Fashion and accessory fairs united again

A legacy that grows, season after season: the pact between the fashion events Lineapelle, MICAM Milano, Milano Fashion&Jewels, MIPEL, The One Milano and Simac Tanning Tech, which open the exhibition season at Fiera Milano in September, is renewed.

The concomitance of the events underlines once again the commitment to working as a system, demonstrating the fundamental importance of uniting supply chains that share history and values.

The fashion industry is a fundamental pillar not only for the Italian economy, but also for the global one, representing a sector of excellence that attracts buyers from all over the world. With a total of 2,090 brands, 47% of which come from abroad and from over 60 countries, the trade fairs demonstrate their ability to innovate and influence international trends.

MICAM Milan – footwear

“We have a positive sentiment about the fair”, says Giovanna Ceolini, President of MICAM. “The current market situation has forced many companies to look for new customers. Many of them have chosen Micam to return to the market. Buyers also cannot stop because customers are asking for perhaps less quantity, but definitely novelty. So, we expect the fair to go well. For our part, we have done everything we can to promote a pleasant and interesting visitor experience by adding the Taste Arena to the already well-known Micam X and Micam Academy information areas. Among other things, the catwalk shows are back and much space will be given to up-and-coming designers.

Obviously, there are many difficulties and there is still amazement at the slowdown in luxury that no one expected. We must analyse the historical moment well and understand that the changes taking place are structural, that the consumer has changed, and his desires no longer include a wardrobe full of clothes and fashion accessories. We must take note of this and, as companies, structure ourselves accordingly”.

MIPEL – bags and leather goods

The entire fashion world is going through a complicated moment that is being affected by the perfect storm that has hit the macroeconomic landscape: inflationary phenomena and repercussions on credit, rising transport and raw material costs, wars that have brought two important markets for the sector to a standstill, and the slowdown in consumption even for luxury goods. This is the framework provided by Claudia Sequi, President of MIPEL. “If 2023 closed at a substantial breakeven compared to 2022, 2024 shows very negative data. Sentiment is not positive, and a possible recovery will hopefully take place in 2025. In addition to asking the institutions to support an important industry like ours, it is also essential that we work towards structural changes at the level of the five-year industrial plan in order to facilitate the much talked-about reshoring. To be an attractive country, we need to work on the tax wedge, labour flexibility and the tax burden for companies. Despite these great difficulties, the new and innovative collections of more than 200 brands, which are always proactive, will be on show at the fair”.

LINEAPELLE – leathers, accessories, components and materials

For Fulvia Bacchi, Director of Lineapelle, “the sector is going through a depressed phase”. What is worrying is that no significant change of direction is in sight in the short term. “Lineapelle, in terms of exhibitors and pre-registrations, always attracts a lot of interest because the industry recognises its characteristics as an ideal place for research and innovation. At the business level we cannot have many expectations because we are witnessing a structural change in the market that is not only due to the geo-political situation. In the near future, we expect many more aggregations and collaborations between companies. Unfortunately, we also expect inevitable selection. Even the Italian government will not be able to stem the epochal change, which has primarily involved consumers, to any great extent”.

SIMAC TANNING TECH – machines and technologies

“Although the market moment is very complex for the whole industry, we have high expectations for our exhibition because investing in new technologies could mean a market turnaround”, emphasises MariaVittoria Brustia, President of SIMAC TANNING TECH.

“Also because the innovation proposed by the exhibitors goes in the direction of the market’s hot topics: sustainability, traceability, artificial intelligence and automation.

The event will also feature some colourful notes, given the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the event. We have organised a lounge area where you will be able to retrace the history of SIMAC through photos and touching technologies, right up to interesting innovations presented for the first time.

With around 15,000 square metres of covered exhibition space and 320 exhibitors, 26% of whom come from abroad (Portugal, Spain, Turkey, China and Germany are the main countries represented), the fair confirms itself as the international benchmark for technology”.