SHOEINFONET

This edition of LINEAPELLE reveals a certain amount of optimism Lineapelle1

Innovation and fashion content. Wide selection of samples and great interest on the part of the buyers. In the light of a reasonable confidence in the future. LINEAPELLE the most important international show of leather, accessories, fabrics, components and synthetic closed in Bologna on Friday November 5.

With 1571 exhibitors representing 48 countries LINEAPELLE confirmed its figures: the first estimate refers in fact to about 30,000 visitors from 108 countries. These figures are practically unchanged compared with the last edition (May 1999) and with the more directly comparable one in terms of seasonal range (autumn-winter, November 1998). The difference is, however, in the atmosphere: where the last editions closed with positive results from the point of view of figures, against an inevitable pessimistic background, the tune seems really changed this time. In the statements made by exhibitors and buyers a recovery appears to be a real possibility after two dark years. This is confirmed by the tanning companies having obtained the best performances in this edition after several years when the manufacturers of alternative materials and accessories were the most satisfied

Compared with November 1998 the origin of the buyers records a drop from Italy (of about 15% for a group of visitors who anyhow represent 51.2% of the total) and net increases with regard to the rest of the world.. + 11 % from Europe (+12% Germany, +10% Portugal, +5% Spain), +15% from the American continent (+63% Venezuela, +23% USA, +19% Brazil ), +8.6% from Asia with a significative increase of buyers from Korea (+127%).

With regard to the trends of the materials presented there has been a return to colour and a marked drive towards shiny and soft solutions. Interest in the materials was centred mainly on nappa, splits and pony, developed with very successful innovative solutions. There are, therefore many signs for optimism. The market is now waiting for confirmation in the next two or three months: it is now time to investigate if the samples produced by the clients(which are less frantic and fragmented than they were in the past editions) will be transformed into orders.

The seminar "Near Future" held during LINEAPELLE, is a multimedial initiative analysing and presenting consumer and fashion trends developed by the Milan research institute Future Concept Lab in which Natalia Aspesi, Giorgio Giugiaro, Laura Giugiaro, Armando Pollini, Ugo Volli took part as speakers and the topics they discussed were illustrated by Professor Francesco Morace (President of the Milan institute). The research was carried out in thirty capital cities all over the world by a group of "cool hunters" and the aim was to demonstrate that in fashion there are trends which are transversal to the seasons stemming from the roots (from the street) and which escape the half yearly cycles singled out by the designers.

The "Near Future" initiative represents a permanent observatory of the trends. The next edition will in fact be held next May, again during LINEAPELLE (May 3-5, 2000) and an updating will be presented next March in Milan during the Trend Selection Preview on March 14-15, 2000.