MILAN — Mipel was a tribute to Milan and the fantastic thing about art.

The handbags and accessories trade show, running Feb. 19 to 22, continued on the trail began in the course of the September edition, when art was certainly one of the primary topics amongst exhibitors.

The fair welcomed its visitors through artistic installations and three Italian artists — Matteo Manenti, Denis Medri and Lorenzo Fornaciari — performed live, painting all of the installations across the fair. The work of arts will likely be donated to nonprofit charities.

This edition, the number of tourists to Mipel was counted along with those of the opposite trade shows happening at the identical time — Micam, TheOneMilano and Homi Fashion&Jewels, totaling 1,800 exhibitors and greater than 48,000 skilled buyers, a 25 percent increase on the previous edition.

The estimated turnover of the Italian leather goods industry for 2002 is around 13 billion euros, a 14.8 percent increase, while exports are expected to indicate a 15.1 percent increase.

“After the difficult period attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, trade shows appear to have a great restart,” underscored Franco Gabbrielli, president of Mipel and industry organization Assopellettieri. “This doesn’t mean that business is straightforward now, but each small and massive corporations can find latest market shares by specializing in latest strategies.”

These include “rethinking brands and constructing a solid relationship with clients,” Gabbrielli explained. The importance of a brand concept and the values it shares with its customers is increasingly relevant and smaller corporations have a probability to face out in the event that they work on it, he observed.

Roberto Briccola, chief executive officer of the family firm Bric’s, which celebrated its seventieth anniversary in 2022, said revenues rose 20 percent to 55 million euros last 12 months and that exports represented 75 percent of sales. Two of crucial markets for Bric’s are the Middle East (Dubai above all) and the U.S., “which is price 13 million euros, while China is finally showing signs of a restart,” Briccola said.

Bric’s is distributed through 1,500 multibrand stores around the globe, 170 corner shops and 35 monobrand stores. A relevant partnership for Bric’s business is the one signed with Porsche Design: bags, luggage and small leather accessories mix the family’s history with Porsche’s international brand awareness.

The Middle East, especially Qatar and Kuwait, is a key marketplace for Italian firm Braccialini, along with Eastern Europe. “We predict the Saudi Arabia market to grow significantly,” said Giacomo Gori, sales and retail manager. “Riyadh has implemented and diversified its investments and has also won a bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.”

Braccialini’s latest collection is “Roulette d’amore [Love roulette]” and was “inspired by the atmosphere of cities like Venice, Los Angeles and Macau, said Gori, “and from a playful sort of love in a burlesque mood.”

The corporate is planning the opening of 40 stores in six years, he offered. “Latest shops in Spain and the U.S. are already planned.”

Exports are Biagini’s strength as well, representing 60 percent of sales. The U.S., the Middle East, Japan and South Korea are among the many best-performing markets for the Modena, Italy-based company.

“We designed a latest collection where different sorts of materials meet,” explained junior designer Sofia Barbolini. “That is how we represented two of our values: the importance of unity and the importance of diversity.” This known as “Frammenti [Fragments]“ and features materials like leather, brass and bamboo. Biagini’s signature bag is “Onda [Wave],” which is paying homage to the fluidity of water and the flexibleness of every human being.

Flexibility and variety were key topics at Alchimia’s booth, too. Owner Giacomo Milazzo showcased three primary collections: a classical one, fabricated from soft and delicate shapes, and a sport chic line, where vegetable leather meets materials like python and calfskin. A 3rd collection was inspired by Pop Art: leather and technical fabrics like nylon became canvas with prints and designs inspired by well-known cities and paintings.

The corporate based in Bologna is now trying to seek out latest market shares in countries equivalent to Spain, France, Latest York, Japan and Italy, Milazzo said. “Japan is an exception for us within the Asian market, as other Asian countries firms we used to work with are actually specializing in a lower market range, and because of this we’re selecting to expand in other continents.”

Paola Valducci, owner of Borsettificio Laura, showed the Cavalcanti brand at Mipel and said she saw the identical sort of issue with U.S. clients. “The last economic crisis was global and every company has to take care of the identical challenges. We imagine the strength lies in creativity and modern strategies.”

An interesting area arrange in Mipel was “Scenario,” where visitors could see latest creative brands equivalent to Mintsa, made in Thailand, which featured small luxury bags to support the country’s small businesses, and Omar Nasser, by the namesake Lebanese designer. He paid tribute to each Lebanon and Italy, where Nasser studied and now produces all of his collections, with small leather bags.

“Our clients are here to expand into the Italian market,” said Giovanni Scalia, CEO of the Scalia Group, an Italian distributor for German and Austrian brands like Travelite, specialized in bags and luggage; scarves brand Fraas, and umbrella label Doppler, whose products retail from 10 to 250 euros.

“Travelite, as an illustration, performs thoroughly in German-speaking countries but showed good growth each in Italy and in Croatia, Kazakhstan and South Korea due to Mipel,” Scalia said.

Travelite has also implemented its presence in Italian airports.

Mipel organizers imagine in continuing to assist small businesses by way of digitalization and carried out the partnership with platform Mirta, which began last 12 months. The goal is to be a reference point for small corporations to implement their online business by supporting them with a whole range of services.