Kids footwear trends from Italy at MICAM for F/W 2018

A sneak peek at kids footwear trends from Italy today for next Autumn/Winter 2018.

MICAM is held at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre in Italy and is Europe’s biggest footwear trade show with 1,364 exhibitors many from the Italian sector showing off women’s, mens and childrens styles for the new season.

Italy is one of the leading exponents of the art of shoemaking, having excellence in design, quality leathers and heritage techniques which combine to make Italian footwear sought after the world over.

The kids section at MICAM is a fun area with swinging tyre seats, a giant bubble making lady, bobbly cloud lighting and the impeccable Monsieur Plant (Christophe Guinet) known for his ‘natural’ sculptures, who was creating floral shoe masterpieces.

There was a useful trends seminar for buyers by WGSN pinpointing key shoe and boot shapes and colours for the autumn/winter season and free doughnuts for afternoon tea!

In Italy itself over 77,000 people are employed by the sector with almost 5,ooo companies and the breadth of knowledge this gives the country is incredible. Known for its luxury and high end design many of the footwear designer trends begin in Italy.

Key trends to note for the FW/18season are as follows;

Lots of shearling boots used with wide roll down cuffs often in metallic or sparkling leathers for girls and many hiking and chunky retro styles for both boys and girls often with embellishments in plaids or florals.

The sock boot has made a crossover from adult to kids fashion, notably with a glitter style sock at Primigi.

The symbol of the season is the single star, often in glitter or metallic placed on the side of a classic Chelsea boot style in suede or leather in forest colours or black.

It wouldn’t be Italy without a dose of fur and glamour and next winter this embellishment is placed in a strap over the top of a sneaker or boot, or tufted around a laced opening or as decorative pompoms.

Multiple buckles, studs, fringes and other biker elements decorate funky chunky biker boot styles not only in black leather but in emerald green and wine velvet styles too. Rhinestones decorate trainers and boots and wide velvet ribbons replace laces. Soles are jagged and chunky often in white.

Colours are taken from the natural world with deep forest greens, sandy browns, berry reds and rich blues, there are camouflage prints still but they are more broken up, abstracted or military is used for badges and symbols. Floral tapestry or embroidery appears on side panels. Metallic finishes are crackled and glittered like a shining night sky.

Toddler and baby styles often have cute cartoon animal elements such as pointing ears, embroidered and applique faces and winking eyes.

Below is my selection from some of the best Italian kids labels at MICAM Milano this season;