The world’s biggest Italian footwear fair, MICAM Milano is presenting spring / summer 2024 footwear trends in Milan this September. For its 96th edition, MICAM Milano’s theme is “Walk your Way”, encouraging radical self-expression. President of MICAM Giovanna Ceolini says, “Walking is a simple and natural action, but the way we do it is an expression of who we are.”
This year, the shoe fair has a strong focus on sustainability and designing with end-of-life in mind.
For more than 40 years, MICAM Milano has been connecting designers, manufacturers, and buyers, many who are exploring innovations and technologies to reduce their impact on the environment and do better for people. The biannual events held in Italy attract about 50 000 visitors from around the world and are excellent opportunities to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in footwear trends, materials, emerging designers, and retail innovations. Italy is one of the leading producers and exporters of footwear in the world so it comes as no surprise that MICAM Milano is the biggest footwear fair.
The next event takes place in Milan from 17th to 20th September.
The four-day fair will display collections from over a thousand brands. In addition to these showcases, the fair will include an innovation hub called MICAM X, which will host talks, discussions and exhibitions about improving the industry. The four topics of MICAM X are the future of retail; art, fashion, heritage and culture; sustainability; and trends and materials.
The Future of Retail exhibition will explore smart solutions and innovations in retail as well as share professional updates and debates in the sector. MICAM X will also explore sources of inspiration for designers, drawing on heritage and culture through the “Art, Fashion, Heritage, and Culture” section of the exhibition. In a partnership with WGSN, the fashion industry’s biggest trend forecasting company, the fair will offer key insights into upcoming trends and innovations in the footwear industry.
Attendees at a previous MICAM Milano
In a move to address the environmental crisis, MICAM Milano is in the process of developing a sustainability certification to support and promote brands making better design choices. “We’re seeing more and more brands demonstrating a commitment to the entire lifecycle of products and designing with end-of-life in mind,” says Matteo Scarparo from the Italian Footwear Manufacturer’s Association, which organises MICAM. As part of the net-zero agenda, the European Union’s Green Deal has ensured that businesses comply with new policies that encourage circular design.
“Sustainability is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry at the moment,” says Matteo. “At MICAM we are trying to find solutions that give visibility to brands working with sustainable design practices and to direct retailers to these designers.”
In addition, MICAM hosts an emerging designer programme to showcase young designers. This initiative presents the work of new talent from all over the world, as part of their mission to support the growth of new designers in the industry.
The fair offers brands a platform to showcase their collections and offers designers and retailers an opportunity to connect with manufacturers and buyers. It is an opportunity for all aspects of the industry to learn and expand networks, as well as promote the movement of the footwear industry to be more sustainable and responsible.
