Italy, the style capital of the world, and Turkey came out strongly as fashion accessories markets at Motexha Spring 2005, the region’s premier trade show for the fashion, textile and leather industry that was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in April.

Among the new Italian brands that sought to seek a foothold in the region’s expanding retail sector were Zippo (best known for their iconic lighters) and Sirena luxury Italian leather handbags, PretaPorter and Giorgio Fabiani, manufacturers of glamourous footwear; Larioseta, exclusive distributor of Moschino, Iceberg and Les Copains fashion brands, and Grand Italia, high-end designers of evening wear. The brands were featured in the show’s EuroTrendz pavilion, a launch pad for European fashion labels in the region. A regular at Motexha, Turkey is well recognised among trade visitors to be a prime sourcing hub for clothing, leather and textiles.
The 500 sq m Turkish pavilion was the show’s biggest and housed 20 textile, leather and fashion brands. Brands include Santana, Ceyo, Atak, Zandar Shoes, Ozdoku and UC-EL, Plastab, Ferudun in the leather segment, Janine and Angel’s Story women’s wear.
In 2004, Turkey’s leather footwear, handbags and accessories exports totalled approximately $150 million and apparel exports were $7.5 billion.
In the same period, Turkish leather footwear, handbags and accessories exports to the Middle East were $40 million. Exports to the UAE have grown by 200 per cent, with lucrative contracts signed during Motexha, directly contributing to the increase.
Aziz Ercan, an official of the Aegean Exporter’s Association, said: “For Turkish companies targeting the Middle East fashion market, Motexha is regarded as the ‘must attend’ event to market their products to the greater Middle East and to develop business opportunities in this region.”
EuroTrendz also introduced fashion label Com8 urban wear from Paris, founded by French rap star Joey Star. Com8’s trendy ‘hip-hop’ image has gained popularity with show biz and music stars such as Mariah Carey. Spanish trade group Cabildo Insular de Tenerife also supported the show with four new brands.
Geoffrey Booy, director, IIR Exhibitions, the show’s organizers, said, “EuroTrendz is a ‘one-stop shop’ to the best of what Europe has to offer – the label presents beautifully finished European brands in the mid- and high-fashion segments. We have seen a 300 per cent growth in EuroTrendz since its first launch.” This year, the pavilion housed several leading Italian exhibitors looking to expand their operations to the Middle East, as a result of a shift in consumer buying patterns towards branded and premium quality goods.
“As the region’s largest fashion and textile trade show, Motexha seeks to support this trend by providing a forum for exhibitors to meet with large retail groups and entrepreneurs,” said Booy.  The show featured daily ‘LaunchPad’ trade fashion shows so visitors could get a first-hand feel of the clothing and accessories on display.
The European Union is the world’s largest trader in textiles and clothing products, as well as the world’s biggest exporter of textile products and second largest exporter of clothing products. Italy is a strong contributor to this statistic – in 2002, it was the world’s third largest exporter of textile products after China and the US.    
The Italian clothing and textile industry epitomises Europe’s commitment to producing quality garments, with its emphasis in innovation, style and finish. The industry is strongly export-oriented, and more than 60 per cent of the total turnover achieved is thanks to foreign markets.
Managing the Italian pavilion at Motexha Spring, Alessandra Mainardi of Degas International, commented, “Exhibitions such as Motexha are an important element of trade promotion plans to widen the market for Italy’s clothing and footwear brands. The show has built credibility as the largest voice for the lucrative Middle East sector and we look forward to building new relationships in the region.”