While overall U.S. attendance at Micam has waned in recent years, the buyers who were on the scene this week in Milan were upbeat about spring ’25 offerings — and vendors’ willingness to make deals.
“The show helps us to justify some of the designs our current vendors are showing us,” said Doug Becker, a third-generation family member at Becker Shoes, who is now leading the retailer with Bradley, his son. “We also look for new vendors that are not available in Canada to help round out our assortment. We are always trying to give our customers something a little different than other retailers may offer.”
Billy Lawson, owner of Shoe Inn — which has locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — has been coming to Micam for four decades, and much of his time at the show has been spent alongside wife and co-owner Melissa Lawson. Now, with their son Peter leading day-to-day operations, Micam has become a true family affair.
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“This time, we also brought my girlfriend and sister-in-law to give us some younger eyes,” Peter Lawson said, about their show strategy.
The family noticed a slightly dressier assortment from many vendors, with carryover trends like slingbacks, espadrilles and ballet flats continuing to dominate.
Here, more retailers sound off on their top picks and the advantages of attending Micam to set themselves apart.
Bradley Becker, co-owner, Becker Shoes
Top Trends: “We have seen a diverse number of styles and trends, but loafers are still dominant. Country music is super popular right now, and we are seeing this influence translate into many footwear lines. We can now find western boots available from most countries, and are able to retail these styles at more competitive prices than if we were to buy them from a North American distributor.”
Deal Making: “There is always a chance to negotiate quantities and pricing. The main goal of going to Micam, for us, is to dodge unnecessary markups from North American distributors, resulting in better margins and better retail pricing.”
Morgan Kunitz, co-owner, Kunitz Shoes
Top Trends: “Square-toe Mary Janes, and lots of patent. Beige is the new black and plenty of soft neutrals to go with it.”
Deal Making: “There are plenty of factories to work with, and whether it is minimums or customizations, they are open for business and willing to make it work.
Overall Takeaways: “When you are in the day-to-day of your business, it can be really hard to gain perspective. I always feel refreshed after attending Micam as it’s a great reset to come back and bring new ideas and inspiration to the business after witnessing the thriving footwear industry. Developing our private label has been not only been a profitable venture but an advertising tool.”
Janice Abernethy, president, Abbadabba’s
Top Trends: “Most vendors acknowledged that everyone wants — more than ever — to have the feel of a sneaker in all their footwear. In response, comfort elements such as padded, contoured insoles and thicker, shock-absorbent outsoles are now incorporated more often. The influence of the ‘sneaker sole’ is one that is obvious in many designs.”
Deal Making: “Most brands seemed very willing to work with smaller independents and are realizing the importance of ‘never out’ stock from which we can replenish our inventory. It was refreshing to see that large quantity minimum orders were often not a requirement, and factories were able to accommodate smaller test orders. Also, many vendors now have in place methods that are reliable, fast, and affordable for shipping to the U.S. It seemed issues that had been stumbling blocks for independents had not only been addressed but eliminated, ensuring that ordering is far less risky, and timely delivery is far more assured.”
