MUNICH FABRIC START as focal point for the industry
CLOSING REPORT
MUNICH FABRIC START | BLUEZONE | KEYHOUSE | THE SOURCE
Solid trade show results: At its 56th edition, MUNICH FABRIC START reinforced its clear positioning. Over two days, the Munich textile trade show brought the fashion industry together with its four show-in-show formats. The concept of presenting the international denim trade show BLUEZONE and the innovation hub KEYHOUSE together with MUNICH FABRIC START and THE SOURCE under one roof at the MOC Munich was a success.
“We draw a positive conclusion: the closer integration of our trade show formats has achieved the desired effect – MUNICH FABRIC START, with its show-in-shows, promotes networking between different market segments and is becoming a hub for the textile industry. In these times, inspiring formats such as KEYHOUSE and SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS are more important than ever. In conjunction with our comprehensive portfolio of international manufacturers from all fashion segments, the mood was positive despite the current market environment. The trade show has sent out an important signal.“
Florian Klinder, Managing Director MUNICH FABRIC START Exhibitions GmbH
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, designers, buyers, key decision-makers and leading industry experts gathered in Munich. In a market environment that remains tense, MUNICH FABRIC START presented a broad portfolio of over 600 international exhibitors with around 1,200 collections from all areas of the textile industry. Coupled with a high degree of innovation and inspiration, the trade show’s role as an important industry meeting place for the textile industry was recognised by both, visitors and exhibitors.
“The current trade show is going well, better than in January in my opinion. The market situation is tense, which makes it even more important that the mood at the show is good. Everyone we expected was there, including Alberto, Armedangels, Drykorn and Oui, for example,“ says Simon Leppich, Managing Director of Nilörn Germany.
“The trade show has gone really well so far. Many of our existing customers were there and lots of new customers were also interested in our fake furs. It’s really working in our favour that fake fur is such a big topic at the moment. We are showcasing brand new furs that are 100% bio-based. They are going down well.“ says Aylin Aksu, Sales Agent at Ecopel.
Speaking on behalf of many visitors, Adrian Runhof, Artistic & Managing Director of Talbot Runhof, sums it up: “We find everything we’re looking for and lots of new things, too. As always, MUNICH FABRIC START is well organised. The Trend Area is very inspiring. We’re looking for new textures and fabrics that fit into our range. Bottom line: very nice! Everything is tip-top.“
KEYHOUSE & SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS: Cutting Edge Technology
Bridging the gap between groundbreaking concepts and scalable, market-ready solutions – that was the focus of the KEYHOUSE innovation hub and SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS area, newly located in the highly frequented Hall 2 at the MOC. In conjunction with an impressive supporting programme featuring almost 50 events and over 40 international experts, concentrated expertise met innovative approaches and forward-looking new technologies. Circular economy, digitalisation, compliance, materials research, sustainable innovations and new approaches to sourcing through long-term partnerships and strategic collaborations were presented and discussed here over two days. “Fashion isn’t broken – it was designed that way,” says Muchaneta ten Napel, policy advisor and founder of Shape Innovate. Her Roadmap 2035 is a wake-up call for anyone who has not yet addressed circularity and a transparent supply chain. “Fashion and technology have never been the best of friends. But we must not lose focus – we need disruption to drive real improvement. It has never been easier than it is today to use technology to address pain points,” says Güneri Tuğcu of CNCT by r-pac. Nikita Raman, Senior Denim Designer at Hugo Boss, emphasised the importance of genuine collaboration: “It’s a win-win situation when suppliers and brands work together and enter into long-term partnerships.” “Growing as a brand while reducing our dependence on virgin materials and our environmental footprint – that’s when we are successful. This is the strategy we are pursuing at Tommy Hilfiger,” summarises Thijs Maartens, Vice President of Sustainability at Tommy Hilfiger. Simon Angel, curator of SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS at MUNICH FABRIC START, is thrilled that a new phase has begun: “The motto for this season is: ’We will get the right answers if we ask the right questions.’ And these are exactly the questions being asked. For the first time, I feel that designers are reaching a new level – the aspiration to do things right – and are thus also finding their way into large companies.”
BLUEZONE: „Business as unusual“ – Denim in Transition
“Business as unusual – that is the new motto.” This is how BLUEZONE curator Panos Sofianos opened the panel discussion, where key players in the denim industry discussed the future of the sector. “Those who wait will be too late. Since I started working in the industry, there have never been easy times for denim. The solution is not to react, but to anticipate what is coming and act in good time,” says Dr. Dilek Erik, Global Marketing Manager at Sharabati Denim. “I travel around the world a lot. The denim market seems to be shrinking – but it continues to grow in the USA and Asia. Competition in Europe is different. Our response to this is to invest in innovation and sustainability. At the same time, we are trying to attract more lifestyle and luxury brands instead of chains. This is how we secure our existence, especially in Europe. BLUEZONE is an important platform for this – and panels like this one are crucial,” explains Levent Bozgeyik, International Marketing Manager, Iskur Denim.
There were numerous examples of these solutions at BLUEZONE – pioneering technologies, environmentally friendly dyeing methods and functional innovation from fibre to finish were the predominant themes of the approximately 40 international denim mills that presented their latest developments for denim and sportswear. For example, Tejidos Royo showcased the first fabric made from 100% pre-consumer recycled cotton, dyed with DRY Indigo, while ISKO presented its new circular concept, RECODE DENIM.
