Denim Première Vision's latest edition showcases novelties and trusted winners
The Denim Première Vision show has staged a successful edition in Milan, defying the current market upheaval. The show, organised by the fashion division of the GL Events group on May 21-22 at the spacious Superstudio Più venue, was a stimulating immersion in the world of denim that gathered together 84 exhibitors - fabric producers, finishers and other types of suppliers - as opposed to 74 last December. Denim PV's 35th edition, the fourth to be held consecutively in Milan, attracted an increasing number of international visitors. Some major US names were back, and there was a strong presence of luxury labels and European buyers, from the likes of the UK, France, Poland and Germany, all keen to discover the exhibitors' new products for AW26/27.
'People didn't just come to see what was new, many had a very specific approach. Perhaps there were slightly fewer visitors compared to the previous edition, but we made significant, quality contacts,' said Andrea Venier, boss of chemicals manufacturer Officina39. His opinion was echoed by Isko, a Turkish producer with one of the show's largest stands. 'We were very busy from morning to night, [the stand] was always full! It went even better than Kingpins [the denim trade show held in April in Amsterdam],' said Mirela Smowik, global product marketing manager at Isko.
'Denim PV has valuable content, in terms of trend analysis and conferences. It has a rich programme, it gives ideas,' she added. 'Visitor quality has clearly improved. Most of them were there to do business,' said Fabio Adami Dalla Val, head of Denim PV. 'Our exhibitors presented plenty of raw material innovations, from new fibres to more sophisticated fabrics, for example jacquard and others. Producers are offering more complex finishes and washes, especially compared to previous seasons, thanks to rapid technology advances in chemicals and machinery,' he added.
This edition of Denim PV featured a growing number of Italian exhibitors - more than 40 - with new weavers like TBM and Lanificio Faisa. Nine exhibitors came from Japan, including some of the country's top denim manufacturers. For the first time, Denim PV hosted a pavilion dedicated to Morocco, run in partnership with AMITH (the Moroccan association of textile and apparel manufacturers), showcasing nine exhibitors that included apparel producers, weavers and one accessories specialist.
Several names took part in the show for the first time, bringing fresh zest and innovation. Notably, global wool authority Woolmark, which launched its 'Wool Denim' publication at the show, presenting a selection of nearly 80 companies specialised in manufacturing denim fabric from wool and from new blended materials containing wool.
One of the rookie exhibitors was Kombinat Konopny, which presented an interesting hemp-based project. The company is based Elblag, northern Poland, where it grows hemp, turns it into fibre, then has it woven by a Polish partner. It can also produce fabrics using a blend of hemp and Greek cotton. 'Most hemp comes from China, and the hemp grown in France is processed in Turkey or elsewhere. We are the only ones to manufacture this type of product 100% in Europe,' said Maciej Kowalski, Kombinat Konopny's young founder and CEO. His company can either sell the fabric or produce clothes directly for fashion brands.
'We're small, we're targeting designers and businesses looking for manufacturers that reflect their values,' he added. Kowalski said he was satisfied with the show, where he even met a potential Polish client who wasn't aware of Kombinat Konopny, he added with a grin.
Technological innovations are ubiquitous in the bustling jeans industry. As shown by Isko, a Turkish manufacturer engaged in cutting-edge R&D. This season, Isko presented its new formula called 'We'Raw', which enables denim fabric to resist shrinkage, fading and deformation, both during the jeans production process and following repeated washing at home, giving the fabric an authentic raw denim look that is much sought after right now.
Another Isko novelty is 'Wondersoft', which uses sustainable fibres like modal and lyocell to give the fabric more fluidity and a soft, velvety feel, while preserving the classic look of denim in its multiplicity of treatments.
Italian flock producer Casati Flock, which has been exhibiting at Denim PV since 2022, has developed 'Pulvera', a system for transforming denim offcuts and by-products into a flocking powder that can be used to manufacture new types of denim items. This season, Casati Flock has gone further, presenting a formula based on granules made from a mixture of this flocking powder with a plastic polymer base, which can be used in 3D printing.
'Our product comes into play where the traditional textile recycling process ends. With this technology, we want to expand [Pulvera's] use to all domains. We brought a 3D printer to the stand for the first time. Showing it being used live made it easier to explain how it works, and it attracted a lot of people,' said Eleonora Casati, CEO and co-founder of Pulvera with her sister Beatrice, who also runs the Casati Flock & Fibres family business.
Italian company Xlance, owned by the Carvico textile group, was quite a success with its next-generation stretch denim. Xlance has developed an elastic yarn based on solvent-free cross-linked polyolefin. 'This yarn offers superior performance compared to traditional elastomers, withstanding aggressive industrial treatments while maintaining its shape after multiple washes. It's a fibre that prevents the fabric from loosening, making it lasts longer,' said Sales Director Melissa D'Innella, who was happy with Denim PV. 'The show went very well, given that we are starting out in the denim market,' she told FashionNetwork.com.
One of the highlights of Denim PV was the exhibition dedicated to Luigi Martelli, an iconic industry figure who died in January 2025. Through his company, Martelli Lavorazioni Tessili, and his know-how and pioneering spirit, Martelli revolutionised textile finishing, setting new standards that have transformed the industry. At the show's entrance, a large area featured testimonials, products, explanatory panels and above all amazing archival items dating back to the early 20th century, including vintage jeans worn by cowboys and workers, among them some very old pairs of Levi's.
Also very successful was 'Project Tomorrow', an initiative that gave students of fashion, design and art schools the chance to assist to a trends presentation and to go on a guided tour of the show. In September, the initiative will expand to include masterclasses in schools, where students will be given the opportunity to design the Denim PV campaign for 2026.
'Denim Première Vision is first and foremost about business and products, but it's also about [denim] culture. It's a question of informing industry players about all the novelties, in terms of design too, while raising the students' awareness about our sector,' concluded Adami Dalla Val, underlining the show's 'Denim Fashion District' section, dedicated to finished products, where 15 emerging but well-organised brands, including Marcello Pipitone, Materia, Lucia Chain, Sasha Neema Ponte and Floriana, displayed extremely creative collections. The next edition of Denim PV will be held on November 26-27.
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