United fairs defy the crisis: over 2000 brands on show in Milan

The motto, never more than at this historic moment, is one: union is strength. Thus, the main fashion fairs based in Milan are renewing their unified version for the September 2024 edition. From 14 to 19, in fact, six events - Lineapelle, Micam Milano, Milano Fashion&Jewels, Mipel, The One Milano and Simac Tanning Tech - will showcase at Fieramilano Rho 2,090 brands, 47% of which are foreign, from over 60 countries. The slogan of the event is Legacy of Style, underlining both the importance of know-how and tradition, which unite the fashion sectors and represent an asset on international markets, and the sharing of new values such as sustainability and innovation. In detail, the first two events to get underway are, on 14 September, Milano Fashion &Jewels, dedicated to bijoux and accessories, and The One Milano by Milano Fashion &Jewels, an exhibition of pret-à-porter and high-end accessories.

Sunday 15 September sees the opening of two landmark events in their respective fields: Micam, the footwear exhibition, and Mipel, a showcase for bags and small leather goods. Both sectors are experiencing a complex moment on the economic front: the footwear industry, after having closed 2023 in substantial stability at €14.6 billion, in the first quarter of 2024 recorded both a contraction in revenues (-10.1%) and exports (-9.7% in value, -10.1% in volume). The sector is losing companies (as at 31 March the balance was negative by 74 out of 3,490 companies) and "Over 80% of entrepreneurs expect a turnaround no earlier than 2025," said Assocalzaturifici president Giovanna Ceolini. The September edition of Micam, where next year's spring-summer collections will be presented, is particularly important. The situation for leather goods is not dissimilar: "We closed 2023 in parity," explained Claudia Sequi, president of Assopellettieri and Mipel, "while the first three months of the current year are not comforting: there has been a slowdown in production of 18% and exports are at -11% due to the trend in countries such as China, but also Germany. Leather goods companies have made massive recourse to shock absorbers: 'In the first four months, 11 million hours of lay-offs were requested: 2.5 times more than in the same period of 2023'. Also hoping for the concretisation of the promises made by Minister Urso following the Fashion Table on 6 August, according to Sequi, 'We hope that the curve will improve in 2025. Companies in the sector are not lacking in studying and proposing new collections, and Mipel remains an important showcase for both the domestic and international markets, also looking at the Middle East and Asia".

Then, from 17 to 19 September, it will be the turn of Lineapelle, an international exhibition of leather, accessories, components and materials for fashion, and Simac Tanning Tech, an exhibition of machinery and technology for the footwear, leather goods and tanning industries.