MICAM – season results
On September 19, the 86th season of one of the most important events of the world shoe fashion – the International exhibition MICAM ended in Milan, where the latest trends were presented.
The event was attended by designers and shoe manufacturers, representatives of the leather and related industries, boutiques and specialty stores, suppliers and purchasing directors, media representatives from many countries of the world. Fashion and creativity, craftsmanship and production, experience and innovation - all this was demonstrated by the exhibition MICAM 2018. Autumn.
Organized by the National Association of Italian Shoe Manufacturers Assocalzaturifici, the exhibition provided unique business opportunities to 1,396 exhibitors from September 16 to 19. 778 Italian and 618 foreign manufacturers and companies demonstrated their new collections of spring-summer 2019 shoes, offering sales representatives a wide range of fashionable, high-quality and innovative samples medium, high and premium classes. All the conditions and atmosphere of the exhibition contributed to making profitable deals.
This season, the exhibition was attended not only by companies representing its heart, but also by some outstanding personalities, such as the famous American designer Tommy Hilfiger, who highly appreciated the Italian-made shoes.
Traditionally, the MICAM program, in addition to the main exposition, included presentations, fashion shows, seminars on the prospects for the development of the shoe industry, awarding prestigious awards to the winners of the competition for the best Italian and foreign buyer and the competition of young designers, business meetings, press conferences.
The most famous exhibition center of Milan «Fiera Milano» The permanent venue of this large-scale forum received 45,424 visitors, including 27,272 visitors from abroad and 18,152 from Italy. The attendance figures corresponded to the figures of September 2017, but an increase of 2.7% was registered compared to February 2018.
Among the foreign visitors, a large number of trade representatives from China and Hong Kong were noted, their combined number increased by 68.6%. There was also a significant increase in visitors from North America (+ 43.2%). The number of representatives from some EU countries has increased - Spain (+ 9.6%) and Portugal (+ 4.5%). Switzerland has once again confirmed its status as a key platform in shoe logistics, increasing the number of visitors by 7.8%. The number of buyers from France, Germany, Russia and the CIS has decreased compared to previous seasons.
«MICAM is still a large-scale event of high international importance. This status is confirmed by visiting the exhibition by high-ranking authorities. When the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy Di Maio (Di Maio) arrived at the exhibition, we asked him to support small businesses and reduce their taxation," the chairman said Assocalzaturifici Annarita Pilotti. "Because these measures will allow companies to increase the pay of their employees, increase competitiveness, thereby generating a rise in consumption. It is also important to eliminate the sanctions imposed on Russia, which have a negative impact on the influx of buyers from this country. Finally, we need European legislation to approve the labeling of the origin of goods, which is mandatory for the protection of the Italian shoe industry," she added.
Also Annarita Pilotti noted that the 86th season of MICAM takes place in an unfavorable international economic climate. "The expected recovery in the sector did not occur even in the first half of 2018. Despite the fact that domestic demand remains static, difficulties remain in areas of vital importance for our exports, and this causes serious concern. In particular, the rise in sales registered in 2017 stopped, and the first five months of 2018 showed their decline by 6%, while there was a decline in the interest of the Russian market by 9.1%.
In a complex global scenario, MICAM remains the most reliable thermometer for measuring the health of the global footwear market, and also plays the role of a unique showcase for Italian products. This year's exhibitors included several well-known Italian haute couture brands: ALV Alviero Martini, Cerruti 1881, Fratelli Rossetti, Ferré Collezioni, Moreschi and Rodo Firenze.
"The traditional role of the exhibition as a landmark is more important now than ever before," Annarita Pilotti summed up. "At this difficult time for the industry, businesses and dealers are turning to MICAM for answers to the challenges of an increasingly complex global market in which all players must rethink their strategies and positioning."
The next season of the exhibition MICAM will be held from 10 to 13 February 2019.
Photo: MICAM
