Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Feb 5, 2018
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Exhibitor numbers rise at Milano Unica show starting on 6th February

Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Feb 5, 2018

There is an optimistic mood at Italian textile trade show Milano Unica, which last season successfully brought its dates forward from September to July, as the latest session is about to start. The show, dedicated to the fabrics and accessories collections for Spring/Summer 2019, is scheduled from 6th to 8th February at the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre on the outskirts of Milan, and announced a 10% increase in the number of exhibitors, from 427 in February 2017 to 470 for this, the show's 26th edition.


A view of the show last July - Milano Unica


Specifically, the show will host 416 exhibitors, compared to 365 a year earlier, plus once again 34 Japanese companies featured in the Japan Observatory section - dedicated to Japanese manufacturing excellence (there were 40 of them in February 2017) - and 20 Korean exhibitors (as opposed to 22 last year) featured in the Korea Observatory section.

"The satisfaction expressed by buyers last July confirmed our choice was the right one, as it was self-evident, since it enabled us to respond to the market's requirements. Milano Unica's duty has always been to act on the stimuli issued by the world of fashion, not just in the interest of its exhibitors but also of the industry at large," wrote the show's President Ercole Botto Poala in a press release.

On Tuesday, at the opening conference and with an event at the day's close, the show will pay tribute to Silvio Albini, who passed away recently. The entrepreneur was in charge of the Cotonificio Albini, a manufacturer specialised in shirt fabrics, and was the President of Milano Unica between 2011 and 2015.

The opening conference will feature a presentation of the latest figures on the Italian textile industry. The latter's trade surplus is expected to be in the region of €2.3 billion, with China and Hong Kong the main outlets for Italian fabric exports.

Also, the conference will give industry institutions the chance to discuss the new challenges facing made-in-Italy manufacturers, "from sustainability to digital technologies, including fashion tech, new markets and Millennial consumers." Among the speakers, Milano Unica has notably invited David Orban, entrepreneur and thought leader on emerging technologies. For the first time, in the Area Tendenze (trends area) section, the show will feature a sub-section dedicated to eco-sustainable products.  

Still within Milano Unica, the Creative Director of Ermenegildo Zegna, Alessandro Sartori, will meet fashion academy students on 8th February to talk about his professional experiences.
 

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