Spanish children’s fashion is renewed at Fimi with new collections | kbnmart

In an industry suffering from a shrinking market due to low birth rates, economic pressures and the late arrival of summer, organizing a trade fair may seem a bold move. However, reinventing established norms and seeking innovative solutions is the only viable response for trade fairs to continue driving business, ensuring their pivotal role in the children’s fashion industry and ensuring their survival. From June 27 to 28, FIMI rose to the challenge, hosting its 96th edition at the Feria Valencia.

Gone are the days of huge fairs, packed aisles and festive atmospheres filled with abundance. Vimi is aware of this reality and is not shy about dealing with the new landscape of the sector, shaped by years of gradual contraction, multiple economic crises and the rise of fast fashion, all exacerbated by the pandemic. In Spain, there are fewer children, fewer companies, fewer stores and fewer employees.

“Children’s fashion brands are real heroes. Surviving amidst so many negative factors is a huge challenge, yet here they are, launching collections, offering innovations, committing to sustainability, maintaining prices, guaranteeing quality and complying with all branding regulations,” Alicia Gimeno, director of the Valencia Kids Fashion event, told FashionNetwork.com. The event is supported by Ivace, the Valencia Chamber and Icex. “Spanish fashion is unparalleled in terms of quality. We need to be proud of that and believe in it,” Gimeno said, adding that trade fairs must reinvent themselves and act as “unobstructed catwalks to push brands forward.”

In its latest summer edition, FIMI adopted a two-day weekday format aimed primarily at international buyers to promote the internationalization of Spanish companies. Diversification and market expansion have become the fair’s strategic response to the challenges faced by the national sector. “This represents a shift in perspective: the focus is not on crowded aisles but on a strategy of quality and purchasing power,” explained Alicia Gimeno, highlighting the importance of “not putting all your eggs in one basket” to mitigate risks.

As a result, the children’s fashion show attracted strategic buyers from 25 countries, including Puerto Rico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. “Companies are very happy with the international focus, which is exactly what the sector needs at the moment,” noted Loris Segura, director of Asepri, the Spanish association for children’s products, which represents 289 national brands in the fields of childcare, fashion and children’s footwear. “The situation in Spain is not favorable. However, Spanish brands are highly valued in international markets, which provides a lucrative business opportunity.”

Diversification for survival

The show director also praised the new focus on swimwear shows, which have been a big hit with summer fashion buyers from the Caribbean, Central America and Singapore. “The sector has changed dramatically since the pandemic. Companies now have different priorities and very limited budgets. They need to attend events that offer reasonable prices and real profitability, and that’s what FIMI offers,” she said, highlighting the importance of “quality” attendance compared to the sheer volume of visitors of previous years.

“I am always looking for new brands to grow my business, as I have for the past five years,” said Guatemalan buyer Ana Mazalion, who shared similar goals with Irish buyer Margarita Mercantil, who has been marketing Spanish fashion for 25 years. “I like to personally check the quality of the clothes, appreciate them more, and offer the highest level of quality to my customers.”

The new approach has been well received by exhibitors. “We have managed to establish many high-quality international contacts that we believe will translate into future orders with post-show follow-up,” said Ana Salort, Director of Stores and B2B at Bisamonas, referring to exchanges with buyers from markets such as Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Israel, Honduras and Singapore. The Beatriz Monteiro brand also noted that although it came to the show “with some reservations,” it has discovered new markets to explore.

Ana Chovares, designer at Calamaro, noted that her first participation in the summer edition of the Valencian fair had resulted in “many new contacts, especially from South America and the United Kingdom.” This optimism was echoed by Moises Garcia, designer at Bigtos, and Klaus Schast, head of international sales at Mayoral. Filipa Rodriguez, designer at Gavilar, also celebrated the success of the new format, which has allowed them to “attract new clients” and connect with professionals from Central America, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, Israel, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates.

In its latest edition, the FIMI Fair hosted around 70 brands, including footwear brands such as Bisamonas and Ria Menorca, accessories brands such as Boboli and French brand Palm Beaches. The event was presented in a showroom format in Pavilion 8 of the Valencia Fair site, with more open and smaller booths, oriented towards product presentation and business. It is worth noting that this edition also featured the creation of an AI robot. According to the event management, future editions are expected to further develop this service to support and assist customers and visitors.

In addition, the event once again featured the FIMI Kids Fashion Week, where leading brands in the sector such as Abel & Lula, Beatriz Montero, Javilar Kids, Martin Aranda, Mayoral and Newness presented their proposals for the upcoming spring/summer season.

Valencia Fair will host the next edition of the event specialising in children’s fashion, baby care, footwear and toys, Babykid Spain + Fimi, scheduled to take place from Wednesday 22 January to Friday 24 January 2025.