Taking place in the largest leather and shoe hub in Brazil, in Novo Hamburgo, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Courovisão 2004 – the International Fair of Synthetics, Leathers, Chemicals, Components, and Accessories for Shoes and Artefacts – begins today.
The Fair will go on up to Friday, and is going to anticipate the fashion tendencies in leather for the 2005 autumn and winter.
According to the president of the Brazil Center of Tanning Industries (CICB), Amadeu Pedrosa Fernandes, “with this initiative, Brazil, which is already of international renown as a great sector producer, will strengthen its position as a releaser of leather fashion.”
One of the Courovisão characteristics is presenting novelties in raw materials and components for shoes, accessories, garments, artefacts, and furniture upholstering.
This year’s edition will once again include the presence of various foreign companies, be it through their branches or representatives.
Missions from various countries are also expected, among them those from Germany, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, the Untied States, Italy, Mexico, Peru and Russia.
To Julio Cesar Seidl, president of the Fenac, a complex made up of ten pavilions where the main sector fairs take place, Courovisão is already opening its own space in Brazilian fashion and design, contributing for the event to continue rising not only in exhibitor and public participation, but also in terms of business generation.
According to the organizers, this year’s edition should have growth of 25% in the number of exhibitors when compared to 2003, when 130 companies participated in the event.
The Fenac pavilions should include over 160 stands and over 7,000 visitors.
According to Seidl, Courovisão is a technology, design and tendency fair soon to become a worldwide leather fashion reference.
“Our winter occurs before the European winter. Why do we always have to wait for what was released there to release it here if we often know the color tendencies in advance?” he asked.
Parallel Program
During the three days of the fair, a series of parallel events will take place, among them the Design and Technology Congress for Leather and Shoes, the 7th Forum of Design for Material for Shoes and Accessories, Mix by Brasil, Fashion and Technology on Stage and the Brazilian Reference research, developed by the Brazilian Association of Leather, Footwear and Leathergoods Component Manufacturers (Assintecal).
Rio Grande do Sul brings together hundreds of tanneries and shoe, component and artefact industries, as well as centers for the training of labor and technological development.
The southern region of Brazil produces a large part of the 500 million pairs of shoes the country makes every year. Around 70% of the Brazilian shoes that are exported are produced there.
Fenac S/A, a 35,000 square meter complex, which includes 10 exhibition pavilions, event centers and auditoriums, is located in Novo Hamburgo.
The area made Brazilian regional and national economic history after organizing the first shoe fair in the country, in the 1960’s.
History of the Fair
2000 – 75 exhibitors and 2,653 visitors
2001 – 100 exhibitors and 6,850 visitors
2002 – 105 exhibitors and 6,000 visitors
2003 – 130 exhibitors and 6,279 visitors
2004 forecast – 160 exhibitors and over 7,000 visitors
ANBA – Brazil-Arab News Agency