The New Frontier of Footwear Trends
MICAM Americas and MICAM Milano have partnered to create a global marketplace beginning with a digital event in Fall 2020.
As a
result of the partnership between INFORMA Markets, the largest trade fair
organizer in the world, and MICAM MILANO, recognized as the most prestigious international
footwear event in the world, MICAM AMERICAS will be held in Las Vegas together with
the MAGIC trade fair, specializing in fashion apparel, footwear and accessories
for men, women and children.
The well-known footwear exhibition joins the most important event in the United States dedicated to fashion, offering operators worldwide an unprecedented business and training opportunity.
Unfortunately, INFORMA MARKETS recently announced the cancellation of the physical MAGIC, PROJECT and MICAM AMERICAS events that were scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, September 30-October 2, 2020. The decision was made following continued uncertainty around travel and health and safety concerns. Now, the focus is on the new Informa digital trade event - one of the largest digital marketplaces for fashion wholesale. The new digital marketplace, representing MAGIC, PROJECT, MICAM AMERICAS, MICAM MILANO, COTERIE and CHILDREN’S CLUB powered by NuORDER, is the initial step forward within a much larger, future-facing plan of collaborative physical and digital events for the fashion wholesale industry.
The synergy between MAGIC, PROJECT and MICAM AMERICAS, provides a unique event with all the necessary components to awaken the apparel and footwear buyer market of America and different regions of the globe, due to the combined characteristics of all fashion brands within a superior and innovative event.
Along with MICAM AMERICAS, the MAGIC marketplace includes: WWDMAGIC, PROJECT, MAGIC MEN'S, PROJECT WOMENS, POOLTRADESHOW and SOURCING AT MAGIC. This B2B event offers buyers a unique experience to reconnect and discover the latest trends in clothing, accessories and footwear.
The coronavirus pandemic has led INFORMA Markets to accelerate its digital strategy, forming a new strategic alliance with NuOrder, a B2B e-commerce platform that brings together industries and brands with thousands of retailers. Since its beginning in 2012, NuOrder has generated transactions for US $ 35 billion and serves brands such as ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, ALICE OLIVIA, NORDSTROM, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, LACOSTE, BLOOMINGDALE’S, etc.
The Informa Fashion Digital Trade Event platform recently launched by NuOrder, consists of digital booths and showrooms that will include 360-degree product images. Buyers are given the ability to view an item as they would at a physical trade show, from all angles and highlighting details in the foreground. The platform also features immersive brand experiences, such as the ability to post video images of catwalks and designer interviews.
INFORMA's plan with NuOrder is to advance the digitization of its events as a complement to in-person fairs. Seeing this digital opportunity as a great advancement in the trade fair industry, MICAM MILANO, will be launching a new B2B trading tool on the same Informa Fashion platform to complement their physical event, held twice a year in Milan.
Tom Nastos, commercial director of INFORMA emphasized that the association with NuOrder is not expected to replace the traditional fair, but rather increase it. "The digital will not replace the physical", he said. "It is important to have both. In our industry, you want to see, feel and touch, and we have found that this combination is even better for the physical".
Much more than an online portal or catalog, MICAM MILANO Digital Show is a true "augmented trade fair" that uses digital technologies to enhance the opportunities offered by the physical fair. On its fast, flexible and global platform, buyers from all over the world -with just one click- will be able to know the product ranges offered by exhibitors.
For Tommaso Cancellara, CEO of MICAM, “the participants will be able to benefit from the possible contacts already present on the NuORDER platform, whose community is made up of 500,000 retailers, and acquire new tools for sales in the digital world. Our goal is have two physical events per year (four if MICAM AMERICAS is considered) with a digital presence 365 days a year”.
Meanwhile, the original version of MICAM MILANO, the leading international shoe show, will continue its schedule at the Milano Rho exhibition center in Italy from September 20th to 23rd and will be exhibiting shoe collections for the Spring-Summer season. MICAM MILANO is internationally recognized for promoting the Italian footwear industry, bringing together many quality brands as one of the largest fashion and business platforms in the footwear sector.