A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES AT PITTI

The role of Marc O'Polo at Pitti 2022

Marc O'Polo was an absolute crowd puller. This was not only due to the great menswear collection and an eye-catching stand, but also to the excellent sales team. Around 4,000 visitors from 69 nations visited the Marc O'Polo"Garden of Sweden" on the first two days of the fair. The highlight of the show was the "Drinks & Tunes Party" in the outdoor lounge in front of the stand, where not only the 35 degree sun but also the beats of DJ Wolfram made the international guests sweat.

Mischa and Niklas provide first-hand insight into what the sales team can expect from events such as Pitti, and discuss the essential importance of trade fairs for Marc O'Polo.

Mischa | Area Manager Casual Men

General information about the Pitti Immagine Uomo

Fashion thrives on emotion, and Pitti is one of the world’s most renowned men's fashion events. In other words, both are two strategically important elements for Marc O'Polo to present the label's full radiance again after two years of the pandemic, and to take the next step towards internationality.

The Pitti Immagine Uomo - The highlight of Marc O'Polo

Of course, events such as these are the highlights. I think I speak for my colleagues in saying that we always have a lot of fun at them and sometimes you even momentarily forget that it's work. On the first evening, we were with the entire Marc O'Polo Pitti team as well as invited guests at the Angel Roofbar above the roofs of Florence. And we spent the second evening in a smaller group of our men's team and our most important wholesale partners. Two really wonderful evenings.

The Marc O'Polo ideology

But the nights are always after the fair. The market is currently talking positively about us and we want to build on this success with the Casual Men's Team. And it is not difficult for a sales manager to identify with Marc O'Polo. I can say with conviction that the company has focused on quality and sustainability since day one and I want to continue promoting this philosophy. It's on us.

NIKLAS | Head of Sales Casual Men

The Pitti as a part of the internationalisation strategy

Aside from company events and sales meetings, the regular trade fairs are important platforms for presenting the current collections as well as the Marc O'Polo brand story and values. Pitti Uomo is undoubtedly the highlight of the four to six events held each year, and we simply cannot miss it. Especially in the context of our internationalisation strategy, because we still have growth potential in many foreign markets. Of course, Pitti is also a forum for our existing dealers, and here we have the chance to emotionalize the brand and communicate our corporate strategy.

What happened at Marc O'Polo after the official part of the Pitti

At such events, there is no real conclusion to the day. But at a sales dinner with selected partners, for example, you can exchange a few words in private and thus deepen and strengthen customer relationships. However, we also explored Florence. The historic centre is easily navigable and the German trade congregates at the "sweet spots" to celebrate and network.

The life of a sales manager at Marc O'Polo outside the events

Beyond the trade fairs, we then conduct the order phases several times a year in our showrooms, where we sell our products to the specialised trade. In the travel phases in between, we are on the road in our respective areas to visit our retailers. Here, it's all about the right presentation at the POS, space management of the shop-in-stores, training of employees as well as acquisition and generation of market trends. So it definitely doesn't get boring as a sales manager.