Business and creativity:
The perfect combination at COLOMBIAMODA 2009

8,500 people attended, of which 6,872 were national visitors- buyers and 1,400 international buyers. Together with the number of visitors and students, these are the numbers derived from this successful version of the Fair.

8,500 attendees to the Knowledge Pavilion Inexmoda - Coltejer, 380 to the Eco-design seminar, 450 exhibitors, 23 runways and coverage by more than 600 national and international journalists, are other figures with which a renewed and inclusive fair comes to a close where each one found an adequate space to express themselves through creativity and business.

In the closing press conference of COLOMBIAMODA 2009 Doctor Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos, Executive Director of Inexmoda –accompanied by the Mayor of Medellin, Alonso Salazar Jaramillo and Ricardo Vallejo, Vice-president of exports of Proexport, presented a successful balance of the 20th edition of Colombiamoda.

Within the recount of what occurred throughout the three Fair days, Doctor Botero highlighted: (figures obtained at closure at 2:00 p.m. of July 30, 2009).

On July 27 the 20th edition of the Fair officially began with the runway of designer Ronaldo Fraga, also known as the fashion poet. This event that was held in the Botanical Garden meant beginning with the right foot in Inexmoda’s efforts of delivering a renewed and inclusive event. Fraga’s collection “Disneylandia” marked the beginning of a Colombiamoda full of creativity and convinced of the importance of thinking of fashion democratically and from the ECOTECH.

Colombiamoda opened its doors with the presence of the President of the Republic, Álvaro Uribe Vélez, who in conversation with the representatives of companies suggested the creation of a network of cooperation to fight against contraband and in support of the Customs Fiscal Police. Likewise, he announced his support for businessmen to have access to first-tier bank loans, which is one of the obstacles currently faced by the sector. In this sense, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, together with Inexmoda, will present the financial sector the projections of the textile-apparel-design and fashion chain, as a World-Class Sector. The Government also committed to supporting market diversification and making efforts so that the Cadivi of Venezuela honors its obligations with this sector’s exporters that ascend to 80 million dollars.  

One of the strengths of this edition of Colombiamoda is having achieved synergy between creativity and business, keeping in mind that the exhibitors not only had the opportunity of showing innovation in their products but also of securing their markets and conquering new ones through the International Business Matchmaking Forum and through direct contacts with buyers that came on their own.

912 business appointments were arranged.
With a team of 140 students from EAFIT University, and with support of the Chamber of Commerce of Medellin for Antioquia and the technological solutions company Ryst, we were able to track national and international buyers that came to the fair on their own. It should be noted that 63% of these international buyers were at the Fair for the first time and 94% stated their desire to return.
At 2:00 p.m. of the last day of the Fair, independent buyers reported the following business figures:

• Closed deals: US$ 3,181,889
• Business estimate: US$ 10,229,645
• Total one year business expectations: US$13,411,534

Peru was the country with the greatest number of independent buyers, followed by USA and other countries are highlighted such as Ethiopia, France and Yemen. On the other hand Proexport reported in the business matchmaking forum expectations for US$ 10.9 million. In addition to this, we had buyers brought by the entity who made business directly in the stands with an expectation of US$ 41.3 million, which means total business expectations with buyers brought by Proexport for US$ 52.2 million.

The Fair came to a close with 450 exhibitors and the presence of important brands that supported the event, namely: GEF, Punto Blanco, Fatelares, Balalaika, Off Corss, Fabricato, Onda de Mar, Diesel, Marithé Francois Girbaud, Kippling, No Project, 55DSL, Texcauca, Leonisa, Jean Pascal, Polito, Beatriz Camacho, Divino, Formas Íntimas, Oakley, Tallmedias, Cachet, Marketing Personal, Phax, Formit de Colombia, Kelinda, Fiorucci, Garotas, Quest, Confecciones Colombia – Everfit, Wrangler, Levis, CI Color Siete, Spataro Napoli, Pietri, Codelin Dino, Baby Dress, Polito, Cueros Vélez, Judy Jazbún, Único Interior, Agua Bendita and Reebok, amongst others.

One of the Fair’s main attractions was the renewal of the White Pavilion, where talent was gathered. Young creators, established designers and important brands exhibited their proposals there. This place provided a space for companies that have proposed a life style through design.

For Inexmoda new talent is fundamental when thinking of making a difference in the national and international markets, for which we held the first Contest Latin America Talks –supported by the Marangoni Institute and Fucsia magazine-. 90 creators from Latin-American countries participated in this event, and the winner was the young Colombian Johnattan Gómez with his proposal Re-Generación. Also, within the Fair’s framework, the Contest Atelier was awarded, sponsored by Francois Marithé Girbaud, Coletex and Marquillas S.A., which was won by the student Lina Guerrero. The works of both contests’ finalists were exhibited in the White Pavilion.

Continuing with the pavilions of this edition, the inclusion for the first time of exhibitors in the categories of leather goods, footwear and leather should be highlighted; in addition to the permanence of jewelry and costume jewelry companies. This was due to Inexmoda’s conviction that fashion goes from head to toe. 

Creativity not only had its space in the stands, but it was seen in the 23 runways held during the three days of the Fair: 7 international designers, 7 commercial brands, 3 young talent runways and 6 national designers.  A more extensive space (two runways: one with capacity for 1,200 persons and the other 800 persons) welcomed designers, in addition to having companies such as Leonisa and Diesel back, deciding to show their collections again in a fair scenario. In this sense, having LAF for the second time in Medellin with eight designers who showed their collections as a first scoop should be highlighted.  

As in other occasions the Fair integrated knowledge as a fundamental element, and in this edition everything was focused on the macro-trend ECOTECH. This is how we offered a program free of charge with 17 conferences and 3 movie forums in the Inexmoda – Coltejer Pavilion, to which 8,500 people attended, and the Seminar “The ECOTECH: an experience from design to the product” with an audience of 380 people. We also highlight the presence of guests such as the Spanish expert Rosario Vidal Nadal, director of the Group of Design Engineering of Universidad Jaume I.

Likewise and as part of the reflection towards the relation between fashion and the macro-trend ECOTECH, the Fashion Lab assembled at the entrance of the White Pavilion a space designed by the architect Camilo Restrepo –who made part of the group that designed the Orquideorama- where guests were invited to experience from the consumer’s attitudes the relation of balance that must exist between technology and ecology.

As has occurred every year, the national and international press professionally and tirelessly covered the Fair. This edition had the coverage of 400 national journalists and 85 international journalists from countries such as Holland, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, Spain and Chile, amongst others, who echoed the best and most relevant of this renewed edition of Colombiamoda 2009.

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