Press release 25 th October 2014

GOLD/ITALY HAS BEGUN MADE IN ITALY JEWELLERY CONQUERS NEW MARKETS Considerable focus on business thanks to the ‘Meeting Club’ format and ‘Retail Italy Project’, two new proposals to capture the interest of international buyers and retailers.

From today until Monday October 27 th in the Fair at Arezzo

Today saw the opening of GOLD/ITALY, the Arezzo Fiere e Congressi event specifically for Made in Italy jewellery, gold and bijoux.

Until 27 th October, GOLD/ITALY will not only be Made in Italy's importers and exporters from Italy and over 50 other countries.

glamour

showcase but also, and above all, a meeting point between supply and demand, where 220 exhibiting companies from the main Italian gold districts will be dialoguing with buyers, wholesalers, retailers, chain stores, The opening ceremony, attended by Authorities and representatives from the economic world, was purposefully a 'minimal' affair: the President of Arezzo Fiere e Congressi, Andrea Boldi and the Artistic Director, Beppe Angiolini, thus aimed at underlining the strong spirit of practicality that is the very essence of this show. “In a market where the dynamics are becoming increasingly complex at a global level," said President Boldi, "it is essential to focus on the only objective that really counts: creating the conditions so that exhibiting companies can approach the markets, both traditional and new, by intercepting changes in demand and favouring contact between those who sell and those who buy.

I believe that this is the main function of a trade fair and with Arezzo Fiere e Congressi, we intend to constantly strengthen this commitment.” For this edition of GOLD/ITALY in fact, Arezzo Fiere e Congressi is proposing two new projects aimed at giving concrete support to exhibitor business. One is the exclusive "Meeting Club" format which involves a delegation of 240 top buyers from 50 different countries. The formula foresees the organisation of targeted meetings between companies and buyers, predefined on the basis of the characteristics of the goods that each exhibitor is offering and, after accurate research and selection by partners on the most promising markets. A particularly interesting factor is that, for the very first time, emerging countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and other states that arose out of the ex Soviet Union, are 'taking a look' at Arezzo and the Italian market. The project was made possible thanks also to the participation of Regione Toscana and Toscana Promozione, the Arezzo Chamber of Commerce and ITA– Italian Trade Agency for the promotion of Italian companies abroad and their internationalisation.

The second new idea this year is the “Retail Italy Project” devised and supported by Arezzo Fiere e Congressi to further extend the commercial offer: 160 selected retailers will be visiting the trade fair and will be able to meet the companies. The project will continue throughout the year in order to provide a constant assistance service to selected retailers and exhibiting companies. The opening day was not without opportunities for confrontation and for discovering developments in the market and consumer behaviour. These were the topics discussed at a round table, chaired by the television fashion journalist, Cinzia Malvini, and entitled: “

Glam Lab Talk: when a detail makes the difference

” with Beppe Angiolini, President of the Camera Italiana dei Buyer della Moda, Elisabetta Barracchia, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Accessory and Vogue Gioiello, actors Luca Argentero and Myriam Catania, journalists Paola Cacianti, special correspondent for Costume Moda Cultura Rai 1 – Tg1; Elisabella Falciola, senior editor and person in charge of fashion at TG5, and designers Chiara Boni and Gianluca Capannolo. www.goldinitaly.it

Press Office MENEGHINI & ASSOCIATI - www.meneghinieassociati.com

Cinzia Di Rosa (+ 39) 347/1010498 [email protected]

AREZZO FIERE E CONGRESSI

Gloria Bastieri (+39) 0575 936261 [email protected]