Schmid’s new challenges

The historic Italian converter keeps on developing projects and initiatives aimed at strengthening its role as a proactive company in terms of innovative products and of a flexible service for the future trends

Well-known company with a German name and specialized in the converter sector as a partner for the development of the Made in Italy worldwide, Schmid reaches the end of 2015 relying on a structure carefully run by a manager of international long-standing experience, the shareholder and CEO Paolo Ciccarelli, as well as on an almost flawless combination of product and service, able to skillfully address the renowned overseas brands. After having achieved  the first goals in terms of strengthening and re-positioning according to the corporate recovery plan launched in 2013, the company’s target for 2016 is a remarkable commercial success that will be followed by a larger project of diversification and of strategic growth. In September 2015, Schmid attended for the first time Futurmoda, the Spanish business hub, especially devoted to leatherware; in addition to that, from 2016 the company will take part to both Lineapelle New York and Lineapelle London, two trade shows of crucial importance for entering the US and English markets, both acknowledged as very interesting and appealing. At the same time, the participation to traditional fairs like Lineapelle Milan and Première Vision Paris are confirmed. Therefore, new challenges await the company based in San Giuliano Milanese (near Milan), a firm that is acknowledged by its clientele, that includes the top international fashion houses, not only as a mere supplier of fabrics and semi-finished products, but also as a partner able to collaborate, suggest and interpret the trends.

Trend Book: the 2017 Spring/Summer season is coming

Thanks to this partnership with the customers, the company has shaped its main working tool. The Trend Book explores the various trends, well in advance compared to the fashion trade shows, providing to the Design departments of some of the leading companies in Europe and in the USA Schmid’s most innovative materials, the most exclusive processing as well as the most fashionable colours and patterns. In this way, the company can establish a fruitful dialogue with its customers aiming at encouraging the research process and, at the same time, allowing them to showcase, at the most important international exhibitions, collections that are perfectly in line with the expectations: highly enjoyable, promptly available as required by the hectic pace of the fashion world as well as extremely competitive in terms of the quality/price ratio. The road-show of the brand new Spring/Summer 2017 Trend Book has begun from mid December 2015 and Schmid is ready to meet up with the most innovative and dynamic players, both Italian and foreign. In addition to Italy, the other target markets are England, France, Spain and the USA, countries where there is a strong interests even towards emerging designers.

Textile Talents Contest: make way to the future designers

Schmid believes in the skills and in the potential of young designers: for this reason, the company has chosen to provide the students of some fashion academies with the chance to meet professionals of the fashion system, in order to better deal with the dynamics of a design department and, at the same time, to prove their talent in an international competition. The Textile Talents Contest (www.textiletalentscontext.com) was presented during Lineapelle February 2015 edition: a group of fashion schools visiting the fair immediately gave a positive feedback and, till now, four have already supported the initiative, that is, the London College of Fashion, Milan’s Accademia del Lusso, the ArtFuture Design School in Saint Petersburg and the Mexican Iteso – Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara. These four schools have already received the set of fabrics provided by Schmid, thanks to which they can place the order according to the lengths of materials needed for the creation of each single collection. The development of the projects will have to focus on the four oncepts pointed out by the Spring/Summer 2016 Trend Book. Out of a pool of twenty students, the best three of each academy will have the chance to take part in the final stage of the competition, where their creations will be evaluated by a jury of professionals of the sector who will reward the top three winners with a cash prize and with an internship within the company itself. The awards ceremony will take place during the September 2016 edition of Lineapelle. The competition is totally free and the registrations are still open.

Admiralty Needle 2015: Schmid was part of the jury

The 21st edition of the competition for young designers Admiralty Needle 2015, organized from the renowned Saint-Petersburg State University of Technology and Design and held from November 18th to 20th, 2015, could rely on the presence, among the members of the accredited jury coming from all over the world, of Schmid, specifically of its CEO, chosen for the first time for this important role. Admiralty Needle is one of Russia’s major fashion projects, a true springboard that, over the years, has achieved a certain status and international recognition. “This initiative – underlined Mr. Ciccarelli – was incredibly enhanced thanks to the qualified, cosmopolitan jury and to a flawless organization, two strategic choices that, besides providing benefits to the students, contributed to the steady pursuit of quality and showed an incredible determination even in such an atypical sector of the Russian business environment. I was also positively struck by the commitment of the young designers, because they showed not only that they could keep pace with the trends, but also their selfconfidence, displaying an extraordinary,   unexpected devotion, engagement and participation.” Among other things, Mr. Ciccarelli was very pleased to assign a special reward to the winner of the Footwear and Bags category: the collection “Restore” won, besides the prize given by the University, a precious batch of fabric manufactured by Schmid, specifically suitable for the accessories design. During his visit, Mr. Ciccarelli seized the opportunity to meet the students of the Art Future Design School that have chosen to participate to the Textile Talents Contest, giving life to a lively confrontation regarding their sketches, awaiting their final creations.

Article from Lineapelle, February 2016