60 Spanish brands present SS27 collections at Expo Riva Schuh

Madrid – From this Saturday, June 13, to the upcoming Tuesday, June 16, the Italian town of Riva del Garda is hosting the 105th edition of the international trade show, Expo Riva Schuh. This leading footwear trade fair will once again be held alongside the 16th edition of Garda Bags, the specialised event for the handbag industry.

Spanish participation in both trade shows will again be led by a trade mission organised by the Federation of Spanish Footwear Industries (Fice), with support from ICEX Spain Export and Investments. These organisations have managed the national pavilion, which this edition comprises 40 exhibiting companies representing a total of 60 commercial brands. Fifty-eight of these labels will showcase their collections at Expo Riva Schuh, while two will exhibit at Garda Bags.

To provide further context for these figures, the 40 exhibitors and 60 Spanish brands at the June 2026 fairs represent a stable presence compared to the January edition. However, this marks a significant decrease from the previous year. Compared to June 2025, there is a 16.68 percent reduction in exhibitors and a 20 percent drop in brands, when 48 exhibitors and 75 brands attended the international fairs in Riva del Garda.

Focusing on the most recent January edition rather than the same event a year ago, Vicente Pastor, president of Fice, stated: “The stability of Spanish participation in a leading international fair like Expo Riva Schuh demonstrates our companies' confidence in foreign markets and their firm commitment to internationalisation.” He added that within this commitment, “this event is an excellent opportunity to present the spring/summer 2027 collections to buyers from all over the world” and subsequently, “to gauge the evolution of international demand.”

Decline in value of Spanish footwear

The reduced Spanish presence at this year's Expo Riva Schuh comes at a particularly complex time for the country's footwear industry. This is highlighted by several economic indicators, including export figures for the first quarter of 2026. The sector closed the January to March period with a total decline in exports of 1.6 percent, amounting to 976 million euros, according to the March foreign trade report from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business, as previously detailed by FashionUnited.

However, Fice offers a slightly different perspective, adjusting these figures. The federation maintains that during the first quarter of 2026, Spanish footwear exports reached a value of 933.4 million euros, representing a decrease of only 0.1 percent. This decline in value occurred even as the volume of exported pairs increased by 3 percent to 46 million. These indicators suggest a clear drop in the market value of Spanish footwear, with products being sold at lower prices than a year ago.

Key trade fair in exhibition calendar

Within this challenging context, the 40 exhibitors and 60 Spanish brands are arriving in Riva del Garda to gauge the international market by presenting their collections for the spring/summer 2027 season. This trade fair is a key event in the industry calendar. It is the first opportunity to showcase SS27 collections and the last chance to finalise orders for the upcoming autumn/winter 2026/2027 season.

The trade fair organisers have confirmed that over 1,000 brands and exhibitors from 44 countries will participate. International exhibitors from outside the European Union will lead the presence, accounting for 62.60 percent of the total. The common market will hold a minority position at 37.40 percent. The main exhibiting countries will be China (34.50 percent); Italy (10.60 percent); Turkey (10.60 percent); and India (9.40 percent). Spain, Brazil, Germany, and Portugal will also have a notable, albeit smaller, presence. Visitor attendance is expected to be similar to previous editions, which saw nearly 8,000 professionals in January and in June 2025.

Seventy percent of Spanish exhibitors from Valencian Community

Breaking down the Spanish presence at this edition of Expo Riva Schuh, companies from the Valencian Community will once again lead the delegation. With 28 exhibitors, they represent 70 percent of the Spanish contingent. The pavilion is completed by eight companies from the Region of Murcia (20 percent) and four from La Rioja (10 percent).