ITA’s Alessio Nanni on COTERIE, Quiet Luxury, and His Favorite NYC Spots

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Three years into his role as head of the Fashion and Beauty Division at Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Alessio Nanni has been hard at work expanding the reach of Italian brands stateside. Here, the Roman talent shares the latest ways ITA is boosting awareness for Italy’s chicest exports and more.

What are you looking forward to at COTERIE this year?
The COTERIE show is always one of the most relevant moments on our calendar where we promote womenswear, which is such an important part of Italy’s economy inside the fashion system. Italian brands want our assistance and presence, and we elevate the trade show experience for them by creating real buzz and visibility. This season, we’re doing photo shoots on-site with models, so they have great images they can use on their websites and to promote their brand, and by increasing the presence of buyers—and working with The Daily, of course. It’s a big networking moment for our brands.
How did the latest Italy on Madison event go in May?
It was demanding, tough, and ambitious, and a real game changer for us! We transformed ITA’s offices for four days to more than 200 Italian brands, across several sectors—design, food, wine, fragrance, beauty, apparel, shoes, and accessories. We always try to have bigger and bolder ambitions, and I think we succeeded with Italy on Madison. It was open to the public, so on top of our traditional activities, which are dedicated to the trade sector, we were talking to consumers. It’s part of my job to discover new ways of promoting Italy’s rich heritage. For next year, we’ll be thinking even bigger!
Are you seeing a surge in interest for any specific categories?
Beauty has been doing very well for the past two or three years. It’s incredible. Over 45 percent of makeup is made in Italy; I’m talking about private labels, too, because many big brands source and produce in Italy. When you think of Italy, people are naturally going to think about two categories—fashion and food—but beauty is important today, too. Fragrance is big now as well. There’s a lot of attention to the storytelling of a fragrance, how it’s linked back to a specific region, why the founder started their company; consumers like to know the roots and the story behind a scent.
Tell us about Beyond the Sea, ITA’s theme for COTERIE this season.
It’s all about the Italian beach club feel and look, and bringing you directly into that universe of the Italian seaside. From the striped umbrellas to yachts to islandhopping. It’s a total summer vibe; a mix of exclusivity and relaxed elegance. There’s a sense of quiet luxury.
That quiet luxury concept is everywhere lately. Does it have Italian roots?
I think so! I was just discussing this with someone at a recent menswear show. I think there is an understated elegance and a love of the best materials and fabrics that is rooted in our culture. Say, combining a camp collar shirt with a jacket, or pairing stripes and espadrilles. It’s all about expressing yourself, elegantly.
Where are your favorite beaches in Italy?
Sardinia; it’s got the most beautiful sea in the Mediterranean.
You’re three years into your four-year stint in NYC. How does it feel looking back?
It’s been a roller coaster, especially at the beginning, which I’ve loved! Now, three years in, I feel like I have a more routine life here; it’s not home, but it’s the place that I live. It’s the most exciting city in the world!
Where do you go locally for a taste of home?
There is a little, tiny place on Second Avenue, Donna Margherita, that’s my favorite, for pizza and pasta; it’s one of the best Italian restaurants here. I love Fellini Coffee, too; it really feels like a café in Italy. And when I walk Lexington Avenue in the 60s, it reminds me of Rome, where I’m from; it feels a bit like a village around there.
Any authentic Italian pizza you’d recommend around town?
San Matteo on Second Avenue on the Upper East Side is very good, and also Song’E Napule, Donna Margherita, and Ribalta. I prefer Roman-style pizza to Neapolitan; it’s thinner and lighter.
What do you miss most about Italy when you’re in NYC?
The piazzas, where people just have coffee, walk around, talk to each other, there’s lots of seating outside. I was walking in the West Village in July, and everyone was outside eating outside on little side streets, and it reminded me of Italy. The vibe was very similar to home.
What’s on your bucket list for the rest of the year?
Well, we’ve still got a ways to go within ITA’s fashion and beauty calendar; this year is packed! We’ll be relaunching the newest edition of our EXTRAITASTYLE digital platform, with some cool and innovative wholesale tools designed to make it easier for American retailers to discover a huge assortment of Italian brands online—and browse over 8,000 products, all for free! Plus, ITA will host our widely anticipated Aura Fragrance Experience in late October in NYC. If I have any time left over, I’d love to finish seeing all of Central Park, which I’ve been slowly exploring, and visit more of this city’s incredible museums. I’ve done the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of the City of New York so far. I’m hoping to enjoy the city in any spare time I can find, as I will miss it a lot.
It’s a busy fall for you! How and when will you unwind?
I’ll get to have some rest in Italy in December, when I go to the thermal baths in Tuscany. Hot water, massage, sauna, the beautiful hills, good wine—I can’t wait!