Milano Unica: a major make-over for the 21st edition

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Sep 7, 2015

The 21st edition of Milano Unica, dedicated to the fabrics and accessories collections for the Autumn-Winter 2016-17 season, will open its doors on Tuesday at the Fieramilanocity exhibition halls in Milan. 404 exhibitors are expected, 333 from Italy and 71 from abroad, as opposed to 410, 74 of which from outside Italy, last year.

In addition, 47 Japanese companies (they were 29 a year ago) will be featured in the 'Japan Observatory' area, dedicated to Japanese manufacturing excellence. For the first time the show will also open a window on South Korea, presenting 10 exhibitors. Thanks to the contribution of these two special areas, the Italian show will record an increase of foreign exhibitors, rising by 24.2% to 128, as opposed to 103 in September 2014!

Milano Unica's organisers claim an increasingly international outlook, announcing also the presence at the opening ceremony of Mickey Drexler, CEO of J.Crew Group, and of Wonjoon Jung, the director of Kotra Milano, the agency for the overseas promotion of South Korea.

The show features a new interior design conceived by Stefano Fadda, the show's new creative director. The make-over promises to be revolutionary. Away with rust-coloured interiors! In their place, a combination of black and grey-beige, much more chic and contemporary, with dark walls and a floor alternating concrete and soft-coloured fitted carpets.

As for the trends area, it will now be located at the show's core, while a 30 metre-long line-up of 28 screens will liven up the mezzanine, featuring interviews to illustrate all the new trends. 

Finally, special attention will be paid, as in autumn every year, to the younger generation's creativity via the 'On Stage' event, which will close the opening day, on the evening of 8th September. The fashion show, organised in collaboration with the Woolmark Company, will showcase the creations of 10 emerging talents from China, India, Canada, Italy, Holland, Japan and Austria. This year for the first time it will be held in Milan's prestigious luxury thoroughfare, via Montenapoleone.