Italian leathergoods makers needed to invest in branding, says Mipel director
04/03/2014
“Only the companies that know how to reinvent themselves and invest in production and, above all, in their own image to make themselves known as a brand will be able to survive,” said Mauro Muzzolon on the opening day of the show.
“Most of our companies work for the work for the big designer names but it would be good if small producers could team their own brand with this work for third parties, and be recognised at an international level. But such work requires massive investment in terms of money and time in order to get any appreciable result, an effort which not everybody can afford to maintain.”
Italian leathergoods exports grew 11% in 2012, but domestic consumption declined 5% and is now lower than 2009 levels, he said.
Around 15,000 buyers are expected to attend Mipel and co-located shoe fair Micam over four days this week. As well as traditional markets for Italian leathergoods such as the US, Europe and Japan, a number of new markets are growing, added Mr Muzzolon, such as Kazakhstan, South Korea, the UAE and Brazil.
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