Vincenzo Boccia (president of Confindustria): “Proud to christen the launch of a fair reaffirming Italian leadership in the world”

“As president of the Italian entrepreneurs, I am proud to christen the kick-off of Lineapelle, the most important international event dedicated to various sectors of the leather industry.” This is how Vincenzo Boccia, president of Confindustria, welcomed Lineapelle, an event in which he sees “an example of how Italy should be very clear about the […]

Situation of the leather area, first half of 2016 has been hard going: foreign demand down, but automotive and upholstery on the up. Fabrics and substitutes doing well

Drops in leather demand at both domestic (-2.1% in value) and foreign (-4.9%) level. The general slowdown forces the Italian tanning industry to deal with a first half of 2016 with the handbrake on: the value of Italian production decreases by 4.1% in value. Foreign sales make up about 75% of total turnover: France is […]

Autumn/Winter 17/18 at Lineapelle: “Looking at materials from a contemporary perspective” explains Antonella Bertagnin (Lineapelle Fashion Committee)

From sporty with vintage interpretations to the opulence of the eccentric and ultra-decorated. From soft and opaque in pastel colours to the strong shades of pop. The trends identified in this edition of Lineapelle, presented in the varied selection on show in the 3 Trend Areas (pavilions 13-15, 9 and 22) stand out and blend […]

London Fashion Week: mannish style and leather everywhere, from dresses to shows

They call it “mannish” (although “less feminine” is perhaps apt too), – the term most used to describe London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017’s main trend – reflecting how the unification of the men’s and women’s catwalks, introduced by Burberry (and others too), has already made its mark on the style profile. Versus Versace is offering […]

Enthusiasm, proposals and a desire to “publicise leather in a new way: more social”: a breath of fresh air from the Italian Tanner’s Association Young People’s Group

Enthusiasm, proposals and a desire to work for the future of the Italian tanning industry. Yesterday on the eve of Lineapelle, in Fieramilano Rho, the Gruppo Giovani UNIC (Italian Tanner’s Association Young People’s Group) met to relaunch its identity with new energy. Proposals, active dialogue and enthusiasm, summed up perfectly by Francesca Signorini (Victoria): “This […]

Agreement between Lectra and Kuka Home: the Chinese upholstery giant wants to get smart

China’s economy is changing, and with it the strategies of the Chinese players. Kuka Home, the furniture and upholstery group with headquarters in Hong Kong (2500 single-brand stores, present in 120 countries) that also produces leather sofas (purchased in Europe and tanned at home, we can read on the company website), has signed an agreement […]

The return of the Italians: 10,000 visitors to Mipel, signs of recovery from Italy

Organisers interpret it as a positive sign: in Italy we are witnessing a recovery (albeit still modest) in domestic consumption. Of the 10,000 buyers that flocked to the stands at Mipel, the leather goods fair that closed its doors yesterday after four days of activity, the slight prevalence of Italian visitors was apparent. “The exhibitors […]

The holidays are over, let the exhibitions commence! Here is the calendar for September

Now that the holidays are over, in September, the companies in the tanning industry are set to experience an extremely busy month, packed with exhibitions. Here are some of the most important dates, some of which are currently ongoing, or have already ended: Sapica León, 30 August–2 September; All China Leather Exhibition Shanghai, 31 August–2 […]

The emir from Qatar in Florence snaps up Benheart brand leather jackets

One warm Sunday this August, Hicham BenMbarek, an artisan with Moroccan roots received a visit from a special tourist in his shop in Via della Vigna Nuova in Florence: Sheik Hamed Bin Khalifa Al Thani (pictured in the shop in Florence). The emir, whose family now owns half of Italy, or rather the Valentino maison […]