Between February 3 and 5, the Madrid fashion, footwear and accessories fair will return to Ifema‘s Pavilion 8. This winter edition hopes to maintain the results of last September’s event and Momad will once again be held in parallel with the Intergift, Bisutex and MadridJoya trade fairs. FashionNetwork.com interviewed the director of the trade fairs, Julia González, to learn more about the sector’s new developments, projects and upcoming challenges.
FashionNetwork.com: Can you tell us about the next edition of Momad, which will take place at Ifema from February 3 to 5?
Julia González: So far, we are moderately pleased. Despite recent events and the current economic uncertainty, the feedback in terms of the fair’s marketing has been good. We’ve gotten used to the fact that life goes on, people continue to consume and the demand for clothing and footwear is still present. Therefore, marketing has been successful, with many companies returning after performing well in September’s edition.
On the other hand, what is most significant is that the number of participating footwear brands is gradually increasing. In this edition, we will have more than 20 footwear companies. Our aim is to have a more comprehensive offer that is better suited for concept-store retailers that are now attending the fair.
FNW: What are fashion companies looking for nowadays at a trade show like Momad?
J.G.: The products shown at our fair are products that you need to touch and feel. The fact that the fair enables interactions and offers the possibility of meeting potential customers in person is one of the things that the participants value the most. Even if the experience is enhanced with digital tools, trade fairs have to be a physical meeting point.
FNW: What are the main challenges and priorities for brands after the post-pandemic recovery?
J.G.: Due to the difficulties that companies manufacturing in Asia have faced, there has been a trend in favour of local production, which has led to a more rational and sustainable way of manufacturing. Not only in terms of the composition of the garments, but also in everything related to the social and economic aspects involved in garment production. The ability to respond is now greater, with less mass production and a shift towards made-to-order production. The sector is therefore shifting towards a scenario in which it is no longer the big players who are setting the standards, but the other way around.
FNW: How is Momad adapting to these changes?
J.G.: I have always said that trade fairs are a reflection of the sector. And that is a guiding principle in our department. Just as fashion companies adapt to the needs of their customers, we want to be flexible. Our aim is for visitors to find a fair that is comfortable, easy to navigate and that has the right type of advertising to encourage them to take part.
FNW: How many people are expected to participate and attend this year’s edition?
J.G.: It will be very similar to the last edition held in September. It won’t be anything like what happened last February, when we were in the middle of the Omicron wave. We have been working very hard for a long time and we hope that nothing will ruin things for us now. The outlook is good.
FNW: What will international participation consist of?
J.G: We are maintaining our international buyers’ programme, which we organise jointly with the other fairs, and we are continuing to work with our international delegations and the commission agents we collaborate with in different countries. We will have exhibitors from Italy, France, Turkey, Portugal and Greece, which has been the biggest surprise. Greek companies are betting on Momad, whereas before they mainly focused on the Italian market. We can see that the Spanish market is of interest and I believe that this is due to our huge potential in the tourism industry.
FNW: A few days ago, the Danish trade fair CIFF announced the acquisition of its rival Revolver. Is IFEMA considering further acquisitions or alliances in the future?
J.G.: I think you always have to keep an eye out for opportunities. If something interesting comes along, we will definitely look into it.
FNW: Do you think that the reorganisation of international trade fairs could have a positive impact on Momad?
J.G: It is part of our roadmap. We are trying to increase the range of products on offer and, logically, this means that companies that used to participate in other trade fairs and have perhaps stopped doing so will find an interesting offer in Madrid. This is why we organise the event in parallel with other trade fairs as a way of generating added value; and we are betting on the return of footwear brands. We hope that this will also happen with clothing companies.
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