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Absence of fairs has confirmed their crucial
role for the business worldwide

In an exclusive discussion with 'The New Jeweller' - Mr.Marco Carniello - Group Brand Director - Jewellery & Fashion at Italian Exhibition Group discusses the future of the globally gems and jewellery exhibitions and throws more light on the WE ARE JEWELLERY concept of IEG. Excerpts from the discussion:

Q. Dear Mr.Marco, The pandemic has kind of changed the global gems and jewellery exhibitions business altogether. What according to you will be the new normal for Exhibition organisers especially for our trade?

The absence of fairs, in this difficult period, has confirmed their crucial role for the business and the internationalization of the main world industries - in addition to Jewelry & Fashion IEG is one of the main organizers of sector fairs in strategic sectors such as Food & Beverage; Tourism, Hospitality and Lifestyle; Wellness, Sport and Leisure; Green and technology. Companies are even more aware of the importance of meeting their buyers in person at the fair and discussing live with all the market players. We experienced it firsthand in September during our VOICE, which was the only international event in attendance for the goldsmith sector. The need to maintain strong relationships with companies and the market has accelerated a digitization process that IEG had already started, but which now embraces the entire goldsmith supply chain: we have integrated digital to physical events and in some cases we have proposed completely digital initiatives. . They will never replace the physical event, which we can't wait to re-propose, but the "new normal" is already here, and it shows an ever greater integration between physical and digital.

Q. Do you think the second half of 2021 will witness regular shows being organised globally once again or do you think it is too early for this year?

We look to September as the moment in which, thanks to the international vaccination campaigns, we will once again be able to bring together companies and buyers in Italy for Vicenzaoro, an event that will also maintain the digital innovations born in the meantime. We hope that a new season will open at that time opens for major international events.

Q. Italian Exhibition Group has always been innovative in creating new platforms and ideations for getting the trade connected. What are your upcoming plans for this Year?

At IEG we have never stopped and we have continued to offer the trade new business opportunities, developing chances and tools to maintain active and profitable relationships along the supply chain, between all the players in the market. From forecasting jewelry trends to training, from technologies to targeted matching, both offline and online. To facilitate companies to fully grasp the potential of the new tools we have created, we are also offering them a training program to acquire the necessary digital skills. Furhtermore we are exploring ways to promote new collections taking inspiration from the digital fashion weeks. WE ARE Jewellery, the live streaming event that we will launch on March 23, uses emotional storytelling to inspire buyers, remotely connected, with the charm of Made in Italy jewellery.

Q. Tell us something about the recently launched concept - WE ARE JEWELLERY? What are your expectations?

The event is an absolute innovation for the sector, which is showing great interest. To meet the desire to touch jewels, as buyers love to do, we have prepared for them an experience that is as engaging as possible. On 23 March at 1pm (Italian time) 32 companies from the main Italian districts will present their new design through cinematographic videos called "jewellery frames" shot in Arezzo in a historic building of great artistic and architectural value, where one of the most famous fashion boutiques in the world is based - Sugar. The Jewelery Golden Cloud hosting the event will offer numerous B2B functions: with a click, the buyer remotely connected can explore the technical details of each piece in 3D and get in direct contact with the exhibitor, even via videocall. Business matching is facilitated by an artificial intelligence system. The platform is accessible to buyers from next March 19th after registering on the Oroarezzo website (direct link https://www.oroarezzo.it/en/) to start exploring the exhibitors' profiles and set the agenda of business meetings.