HOMI 2015 Milano

Experimental, versatile and evocative. #homi, the Lifestyles Show that offers professionals #design and elegance for the home and the individual, is to take place in fieramilano from 12 September to 15 September 2015. Now in its 4th edition, it has made a name for itself because of the characteristics that make it particularly full of ideas and hybrid trends.

The show offers itself up as a place of excellence and experiences, enriched by companies that see it as a place to come into contact with new markets and find success with offerings characterised by originality and ingenuity. “Building on the participation by Italian and international companies in September 2014, this edition of #homi – says Corrado Peraboni, CEO of Fiera #milano – sees the presence of about 1,400 companies, 25% from abroad from 39 countries, representing all of the areas having to do with the home industry.” As proof of the show’s ever more international nature, thanks to the great interest in Italian #design, there are carefully selected professionals from more than 70 countries, with great representation from, for example, Russia, China, Turkey, Japan and France.

There are important buying groups, concept store buyers, interior designers and architects among them as well as people with direct decision-making power, general managers and suppliers from the major international hotel chains. “Trade shows like #homi have established themselves as a fundamental tool for bringing visibility to our products of excellence – continues Corrado Peraboni – Therefore, in terms of what we have on offer, we have made the show ever more characteristic, enriching it with innovations and events and expanding the merchandise and the number of participating companies, with 100 more in this edition as compared to September 2014. In terms of demand – continues the CEO of Fiera #milano – we’ve carried out specific scouting initiatives abroad in partnership with the ICE (the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade), which allowed us to seek out the top buyers and expand markets and key areas.

Specifically, for this edition of #homi, we have focused on collaboration with China, Canada, Mexico and Qatar, countries that are interested in offerings from the lifestyle world.” “This partnership – reiterates the president of the ICE Agency, Riccardo Maria Monti - between our agency and Fiera #milano has been active for a few decades and has progressively gotten stronger and more wide-ranging, in line with the evolution of the markets. Trade shows contribute to the development of markets, and they represent an important meeting point for supply and demand, with growth of our exports abroad. #homi, in particular, is offering itself up as a key #event dedicated to people and lifestyles and as a showcase for the “Made in Italy Lifestyle.” It is an innovative project from Fiera #milano, and we are happy to participate in its strengthening and growth on international markets.” To facilitate and make meetings between buyers and exhibiting companies all the more effective, #homi has put the EMP (Expo Matching Programme) initiative in place. This programme from Fiera #milano boasts participation from 85% of exhibitors, and just a few days from the show, there are already 4,000 appointments generated.

IDEAS START HERE #homi is not just a time for displaying products. It is reaffirming itself as a laboratory and idea incubator, thanks as well to the many meetings that will involve all visitors at the show, from #design professionals to retailers and from designers to decorators. In this edition in particular, a great focus has been placed on meetings for architects and on training. There are also workshops and seminars that take on the latest trends and new dimensions of business that make the most of the retail outlet, which is seen more like a hub of ideas with different ways to communicate and present products. HOMI’s strength on the national scene can be seen in the confirmation of partnerships with industry associations from the major areas (Art, Soul, Italian Fashion System), and longstanding relationships with big names in #design (schools and professional associations), which are all important “synergies” for developing new initiatives and new features. For this reason, #homi is also hosting a new initiative from Confartigianato Imprese and Ulaola, which aims to actively support excellence in craftsmanship in various industries in digitalisation and internationalisation projects. Ulaola is an Italian start-up, which participated in the Digital Magics incubator.

It is the first marketplace that aggregates “Made in Italy” products, offering itself up as a portal in Europe for small and mid-sized artisanal businesses. The platform has a partnership with DaWanda, the largest online marketplace in Europe, which does business in Germany, France, Italy, England and Holland, with more than 5 million users and 200 million page views per month. #homi will also feature the 6 young creative people who won the #homi MAKER #design AWARD, created by Fieramilano and Artex – the Centre for Artistic and Traditional Craftsmanship in Tuscany, which works in the field of contemporary artistic craftsmanship.

This is an initiative #homi has supported for years, encouraging young people to innovate and allowing new creative worlds to emerge. Quality, experience, and an international focus. The Lifestyles Show is shaping up to be a key #event for both Italian companies looking to break into new markets as well as for foreign companies that see the show as an important hub to access the European and Mediterranean markets.