REVIEW
EXPO RIVA SCHUH & GARDABAGS:
100 THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL EDITIONS!
Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags presents its 100th edition to the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy.
H
ow could Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags, such a long-lasting and successful event, possibly have come to be in Riva del Garda, a small Italian town in Trentino? An event capable of attracting people from all over the world, of generating such an impressive turnover and becoming a touchstone for international trade in the footwear and accessories markets. Over its first 100 editions, the fair has hosted roughly 70,000 footwear collections. An underestimation, as this assumes that at every edition each exhibitor presented only one
collection, which is known not to be the case! The show has welcomed some 500,000 visitors and, in the last 10 years, has convinced industry operators from at least 100 different countries to come to Riva del Garda, at each edition. Today, about 80 per cent of visitors come from Europe and around 20 per cent from non-European countries (a very high number compared to other events).
“A place for international trade” The question as to how these numbers were possible was answered by the top management
18 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • FEBRUARY 2024 Above, the show in 1980. Below, in 1975
of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, the organiser of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags, after the institutional speeches by Maurizio Montemagno, General Director for Industrial Policy, Innovation and SMEs of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT) and Milena Del Grosso, Consumer Goods Office Manager ITA - Italian Trade Agency. Said Chairman, Roberto Pellegrini: “In 100 editions, Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags has proven to be essential in preserving the competitiveness of Italian and European distribution channels. While Italy is no longer a hub for mass production, we now have the opportunity to be – and remain – a leading hub for worldwide distribution: Riva del Garda is a place for international trade.”
Mr Pellegrini then revealed the secret of the event’s success: “It has always been an event capable of interpreting changes in the market, and accommodating them.”
Reflecting on the significant milestones of the fair over the last 50 years reveals a remarkable journey: bolstering the territorial value, fostering successful collaborations between public and private sectors, expanding into global markets and production, restructuring managerial frameworks, and nurturing strong affiliations with production and distribution networks.
Mr Pellegrini was echoed by Director, Alessandra Albarelli: “It is our internationality, superior to all other industry events, that makes us such an important crossroads for trade: on a global level, two out of every three pairs of shoes are bought in a country other than the one where they were made.”
A sustainable event An event of this magnitude must strive to be sustainable in every respect, for the environment, people and the territory, as
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