The 19th edition of the lingerie and underwear trade show closed this week, with over 200 brands in attendance, 45% of which came from outside Italy. The final day also marked a turning point for the sector with the birth of AIMI – Associazione Italiana Mare Intimo (Italian Association of Swimwear, Lingerie and Beachwear), established to give a unified voice to the production chain.
The latest edition of Immagine Italia & Co., the lingerie and underwear trade fair held at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from 14 to 16 February, closed with an increase in international visitors and a significant development set to shape the future of the sector. The event, organised by Underbeach, recorded an increase in visitors from abroad, rising from 32% of the total in 2025 to 40% in 2026. While the overall number of visitors remained stable, international buyers came from 35 different countries, led by Spain, Cis Country, Germany and France. Over the three days, there was a widespread sense of optimism in the corridors, fuelled by numerous high-quality contacts and meetings with Italian and foreign buyers.
THE FIRST ASSOCIATION IN THE SECTOR IS BORN – The final day saw the official launch of AIMI – Associazione Italiana Mare Intimo (Italian Association of Swimwear, Lingerie and Beachwear), the first national organisation dedicated to representing manufacturers, companies and operators in the swimwear, lingerie and beachwear supply chain.
The association was founded by four major players in the sector: Underbeach, the company that organises the Immagine Italia & Co. and Maredamare trade fairs; Pisani Editore, publisher of Linea Intima magazine, a benchmark publication for the sector; Oscalito, a historic Italian company whose owner has long been committed to eco-sustainability; and Chantelle, one of the top players in the underwear sector with a strong presence in Italy.
L to R: Pisani Editore, Chantelle, Underbeach & Oscalito
The board of directors will remain in office until 2027, with the aim of supporting the association’s growth until it achieves a broad and representative membership base, after which the companies themselves will elect their representatives.
AIMI will join forces with CNA, which will provide its registered office and organisational support, allowing members to access the services of the trade association network. The goal is to reach at least 40 members by the summer edition and a hundred by 2027. One of the new association’s priorities is to raise awareness among institutions of the existence and strategic value of the intimate apparel and beachwear market, while promoting concrete actions to support the growth and development of operators and the entire production chain.
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“The results of this edition of Immagine Italia & Co. confirm the event’s central role on the international scene,” comments Alessandro Legnaioli, president of Underbeach. ‘This year’s event also represents a historic moment for the sector, marking the birth of the new trade association AIMI – a fundamental step considering that Italy was one of the few European countries that did not yet have a dedicated representative body. Our goal is to build an open, inclusive association that truly serves businesses, capable of offering concrete answers and actively contributing to the growth of the sector.’
