We're stronger together, say Italian trade fairs
Organisers of Italian footwear fair Micam have praised the 16,000 buyers who visited a joint event in Milan, describing it as “testament to a market that is coming back and is ready to restart”.
Taking into account the effect of restricted travel due to the pandemic, the show joined four fairs at the venue on the same dates - leathergoods event Mipel, its usual partner; TheOneMilano Special featured by Micam, a women's clothes show; A New Point Of View hosted by leather show Lineapelle; and HOMI Fashion&Jewels Exhibition, an accessories event.
The fairs combined under the banner "stronger together".
Of the buyers who visited the exhibitions, 25% came from abroad. For comparison, the February 2020 edition of Lineapelle welcomed 20,000 visitors.
In the coming weeks, the fairs will be launching online tools to connect exhibitors and buyers “to continue without the limits imposed by restrictions on international travel”.
Micam chairman Siro Badon said: “This edition of Micam was held in a historical, unprecedented moment. We received thanks from operators for our courage and tenacity in proposing it. It undoubtedly represented a moment for the relaunching of business and has been the driving force for other events with which synergies have been built.
“The pandemic, which is constantly changing form, has created problems for our production sector, difficulties that we have experienced first-hand at Micam. But we are hopeful for the future, first in line to create opportunities for companies in the supply chain and to support them on a daily basis. Because one can only get out of such a situation by working as a team, all rowing in the same direction. The entire fashion manufacturing industry is paying for the effects of this crisis, with a significant decline in turnover, especially in exports.
“It is clear that to overcome this phase, external help is also needed, I am referring, in particular, to the institutions that must concretely support these events. Companies must be supported through economic incentives and tax relief. Trade fairs such as Micam are not only an irreplaceable moment in which to do business but are also a vehicle to give international visibility to the excellence of ‘Made in Italy’ that is represented by companies in our sector.”
