'Made in Italy' export and Beauty: how do our companies conquer foreign countries

The other element investigated was the value of craftsmanship and customisation in the international predilection for products made in Italy. We surveyed consumers in Italy and in 5 countries that are significant for our export: China, France, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. There is a high predilection for purchasing products characterised by their expert "know-how" and/or with a high level of Italian customisation, confirming the appeal that our country has in the domestic and international market. It ranges from 77% of Chinese consumers to 63% of senior citizens in France, never a lower value. When we then move on to investigate the intention to buy, the same consumers, both Italian and foreign, favour Italian products as they declare that they are willing to spend more on them: at the top are Chinese consumers with a percentage of 90%. The drivers behind this increased appreciation are high quality, attention to detail and sophisticated design. We could call this a perception of "uniqueness".

In short, Beauty is good for the product and good for our country too. The combination of tourist attractions, high-quality goods and technological innovation gives value to an Italian Soft Power. In other words, Italy is able to engage in generating a sense of belonging and inviting people to follow and respect a system of values, almost to the point of perceiving it as their own.

By studying the Economics of Beauty, and making it a platform for discussion and proposals, Banca Ifis is recognising a very important sector made up of excellent small and medium-sized businesses that we, since the bank's inception, have understood how to serve and, more importantly, want to continue to serve.