Once again, SAPICA showed the potential of Mexican footwear
The 82nd edition of SAPICA, the largest footwear fair in Mexico, was held between March 3 and 6, 2020 at the Poliforum León fairground, located in the city of León in Guanajuato, Mexico.
In a total surface of 45 thousand square meters, 850 exhibitors occupied more than two thousand stands and eight pavilions with more than 97 thousand different types of products. Among them, the areas dedicated to high fashion, casual, lady, sports, developing companies, children, cowboys and leather goods stood out.
The offer as a whole was very diversified and exhibited an adequate level of updating in fashion. The collections presented responded to the Autumn-Winter season.
The inauguration was attended by the governor of the state of Guanajuato, Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo, Raúl Hörner President of SAPICA, Luis Gerardo González, president of CICEG -Footwear Chamber of Guanajuato-, the secretary of Economy and Sustainability, Mauricio Usabiaga Díaz Barriga and Héctor López Santillana, municipal president of León.
Raúl Hörner, President of SAPICA indicated in his welcome message that “we are inaugurating the 82nd edition of the Leather and Footwear Show, the most important Footwear and Leather Goods Fair in Latin America, which seeks to always be in constant evolution, innovating depending on the needs of exhibitors and buyers ”.
The authorities present toured different stands chatting with exhibitors, buyers and the general public.
Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo in his speech said that “this fair is an example. It is part of the identity of León and Guanajuato ”.
He hinted that last year was "a time of uncertainty for shoemakers, but they were listened to and at the end of October they had two good news: the non-reduction of import tariffs and the decree that extended the measures until 2024."
He added that "if there is no growth in the national economy, we have to go out into the world. The great opportunity in the face of stagnant growth is to go out to sell our products abroad.”
He also referred that "in 2019 the exports of 293 Guanajuato footwear companies reached 349 million dollars, this shows that in Guanajuato we have the capacity and talent to move forward."
According to figures distributed by SAPICA, the total number of unique buyers during the 4 days was 2,938. Being the nationals 2,755 coming from the different states of the country, plus 183 internationals. According to these data, a slight drop was registered -of 6 and 4%- in the local visit, compared to the last 2 editions, and that of foreigners increased by 7% compared to the last edition of August 2019.
In the total accumulated influx of visitors, including attendance at the Knowledge Pavilion -conferences, presentations, debates, etc.-, and fashion shows and catwalks, SAPICA received 21,983 people.
Among the exhibitors, the general opinion was that the main buyers attended, and the turnover was satisfactory. The sales of each of the exhibitors were related to the competitiveness of the proposal.
In the final survey, carried out on exhibitors, 47% stated that they were visited by their regular clients, 14% that they attended new clients and 73% that they received international buyers.
The increase in the call for foreign buyers foreshadowed an increase in exports of Mexican shoes by 2020.
The greater competitiveness in price and quality, the strategic geographical location and the sanitary situation of China, which has resented the normal supply of products, has made many buyers in the Americas look for Mexico as an alternative point of purchase.
In this sense, commercial representatives from 21 countries met at SAPICA, including Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, United States, Denmark, Norway, France, United Kingdom, Japan, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Puerto Rico and others.
An ambitious program aimed at knowledge, training and updating in fashion and business was carried out by SAPICA for visitors. An essential added value for participants to access innovative concepts and content dictated by renowned professionals.
Simultaneously with the exhibition, numerous conferences, forums and debates were held in the Knowledge Pavilion.
A recurring theme in the presentations was sustainability, a matter of significant growth in the industry and fashion collective.
Among the most important we can point to Sustainability and the 4th Industrial Revolution, addressed by Mireille Acquart; The Consumer 2021, by Saúl López of WSGN; INSPIRAMAIS connection, on trends 2021, by the Brazilian stylist Walter Rodrigues; Megatrends by the entrepreneur Mac Kroupensky; Trends in Materials, by Héctor Jáuregui from the Fashion Laboratory of APIMEX and others of no less importance.
On the second day of SAPICA, they were appreciated on the commercial catwalk, the proposals in boots of the ANDRE V brand; footwear and leather goods of ANGEL LOZANO and others such as BLACK DIVA, HERSON, IVI LOVE and MODEL’S.
The high-fashion closure, under the motto "MEXICO IS FASHION", showed the sophisticated designs of the garments of the JANNETTE KLEIN University, complemented by shoes by PATEY WOMAN and SARAH STUDIO.
The third day, it was the turn for the Exclusive Brands/Future Talents catwalk, with the participation of designers who made an impact for their creativity and innovation, on products from recognized Mexican brands.
The set of fashion presentations had a massive participation of visitors, which allowed knowing the new trends and the characteristics of the brands' offerings.
It is scheduled for Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26, Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August, 2020, in the Poliforum de León, Gto.
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