Recovery for Italy as Micam organisers admit complexities
The Italian footwear industry showed signs of an upturn in 2021, with an 18% rise in turnover compared with 2020 to €12.7 billion.
This is, however, still lower than pre-covid figures (-11% compared to 2019).
Exports (+17.5% over the previous year) reached the second-best result ever in terms of value (€10.3 billion), even taking inflation into account.
The top two destinations performed particularly well: Switzerland (+16.2% in value over 2020 in the first 11 months) and France (+24%), traditionally associated with work performed on contract; while the US (+42%) and China (+37.5%) also performed well above 2019 levels.
Siro Badon, chairman of shoe manufacturers association Assocalzaturifici, said: “After the collapse of 2020, a year heavily penalised by the lockdown and the restrictions imposed during the various waves of the pandemic, the sector has taken off again, with a physiological bounceback in the second quarter followed by recovery at a less intense rhythm.
“This recovery is, however, uneven, and often insufficient to make up for companies’ losses. Only one company out of three has returned to pre-covid levels. Manufacturers are therefore looking forward to Micam as an essential business appointment, an irreplaceable opportunity to negotiate orders and strengthen exports by penetrating new markets and consolidating existing ones.”
Micam will take place next week in Milan despite what organisers accept is a “complex moment” caused by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
It will run alongside leathergoods fair Mipel, fashion show The One Milano and HOMI Fashion&Jewels.
Franco Gabbrielli, president of Italian leathergoods association Assopellettieri, commented on the situation: “We hoped with this edition to see Russian and Ukrainian buyers again, but unfortunately in light of international events, this will certainly not be the case. The ongoing conflict saddens and worries us and we hope it can be resolved as soon as possible.
“In addition to the enormous humanitarian tragedy, the war has serious economic implications for all those involved and the markets of each country. Precisely for this reason, we hope for a rapid resolution that will help us all start again together.”
More than 821 companies have signed up to show autumn-winter 2022-2023 collections between March 13 and 15.
