(by Mauro Cortesi).
(ANSA) - Rho-Pero, September 18 - The 84th edition of leading
international footwear trade fair Micam has opened at the Rho
fair grounds near Milan.
Micam, which runs through Wednesday, was scheduled to
coincide with Mipel, a trade fair dedicated to bags and
accessories, and the HoMi life style trade show.
Inaugurating the event on Sunday, Premier Paolo Gentiloni
praised Italian footwear producers for "exporting 209 million
pairs of shoes in the world" and stressed the sector's potential
for growth.
"We must move in this direction with the protagonists, those
who are producing the marvels we are looking at", he said of
show manufacturing companies.
Micam's final day also coincides with the opening of Milan
fashion week on September 20-25 debuting women's spring-summer
2018 ready-to-wear collections.
A reported 1,441 exhibitors, including 797 Italian brands,
are presenting their shoe collections at Micam.
Luxury brands at the trade fair include Fendi, Ferragamo,
Gucci, Prada and Tod's.
Armani, Dolce&Gabbana, Sergio Rossi and Zegna will be at
Micam for the first time this year.
A total of 300 brands will be represented at Mipel and 1,370
labels at HoMi.
Annarita Pilotti, president of the national association
representing Italian footwear companies, Assocalzaturifici, and
Micam, called the trade fair the "most important footwear event
in the world".
"We worked to create this synergy" with the confederation of
fashion producers Confindustria Moda "to be present together
during Milan fashion week", she said.
"It was an objective we were pursuing and we have finally
succeeded".
Micam's inauguration was attended, among others, by the
president of Fiera Milano, Lorenzo Caprio, the CEO of Fiera
Milano, Fabrizio Curci, the president of Camera della Moda,
Carlo Capasa, and several fashion designers and entrepreneurs
including Tod's shoe magnate Diego Della Valle.
"I am very happy to see that major brands and real Italian
companies succeeded in organizing things together", said Della
Valle.
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