I-style in Usa: January/March 2005 figure

Based on data from the American Department of Commerce, Ice has published the first quarter 2005 export results for some I-Style sectors in the US.

The euro/dollar exchange rate seems to have been a less penalizing factor during the first three months of 2005 (from the peak recorded in December 2004, it has returned to 1.22 dollars to the euro), and many sectors seem to have recorded positive 2-figure results.

Still being penalized compared to January/March 2004 are knitwear (-8.1%) and footwear (-2.3%), but clothing (+5.6%) and leatherwear (+11.5%) seem to have recovered.

The most dynamic sector compared to the same period 2004 is confirmed to be perfumery/cosmetics, which showed an increase in exports to the United States close to 30 percentage points (+29.9%).

Eyewear is also doing very well and is maintaining the positive trend of the second half of 2004. The driving force continues to come from sunglasses (+20.5% against the first quarter of 2004), which supported the sector's Italian exports throughout last year, but frames are showing good signs of recovery and overseas exports have increased by 3.6%.

As regards the Italian eyewear's market share in the United States, which has always been its first reference market, it can be noticed that sunglasses stand at 30.5%, growth of over two points, and frames at 34.1%, a three-point upturn.

It is too early to say that 2005 will be a re-launch year for Italian exports to the States after a slowdown period, but early data are encouraging for the next few months.