November Editorial

Here we go again. I would like to be writing about an Italy that, after suffering so much in the spring and making enormous sacrifices, is setting out to conquer markets once more, strong in its uniqueness in fashion, creativity, and style. Instead, after a September full of hope and an October full of fear, our country now finds itself fighting the same terrible enemy, COVID-19, without adequate weapons—as if the pandemic at the beginning of the year had taught us nothing, as if this second wave had not been widely predicted.
I would like to talk about fashion, about Crida, and the evolution of our brand—so young and therefore more fragile in the face of the storm—but I cannot help but think about the consequences that the new DPCM (government decree) will have on the entire supply chain with the closure of clothing stores (as well as bars, restaurants, gyms, beauty centers, etc.).

I have been an entrepreneur for too short a time to allow myself to make predictions or give advice, but I have always been a journalist, and the questions I ask myself right now find no answers. Wouldn’t prevention have been better than a cure? Why haven’t we learned at least to track infections (something that appeared fundamental from the start to contain the virus)? Why was there no supply of flu vaccines, knowing how precious they would be in autumn? And the rapid tests? Nowhere to be found… Wouldn’t it have been better to intervene immediately in the most affected centers with strict measures and leave other areas of Italy free to move forward?
On TV and in the newspapers, people have been talking about nothing else for weeks, but why do the numbers given regarding infections, the sick, and ICU patients change depending on the network, the program, or the publication? It cannot be said that what is happening has been clearly explained, nor that there has been a plan or a preventive strategy to face it in the best way possible.
The only certainty at the moment is this: this newly started November will be difficult, and we must face it with the responsibility and prudence that current conditions impose on us. But let us hold on to a shred of optimism, so we can hope that December and Christmas will once again give us the joy of a family hug, a dinner out, an open theater, or a shop where we can buy something that makes us feel special.

We believe in this, so much so that in the Crida Autumn/Winter collection, in addition to the silk and cashmere dresses, we have prepared a special edition of our evening Firenze model. It features a precious, lightweight fabric that shines with light and will be in stores for the holidays.
Fashion, remember this well, is not frivolity, glamour, or vanity; it represents one of the most important slices of our country’s Gross Domestic Product.
It is a fundamental reality and wealth for Italy, with a precious supply chain of small, medium, and large companies that provide work for thousands of people.
Just consider that all the most important luxury brands, even foreign ones, come to Italy to create their garments, utilizing the skills of our tailors and artisans who represent world excellence in this sector. Perhaps these are professional skills that remain hidden, which are heard about less, but the perfection and value of a dress also depend on the type of hand embroidery, the perfect hem, or the special button that the companies in Grumello (famous for this sector) manage to create from material recovered from fishing nets.
This is the magic and enchantment of the fashion we like: the kind that is ingenious and sustainable, which does not damage the environment and makes Italy great in the world.

My hope is that each of these businesses can hold on and continue to produce. That clothing stores withstand this second blow and receive the right compensation. And that Italian fashion, of which we represent only a small but proud shimmer, begins to shine again.
Take CRIDA’s word for it.