How little joy remains in the house of the poor. This popular adage is pleasing to the rebound in pre-pandemic export figures and can only be applied to the footwear industry, which is facing the good results this Tuesday at the Milan fair. quarter of a year full of uncertainties Worried about falling consumption due to inflation. This is the general sentiment of the companies in the province taking part in the Italian event, a forum that has rebounded significantly, although it has not yet reached the levels of activity recorded before the health crisis.
Alicante footwear industry enthusiastically attended the Micam fair in Milan with the support of good results in terms of foreign trade since the beginning of the year. a total of 46 companiesAlmost half of the Spanish representation was present at this event, which conveyed generally positive sentiments. The first is the level of participation of 800 participants from different parts of the world, and the second is due to the remarkable commercial activity at the event, where the collections prepared for the summer of 2023 are presented.
This is stated by Marián Cano, president of the Valencian Footwear Entrepreneurs Association (Avecal), “in general, companies are satisfied because it was possible to work well“Furthermore, the industry representative insists that the event means the recovery of buyers who have not appeared at the fairs, such as from Asian countries since the beginning of the pandemic.
And all this in a context where exports work positively after a long journey in the desert, among other things, repeat orders on the occasion of the summer campaign. “Recipients have been more conservative since the pandemic broke out, so they had to ask for more because they were consuming the species,” Cano emphasizes.
The problem may coincide with the last quarter of the year due to the uncertainty that has settled at the international level as a result of the war in Ukraine. “Our fear—explains the head of Avecal— how the current strong inflation will affect fashion consumption. Our sales have progressed substantially, but if retail suffers, what is clear is that there will be no repeat purchases and a stock will be built on top of that. Also, if this campaign, which will start now, does not go well, it is normal that it will affect the next campaign.”
Another situation that may affect consumption is the need for companies to reflect sharp increases in energy, transportation and raw material costs in their products. “So far – he points out – companies have made a containment effort, but in the end there will be no other choice. transfer these increases to prices. These are, in short, conditions that add uncertainties.”
Rafael Bernabeu, managing director of J’Khayber, puts himself in similar terms, confirming that the fair in Milan is “the first fair we’ve attended since pre-pandemic and that although much has rebounded, it still has a way to go.” He adds that his company is doing well with sneakers, but is looking forward to what might happen in the last part of the year. “We will have to see how the end consumer reacts to issues like the following. inflation, electricity bill and interest increase“, he argues.