THE DATES FOR 2023
As is traditional, the 2023 dates for Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags will open the future Autumn/Winter 2023/24 and the Spring/Summer 2024 seasons:
· 98th edition 14 – 17 January 2023
· 99th edition 17 – 20 June 2023
The timing has always proved perfect for trade in the industry. Excellent for those who wish to replenish their offers and even better for those who want to get a feel for the new collections and place orders for the upcoming season.
Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags remains the leading event in the sector not only in terms of timing, but also in terms of the variety of offers: volume footwear as well as value brands; made in Italy, but also international sourcing with China, India and South America and Turkey leading the pack of international exhibitors; elegant, leisure and trainer collections alongside proposals for home living, the outdoors and children.
In addition to its traditional strengths, it has recently reported some extremely strong numbers, as reflected in the excellent results of the June 2022 edition, which registered visitors from 103 countries and exhibitors from 41 different countries.
Companies' eagerness to return to the show has also been extraordinary, and is clearly reflected in the sale of exhibition space. This has already exceeded the highest expectations, with more and more stakeholders willing to invest in annual exhibition projects, ensuring their attendance at both the winter and summer editions.
“Excellent results that reward our vision. We are pursuing new and innovative ways to promptly respond to the changing needs of the markets and provide the industry with appropriate tools for sound and profitable business initiatives. The fashion accessories industry is looking for new sourcing paths, reliable partners with production capacities that can meet varied requirements in terms of quantity, price and style. Ours is no longer “just” a trade show, but has transformed itself into a virtuous network of experienced professionals capable of interpreting, anticipating and riding the changes currently taking place”, said Alessandra Albarelli, General Manager of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi.
INTERNATIONALISATION
A crucial feature of the Riva del Garda trade show has always been that it hosts manufacturers and brands of footwear and bags from all over the world. This feature is much appreciated by buyers, who have always found a variety of proposals, a wide choice in terms of quality and price ranges, reliable partners and brands attentive to sustainability issues.
The show’s organisers therefore continue to focus strongly on foreign markets and aim to further strengthen the presence of brands, contractors and buyers from the four corners of the globe.
“We have started preparations for 2023," says GianPaola Pedretti, Exhibition Manager of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags. "We are working to expand the exhibition offer by bringing in additional countries, also thanks to the international network of partners working on markets that are strategic for us. We are focusing on valuable brands and reliable private label manufacturers”.
“At the same time, supported by our network of partners around the world, we have undertaken new incoming activities aimed at buyers, inviting selected non-European operators from South East Asia, as well as, for the first time, a large group of retailers from India, Singapore and Indonesia”.
The show is also bringing in North American distributors by inviting buyer delegations from Canada and the US, in cooperation with NSRA, the American Association of Independent Retailers.
Latin American operators will also feature strongly. This market place has been reinvigorated by the nearshoring phenomenon that has seen part of the production previously assigned to Asia returning to the continent.
The show will also of course pay a good deal of attention to the European continent – the German area (DACH), France, Spain, Portugal – and particularly Scandinavian countries.
Post-Brexit Britain deserves a special mention. London will in fact host the resumption of activities on foreign soil of “Expo Riva Schuh Around the World” on 2 November. This prestigious event is designed for British buyers and manufacturers, and is organised in cooperation with the British Footwear Association (BFA) and Retail Hub.
This focus on foreign markets is fully justified and supported by industry data (source: World Footwear Yearbook 2022 by APICCAPS), which, in 2021, saw global footwear production grow by 8.6%, exceeding 22 billion pairs of shoes, 88% of which were made in Asia. This figure is growing, as is production in South America, which has emerged as the main production alternative to Asia.
China leads the world ranking of footwear exporting countries, with 60.4%. This supremacy could be threatened by Vietnam, which now accounts for around 10% of world exports, ranked second in the international table. Turkey has also made considerable progress, moving up from 8th place in 2017 to 4th place, after Indonesia.
All these countries and markets will be well represented in the Riva del Garda exhibition halls.
