MILANO UNICA, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS DEDICATED TO THE EXCELLENCE OF MADE-IN-ITALY TEXTILES AND ACCESSORIES HAS BEEN GROWING ORGANICALLY. FOR THIS EDITION, THE KEY THEME IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, PROJECTIONS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES
The 38th Edition of Milano Unica opened today at Fiera Milano Rho with the Opening Ceremony addressing the topic of Artificial Intelligence, projections and future challenges for the textiles and accessories industry. The speeches by Marco Montemagno, Founder of 4Books, Nicola Gatti, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano, and Ottavio Fogliata, Founder and CEO of Storykube, moderated by Enrico Pagliarini, journalist of Radio24, analyzed the topic of Artificial Intelligence in depth. They were followed by contributions from the institutions and the Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, who attended the Opening Ceremony.
“The fashion industry is faced with the challenge of striking a balance between using Artificial Intelligence as a tool to make production processes more efficient, on one side, and protecting and promoting the talent of creative directors on the other. Also in this sector, it is necessary to safeguard the anthropological vision of the tool, shared by the government and in line with the EU initiatives. It is our intention to highlight the creative aspect, putting Artificial Intelligence in its rightful position among the many tools that support art and craftsmanship. We want to increase the visibility of the creative talents at the core of Made-in-Italy excellence, because they are a key component of our exclusive products. When effectively adopted, through the tools introduced by the government, the new technologies can help us meet this challenge of making processes more efficient, while promoting and protecting our products in the world,” said the Italian Minister, Adolfo Urso.
The three-day event, running from January 30 to February 1, will serve as the stage for an accurate selection of the best industry operators, showcasing their proposals for the Spring/Summer 2025 season and reflecting the creative drive and top quality that have always distinguished Milano Unica as one of the most important trade shows dedicated to high-end textiles and accessories.
The event has been growing organically in perception, quality of the proposals, the increased number of services offered and innovation. Much credit certainly goes to the 415 Italian and 93 foreign companies, plus another 101 in the special areas, for a total of 609 exhibitors, elevating the quality of creative, innovative, and sustainable products edition after edition.
The MU Tendenze Sostenibilità area welcomes visitors through its evocative material paths and confirms the sustainability-oriented approach of the previous edition. All the creative concepts presented for the upcoming Spring/ Summer 2025 are sustainable, testifying to an unfailing commitment to authentic product quality and respect for the planet and the people.
In addition, to facilitate the visit and understand more about the vast array of sustainable products on display, all the products come with a tag that explains the relevant sustainability value pillars: Climate Action, Chemical Safety, Biodiversity Conservation, Circular Economy and Social Justice.
The women’s premium and luxury collections are gaining more and more ground in response to the evolution in market demand.
The Japan Observatory, first launched in September 2014 within Milano Unica, celebrates its 10th anniversary of participation in the event with a themed evening that combines quality, innovation, avant-garde and craftsmanship.
Milano Unica has always been aware of the importance of education, inclusion of the new generations and system continuity. It has become the custom for the February edition to dedicate the Back to School event to fashion school students, with Sabato De Sarno, Gucci’s Creative Director, interviewed by Emanuele Farneti, Director of D, Door, DLui and Deputy Editor of La Repubblica. Sabato De Sarno will share his story and path to success.
“The topic of Artificial Intelligence is key, and I believe it is worth examining in its complexity, leaving space for observations, comments, and insights regarding its functions and use in the B2B business context in the textiles and accessories industry. Let me express my satisfaction with some aspects that over the past four years, including the pandemic and the conflicts, have contributed to Milano Unica’s
exponential growth. For sure, the reasons lie in our improved offering, which our trade show, always sensitive to market trends, has remained loyal to.
We have always privileged the participation of exhibitors belonging to the luxury and absolutely luxury segments, mainly Italian. We have enhanced the women’s high-end proposal while maintaining a strong focus on, and further exploring and expanding, Milano Unica’s pillars: sustainability, traceability and education. In this regard, I would like to thank Massimo Mosiello, Milano Unica’s General Manager, and, one by one, his entire team, for their valuable collaboration in building the success of this trade show. I would like also to thank Sistema Moda Italia and Milano Unica’s dedication to fostering education for young talents, who represent our resources for the future,” commented Alessandro Barberis Canonico.
“Milano Unica offers an opportunity to reflect on the strength of the textiles and fashion industry and the challenges ahead. These concern the market but, above all, the people. This is a central theme on the agenda of Sistema Moda Italia that has led to the signing of the sector’s new contract and an increased focus on training and education. All this while we are witnessing major disruptions: the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the labor market, the geopolitical landscape and the pressure on trade, to mention a few. The reverberations are visible in other sectors as well, but they also present a new opportunity for our country: the possibility of rethinking supply chains and the sourcing of raw materials. In this regard, Sistema Moda Italia is at the forefront. These strengths, at the core of the capitalism of value of Italian industry, will be the answer to the capitalism of control that will grow along with the progress of technologies. These issues reach far beyond the textile industry, but by thinking in terms of priorities and standing together, we will be able to find shared solutions in the interest of the country,” explained Sergio Tamborini, President of Sistema Moda Italia.
“There are many people I would like to thank, the promoters of a long and established collaboration that, over the years, has made Milano Unica a highly-ranked event. I would like to thank Alessandro Barberis Canonico and the entire Executive Committee for placing their trust in me, and allowing me to carry out, from the very first edition, this great project.
I express my sincere gratitude to my team, which supports me with great dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism.
I would also like to thank our loyal partners Banca Sella and Lauretana for their valuable support.
Last but not least, I must thank the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency ITA for the promotion and internationalization of Italian businesses abroad, for their seamless trust in the event, promoting collaboration in favor of sustainable creativity, fine quality and international trade.
I firmly believe that it is not possible to win alone, and Milano Unica is evidence of it,” concluded Massimo Mosiello, Milano Unica’s General Manager.
