Denim PV concludes an intense, high-quality edition in Milan
A very intense first day and a second that exceeded expectations. As visitors streamed through the various stands, the Denim Première Vision exhibitors were more than happy with the turn out. It is safe to say that the latest Milan edition of the textile trade show specialising in denim, was a success. The show was held from November 22 to 23 in the spacious Superstudio Più on Via Tortona in the south of the city.
Alongside a majority of Italians, exhibitors saw a large number of international buyers, including new clients from France, Germany, Holland, Scandinavia and even the United States. Numerous luxury houses made the trip, from both Kering and LVMH, but also mid-range brands, as well as the giants of the mass market.
"We cater for the whole market, but with a particular focus on quality. Our exhibitors all excel in their field, and are increasingly focusing on the premium and luxury segments," says show curator Fabio Adami Dalla Val, noting the very high quality of this year's visitors. "The strong demand for denim from luxury labels is confirmed and continues, as it is a material that can cover all market segments, while also capturing the younger customers. Denim is the only fabric that can be used for everything from dinner jackets to tracksuits," he points out.
As at every session, the event dedicated to the spring-summer 2025 collections offers a panorama of the very best in the denim industry, from yarn to weaving, including washes and accessories. All with a particular focus on eco-sustainable processes. "Denim Première Vision has become a benchmark, increasingly identified as an event where you can find innovative, quality and eco-responsible products. We have an offer in terms of exhibitors that doesn't exist anywhere else," says the curator, who also observes how the moment is particularly stimulating for the sector. "Never before have we had so many innovative elements on offer, including new fibres, machines and technology!"
In attendance were most of the Italian denim players who have embraced the ecological cause, such as PureDenim, as well as the most cutting-edge international companies, from Bangladeshi denim washer M&J Group, which has developed software to trace its products and measure its consumption of natural resources, to Turkish manufacturer Isko, which announced for the occasion the creation of Re&Up, a technological platform designed to be set up all over the world to collect used garments from its customers in order to separate and recover the mixed fibres for reuse.
The denim giant also presented the Rad Rags project carried out by its Italian research centre Creative Room Italia, developing the perfect pattern to minimise fabric waste for six typical denim models (two jackets and four blue jeans). The company uses the remaining 1 to 2% of waste to ennoble the garment. "Today, if you want to work with luxury brands, a sustainable approach is essential," says Sebla Onder, sustainability manager for Turkish weaver Orta, which embarked on the ecological path twenty years ago, starting with certified cottons. "The demand from brands has changed; they still want new technologies and new colours. But when it comes to prices, they're always looking for the lowest," she points out.
"Brands are increasingly focused on sustainability, whether in terms of materials, treatments, finishes or chemical agents," confirms Paolo Marcenta, head of purchasing at FashionLab, the denim specialist acquired by Chanel last year. "The big emerging trend is the demand for heavier weights of fabric, the idea being to stay in a very rigid universe without elastane," he says. "Brands are all moving towards 100% cotton with a heavy weight," agrees Francesca Polato, head of communications and marketing at historic weaver Berto Industria Tessile. "This type of fabric looks and feels better and, above all, lasts longer, so is perceived as more durable," she explains.
Other trends include the demand for jacquard denim fabrics and prints, which have recently become more popular thanks to new technologies, as well as textured effects such as velvet and leather. These new products are on show in the new Fashion Forum area, where Denim PV has worked with a selection of exhibitors to produce a real ready-to-wear collection for the first time.
"This helps to give a clear direction to trends in terms of styles, materials, innovation and wearability," says Fabio Adami Dalla Val, who for the past seven years has been working at Denim PV to promote "all that is best in the world of denim," not only through the 69 exhibitors, including 23 Italian and 18 Turkish companies, but also by creating opportunities for exchange via conferences and seminars or more convivial occasions, such as aperitifs, workshops, etc., and inspirational areas like the Denim Fashion District.
The organisers have brought together ten fashion brands in this space, presenting their denim collections in highly polished installations. They include some of the biggest names in the sector, renowned for their creativity, such as Italians Adriano Goldschmied and Maurizio Massimino, and the German overcycling brand Fade Out Label, as well as emerging designers such as the Italian-Russian Anna Galaganenko and the young Gimmi label specialising in hemp. "It's true that this show isn't aimed primarily at fashion buyers. Showrooms don't come here. But for a small brand like mine, it gives visibility and shows that I belong to the denim ecosystem, while bringing me into contact with the most important players in denim," confides founder Francesco Vantin.
The next two editions of Denim PV will again be held in Milan, on June 5 and 6 and December 4 and 5 2024. "We are maintaining our concept of a travelling trade show, but we need to go where it makes sense to enable companies in the sector to do business. At a time of extreme change and uncertainty, as we are experiencing now, we want to give our exhibitors and ourselves a little more stability, which will enable us to take even greater care of the forthcoming sessions," concludes Fabio Adami Dalla Val.
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