Milan’s Micam footwear show saw 44,000-plus visitors, 60% from outside Italy

By

Laura Galbiati

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Feb 15, 2018

The 85th edition of the Micam footwear trade show ended on 14th February in Milan. It welcomed 44,227 visitors, of whom 60% came from outside Italy. There was a strong rise in the number of visitors from Russia (+22%), and increases in those from Germany (+9%) and the Ukraine (+7%), while the French contingent was relatively stable at +1%.

The number of visitors from China and Hong Kong was down though, due to the overlap with the Chinese New Year festivities. Also down was the number of visitors from the UK (perhaps an early Brexit effect?), Spain and Italy.

“Micam confirmed its unique status as a business platform where it's possible to grab new expansion opportunities, and where the creativity and research capabilities of [Italian] manufacturers is best expressed, though the domestic market is still extremely troubled, heavily penalising Italian SMEs," said Annarita Pilotti, President of Assocalzaturifici, the Italian footwear manufacturers association. "In the last few editions, we enhanced the event without changing its DNA, making it not just more glamorous and attractive, but above all more functional, better suited to the needs of buyers and exhibitors," she added.

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Among this edition's highlights were the international Emerging Designers section and an anti-counterfeiting initiative, featuring an exhibition organised in collaboration with Confindustria Campania (the employers association of Italy's Campania region, which has a long-standing tradition in footwear) and the Museo del Vero e del Falso museum association, showcasing old and contemporary examples of high-quality Italian footwear manufacturing.

Micam's next edition is scheduled for 16th-19th September at the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre outside Milan, focusing on the Spring/Summer 2019 collections.