Despite of the uncertainty surrounding the sector, Andrés Restrepo, Inexmoda's executive director, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the first balance of Colombiamoda's 19th edition: “This is definitely the most important convention from our country when it comes to design, runways, internationalization, and business movement. We are very happy with the job done: we have seen much avant-garde in the fashion shows, the expositors in the new jewelry and fashion jewelry pavilion have manifested their desire to have a permanent space during the Convention, due to their successful participation this year. The agents from the brand houses have reported that their business activity, as well as their income activity has increased, just as the figures prove it.”

Ticket office reports informed a total of 7,413 national visitors, from which 3,092 were buyers. Now, in terms of international visitors, 674 from 24 countries came through Proexport and 875 came by their own, for a grand total of 1,538.

According to Proexport's report, in words of its CEO, Mrs. María Elvira Pombo, “3,917 business appointments were fixed, among those which were held in the stands, such as in Proexport's business center. The business estimate reported by the business people of $45.333 million (U.S. dollars), overtopped the 40 million initial estimate, and from the reported estimate $8.387 million come from deals already closed during the convention. On the jewelry and fashion jewelry field, 20 companies from this sector which took part in the convention have reported business estimate of one million dollars and deals were closed for $250,000 during the event. The most important countries in terms of purchase activity were Mexico, with $3,600,000; Ecuador with $1,130,000 and Venezuela with $1,500,000. The most demanded products were male and female underwear, denim-wear and female casual wear.”

Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos, whom will be Inexmoda's new executive director from tomorrow, and whom has a trained business vision of the macrosector due to his previous work experience in the Andi, also expressed himself as very satisfied: “I saw that people were very positive, some really important contacts were established and the international aspects of the convention worked really well, with both buyers that came through Proexport and those who came through Inexmoda as well. These facts demonstrated that the best business people are those who are able to discover opportunities during the hard times, and I believe that there are many of this kind in the textile-clothing production industry.”

Note: All figures in U.S. dollars.