The official cancellation leads to the need to understand, now, how Milan fashion fairs will manage their size in virtual terms (and not only). On a joint note, Lineapelle, Micam, Mipel, TheOne and Homi have announced the cancellation of the upcoming physical event. In other words, the one on the agenda on March 20-24, 2021, at Fieramilano Rho. It was supposed to be a sort of replica of the #strongertogether exhibition project. But the pandemic contingency (from the DPCM which expires on March 5, to the problems of moving international buyers) prevents its organisation and development. Waiting, therefore, to return “in presence, the Milanese fairs migrate digitally”.
Lineapelle’s path
Lineapelle uses the experience gained in recent years and remains “committed on several fronts”. For example, the one currently in progress of Lineapelle Sustainability Talks. Seven webinars (the first took place on January 20, the last will be on Tuesday, March 16) designed to keep the relationship with the international community of its buyers alive. In particular, those of Lineapelle London and New York, which were supposed to take place in January, but have been (inevitably) canceled. “We will also activate other digital activities – says Lineapelle – to try to compensate for the cancellation of the March edition. In the two days in which the fair should have been held (March 23-24) we are studying a way for the virtual presentation of samples of the trend areas and stylistic seminars for summer 2022.
But also, for companies, promotional solutions for their collections. Furthermore, we are evaluating the possibility of organising a roadshow in the Italian reference districts for the leather area”. Without forgetting the online presence at 365 Showroom, a virtual hub where Lineapelle exhibitors can post their collections and their new products.
Micam, Mipel, TheOne migrate digitally
Micam, Mipel, TheOne also migrate digitally. “Digital initiatives will be activated – reads the joint note of the fairs belonging to Confindustria Moda associative galaxy – in the coming weeks. We will channel all investments and efforts on them”. For the shoe, in relation to the US market, Micam Americas Digital is already online (it will end on March 16) and will manage this moment of transition by renewing Micam Milano Digital Show platform (in collaboration with NuOrder). The same goes for TheOne, with its AlwaysOn Show digital extension, as well as for Mipel. The leather goods fair “moves completely to digital – reads mipel.com – starting from March 21, 2021. It will be hosted on a new platform that will allow exhibitors to present their new proposals and winter 21/22 collections. All enriched by moments of discussion, seminars and talks”.
Pitti Immagine (meanwhile) learns the lesson
Meanwhile, Pitti Immagine still expected to be able to hold the February shows in a phygital format. The decree of January 14, which extends the suspension of fairs and congresses until the beginning of March, frustrates ambitions. But this does not mean that the Florentine company believes that the lessons of last year, made up of reorganisation (Safer with Pitti Protocol) and digitisation (Pitti Connect), will be wasted.
“We do not throw away even a piece of the experience of these 10 months – explains Agostino Poletto, general manager of Pitti Immagine, to Il Sole 24 Ore -. What is certain, is that there is a desire to meet again, and that the physical fair, from now on, will coexist and integrate with the digital one. The road has now been drawn: in the not too distant future, we will tell companies not only to come to the fair, but to upload collections to the digital platform 15-20 days in advance, in order to provide a service for buyers”.
In the photo, images from last September, during Lineapelle – A New Point of View
Read also:
- Lineapelle, Micam, Mipel and TheOne all cancelled their March editions
- Lineapelle Virtual Networking: a 4-week-long agenda for digital events
