera. They are interested in discovering quality brands and acquiring expertise in these areas. In addition, vintage is gaining in importance in our country, too, because young people are embracing the principles of sustainability. They want to bridge the gap between our countries, learn from each other and share our cultures and traditions.”