Lineapelle Expands, Exhibitors Invest but Show Caution
MILAN — Lineapelle organizers were pleased with the turnout of the 102nd edition of the leather trade fair, but together with its exhibitors expressed caution for the rest of the year.
“This edition of Lineapelle broke every record, but we are quite worried about the sector, worth 6.3 billion euros in Italy, of which 70 percent comes from exports, delocalization included,” said Fulvia Bacchi, chief executive officer of the exhibition, which took place at Rho-Fiera Milano fairgrounds Sept. 19 to 22.
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Bacchi painted a chiaroscuro scenario for Italian leather, accessories, components, fabrics, synthetic and models.
“There were 1,330 exhibitors from 48 different countries, and we had 25 percent increase in visitors, an outstanding result for us. However, the economic situation remains difficult to deal with and, in our opinion, not easy to improve. The costs of raw materials still weigh heavily, the Chinese market is not fully reopened, plus Europe seems not to protect sectors like ours,” Bacchi continued.
The executive said the first half of 2023 saw a 10 percent decrease in business, and she expected conditions “probably to be the same in the second semester, without a recovery soon. However, the companies at Lineapelle are determined to pursue the only possible path — that of investments in research and innovation.”
While companies do their part, Lineapelle is trying to expand beyond fashion, which still represents 70 percent of its clients today. Orietta Pelizzari, international adviser for Lineapelle, explained: “Expanding the global leather market to new categories of consumer goods such as hospitality, real estate, interior design for homes and cars, electronics and private aviation is our goal. For this edition, we invited key people from South Korea, the U.K. and a delegation of American architects, including some members of Peter Marino’s team who were enthusiastic. Here, they can access directly to premium and premium luxury products.”
This edition marked the debut of the LVMH Métiers d’Art booth, the biggest of the whole fair and included the most recent acquisition, the Spanish group Verdeveleno known for the tanning and finishing of exotic leathers.
“Lineapelle is increasingly pivotal for the sector. It was a natural choice to present here LVMH Métiers d’Art, embracing the best of the tanning excellence and metalworking under one roof,” explained the Italian CEO Matteo De Rosa. LVMH Métiers d’Art, which has grown to register sales of 700 million euros, from 80 million euros since it was founded in 2015, encourages the manufacturers to work for other companies to further stimulate innovation.
Gruppo Florence, the Italian integrated production hub serving luxury brands, also debuted at Lineapelle to introduce its new project: Ricamificio GS, ABC Ricami and Officina Ciemmeci joined forces to combine their skills in textile decor and embroidery on leather.
Among the exhibitors, Bonaudo celebrated its 100th anniversary. “The company started near Turin, Piedmont, where I joined it in 1992,” said CEO Alessandro Iliprandi, who eventually bought it all and moved it to Cuggiono, near Malpensa Airport in 2006. “In 2022, we scored a 33 percent increase in sales, with a consolidated turnover of 73 million euros and an EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization] margin of 11 percent,” Iliprandi said.
In the first half, the company reported 16 percent growth compared to last year, he said. “Considering how hard the market is struggling these days, we are extremely pleased.”
Limonta, the 130-year-old textile company based in Lombardy with a 2022 turnover of 177 million euros, launched Altera.
“It’s a new material where cotton or recycled nylon are tanned and processed to resemble leather in a striking way,” explained Massimo Sesana, general manager of the shoes division. “We filled the gap in a market increasingly asking for luxury non-leather products. Altera is vegan, and we put the utmost care in developing a process which is both low impact on the environment and complying with high durability standards.”
Superior, one of the most important tanneries in Santa Croce sull’Arno in Tuscany, presented a new capsule collection focused on shoes, as creative director Massimiliano Schiavini pointed out. “We worked on half calfskin, calfskin and lambskin. There’s a British inspiration and a timeless touch for men’s shoes with waxed finish and infills. For women’s, we mostly used calves and lambs with a softer touch and adequate thickness to properly build the shoe.”
Once again, Mipel Lab showcased inside Lineapelle. “This is the right context for Mipel Lab because we meet professionals looking for materials or inspiration, and we introduce them to top-level manufacturers for finished products,” said Stefano Giacomelli, Assopellettieri vice president and Tivoli Group CEO, one of the companies present at Mipel Lab beside F.A.P. Italia, MABI International, PELFIM Pelletteria Fiorentina Montecristo, SAPAF and Tripel. “Designers occasionally visit Mipel just to take a look,” he added, “while in this space created by Assopellettieri, they can find the right partners to start a collaboration. Nowadays, the big names have their factories, but many quality brands may need our know-how.”
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