This year's event marks the entry of some new brands, including the all-Italian Patrizia Pepe, while the Paris Hilton collection confirmed its attendance with a larger and renovated exhibition area.

The heart of the shoe industry beats to the rhythm of rock. After the success of the previous edition, theMICAM confirmed its collaboration with "Rolling Stone", the cult magazine for rock fanatics, once again at theMICAM with Foot Rocker, an initiative aimed at recounting young fashion styles and the most prominent street fashion brands in the shoe industry. The Foot Rocker Hall of Fame, a true rock&roll footwear museum set up in Hall 10 dedicated to the "Rolling Stone" and the most popular brands among rock stars (Converse, Nike, Adidas, Dr. Martens, Clarks, Puma, Repetto, Onitsuka Tiger), represents the novelty of this year's edition. Their most rock-addicted lines will be on display in special showcases, while giant panels will enable visitors to trace the history of rock as seen through the pages of the "Rolling Stone Magazine".

In addition, young aspiring shoe designers will be back on centre stage with the "Rock vs.

Rap: The Soles Battle" contest. The winner, announced at the stand's inaugural event on the afternoon of Sunday 2 March, will be awarded an internship of at least 6-month in a footwear company. The best projects of the contest - which requires young designers to take inspiration from young fashion and street styles, providing their own interpretation of either fashion-rock or fashion-rap footwear - will be exhibited at the Foot Rocker stand over the entire duration of the event, thus providing a comprehensive overview of the contribution provided by the world of music to fashion creativity.

Besides business at the trade show, footwear events will also be held in the city centre at theMICAMpoint, an area dedicated to those that wear, love and - above all - want to know more about shoes. Here, Italian excellence will be explored in greater depth, especially as regards the strong bond between craftsmanship and innovation, which represents the inherent value of Italian footwear; a value that is absolutely focal and worth defending, although not always visible.

theMICAMpoint gets increasingly smart! Tradition and craftsmanship blend with the latest communication, retail and product innovations. For example, the Neapolitan "sciuscià" tradition (shoeshines), revisited and adapted to suit modern times, is represented by a “smart” customer support event in which the secrets of shoe care are revealed. In other words, more room for technological innovations, virtual laboratories and smart applications describing shoes from every perspective.

The importance of shoes in our daily lives and activities (work, free time and family) will be one of the topics addressed by this year's event. This becomes even more significant in the year when Europe marks the conciliation between family and work and the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family. Shoes accompany us on our journey through life. This is why making shoes that are not only beautiful but also respectful of human beings, the environment, the economy and social welfare is of fundamental importance. In addition, shoes represent an element of emotion and creativity, and thus offer unexpected connections with different artistic expressions, such as for example photography, food and cinema.

It is on these issues that theMICAMpoint will engage visitors of all ages through presentations, shows and the latest multimedia platforms. theMICAMpoint is preparing for a repeat performance of the success of the September edition, which registered high attendance levels with more than 5,300 visitors (+40% compared to the previous edition).

As the March edition approaches, theMICAM is already focusing on the second half of the year, which will mark a change in theMICAM's strategic positioning in the international schedule of trade shows, moving the dates from 31st August to 3rd September. This change of strategy will be announced in the great theMICAM event to be held on Monday 3 March from 6 pm, open to visitors, exhibitors and the press at the Fiera Milano Auditorium.

Come and see the latest footwear fashion trends. theMICAM looks forward to seeing you from 2 to 5 March at Fiera Milano Rho.

MICAM, Milano
(10/02/2014)