What Buyers Are Looking For Today: Giulia Demitri’s Perspective on Premiere Classe
For Giulia Demitri, buying is above all a matter of balance. As women’s buyer for Gaudenzi Boutique, the Italian luxury multi-brand retailer with seven stores across Emilia-Romagna, she oversees a selection of more than 350 brands spanning ready-to-wear, accessories, childrenswear and lifestyle. A refined offering built around a demanding vision of luxury, yet one that, in her view, must constantly evolve in order to remain desirable.
“We are naturally drawn to minimal, clean aesthetics,” she explains. “But we also know our clients are looking for stronger, more distinctive pieces that bring something different. There always needs to be the right balance between timeless pieces and statement pieces.”
It is precisely this search for newness that brings her back to Premiere Classe season after season.
Having attended trade shows since childhood, first alongside the boutique’s founder, Giulia Demitri sees buying as a ritual shaped by instinct, observation and discovery. And this season, Premiere Classe stood out in particular.
“There was much more diversity this year,” she notes. “Sometimes, you find the same brands from one season to the next. This time, the offer felt much fresher, with many more new propositions.”
For a buyer whose role is to identify emerging movements before they become obvious, spotting trends early is essential. And according to her, next season will mark a return to a more expressive, more assertive fashion.
“We’re seeing faux fur coming back, lace, more colour, but above all bolder accessories,” she explains. “Pieces capable of completely transforming a silhouette.”
Among her standout discoveries this season are Cashmosphere, for its premium knitwear and printed cashmere that bring personality to wardrobe essentials; Toral, the Spanish footwear brand praised for its commercial potential and attractive price positioning; as well as Petitjean Paris, whose printed silk scarves align perfectly with the return of the scarf as a true styling accessory.
She also highlights Annibale Baldini, noted for its colourful accessories inspired by the animal world, alongside AN-NÉE, another standout discovery in printed silk.
Beyond the main fair, Demitri also points to the importance of curated spaces such as RUN within the Premiere Classe experience.
“It’s nice to have a more intimate space where brands can truly express their universe,” she says. “It gives collections more room to breathe.”
Among her showroom favourites are The World Is Your Oyster, the Hong Kong-based label she describes as wearable, accessible and highly desirable from a commercial perspective, as well as Lado Bokuchava, whose bold silhouettes and strong creative language left a lasting impression.
For Giulia Demitri, this multiplication of more curated formats around the fair reflects a broader transformation within retail. At Gaudenzi, the selection is no longer limited to fashion alone: books, homeware, skincare and fragrances now enrich the in-store experience.
“People need to be stimulated by something else,” she says. “They want discovery, they want to be surprised, they want niche products, something they haven’t seen elsewhere.”
It is a vision that perfectly summarises the evolution of the buyer’s role today: no longer simply selecting products, but building entire worlds around them.
And if Giulia Demitri’s perspective is any indication, the desire for originality, emotion and boldness has never been stronger.
