Athleisure is the new casual
Maredimoda is a leading trade fair for beachwear, underwear and athleisure that takes place every year in Cannes. Its key themes include consumer protection, 'Made in Europe', traceable supply chain practices, and European quality and excellence. President Marco Borioli tells us why Maredimoda is a haven for the beachwear industry, athleisure is more than a trend, and purple is the new black.
How has Maredimoda evolved over the years? What will be special about the 17th edition?
Maredimoda's strength is our uniqueness. We are a benchmark trade fair for beachwear, underwear and- since last year-for athleisure too. International brands meet in Cannes to find the best European fabric and accessories suppliers. It is only at Maredimoda that they know they will be able to get an overview of the new collections along with other fashion contents, besides incomparable innovation and quality (being displayed at the fair). Today, more than ever, considering the mixture of genres and styles as well as the quite-often virtuous creative contamination, many brands outside the circuit of our fair too, do come to Cannes anyway to find their inspiration and choose fabrics.
Which top regions do exhibitors and visitors hail from (at Maredimoda)?
The exhibitors are mostly from Italy and Spain (in particular, the district of Barcelona), with both acting as leading countries in Europe for beachwear fabrics and accessories, while visitors come from all over the world. Italy accounts for 30 per cent of total visitors, followed by France, Spain, Germany and the UK. The US and Turkey are also there with several premium brands looking for fabrics and accessories capable of making their items unique and exclusive.
How have sourcing practices changed in the times of Brexit, circular economy, sustainable living, wearable technology and a thrust on consuming homegrown fashion?
For some years now, we have been witnessing the reshoring phenomenon where production goes back to Europe or neighbouring countries due to the negative experiences in the Far-Eastern countries. In this regard, Maredimoda is hosting a very peculiar area for garment makers producing on behalf of third parties and hailing from Italy, Portugal, Romania and Tunisia, who are able to provide high-quality service, low minimum order quantities and fast delivery times compared to the Far-East. This is in addition to the geographical and cultural closeness which makes work more simple and profitable.
What is the global market size for women's innerwear and beachwear?
The global market for swimwear and beachwear is projected to reach 2.2 billion units valued at $22.7 billion by 2022. Emerging countries represent the global hub for growth, with Latin America led by Brazil representing the largest market worldwide.
What is the market share of Italy in the global beachwear industry?
Italy ranks second in Europe after France. The annual beachwear turnover in Italy is €733 million. What has revolutionised the market in Italy-and not only Italy, actually-has been the transformation of the distribution channels. Next to multi-brand stores today are the mono-brand chain stores, either owned or franchised, which have contributed to moving brands from the high-streets to shopping malls on the one hand, and strengthening their brand identities on the other. About 40 per cent of the Italian market today is covered by the chain stores followed by independent stores with a market share of less than 20 per cent. Even in this sector, online business has risen and keeps on rising at an average annual rate of 5 per cent, but currently still has a relatively low overall share of 8 per cent.
What are the three must-haves that buyers for innerwear & beachwear are looking for in terms of yarn, fabrics, and design?
Eco-sustainability awareness is becoming stronger, and fibres from natural sources or recycled fibres are increasingly gaining ground. And, as far as fabrics are concerned, technological innovation and fashion content are two unavoidable features.
Is athleisure still going to remain a macro-trend at Cannes in November?
Athleisure is the new casual-we are no longer talking about a trend but a revolution in the fashion sector, with innovative and performing fabrics aimed at combining comfort with style. Fabric manufacturers are working in this direction and are creating high-level collections to be submitted to the new and popular brands that are in turn looking for exclusive products.
Athleisure is not only a macro-trend, but also features a wide and comprehensive new vision of a way of life. Athleisure is healthy, comfortable and responsible.
Tell us about the beachwear market in Italy. What's special about it?
