Upbeat Mipel highlights ‘incredible opportunities’ in leather
There is a decidedly buzzy atmosphere around the stands at leathergoods show Mipel this week.
The Milan-based event, which is co-located with shoe-focused Micam, has in previous years been quieter; this time, the stands are busy, with one footwear brand telling leatherbiz they like to locate in Mipel rather than Micam to catch the footfall.
September’s 2019 visitor numbers were 20% higher than the year before, and organisers are hoping this edition will build on the momentum.
Running from February 16 to 19, accessories companies from around the world are presenting their spring-summer 21 collections to retailers and buyers.
As part of the show, the community of San Patrignano (close to Rimini in Northern Italy) is displaying leathergoods made by its younger workers, who will perform demonstrations of working with leather.
Mipel organisers say part of their remit, as part of a partnership with the Italian Trade Agency, is to attract more young people to work in the sector.
They said: “Too often the world of leathergoods is understood as “old, traditional and boring" but we want to change these stereotype and tell the beauty of a sector that can offer many job opportunities for young people.
“According to [fashion federation] Confindustria Moda estimates, in the next three years, Italian fashion companies will need 48,000 workers, of which a significant number will be in the leathergoods sector, where there is continuous growth. There is an incredible world of opportunities for young people and this is one of the messages we want to promote.”
