Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Centrobanca and CENSIS on April 3rd 2008 presented “GROWING WITH THE ITALIAN STYLE. Models, strategies and transformations of the Italian textile and fashion companies”, a research study to better understand the changes that characterize this important sector of the Italian economy, composed by more than 97.000 firms that employ around 850.000 employees, 12% of the national manpower.
The more and more aggressive competition of countries with low-cost labour force and the arrival on the market of new operators, such as big distributors of fashion products, are forcing clothing-textile industry to adopt new models and competition strategies.

The study carried out by CENSIS on a panel of medium concern companies has shown how the success key lays essentially in a sure mixture of factors: the development of the creative and innovative component of the product, the development and strengthening of brand, the innovation technology, the improving of supply chain, the increasing control of distribution channels and the intensification of relationships with the producing system, above, and retailers and clients, below.
Prof. Giuseppe De Rita, President of Censis, has evidenced how, in the last few years, fashion firms have shown their competitiveness combining creativity in distribution strategies, in logistic strategies, in brand image and exploitation. De Rita has also underlined the necessity of studying the small core of the best fashion firms to understand the reasons of their growth and the way to transfer these models into the deepest layers of the national production system.
The Generale Manager of Centrobanca, Dr. Valeriano D’Urbano, has shown how the major challenge of the banks consists in adopting enterprises rhythm to understand the actual trends in a fashion sector, where quickness in accomplishing and putting on the market “ideas” is a determining competitive factor. He has underlined how finance offers interesting opportunities in the development of the fashion system and especially of  those firms that the research study has pointed out to have features of excellence.

Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana will keep on engaging and contributing to increase quality and management of fashion sector. The President Cav. Lav. Mario Boselli has dedicated the day and the research to those Italian entrepreneurs who are the first in the world as far as outlook, determination and courage are concerned.