Italy has an age-old tradition in beachwear, and in the past, was driven by the domestic industry which paid attention to the fashion quotient and took hold of foreign markets too. The market is dominated by several small/medium brands which on the one hand account for the successfully added value, and on the other hand seem to slow down the diffusion abroad. Another interesting aspect is the intended use of the swimsuit in Italy: the biggest share (63 per cent) is for leisure (sunbathing and beach life) which prevails over sports activities. Out of this, about 5 per cent is shared by swimming (training and competition) and 32 per cent by swimming pools (simple swimming, health clubs, aqua-gym). The women's beachwear has the lion's share of this (54 per cent of the market in value terms) whereas the men's segment is 29 per cent and kids' 17 per cent. If we take women's beachwear into account (for over-14 and for leisure), in 2016 the premium market segment-whose unit price ranges from €50 and goes beyond-accounted for 24 per cent of total Italian and European swimwear value sales, and has had a relatively steady rate of growth over the last four years. Over the same period, the so-called "hourglass effect" has become more significant with a progressive reduction of the mid-price range (€30-40 as an average price) in favour of the entry price (up to €20) which has gained more ground. Inside the five benchmark European markets (Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Great Britain) about 15 per cent of over-14 aged women buy at least one bathing suit every year for leisure. Within this segment, the two-piece swimsuit (bikini) comprises 70 per cent of the European turnover, and the rest of the purchases are dictated by the "mix and match" factor.
What steps does the industry do to promote this segment?
The most important battle in Italy is about fabric traceability-quite an important issue that is energetically pursued by European Union authorities who are responsible for relevant regulations in member states. Since Italy is marked by quality and innovation, it has been essential to obtain a certification that can guarantee Italian production and at the same time protect the end-user. Maredimoda has always been an ambassador of both this culture and the traceability policy.
What will be the major trends at Maredimoda in November 2018 in terms of colours, prints, patterns, style & fit, accessories, and fabric?
At the next edition of Maredimoda, a three-day affair beginning November 6, we will present the S/S 2020 trends as developed by a think-tank heading the Maredimoda Trend Board. Its members include David Shah, trend forecaster and editor of trade magazine VIEW, Anne Marie Commandeur from the Stijl institute in Amsterdam, a trend analysis agency specialising in fashion and design trends, as well as a pool of experts of design department heads at our companies. Trends are under investigation, but preliminaries indicate that purple will be the most interesting colour. From soft lilac to electric or luminous to deep purple-those would be the colours. In terms of patterns and novel material surfaces, purple and electric blue depict the impact of technology-trying to reach a luminescence and saturation that translates well only on screens. That is what we also like to see in the comeback of the fluorescent hues.
Do you plan to take Maredimoda beyond Cannes?
Maredimoda has always been planned to go beyond Cannes, with promotions all over the world, both in trade magazines and on the internet, while viewing the universe of social networks more favourably. Our strength, however, lies in the oldest and most effective communication method-word of mouth. All trade players know about the fair and want to be there; the brands which do not know us yet are recommended by their suppliers to visit us by their suppliers (and also the other way around). "See you at Maredimoda" is the most common closing salutation at the end of a business meeting. It is an exclusive yearly appointment that nobody wants to give up. "Those who do not visit Maredimoda are not creating nice collections" has been summarised so by Brazilian designer Amir Slama. Should we talk about new events, we would have to move to another area of our company. Maredimoda works at a global level by organising targeted events or business missions in countries deemed interesting for textile companies. In September, we organise a preview in Munich (Germany), and over the last few years we have organised business missions in Columbia, Brazil and the US.
What is the USP of Italian beachwear manufacturers?
Creativity, quality and attention to detail are the elementary attributes of Italian brands. Not only do stimuli and challenges come from inside but from outside too. It is a deeply-rooted culture, and generations of artists and creatives. It is a genetic issue that gets honed day after day.
What was the footfall at Maredimoda last year? What are the expectations this year?
The 2017 edition was marked by an increase in the number of visitors and the presence of new high-level exhibitors. The expectations from 2018 will be in the confirmation as a leading event in the top-of-the-range list, extending the presence of visiting athleisure brands while becoming a reference trade fair for companies in the sector. Those who work with fashion cannot stay away from Maredimoda. Don't forget to mark it in your calendar.(HO)
