MAN ON THE MOVE - Milan show HOMI Fashion & Jewels Exhibition is a hotbed of creative inspiration in fashion jewellery designs

20 Feb 2023

By David Brough

MILAN, Italy – HOMI Fashion & Jewels Exhibition, wrapping up its first edition of 2023, running from February 17 to 20, is a hotbed of creative inspiration where some of Europe’s most innovative jewellery designers test the boundaries of design.

Taking place a few weeks after the January edition of Vicenzaoro, a showcase for fine gold, silver and diamond jewellery, HOMI Fashion & Jewels is a trade event that presents a completely separate market segment – fashion jewellery and accessories, including watches, interspersed across the exhibition floor with the latest fashion designs.

Fashion retailer multiples visit the February show to re-stock the newest fashion, fashion jewellery and accessories designs for the Summer.

The offering at HOMI Fashion & Jewels, held twice a year in February and September, has grown in recent years to some 600 brands across four halls in the Fieramilano (Rho) showgrounds in northwest Milan, with around 30 percent of exhibitors presently coming from outside Italy.

The leading European hubs of fashion jewellery design inspiration include Italy, Spain and Greece, as seen in many of the pieces at the event.

While suppliers come largely from Europe, and from as far afield as Asia, UK exhibitors were in relatively short supply, possibly due in part to complications for UK export trade linked to Brexit rules.

Event Director Emanuele Guido said that UK exhibitors at HOMI Fashion & Jewels, looking to export into EU markets, would benefit from finding an experienced local distributor to help tackle red tape.

One designer attending HOMI Fashion & Jewels with ties to the UK, was Matilde Mozzanega (stand B50), who has a studio in Archway, north London. She introduced her everyday wear “chromo-dope” collection, which allows the wearer to choose and exchange the coloured stone in a piece of jewellery according to their mood.

Buyers, largely from Europe, came from as far afield as Asia and the Gulf Middle East.

Sentiment at the event appeared buoyant throughout, with many bright and bold jewellery pieces featuring for the upcoming Summer season.

“The increase in exhibitors at this edition is expected to lead to an increase in the number of visitors,” Guido told the NAJ in an interview.

He spoke of an ongoing trend for more digital customisation of fashion jewellery designs.

It is much easier to stretch the boundaries of design in fashion jewellery, compared with fine jewellery, because the raw materials cost much less in fashion jewellery, Guido added.

By David Brough