Erica Di Giovancarlo has lived all over the world during her long career with the Italian Trade Agency. From Mumbai and New Delhi to Sao Paulo and most recently Tokyo, she has immersed herself in the culture of each city to raise the profile and export of her home country.
Now, Mr. Di Giovancarlo has relocated to the United States to become Italy’s Trade Secretary. She arrived in the United States from Asia on January 15th, and she plans to settle in New York for at least the next three years.
One of her first official duties was to attend Chicago Collective, where she had the opportunity to introduce herself to the fashion industry at the menswear trade show’s biennial party. This year’s event was held at a secret bar called Basment, and participants had to enter through a secret door into the underground nightclub.
Di Giovancarlo said at the party that the participation of 62 Italian brands at the trade fair represented “an important moment for Italian fashion and menswear.” And while Collective was an opportunity for these brands to start selling in specialty stores across the country, it wasn’t all about order books. She told the crowd as she raised her glass: She says, “After a few days of business meetings, it’s nice to relax with some good wine and good food.”
Earlier in the day, Mr. Di Giovancarlo was checking out the movements at the fairgrounds.
“I just came from Japan and this is a radical change,” she said. “But I like seeing different countries and markets, and I’m very passionate about what I do.”
She said the way she approaches her work is to “reset my mind” every time I arrive in another city. “From one end of the world to the other, there are different countries, cultures and climates. It’s all very interesting to me.”
She said the first thing you should do when you arrive in a new city is learn the language. She can speak English and her other four languages fluently. (She had a hard time learning Japanese, so she considers herself somewhat fluent.) “Language is a big barrier,” she said of Japan. “Their traditions are very different from ours, but they are also fascinating. Everyone is very polite and respectful.”
That may not necessarily be the case in the U.S., but Di Giovancarlo doesn’t care. “What I appreciate here is that everyone is always so active,” she said. “And this country is open. Any idea can be implemented.”
She plans to spend her first year absorbing the market and immersing herself in all categories overseen by ITA. The organization has five offices in the United States, located in New York, as well as Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Houston. The New York headquarters oversees fashion, cosmetics, wine and agriculture, while the Chicago headquarters handles technology. Los Angeles is the office of innovation, Miami is the office of design and furniture, and Houston is the office of aerospace. Each office is run by an Italian management team, but supported by American experts in their respective fields of expertise. “They are our strength,” she said.
Overall, he said, the US market is the most important and strongest export partner for Italy. In the fashion sector, the country is considered strongest in men’s and women’s wear, but shoes continue to gain importance. Leather products are also popular.
Her goal is to increase the number of exports from Italy to the United States, she said, and she plans to work with brands to meet the needs of today’s consumers. “Trends and the way we dress have changed during the pandemic,” she said. As things move more casually, Italian companies need to respond to that demand, along with a shift towards wellness. “We are more careful about what we eat and drink and dress more comfortably,” she said.
Ms. Di Giovancarlo is the first woman to serve as Italy’s Trade Secretary and is proud of this. “Finally,” she said with a smile. She said women are generally not interested in power and are focused on the task at hand. And for her, the job involves not only the macro role of promoting Italian companies, but also running training courses for local companies so that they can better understand the culture, cuisine and clothing that her home country is known for. It also includes planning.
At the same time, the organization will host nine accelerator programs for Italian startups this year to help emerging brands succeed and find investors. Startups are in a variety of industries, including fashion and pharmaceuticals.
And she also hopes to host more events like the one at Bassment in Chicago. “This is a good way for exhibitors to get to know the local environment and buyers and help build relationships,” she said. “Sometimes you can get a better deal if you have a nice glass of wine when you are more relaxed.”