“Proposals”, official farewell to Como. Contract canceled with Villa Erba

The die has been cast, from words we have moved on to deeds: yesterday the Proposte fair sent a letter to Villa Erba and all the event’s members in which it formally communicated the cancellation of the contract renewal. The scenario that has been aired for years due to the wild off-show has taken a concrete turn as all the initiatives taken by the Municipality of Cernobbio to protect the show and prevent commercial initiatives of “parasitic” competition have not given any concrete results.

Two weeks after the opening of the main furnishing textile showcase, paper and online invitations for company showrooms in shops, public places and hotels are circulating. Flyers inviting customers to view the collections as early as May 1st, one day before the opening of “Proposte” scheduled for May 2nd to 4th. These incorrect behaviors evidently “burn” the activities of the companies present in Villa Erba.

“I confess that I am very saddened by this step, especially because the importance of the event for the local economy was not deeply understood – declares the president Alessandro Tessuto – I am grateful to the mayor Matteo Monti who took action to keep the appointment in Cernobbio. Unfortunately, to date there are no regulatory prerequisites to hinder those who operate in a clearly unfair manner. Even the regional administration can do nothing. And so, faced with a scenario in which exhibitors felt powerless and legally unprotected, it was necessary to act to avoid the progressive decline of “Proposte”.

In past editions, the local police of Cernobbio, in collaboration with the other police forces in the area, had carried out checks and drawn up inspection reports on external exhibitors, then forwarding the relevant documents to the Region, responsible for the appropriate sanctions. A mechanism that, however, served little purpose. Also this year Matteo Monti had declared that opening earlier than the canonical days of the Fair would not be tolerated. But his willingness to intervene did not discourage a dozen “Fuorisalonisti,” as highlighted above. The straw that broke the camel. It is not known whether, after the cancellation sent to Villa Erba, the Proposte Council is already evaluating alternative locations.

In the past there had been talk of Villa Reale in Monza and Fieramilano, or in any case of a location in the metropolitan area that can enjoy better connections with the airports to encourage foreign buyers.

Certainly the farewell of “Proposte”, the last luxury fair on Lake Como, would be a huge defeat for the entire silk supply chain which, moreover, is experiencing a moment of great crisis after the equally great growth during the pandemic.

Proposte represents excellence, an important meeting point for the many Como companies that have diversified their business in furnishing textiles. In recent seasons, top foreign companies have also grown. In May, 79 exhibitors are expected in the Cernobbio area, of which 31 are Italian and 48 from various countries. Their farewell is around the corner.