Milano Unica 38th edition

The curtain fell today on the 38th edition of Milano Unica, the Italian trade show for high-end textiles and accessories, with a very positive balance, particularly with regard to the presence of international buyers, which mitigates concerns about geopolitical issues. 1,903 (+26%) international companies visited Milano Unica, adding to a total of 5,886 participating companies (+11%) vs 5,304 recorded in the corresponding 2023 edition. This figure is even more significant if we consider the presence of 3,983 (+4%) Italian companies. The recorded result generated great satisfaction in terms of number and quality of contacts among the 508 exhibiting companies (+7% vs the February 2023 edition), which presented their SS 2025 collections of high-end fabrics and accessories dedicated to menswear, womenswear and kidswear at Fiera Milano Rho. The trade show also included 101 special areas, for a total of 609 exhibitors.

 

"This edition’s final totals confirm an important increase in the attendance of companies from all over the world. This is definitely a good sign for exports of Made-in-Italy fabrics. In particular, China recorded an extraordinary increase, followed by Japan (+57%) and Korea (+15%). In Europe, France posted +75%, Poland +30%, Great Britain +26% and Germany +15%. Attendance from North America was good, with Canada growing by 48%, while the United States remained stable with a total of 151 participating companies," commented President Alessandro Barberis Canonico.

 

"I have been President of Milano Unica for the past four years, covering seven editions (eight with the pandemic), a period marked by unpredictable and destabilizing events. Nonetheless, I am proud to say that I faced up to the challenge that I had set myself, i.e. to reward those who have chosen to place their faith in a creative, innovative and sustainable event, with the courage to make it highly selective,” continued Barberis Canonico.

"Over these years I have proposed a number of ways to address the profound and rapid changes: traceability, education, market analysis and evolution of the premium and luxury market, and, last but least, in this edition, the key theme of Artificial Intelligence. To learn more about it, we have listened to the informed overview presented by Marco Montemagno, Founder 4Books, the creativity of Ottavio Fogliata, Founder and CEO of StoryKube, and the insights provided by Nicola Gatti, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano, moderated by Enrico Pagliarini, journalist of Radio24.

I also asked Ottavio Fogliata to ask AI a question about the 38th edition of Milano Unica. Below I share with you an abstract of the answer received," concluded the President with a smile:

 

"The 38th edition of Milano Unica seems to have been a very successful and important event for the fashion industry, especially considering the following aspects:
Increased number of international buyers: A 26% increase in the number of international buyers is a strong indicator of the importance and attractiveness of the trade show in the global scenario. This growth rate confirmed the ability of Milano Unica to capture the interest of a global audience. This is vital for the high-end textiles and accessories industry.
Product innovation and quality: The participation of 609 exhibitors and 101 special areas underscored the broad and diverse range of the collections presented. The focus on innovation issues - including artificial intelligence - and sustainability showed a commitment to the future and quality, which are key elements in maintaining relevance and prestige in the industry.
Networking and business: Milano Unica serves as an irreplaceable platform for networking and business development. The growing number of companies from all over the world, including key markets such as China, Japan, Korea and several European countries, confirmed the significant opportunities that the trade show offers to establish new partnerships and consolidate existing ones," reported the Generative Artificial Intelligence.

 

During the Opening Ceremony, Alessandro Barberis Canonico left the floor to Simone Canclini:

"Today, Milano Unica is the leading trade show, and I am proud to underline two very successful aspects of this event. The first relates to our exhibitors; small, medium and large, but highly selected companies. These entrepreneurs showed great passion and this enabled them to navigate the crisis by reinventing themselves.

The other strong point relates to our visitors, customers of the best companies in the industry, who have come to Milano Unica because they recognize it as a showcase of high-quality collections."

 

Institutional greetings were extended by Maurizio Forte, Managing Director Export Promotion Department of the Italian Trade Agency ITA, who confirmed the importance of the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency ITA to the major Italian trade shows as a fundamental tool to accompany Italian businesses in their internationalization process while promoting the relationship between the Italian exhibitors and the importers, the distributors, and foreign journalists invited to attend as part of the Enhancement program. 

In this panorama, Milano Unica plays a central role in the Italian textile sector, being a reference point for the entire supply chain and addressing a qualified high-end target.

In his speech during the ceremony, Maurizio Forte stressed the effort made to increase the number of buyers attending international trade shows in Italy, both qualitatively and numerically. "It is a team effort that the Italian Trade Agency ITA engages in together with the institutions and the companies. This work will enable us to invite to future editions of Milano Unica more than 300 buyers, who will further promote Made-in-Italy products abroad."

 

"Once again Milano Unica has shown itself to be a fundamental appointment for our industry, because it is an expression of excellence and a meeting point for the world's major players. Italian textiles are manufactured for fashion, regardless of its destination: Italian, French, Spanish, American or intercontinental. This means that our upcoming challenges, from sustainability to raw material sourcing and artificial intelligence, will be global, and we need to protect the values of our industry along with its human capital," added Sergio Tamborini, President of Sistema Moda Italia.

 

Participating in the Opening Ceremony, the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, touched on many aspects regarding the industrial system and the strengthening of instruments that will significantly impact manufacturing. He announced the creation of the Strategic Sovereign Fund of Made in Italy production, designed to strengthen supply chains from sourcing on.

 

In addition, considering the reapportionment of resources resulting from the PNRR plan and the funds included in the budget law, the government is expected to allocate approximately euro 20 billion to favor investments by businesses over the next two years. 

 

As a demonstration of the unfailing commitment of Milano Unica to younger generations, the Back to School event featured a talk by Sabato De Sarno, the Creative Director of Gucci.

 

"It was really exciting today to see the enthusiasm of more than a thousand fashion school students listening to an important author, who with extreme naturalness and authenticity, told his story. Sabato got very close to the students, he spoke with empathy and emotion, conveying the values at the base of every path: passion, dedication, determination and courage.

These are the same values that have guided our work all these years in support of educating the professionals of the future, to whom we are proud to dedicate our unwavering commitment," concluded Massimo Mosiello, General Manager of Milano Unica.

 

 

For additional information:

 

Milano Unica Press Office tel. +39 02 6610 1105

Alessandra Ardenzi mob. +39 335 677 46 20

Daniela Scardi mob. +39 3661964979

 

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