MICAM Milano, the International Footwear fair will be back at the Fiera Milano from 17 to 20 September 2023 with its 95th edition. Quality, sustainability, innovation and a focus on young people are, as always, the drivers of the event.

There were 1024 brands presented, 520 of which were Italian and 504 foreign, representing over 30 countries, with Spain in first place with over 100 companies.

The continually evolving market continues to provide the entire sector with food for thought and MICAM will once again represent the most important opportunity for professionals to meet and compare notes.

"MICAM drives the recovery of the national footwear sector and plays a key role for the affirmation of our companies that need trade fair support to establish themselves and develop in international markets," explains MICAM President Giovanna Ceolini. "I hope that the event can once again confirm itself as an irreplaceable business opportunity and driving force for a sector of great importance in economic and employment terms. With over 3,700 companies and more than 72,000 employees, this production segment is one of the absolute pillars of the fashion system. I would also like to remind you that MICAM is a spotlight on new trends starting with sustainability, which is no longer a short-term trend but a key factor in customers' purchasing decisions. A paradigm that, together with digitisation, is transforming the footwear industry and taking it into the future'.

Young creations: initiatives for emerging designers and start-ups

The talent of young people is, as always, at the heart of MICAM thanks to the many initiatives that aim to promote it and introduce it to operators. Starting with the area dedicated to Emerging Designers that will host 12 creatives from all over the world selected by a special jury. Sustainability and originality are the keywords of the collections presented: recycled or recyclable materials and attention to the production chain are just some of the features of the shoes that will be on show. This year's 12 Emerging Designers are: Belledonne Paris, (France) with the Sporty chic collection, Bonamaso' (Spain) with the Save the planet collection, Caplait (France) with the Folkart collection, Daniela Uribe (Colombia) with the Heartbreak collection, Judy Mazzotti (Italy) with the Squid game collection, Minacapilli (Switzerland) with the Sex and the City collection, Mosca Shoes (Argentina) with the Cowgirl collection, Pierini Calzature (Italy) with the Elite collection, Room (Brazil) with the Bauhaus collection, Socque (France) with the Come together collection, Tachino Chie (Japan) with the Savile Row collection, Ubac (France) with the Jump collection.

The Italian Start Up area, also in Hall 1, is dedicated to the most promising new start-ups. The curiosity and imagination of young Italian companies will give rise to a series of proposals that are out of the ordinary in terms of originality, sustainability and usefulness.
The area is set up in collaboration with Startup Bootcamp with the support of ITA and MAECI, and the startups presented will be: Blockvision, CDCStudio, Dotzero and Sneaknit.

Blockvision aims to accelerate the achievement of sustainability goals in the fashion supply chain through an NFT tag stitched to the product. This makes it possible for consumers to verify the digital identity of a garment or shoe and immerse themselves in the long journey that led to its creation.
CDCStudio has patented cōēo, a new technology to reuse waste fabrics and leather from recycled polyethylene. The patented process creates a new waterproof, windproof and sustainable material.
CDCStudio helps companies working in the fashion industry to transform their waste and leftovers into new fabric, thus reusing their waste.
Dotzero is a fashion start-up specialising in footwear. Its mission is to find innovative, sustainable and artisanal solutions for production and to raise awareness of sustainability and conscious consumption.
Sneaknit uses advanced knitting technologies ensuring an eco-friendly approach. A key component of Sneaknit's business model is the use of recycled plastic yarn, which eliminates 5 to 15 plastic bottles from the environment for every pair of shoes produced. This commitment to sustainability also extends to other innovative materials, such as hemp, Tencel, cotton, wool and those recycled from clothing waste.

Young people will also be the protagonists on 18 September of the final fashion show of the Mittelmoda Fashion Award, the competition that every year selects and rewards the creations of young fashion and design students from all over the world. This year, confirming the fil rouge that links all MICAM initiatives to experimentation, on the sidelines of the fashion show, the most voted footwear of the MICAM Capsule will be presented out of competition. A preview of the MICAM Capsule was recently shown at PLUG-MI, the Urban Culture festival, a meeting point for youth subcultures, which ended a few days ago in Milan.

Future of retail: the area for retail visionaries is confirmed

Future of Retail, the space dedicated to innovative ideas that will shape the future of retail, will host a number of companies proposing advanced solutions useful for the footwear sector: in this edition the focus is on 3D technology and its potential to increase retailers' business. Tailoor is the first white-label digital commerce platform to sell customised, Made to Order and Made to Measure garments online. The SaaS Tailoor platform provides an innovative purchasing experience with a 3D configurator. SafeSize is a retail tech company offering an innovative omnichannel 3D foot scanning and shoe recommendation solution that helps customers find the perfect shoe in physical and online shops, while reducing product returns and contributing to a sustainable future. FIBBL is building the world's largest distribution platform for its self-made 3D shoe models, with the aim of helping shoe brands and retailers achieve commercial success. Fibbl supports brands and retailers to transform their entire e-commerce into 3D and augmented reality (AR) solutions.

MICAMX: the sector’s innovation hub has a new look

The MICAMX area will be back in Pavilion 1 with a completely new layout designed to offer visitors a unique opportunity to gen up on issues of key importance for the industry thanks to distinguished guests, best practice and important international speakers, covering four main themes: trends & materials, sustainability, art fashion heritage & future and the future of retail. Curator of the panel: Federico Brugnoli, CEO & Founder di SPIN 360. This year's speakers include Italian and foreign professionals and experts, including Emily Moberg, Director, Scope and Carbon Measurement & Mitigation at WWF, who will address the topic of Sustainability and representatives from the most important schools of style and fashion such as the Istituto Marangoni, IED and Accademia Costume e Moda who will testify to the role and importance of education.

Within the MICAMX space, the Trends & Materials area, set up in collaboration with Lineapelle, will take the form of a display of materials and components featured in the FW 23- 24 collections. This year MICAM will once again offer dealers the Trends Buyer Guide powered by Livetrend, a guide to trends and must-haves for the next Spring/Summer season to help buyers identify the season’s best-sellers and optimise their purchases. From September, MICAM will add to the buyer guide and the Trends & Materials area a special selection that will characterise each edition of the event: the first of the series will be CEREMONY FOCUS with an in-depth look at the trends and types of footwear most suitable for ceremonial occasions. The formal dress shoe is, in fact, increasingly playing a leading role in the total look.

VCS: towards sustainability, step by step

Sustainability is increasingly at the heart of the innovation proposed by footwear manufacturers. For this reason, the VCS Verified & Certified Steps area will once again be presented at MICAM. This area is dedicated to the first certification mark for the footwear industry, granted to companies embarking on a process of assessment, measurement, and above all, improvement of their corporate sustainability performance in line with internationally recognised standards.

‘CLASS TV MODA’ LIVE FROM MICAM

MILANO: MICAM Milan was chosen by Class TV Moda as the go-to event for the fashion and footwear industry. For this reason, during the first three days of the event, an actual studio will be set up at the fair, which will allow the broadcaster to meet its guests and interview MICAM exhibitors on the hottest topics of the moment.

In the meantime, keep following us on our social media.