Anticipating Proposte Fair 2023: Proposte Turns 30
I am excited to be returning to Proposte Fair April 18-23. Curious about the show? Here is a rundown of how I am planning to get the most out of this event as a textile consultant.
Happy 30th birthday to Proposte!
For three decades, the Proposte Fair has been a highly anticipated trade show for high-end home furnishings textile manufacturers and mills. The event brings together top mills, exquisite fabrics, and talented individuals, with beautiful Lake Como as a backdrop.
As a designer for Schumacher, I first attended the fair in 1997, and since then, I have returned countless times to source the perfect textile for various projects. Now, as editor-in-chief of The Textile Eye, I visit to observe and report on trends, and in recent years have had the opportunity to attend as a guest of the Italian Trade Agency. Whether attending for business or journalistic purposes, I have found that Proposte Fair offers the best platform to get a quick sense of the coming trends and innovations in the top tier of the fabric industry. If you’re curious how Proposte determines the future of the fabric insdustry at large, check out my article for Business of Home.
Through my multiple visits, I have refined my strategies, and I hope they are useful to others attending the fair. Read on for more insights!
Proposte’s Scope
Proposte was originally created by a consortium of mills from Brianza, with the aim of showcasing Italian manufacturers to an exclusive audience. Over time, the show has expanded to include mills from other regions of the world, such as Turkey, India, and the United States.
To attract buyers, mills must offer innovative products and original designs, which are created by teams of on-staff designers whose inspiration might include trend services, deep mill archives, and personal artistic practices. The show attracts buyers from various industries, such as textile editors/jobbers, furniture manufacturers, wholesalers, converters, and retailers, who meet with key suppliers to source patterns and textures, as well as work on proprietary projects. The mills exhibiting at this B2B show generally do not sell directly to interior designers. The main show is held at Villa Erba, a small and pleasant exhibition hall situated on the shores of Lake Como in the town of Cernobbio. Villa Antica is a beautiful old villa on the same grounds where parties, events and held, and a wonderful lunch is available daily.
This year 78 exhibitors are expected (29 Italian and 49 international) to show at Villa Erba, nearing pre-pandemic levels.
Map of Villa Erba and Villa Antica
Special Sections
The last time I went to Proposte, in 2022, a recently added section in the center of Villa Erba, called FORUM ESPOSITORI (Padiglione Centrale), presented a selection of samples from every mill showing. This was a great overview and something I look forward to this year! Another relatively new offering from the organizers is a comprehensive digital list of exhibiting mills.
In 2023, the Ala Regina will be dedicated to 18 textile design artists and dealers who generally present their collections of painted artwork, woven designs, and antique textile documents in parallel with Proposte at COMOCREA INTERNI. I’m so happy the two organizations have joined forces and I am excited to take advantage of the presentation.
There will be an installation dedicated to ALLIANCE FOR EUROPEAN FLAX LINEN & HEMP (Ala Lario - Serra Platani), showcasing creative inspirations and innovations in flax/linen and hemp. A display of design by the students of the Oliver Twist school will be in COMETA FORMAZIONE (Ala Lario - Serra Platani), and the FASHION ROOM (Ala Lario - Serra Platani) is back, with books and publications for dashion, design and interiors, including the Pantone Color System.
I’m excited to go back to the eighth edition of International Observatory, which will be held at the Sheraton Lake Como Hotel, about 20 minutes by foot from the Villa Erba Exhibition Center—or hop on one of the shuttle busses. 14 companies operating in the international furnishing textiles sector will present their products at the Sheraton.
2023 will see a new President of Proposte: Alessandro Tessuto of Clerici Tessuto & C is taking over from Piercarlo Viganò.
Fuori Proposte
In addition to the official Proposte mills exhibiting inside Villa Erba and the Observatory, many mills set up pop-up showrooms in various spaces, ranging from grand villas with a lake view to small shopfronts and hotel conference rooms. These temporary showrooms can be found in Cernobbio and Como, across the lake. This setup is similar to the relationship between Salone del Mobile (the trade show at the exhibition center in Rho) and Fuori Salone (the collection of galleries, showrooms, and pop-ups in different areas of Milan). I’ve started to use the term “Fuori Proposte” to describe the outside mills. The “mill-only” rules of Proposte don’t apply here, so out here you will find mills, jobbers, and converters. You never know who is showing outside, so scout for exhibitors on Instagram ahead of the show, or explore the streets during the fair.
My Focus
My focus, as always, will be on high-end decorative textiles, and I’ll be sourcing from mills on behalf of clients, as well as scouting trends for The Textile Eye. It will be good to see favorite suppliers and find out what new qualities and ideas they will present and to connect with friends and colleagues. Finding new suppliers is always a thrill, so my eyes will be open. And I’m excited to cover Como Crea and meet the artists. Here are some favorite qualities and collections from years past.
Logistics
Fly into Malpensa. You can take the train (there are 2 stations in Como, both close to the lakefront), or you can arrange for a car or take a taxi.
Lyft and Uber are not legal in Italy. I use the app Free Now to get rides and pay local taxis.
It’s usually lovely weather in Como in April, but weather on a lake can change quickly so always bring an umbrella or rain hat and a jacket! COAT CHECK is in the basement of the Villa Erba and you can also leave a suicase.. Tips are appreciated.
Villa Erba has a few bare-bones stand-up cafes, if you need to fuel up in the trade hall. Some fabric suppliers offer you an espresso or a snack, and a few cater nice lunches.
When you are ready for a civilized sit-down lunch, treat yourself to the beautiful buffet at Villa Antica and enjoy the architecture. Harry’s Bar is another favorite and is located near the Cernobbio ferry station.
Wear comfortable shoes! You’ll be doing lots of walking.
You will need to register for the show, you can do that ahead HERE.
I’ll be posting about the show on Instagram; feel free to reach out there if you have any questions about planning a visit.
Getting to the Show
One of my favorite parts about the show is the commute. I like to stay in the town of Como, just across the lake from Cernobbio, because there are more options for hotels, Airbnbs, shops, and restaurants. A beautiful boat is sent each morning to the dock to pick up any visitors staying in Como and deposit us at a private pier just steps away from Villa Erba. Even in bad weather, I love this ride!
If you miss the private boat you can also take the municipal ferry from the main dock in Como to the Cernobbio station, less than a ten-minute walk from Villa Erba. Find more information on the airport shuttles, railway, and ferry schedules for 2023 here. If you prefer to go by car, when the traffic is might it’s about 15 -20 minutes, but congestion can be crazy! Yet another reason I love the boats.
Catch the Proposte ferry or the Municipal ferry at the Como dock and take it to Cernobbio
Follow Along
I am honored to be included in the press contingent for Proposte 2023, and I’ll be sharing updates from the show in April on Instagram and my blog! And probably pictures of Campari spritzes and lake vistas as well. Below are some fun memories from past visits to this magical show.
