"In recent years Lineapelle New York has been the trade show that Courovale most invested in because it has a very qualified public, reaching out to the top fashion brands in the United States." So says Veronica Meurer, manager of Curtume Courovale, summarising Brazilian leather's expectations for the next edition of Lineapelle on 17-18 July.
Five companies will show their leathers at the fair with the support of the Brazilian Leather project, an initiative of the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) to encourage participation of Brazilian leathers in foreign markets.
This year's Lineapelle New York, held at the Metrpoolitan Pavilion, takes place amidst an especially positive moment. "There is a notable reaction in the international market for footwear and accessories," according to Meurer. The Brazilian tanneries are hoping to take advantage of this and get positive results for this period, taking the best of Brazilian leather development for the 2019/20 US winter collections.
Manager of the Brazilian Leather project Letícia Luft says that the fair also attracts designers who work with furniture, in interior design and automotive sectors, which can bring even more new opportunities for tanneries in Brazil. The United States is the third largest importer of Brazilian leathers, at around $289m (2017), or 18.3% of Brazil's total.
Here are some of the tanneries participating in this year's Lineapelle New York:
- Cortume Krumenauer – stand 97
- Courovale by BCM – stand 55
- Curtume Natur – stand 109
- Nova Kaeru – stand 11
- Soubach Special Leathers – stand 110.
The Lineapelle New York is important for the leather industry because it holds a resonance in the public consciousness, it being the starting point for the work of designers from some of the biggest American brands
