The Italian Trade Agency will take a theatrical turn for the fourth edition of its Italy on Madison event.
The annual event, which will run from May 12-15 this year, will find the agency converting its townhouse headquarters at 33 E. 67th St. into an immersive experience for the public that will showcase the best that Italy has to offer.
The event will bring more than 200 brands together from the worlds of fashion, design, footwear, accessories, beauty, wellness, food and wine. The exhibition will be realized through a collaboration with Gilda Bojardi, ambassador of Italian design and editor in chief of Interni magazine, along with Paola Navone, designer and founder of Studio Otto.
“Italy on Madison is more than a showcase, it is a sensory journey into the soul of Italian excellence,” said Erica Di Giovancarlo, trade commissioner executive director of the U.S. for the ITA. “As we launch this fourth edition, our goal is to transform the Italian Trade Agency into a vibrant hub where New York’s creative and business communities can experience the seamless blend of heritage, innovation and craftsmanship that defines the Made in Italy brand.”
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Last year, the townhouse was transformed into Casa Italia, or an Italian home, complete with a kitchen, living room, bedroom and indoor garden. This year, it will become a showcase for what Di Giovancarlo described as “a theater of excellence.”
An image of red curtains will be projected on the facade of the townhouse and its entrance will be framed in red neon. Once inside, attendees will be guided through a series of 12 installations on the first two floors of the townhouse — a five-story circa 1904 neo-Georgian townhouse that once belonged to the Auchincloss family — designed to highlight the Italian identity. There will be wine tastings, pasta-making demonstrations, beauty masterclasses, eyewear styling sessions, a fragrance discovery bar and shoemaking demonstrations among other events throughout the four days.
Among the environments featured at the event will be Capri’s Grotto Azzurra and there will also be rooms devoted to Venice, Rimini, a La Dolce Vita photo booth and two rooms dedicated to Rome.
“It will be a different experience than last year,” Di Giovancarlo said. “It will be a trip through Italy and the excellence in various sectors.”
The names of the participating companies have not been revealed, but Di Giovancarlo said the number of companies is double that of last year. “Italian companies find this model very effective for promoting their products,” she said.
And unlike many of the other events the ITA stages for various industries over the year, this one is open to the public. Consumers can register to attend the free event on the agency’s website. Last year, the event was sold out. Attendees who are lucky enough to snag a spot will also be gifted with a goodie bag filled with samples from some of the participating brands.
The Italian Trade Agency is a government agency dedicated to supporting international business development of Italian companies that is tasked with promoting the Made in Italy brand worldwide.
