A “full house” of visitors at MICAM ShoEvent, the prime showcase for medium-high and high-end footwear - held from 16-19 March in the new fair centre at Rho - with the most exciting new footwear fashions for autumn/winter 2006-2007.

After its successful debut last September in the new Rho complex, MICAM continued its growth trend and hosted 41,653 visitors, 25.57% more than in March 2005, the last time in the city-centre fair complex. There were 27.85% more international visitors (who numbered 20,041) than a year ago. The majority of international visitors were from Germany, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the USA.

“These numbers”, says Rossano Soldini, chairman of ANCI, the national association of Italian footwear manufacturers, “testify to MICAM’s ability to exploit the exciting new growth opportunities offered by the move to the new fair complex and show that our organisational efforts are justly rewarded. The new show confirmed that MICAM is, as always, the top international footwear fashions fair”.

On Thursday 16 March the Italian Deputy Prime Minister, Gianfranco Fini, officially opened the four days of the show, which presented 1642 collezioni (515 from all around the world) in 8 exhibition pavilions over a total display area of 72,694 square metres. Mr Fini emphasised the government’s efforts to safeguard Italian-made fashion goods. Its efforts acquire even greater importance when considered in the light of the real difficulties the industry is currently experiencing.

Among the many events organised for each MICAM show, the traditional international press conference – held on Saturday 18 March with ANCI’S chairman, Rossano Soldini, and the Italian Trade Commission’s general manager, Ugo Calzoni – proved to be particularly interesting. While confirming the Trade Commission’s support for Italian footwear, Calzoni emphasised MICAM’s growing importance for the whole Italian footwear industry and said he was particularly pleased about the huge number of visitors the show attracted