Exhibitors have reaffirmed their faith in the prestigious international event for the luxury textile and accessory sector.
The 40th edition of Milano Unica, the Italian trade expo for luxury textiles and accessories, starts in halls 13–15 and 22–24 at Fiera Milano Rho, exhibiting the Spring/Summer 2026 designs. In its 20 years of existence, this edition has the most exhibitors (723), setting a new record. Specifically, these comprise 17 publishers, 150 exhibitors in the Special Areas and the Korea and Japan Observatories, and 556 exhibitors (+9.5 compared to the January 2024 edition) in the three Ideabiella, Moda In, and Shirt Avenue shows.
Compared to the January 2024 edition, the increasing number of exhibitors required an enlargement of the display space (by more than 12%).
These noteworthy outcomes serve as an essential instrument for promoting their collections internationally and validate the confidence of Milano Unica’s leading producers of luxury textiles and accessories. Every Italian district is represented at the trade fair, despite the challenging time for the Made-in-Italy industry as a whole.
With a few notable exceptions, the Confindustria Research Center anticipates that in 2024, sales of Made-in-Italy textiles decreased in both the domestic market (-5.2%) and exports (-8.5%). Specifically, China, which together with Hong Kong makes up over 10% of all exports, experienced a 4.8% growth. Additionally, exports to Sri Lanka and Vietnam increased by 5% of overall exports. Additionally, it should be mentioned that export volumes decreased by 1.3% during the first nine months of 2024. This demonstrates that, despite reduced pricing and profit margins, overall textile exports in 2024 were nearly equal to those in 2023 in terms of quantity. This is a positive indication that 2025 will see improved performance.
“The important milestone reached in this 40th edition of Milano Unica, with a record high in the number of exhibitors, should stimulate us even further to strengthen its leadership at the international level. Particularly in this context of economic uncertainty and widespread geopolitical tensions, there is a need for a strong and qualified tool to promote and support the international expansion of Made-in-Italy and Made-in-Europe textiles and accessories. Thanks to the widespread creativity, capacity for innovation and attention to sustainability of the professionals operating in the various specialized districts, the industry remains a point of reference for our country, generating income and employment and with a positive impact on the trade balance as well,” said Simone Canclini, President of Milano Unica. “Milano Unica is growing as a research incubator, promoting dialogue between the past, the present and the future to support the evolution of creativity. The exhibition dedicated to Anna Piaggi, an iconic figure in the fashion world, renowned for her unique and visionary style, her ability to break conventions and promote innovative aesthetics, goes exactly in this direction,” he concluded.
Every season, Milano Unica offers unique spaces that have evolved into complementary parts of the exhibition panorama in addition to cross-cutting initiatives aimed at tradition, creativity, the arts, aesthetics, and technological innovation. Through evocative pictures and effects, the Cube Still Frame is an intriguing video installation that explores the trend concepts showcased at the trade exhibition, offering fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. Major actors in the textile supply chain have partnered to create a new project called Beyond Tailoring. An immersive, multimodal narrative experience that highlights the various stages of menswear production processes.
The Innovation Area, hosted by TexClubTec, the Technical Textiles Section of Confindustria Moda, is always one of the unique areas. Its purpose is to raise awareness of new products and processes and to emphasize the value of communication amongst businesses along the supply chain. At the major trade shows in Cannes, Miami, and London since 2002, Mare di Moda has been promoting and safeguarding Made-in-Europe collections of beachwear, lingerie, and athleisure fabrics and accessories of controlled provenance. Startup Textile Connection will collaborate with eight Italian businesses that will address a variety of topics, including digital solutions, quality control, traceability, scrap management, and the circular economy.
Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region; Claudio Sgaraglia, Prefect of Milan; Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance, who sent a motivational message; and Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, were among the many distinguished guests who attended the opening ceremony via videoconnection.
On behalf of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), Matteo Masini, Director of the Consumer Goods Office, participated.
“Textiles: production is the real luxury” was the round table’s crucial theme, and it emphasized how Made-in-Italy products’ excellence is a fundamental quality pillar and assurance. The two prominent speakers, Toni Belloni, President of LVMH Italy, and Alessandra Gritti, Deputy-President and CEO of Tamburi Investment Partners, were moderated by Nicola Porro, Deputy Editor of Il Giornale, blogger, and host of Quarta Repubblica. They emphasized the importance of spinning and weaving upstream in the supply chain to the performance of the high-end market.
“We take pride in the fact that all of the hard work, attention to detail, and perseverance we have put into this project is paying off. This does not, however, imply that we have finished; rather, it is a place to start from which we can continue to develop and improve. As they help to create Milano Unica’s success, our entrepreneurs determine the rules. Our top priority has been and continues to be their pleasure. The true power of this event lies in their talent and passion, which keeps growing and gaining recognition upstream of the textile supply chain, laying strong groundwork for the downstream portion. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency ICE, which promotes and internationalizes Italian businesses overseas, deserve my sincere gratitude as always for their unwavering support in making Milano Unica a trade show of the highest calibre in the world. Finally, Massimo Mosiello, general manager of Milano Unica, said, “I would also like to thank our loyal partners Banca Sella and Lauretana for their valuable support.”
The 41st edition of Milano Unica is scheduled on July, 8-9-10, 2025
