It is an event that possesses – and expresses this with considerable evidence – an almost domestic atmosphere, in the sense of the welcome it reserves to its visitors. And it is an exhibition that thrives on very particular flows, absolutely unique. It is a trade fair dimension that for years has managed to gather around it a very smart, young creative community and that, alongside first-rate structured brands, counts among its ranks those who are looking for leathers, materials and accessories to give meaning to their manufacturing project. We were at Lineapelle London and discovered, once again, that the market revolving around leather (and not only) has changed and is changing. Above all, a market that understood that the word “minimal” has, today, a strategic importance.
Unique in its kind
There was – as there always has been, after all – a very special vitality at the Ham Yard Hotel in London. In some ways: unsettling, if one compares it to every other exhibition event in the industry. The tone of each edition of Lineapelle London, in fact, revolves around the two style presentations (one in the morning and one in the very early afternoon), which, in Wednesday’s case, told the trends for the 2025 summer season in no uncertain terms. Needless to tell you about them, because we have already done so here. What is interesting is the way in which, at the end of the two seminars (the one in the afternoon was very crowded, the one in the morning was less so, but the poor weather conditions certainly did not help the fair), the participants poured into the corners of the 43 present exhibitors.
GALLERY
What it made realise about today’s market
The influx of visitors to the fair was in line with past editions. A good sign, given the suffocating economic situation and the worrying bad weather. And a significant percentage of them, exhibitors told us, made an appointment at Lineapelle Milano. A good sign, because it shows that – compared to past editions – their quality has grown. Not only: considering how the market is evolving today, this feedback makes us understand several things. We summarise them using a few words from Patrizia Pellizzari and Francesco Piccolo, in London for Conceria Montebello. “We had a good feeling, gathering concrete interest in certain articles and for the colours we presented. All this, basing our offer without proposing minimum order quantities. For the rest, we saw slightly more leather goods customers than shoe customers: let’s say 60% the former, 40% the latter”.
The strategic importance of having no minimums
Here is the key concept: zero minimums. Lineapelle London is the home of it, as many of those present at the Ham Yard Hotel confirm. “Many came in with very clear ideas about their product design and looking for a precise, limited amount of leather to make it happen. Far fewer, on the other hand, came just to research materials without yet having in mind what to produce”. It is a sign of maturity linked to the world of start-ups, but also to the tannery, which has transformed its stock management.
Copernican revolution
“We”, as explained from Montebello, “no longer do a stock service, but propose a real Fast Collection, which allows a customer to order only what he needs”. This is the Copernican revolution of unsold stock, which, by now, has become the rule for many tanneries and which, as in the case of Montebello, wants to become a real line of business. And never, perhaps, as in this edition, has Lineapelle London shown that the market is also moving structurally in this direction.
The beautiful people of London
Among the visitors of Lineapelle London there was, from the very first minutes, a social celebrity of the leather world. Or, as he better describes himself: a “leathertainer”. He is Volkan Yilmaz (in photo), chief craftsman of the Pegai brand, but well known for his Tanner Leatherstein social profile (more than 610,000 followers on Instagram), with which he helps consumers to better understand leather and have a better shopping experience. For example, by analysing designer accessories, deconstructing them to assess the quality of materials and workmanship.
“I’m in Europe for a two-week in-depth tour”, he tells us, “between manufactures and tanneries. And for the first time I was at Lineapelle London”. Hot impression: that of a show you don’t expect. “Very special, intimate in location and atmosphere. But definitely ideal for the market it addresses”. What leathers are you looking for? “I love natural and vegetable-tanned leathers. Because of the way my work has evolved on social media, however, I have opened up more to leathers with a different fashion content. I’m doing research on them”. Lineapelle London is the place to do that.
Read also:
- In the Making comes back at Lineapelle 103: put yourself to the test
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