Wednesday 16th May, The Hilton on Park Lane. A night of glitz and glamour to honour the stars of the industry. Congratulations to all the winners as well as the nominees and well done to the whole industry for getting together for a great night. Our thanks also go to Drapers, the organisers, a superb night as always!

No one likes to be put on hold, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Welcome to Hold the Phone. We specialise in producing professional sales and marketing audio that plays to any caller your company places on hold.

The copying of designs is a serious issue for the fashion industry as the turnaround time for copycat products gets shorter and shorter. As we all know, copying can result in substantial losses for a brand that falls victim to it.

Take advantage of the SPECIAL DISCOUNTS available for Dasco Kids‘ orders placed with participating wholesalers during the ‘Back-to-School’ buying period. ... and make the most of every opportunity to promote add-on-sales in the Backto- School season, by offering your customers products that focus specifically on the problems most commonly associated with children’s shoe care.

BFA is very pleased to announce a new service to members. They have signed a partnership agreement with a very lively and professional employment agency, 247Staff, who will provide agency staff to BFA members on preferential terms. Members can contact Niall Campbell or Elaine Davies

The UK’s largest out of town footwear specialist, just got bigger and better with the announcement that it will be offering customers online shopping. Brantano Footwear is devoted to footwear and accessories, and is known best for key seasonal trends, big brands, convenient open plan shopping and choice.

Silentnight Footwear would like to bring to the attention of all retailers; traders and wholesalers that during the evening of Friday 20th April 2007, we had approximately 12,000 pairs of ladies and junior girl's sandals stolen from a warehouse owned by A. Sanders and Sons in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.

Clarks is to phase out its Ravel brand, which first appeared in the 1960s, as the family-owned footwear firm seeks to rejuvenate itself.

The DTI has launched a consultation with a view to abolishing the statutory dismissal and grievance procedures introduced in 2004.

With over 400 collections covering shoes for men, women and children and with astounding growth year upon year, Moda footwear is the UK's largest event of the season. This August the show welcomes newcomers Soloro, Koko and Men's fashion favourite Frank Wright, who will be showing alongside regular favourites such as Hush Puppies, Skechers, Merrell, Geox and Enzo Poli.

For the second month in a row, retail footfall was up on last year according to the first of the key indicators to be released. The Retail Traffic Index(tm) from research group SPSL, released today, saw April shoppers numbers up by 2.6% on April 2006, which also had Easter in it last year, and up by 11.4% on March.

Gola Classics, the original British sports brand, opened its first stand alone store in Harajuku, Tokyo on 17th April 2007. The new 65sqm store incorporates stylish décor with heritage imagery detailing the British roots of the Gola brand, which is over a century old.

Good news for exporters is that the European Commission has announced a new “market access strategy” to tackle more effectively the barriers to our trade with other countries.

TNT Fashion Group has appointed Robert Kiewik as their new General Manager for European Sales. The Dutchman has 20 years of extensive international experience in the fashion logistics and distribution industry and has worked with many reputable fashion houses in the UK, Europe and the US, setting up wholesale and retail distribution and supply chain solutions on a European and global basis.

Agility has strengthened its presence in China through the acquisition of Guangzhou Runtong International Transportation Company Limited (GRITCL), which is primarily focused on ocean freight forwarding services in Guangdong.

UK searches for "crocs" have increased 8-fold in the past 3 months, and have taken the #1 spot as the most searched for fashion item. The share of UK Internet searches for "crocs" is up from a base of zero in the same week in 2006. We on the research team at Hitwise like to monitor the preferences of consumers using search data.

BFA is working on its usual portfolio of overseas trade shows with Riva Garda next, in June, followed by WSA in August and Micam and GDS in September. Of these shows WSA in Las Vegas is an undiscovered opportunity for many British footwear buyers, although it has grown to be the venue for BFA's secondlargest group of exhibitors.

The WSA ShowTM will be the first peek for the world's retail buyers to see the new Spring/Summer 08 footwear and accessories collections from all the hottest new global, designers and major brands. Taking place from 30 July - 1 August 07, at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, the show - which is now concentrated into three days and for the first time is located under one roof - is by far the largest footwear show in the world.

Just a reminder to be very careful with wording when placing job advertisements. It is best to avoid references to “experienced” (which might imply a requirement for an older person) but make mention of training being available, if required.

BFA member companies contact Elaine Davies 01933 229005 elaine@britfoot.com

BY JACK BROWN, Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services

The sun is shining, the weather is hotting up, the birds are singing and the flowers are blooming and already it seems like July! Everyone is feeling much more upbeat, looking forward to long summer evenings, lazy weekends and holidays abroad.

The Health Act 2006 places a smoking ban on virtually all enclosed public places and workspaces in the UK as of 1 July 2007, which obliges employers to both prohibit and actively take steps to prevent smoking on their premises. Although the government is yet to provide full details of the ban, no doubt you’ll have concerns and questions in relation to this somewhat controversial piece of legislation. Read on.

This week I have been on the receiving end of three bits of bureaucracy, two of which bordered on the bizarre.

When two brothers, Derek and Keith started selling shoes from market stalls 35 years ago, not many people could have foreseen the huge success they would enjoy. 35 years later Footwear Today went to talk to the two people behind The West Midland Shoe Company to find out the story behind this hugely successful business.

Marilla Elliott-Morris is a retailer based in Crouch End. Every month she gives her perspective on a brand she sees as a hot seller

Finding Wolky is a revelation for most women. At 30 women search for their confidence, by 40 they have found it. They want to look sexy and fun. Try keeping a smile on your face when your feet are killing you.

Relaxshoe shoe factory was established in 1982 and was internationally known as a pioneer in the comfort shoe market especially in the one of sandals. At present the production of the two trade marks Relaxshoe and Galmod exceed 4 million pairs per year.

At MOSHULU, life is colourful what ever the season - whether you are tucked up inside by the fire in the Autumn or wandering along the boardwalk at the height of summer you can be as colourful as you wish - sandals or slippers both - bright cheery and stylish - and of course supremely comfortable.

Last winter the West Midland Shoe Company changed the branding of it's slipper collection. After ten years out went the old and dated "Occasions" brand and... enter the new vibrant and colourful "C/J's" brand.

Dunlop slippers are synonymous with maximum comfort, superb styling and high quality and figures to date show that 2007 will prove to be yet another fantastic year for Dunlop slippers.

Slippers hit the national headlines recently when a Slipper Amnesty campaign was introduced by the Charity Age Concern. Elderly people were urged to stop wearing worn out and potentially dangerous footwear around the house. We all tend to keep slippers long after their 'sell by' date has expired, enjoying their comfort and familiarity, however a worn sole and little support can be a recipe for disaster.

Jaybill Wholesale has been in the footwear business for over 80 years so are well versed in spotting the latest trends and developments in the market.

Is it enough to just supply fashionable footwear in E fit, EE fit or even EEE fit and expect that this will be enough to ensure that ladies with wider feet can look stylish and still feel comfortable? Well for the team at E Sutton & Son who bring you Finesse, the answer is categorically no.

Barely half way through this Summer our thoughts turn once again, to next Spring and Summer, as we all head off to the NEC for Moda in August. There we will meet up with Customers, Suppliers, Friends and Rivals, have a drink maybe, pay a fortune for an NEC sandwich, oh and buy or sell shoes.

INSOLVENCY DETAILS

Message: 6 April 2007
Registered Number: 02927325
Subject: PAUL RICHMAN LIMITED
The London Gazette dated Thu Apr 5, 2007 published the following public record information against the subject: Meeting of Creditors under Sec 98 Insolvency Act 1986