There is a short window for UK companies to apply for one-off Department for International Trade (DIT) grant to show at the next edition of Pitti Uomo 14-17 June. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 27^th March.

DIT will only consider applications made online at the following link.

LINK TO APPLY

Grants are only available for Pitti Uomo (menswear) this season and grants cannot be used to show at Pitti Bimbo (childrenswear) which has different dates. Grants for other events will be announced when they are agreed but broadly we expect grants to apply only for the following events and sectors:

• Pitti Uomo (Menswear) June 2022 and January 2023
• Premiere Vision (Apparel Textiles) July 2022 and February 2023
• Paris Men’s Fashion Week, pre-collections and swim (menswear, women’s pre-collections and swim) June 2022 and January 2023
• Paris Women’s Fashion Week (Designer Womenswear, jewellery and accessories) September 2022 and March 2023

Up to 40% of successful applicants may be offered a grant of up to £2,000 to show.

Applicants can only be UK-based SME companies with a turnover between £250,000 and £5m.

UKFT understands that companies with a turnover outside this band will not be considered. It is also likely that companies which have already exhausted their grant entitlement under the old Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) may not be eligible but the only way to know for sure is to complete the online application.

The application process is very detailed and will ask for a lot of information about the company, its finances and structure etc. Applicants will be expected to provide answers as well as an assurance that they have not already committed to the show. In general, UKFT’s understanding is that a company would be deemed by DIT to have committed to show if they had received and paid an invoice for space.  UKFT assumes that companies will be required to upload proof of payment for the stand nearer the show and may be audited.

Companies will be expected to commit to participate in a number of DIT webinars and learning activities designed to help them understand how to use tradeshows as part of their export strategy!

Please email paul.alger@ukft.org to confirm whether you are intending to apply for the grant and whether you have been successful. Under this new scheme, this will be the only way we can track your application.

NB: Applying for a grant to DIT does not book your space at the show or guarantee acceptance. Please contact Paul Alger if you need help contacting the organisers to apply for space. If you are not planning to apply for a grant or if you are unsuccessful, UKFT is still planning to support and promote  the UK group at the show. More details to follow.

UKFT GLOBAL BRANDS