Promoted by CEC – the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry, this edition of WFC is entitled “Digitalization for a sustainable footwear industry” and will tackles issues like the converging realities of digitalization and sustainability, the industry’s pathway towards a circular economy, the “connected and sophisticated” global consumer, and the next generation of retailers, with the contribution of a panel of high-level international speakers and above all the presentation of successful case histories. Among the speakers already confirmed are companies like El Naturalista and Vivo Barefoot for the theme of sustainable products. BROWN Group and Luisaviaroma will instead address the theme of social media and influencers, while Glent Shoes and Vibram will take a look at digital innovation and technologies in production. Finally, the best retail practices in the digitalized world will be proposed by Delpozo, Heme and Fratelli Rossetti.

“We expect around 400 participants from around the world, including above all producers, but also retailers, national associations, institutions, research centres and centres for professional training, as well as the international press – declares Carmen Arias, executive secretary of CEC – Among our main sponsors is Micam Milan, and we are just as grateful to the city of Naples that decided to host this event in the magnificent location of the Royal Palace”.

After the first two editions in Brussels (2003-2005), the World Footwear Congress was then held in La Rioja in Spain (2007), Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 2011, and Léon, Mexico in 2014 in the American continent. For the first time in Italy, the choice of Naples as the venue is not casual: a city of great appeal and culture, it claims a rich footwear manufacturing tradition that it continues to express today with the presence of different prestigious brands of luxury footwear. Additionally, it is the provincial capital of a region where the footwear industry is characterised by a strong workforce and a decided vocation for exports.

At the press conference for the initiative’s presentation, the logo of the Congress was shown for the first time, uniting footwear with the golf of Naples in a sole and striking image.