Italy's footwear sector in decline
According to data from the Confindustria Fashion Accessories Research Centre, prepared for the Italian Footwear Association (Assocalzaturifici), sales in the Italian footwear sector fell by 2025% in the first half of 5,6, while export sales, which account for 85% of revenues, also fell by 2,7%.
The second quarter softened the decline, but in terms of production, exports and revenues, the situation in the Italian footwear sector remains clearly negative. The picture remains complex and the outlook unclear. Moreover, more than half of the entrepreneurs surveyed (58%) expect annual revenues to be lower than in 2024.
Industrial production, according to the ISTAT index, shows a decline of 9,5% (-7,5% in the second quarter). From January to May, exports amounted to 4,89 billion euros (-2,7%), 84,5 million pairs were sold (+3,2%), and the average price per pair fell to 57,82 euros (-5,7%).
Sales growth was observed in the markets of Germany (+12,4% in value and +15,8% in quantity), the UAE (+26,6%) and Turkey (+13,5%).
Sales decline – in the Asian and Pacific region (-23%) and in Russia (-14,4%).
Exports to the US remained stable, although there are concerns that the figure was impacted by Italian companies rushing to ship products to avoid higher tariffs.
"The real impact of US tariffs on sales can only be assessed based on data for the autumn months," says Giovanna Ceolini, president of the Tourism Association. In 2024, the US became the second-largest market for Italian shoes, with a volume of almost 1,4 billion euros.
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According to data from the Confindustria Fashion Accessories Research Centre, prepared for the Italian Footwear Association (Assocalzaturifici), in the first half of 2025…
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