Milano Unica: luxury means raw materials
The president of textiles fair Milano Unica has said luxury means “putting raw materials back in the spotlight” as the three-day event concludes in the Italian city.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Simone Canclini said materials need to be the “foundation of brand identity and credibility”, which would mean “righting the imbalance in supply chain relationships” as well as the progressive loss of expertise.
“In a constantly changing premium and luxury market, product, quality and expertise are once again key storytelling elements,” he added.
The January show featured a record number of exhibitors – 730 – with a 25% increase in Europen textiles makers and an increased number of international visitors. The show prides itself on highlighting European manufacturers, while Japanese and Korean companies took part in country ‘pavilions’.
Swimwear and sportswear-focused companies exhibited in the MarediModa section – an offshoot of the Cannes show – which began its ‘show-in-show’ five seasons ago. Speaking with Sportstextiles, Franco Taiana, general manager at Maredimoda, said its companies’ attendance had been a success in previous editions, offering the chance to meet buyers from fashion houses, rather than pure swimwear brands, as well as displaying a preview of collections to fit into different buying calendars.
The Innovation section included JRC Reflex, Imbotex, Eschler, Payen and Down Creations, while in the main halls, companies such as Eurojersey, Pyratex and Positive Materials showcased the latest performance fabrics and 'next-gen' blends.
The UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) accompanied a group of 27 British textile-makers, including outdoor sector-focused British Millerain and Halley Stevensons.
All the textile samples used in the display areas are collected at the end of the show by recycling consortium Wetex and turned into carpets by Italian company Alma and used at the following editions.
Massimo Mosiello, general manager of Milano Unica, concluded: “In recent editions, despite the complex geopolitical context, the trade show recorded significant increases in the number of visitors, buyers, exhibitors and national and international media. Much of the credit goes to the exhibitors, who guarantee the highest quality of the proposals presented, making our biannual appointment a not-to-be-missed event.”
Sportstextiles will report news from the event over the coming days.
