As the global footwear industry continues to grapple with change and challenge, Micam continues to evolve.

This week at Rho-Fiera Milano, the trade show brought together 794 brands, including 402 international vendors and 392 Italian labels. Organizers have been focused on building the international retail contingent, with the number of hosted buyers doubling compared to previous shows, thanks to support from Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Trade Agency.

For this edition, Micam strengthened its collaboration with Mipel, the leather goods fair, to build a more cohesive experience for both vendors and buyers. From showcasing retail technologies and trend stories to bringing the factory experience to the show floor, the shows’ goal was to give attendees new tools to more effectively compete. Micam also highlighted up-and-coming talent in its emerging designer section, and hosted educational seminars.

“Today, Micam represents much more than a trade fair: it is a strategic hub for the entire footwear ecosystem, a meeting point for industrial vision, innovation, and internationalization,” said Giovanna Ceolini, President of MICAM and Assocalzaturifici. “Its centrality on both the national and global stage demonstrates how the Italian sector continues to be a protagonist and a point of reference for the international market.”

Several Italian players were marking major milestones at the show this season, including Brunate, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. The family brand, headquartered in Lake Como, began as a children’s purveyor, shifting to the women’s sector in the 1980s. It staged an exhibition at the show to highlight key moments through the years, showcasing its deeps commitment to Italian craftsmanship.

“You have to be focused on what you’re good at. It’s a matter of patience and resilience,” said Andrea Galli, who runs the business with his family.

Other big names were plotting new growth initiatives to take advantage of gaps in the market. Enrico Paniccià, managing director of Giano Srl — which operates own and licensed brands including Woolrich, La Martina and Harmont & Blaine — is expanding his company’s reach by relaunching in-house label Giano after a decade-long hiatus.

The executive’s goal is take the company’s expertise in sneakers and translate that into men’s dress shoes by incorporating comfort and tech elements.

Outside of new launches, the tariff conversation dominated this week, with both vendors and buyers uncertain about what’s ahead following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling this month that President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are illegal. The European Union is seeking clarity on Trump’s trade policy before ratifying its agreement.

Salina Ferretti, chief executive officer of Falc SpA, owner of Flower Mountain, Naturino and Voile Blanche, among other brands, said the industry has weathered storms like this again and again.

“Many companies have been around long enough that they’ve been through wars and come out the other side,” she said, noting that it’s important to stay focused on innovative product. “We’ve worked with customers in a diligent way on prices, but it’s not only about prices. It’s about the product. Sometimes the more expensive things are what sells,” Ferretti said.

Other executives were also upbeat about the road ahead. “[In 2025], Portuguese footwear grew in external markets and even gained market share from its competitors, and we left Milan with a very positive feeling,” said Paulo Goncalves, executive director of APICCAPS, the Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association. “We are currently living through a period of uncertainty, which naturally affects business in general. Even so, we remain firmly committed to the U.S. market, which we believe will be our main market over the next decade.”

Imanol Martinez, marketing and international business development director at the Federation of Spanish Footwear Industries (FICE), said that despite the obvious challenges, there are opportunities, even at home. Madrid, specifically, is booming, with high-end consumers moving to the city and snapping up real estate. That opens the door for Spanish brands to grow in their local market, he said. One of the biggest targets is the apparel specialty store sector.

“Many of our brands, especially those who focus on the “trendy comfort” market, are doing quite well,” Martinez said.

Retail Reaction

Buyers shopping Micam this season offered up mixed reviews. With fewer vendors than usual, the show lacked newness, according to some longtime attendees.

“There’s a little Western here and there, but it’s been a lot of boots, and a lot of black and brown,” said Peter Lawson, vice president at Shoe Inn, who said he was detailing less than usual.

Like many retailers, Lawson and his team are also grappling with confusion surrounding tariffs on European product. “We still don’t know where anything’s landing. We have things that are on the boat right now, and we’re trying to figure out whether we wait to ship them,” he said.

Overall, Shoe Inn — which operates stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — has changed up its strategy to bring spring product into stores later amid shifting seasons. Case in point: Weather boots are flying off shelves in the Northeast this week amid a late-season snowstorm. “The weather in New York has changed everything,” he said, noting that spring deliveries will be rolling in a month later than usual.

Like the Lawson family, David Assil, owner of Madison in Beverly Hills and his in-house label Madison Maison, has been coming to Micam for decades. But this time around, he didn’t find as much as usual.

“The positive for me was the factories that I do work with are very cooperative in making the designs I need,” Assil said. “At this moment, it’s all about the items, and designing pieces that will generate a great sell through.”

Strong partnerships are more important than ever amid tariff turmoil, according to Robert Schwartz, president and CEO of Eneslow Pedorthic Enterprises, Inc. “We asked for new, creative cost-savings strategies from our European vendors to help keep prices in check,” the retailer said.

Schwartz, who operates Eneslow in New York, was feeling positive about the winter boot business “after getting hammered again in the past week.”

David Sajdak, owner of Midwest Shoe Merchants and Stan’s Shoes, said that sneakers continued to dominate the merchandise mix at the show, with many leather upper options on display. Taller shafted boots are getting more attention for fall ’26, as well as low booties.

As for tariffs, they continue “to be an ever-changing challenge, and there isn’t a clear solution,” the retailer said. “We have great relationships with our vendors from Europe and I know we will work together to be sure the business continues in a sustainable way for both of us.”

Jake Humphreys, owner of Humphreys Bootery & Bags in Shavertown, Pa. visited Micam for the first time, with the goal of strengthening his assortment and building relationships with brands not widely distributed in the U.S. market.

“I was very happy to find quality products that pushed beyond my usual comfort zone,” he said. “I leaned into unique color palettes and more trend-forward designs with the goal of building a strong, long-term import business.