Left: Startup Competition Winner, Shoefitr.io


products firmly at the centre of the scene. The models are digital – young men and women, “perfect, invented, impossible” identities, created within an imaginary factory made of lasers, gears and robots. But creativity remains exactly where it belongs: in the selection of real shoes and bags – those presented by exhibitors for the upcoming S/S 2027 season – which visitors can physically experience throughout the exhibition halls. It remains in the materials, the stitching, the details that no algorithm can replicate. “AI runway shows are a tool,” says Alessandra Albarelli, General Manager of Riva


del Garda Fierecongressi. “They allow us to present our exhibitors’ products in new and innovative ways, showcasing their ability to interpret both taste and market dynamics. Technology amplifies what already exists: the real quality of those who produce shoes and bags every day.”


There is no dystopian reading of AI here. And no cold, distant future. Artificial intelligence does not replace – it highlights and enhances ideas and products. It assigns to the digital world the perfection of atmosphere and staging, while returning to the physical world the value of uniqueness. Like Detroit techno: born from machines but shaped by those with the sensitivity to turn noise into music.


Once again, Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags look ahead, supporting the footwear and bags industry towards a future increasingly focused on craftsmanship and expertise. If the Ferrari Luce has sparked debate – at times heated – Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags have brought everyone into agreement: Riva del Garda is the ideal place to develop and innovate business, even in the most complex market conditions.


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