A promising start for Micam and Mipel. The two trade fairs, reference points for footwear and leather goods respectively, are bringing together more than 1,000 brands at FieraMilano Rho until tomorrow, Tuesday, September 9. Yesterday—Sunday, September 7—the opening ceremony marked the 100th edition of Micam, which features 870 brands, including 401 Italian and 469 international exhibitors. Mipel, meanwhile, counts over 200 participating brands. The first day has left exhibitors with a generally positive outlook.
A promising start
Positive sentiments prevail at the opening of both fairs, held this year on an earlier-than-usual date—a scheduling shift that was seen as the real unknown factor of this edition. “We returned to Micam after three years, and I must say the results of the first part of the show are satisfying,” said Jari Famiglietti of the Harris Firenze footwear brand. “We’ve met with both Italian and international clients, including visitors from South Africa and the United States. The pleasant surprise is that, despite tariffs, U.S. clients have actually increased their orders compared to last season.”
Steady Traffic at Mipel
Encouraging feedback also comes from Mipel. “I won’t deny there were concerns about the earlier timing of the show,” noted Paolo Cardelli of Ripani Italiana Pelletterie. “From what I’ve seen, visitor flows and orders have held steady. There was traffic in the aisles right up until the final hours of the fair. The Far East performed well, but so did the Italian market, I must say. As for Africa, there are signals of growth potential, but the time isn’t quite ripe yet.”
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