In times of global uncertainty, it is important to strengthen one’s roots and team spirit. To this end, BLUEZONE in Munich has launched a new format. From now on, ‘HOMEGROWN DENIM LEGENDS’ will focus on influential denim personalities and brands from the DACH region. The series kicked off with Erwin O. Licher, founder of three German denim labels, as well as historical insights from Levi’s founder Loeb Strauss and Ruedi Karrer’s vintage collection. Heritage and new technology – these two opposites were also highlighted by denim icon Adriano Goldschmied in conversation with Thomas Leary, co-founder and sales manager of Baytech Sustainable Technologies, together with Sofia Strazzanti, founder and CEO of Future Fashion Assembly.
The new location of BLUEZONE in the centre of the MOC in Hall 2 was received with mixed reactions. The opportunities for new synergies and closer integration with the fashion industry were recognised and have already been exploited in many cases. “Germany is our strongest market. We develop special innovations such as Comfort Stretch for this market. We also maintain very good partnerships with German brands. That’s why I can say that our business is not only stable – it is getting stronger from season to season,” says Ibrahim Ethem Buyukpepe, Acting General Manager at Calik Denim. At the same time, some missed the unique denim vibe of the Zenith Hall. “We felt more comfortable at the old location – I miss the denim soul a little here. But at the end of the day, customers find us here too. We present our main collection with a lot of heritage as well as new authentic styles, new basics and unusual designs. We always develop our own collection for the German market. With stretch, lighter fabrics and a soft feel, we hit the mark. That’s why we’re always fully booked at BLUEZONE,” says B. Hande Yildirim, Sales Chief at Bossa. “At BLUEZONE we saw some great authentic washes. In general, there are lots of new developments. Because of the late timing, the trade show is more of a meet & greet for us. It’s a good place to work and to follow up on topics. What we do miss, however, is the atmosphere of the old BLUEZONE,” summarises Sandi Lambertz, Head of Design Denim von Mac Moden.
Ubiquitous – the trends for Autumn.Winter 26/27
With its theme “RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW”, MUNICH FABRIC START Autumn.Winter 26/27 puts the spotlight on the present. The five major fashion trends for the coming season reflect the complexity of the zeitgeist. “Conversant” combines reinterpreted dress codes and heritage aesthetics with American sportswear. “At Ease” stands for comfort, clarity and minimalist elegance. “Night Call” brings subversive club culture with futuristic glamour. “Untamed” focuses on closeness to nature, robust materials and folkloric patterns, while “Elite” showcases luxurious styles between neo-dandyism and opulent material mixes. The trends at MUNICH FABRIC START provided important input for designers, buyers and product managers for their own research and purchasing decisions. “The trend forums are always very inspiring. There is a great variety in fabrics and fancies – from sequins to shine and structure. This versatility brings refreshing diversity. The many earthy, warm tones create real anticipation for autumn. At the DESIGN STUDIOS we discovered some fantastic patterns, with a striking number of animal prints,” says Theresa Link, Team Lead Graphic Design of Bonita. Simone Pilger, Product Manager of Raabe Fashion Group, focuses on checks and furs: “This is a huge theme – and we found a good selection for this here at the show. The trend forums once again confirmed that we are focusing on the right colour and material trends: brown, red, caramel – generally warm tones in new combinations. We are less inclined towards mint.”
Thomas Nick Müller, owner of the Max Müller agency, sees a trend towards special features: “Customers are looking for more specialities. The days when everything was grey and beige are over. Instead, new winter colours are coming in designs, tone-on-tone checks, jacquards and plain fabrics, but always with texture. The surfaces must not be too flat; mouliné yarns are important. Our customers were there, but it must also be said that if there used to be 100 back in the days, now there are perhaps 30.” Drykorn would have liked to see more highlights: “We are a German company and are delighted to have a German trade show, which we always enjoy supporting. This is where we do our bread and butter business and we found everything we needed here. We would like to see more highlights in the collections. We have grown because we are bold, not because we are cautious. We need more cherries on top,” says Fred Götz, Creative Director Menswear and Interior Design at Drykorn. There was plenty of time for networking and informal conversations at get-togethers held to celebrate Herrlicher’s anniversary and the launch of the new HOMEGROWN DENIM LEGENDS format at BLUEZONE, as well as at The Fashion Grid’s happy hour and MUNICH FABRIC START’s MUNIQUE APÉRO, which attracted around 1,300 guests.
After two days, MUNICH FABRIC START closed with visitor numbers stable compared to last year. Visitors included designers, product managers, buyers and company bosses from numerous European and international brands such as adidas, A Kind of Guise, Alberto, Alpha Tauri, Anna van Toor, Another Brand, Armedangels, Atelier Gardeur, Balenciaga, Bestsecret, Betty Barclay, Black Palms, BMW, Bogner, Brax, bugatti, C&A, Calzedonia, Camel Active, Cinque, Closed, Comma, Digel, Drykorn, Dubarry of Ireland, Escada, Fynch-Hatton, Gerry Weber, Guido Maria Kretschmer, Hanro, Herrlicher, Hessnatur, Holy Fashion Group, HSE, Hugo Boss, IB Company, JOOP!, Lagerfeld, Lanius, Lodenfrey, Luisa Cerano, MAC, Marc Aurel, Marc Cain, Marc O’Polo, Mercedes Benz, Mey, More & More, NKD, Olymp, OUI, Peek & Cloppenburg, Porsche, Riani, Roeckl, s.Oliver, Schöffel, Seidensticker, Sportalm, Sportscheck, Strellson, Summum, Talbot Runhof, Tommy Hilfiger, Toni Dress, Westwing, Windsor and Zero. Visitors came from 54 countries, mainly from Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Czechia, Poland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Scandinavia, in addition to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The trade show dates were the subject of intense discussion among both visitors and exhibitors. The organisers are considering bringing forward MUNICH FABRIC START for Autumn.Winter 27/28 from September to mid/late July 2026. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. What is certain is that the upcoming edition for Spring.Summer 27 will run for three days from 27 to 29 January 2026.
