A newly launched consultancy service is helping retailers’ increase their basket spend and pick up some great new ideas to communicate with the customer.

Known as "Rapid" the new consultancy team was launched by Stockport-based manufacturer UK Point of Sale at the Convenience Retail Exhibition Show.

Society of Shoe Fitters member, Paulo Silva lives and works in Portugal at the renowned Iberian store chain "El Corte Inglés" in V. N. Gaia as athletic shoes and textile manager. An expert in athletic footwear, Paulo has had his work published in various sport and podiatric books and magazines, but his recent claim to fame is appearing on a daily live entertainment show on TV1.

Research report findings into the Cut Make Trim (CMT) sector have been released by Skillfast-UK, the Sector Skills Council for the apparel, footwear and textiles sector, which refute the traditional image that a CMT business is a backstreet operator.

Start-rite has adopted an innovative approach to working in partnership with independent retailers by helping them to get closer to their customers, better understand consumer behaviour and ultimately drive sales upwards.

British sports footwear brand HI-TEC is pleased to announce a new 3-year partnership deal with the Subaru World Rally Team.

Claire has recently joined BLC as Regulatory and Standards Adviser. The main focus of her role is to provide support and advice to members regarding restricted substances that are relevant to all aspects of the leather supply chain. Claire will also be responsible for managing leather standards and specifications.

Gola Classics, the original British sports brand, has developed a stunning new advertising campaign for 2007, which takes inspiration from a DNA double helix. The new campaign depicts a DNA strand made up from pairs of brightly coloured Gola trainers, accompanied by the tag line ‘The Pattern of Life’.

Asgi is the brand new range of stylish footwear and sports shoes to be launched by Hamsin Ltd, importer and distributor of shoes that look good and do you good.

Following its successful showing at Moda and Garda, wide-fitting fashionable footwear company, Emotion, has reported unprecedented forward sales for its autumn/winter 2007/08 range.

After its great success with the recent "Natural Sensations" event in Tokyo – last February 20th -, the Consortium could not miss the International Shoes & Leather goods Fair.

Autumn/winter 07 sees the launch of a new wider fitting range, entitled ‘Fashioned to Fit’. Often style is forgone in wider fitting footwear, but Lotus has surpassed all preconceived ideas by launching this new, highly attractive, fashion focused, wider fitting collection.

The European Confederation of the Footwear industry (CEC) will present for the first time the results of its R & D project, CECMade- Shoe. This project with 54 partners, an investment of 20.4 Mio and a EU contribution of 10.4 Mio, started in October 2004.

Employers in the apparel, footwear and textiles sectors are being urged to help shape the future of retail, through a brand new qualification for young entrants to the industry.

Ever wanted to do charity work but you just don’t have the time? Inundated with unwanted or old stock? Donating could be the solution.

Lincoln Valued at Oxfam has helped many local retailers to offload unwanted stock. So far this year the Lincoln-based donating service has received various donations from businesses and retailers but they still need a regular supply of donated stock to maintain their funds for overseas projects.

A group of lean, fit and relatively small companies are taking the footwear manufacturers industry by storm and showing the bigger players how it’s done.

The Leather Working Group will be holding a meeting in Hong Kong on Monday 26th March 2007. The group, comprised of brands, tanners, and retailers has developed a peer reviewed environmental auditing process for tanners. The meeting will include an open session, offering interested parties an opportunity to find out more about the new audit protocol launched in January 2007 and to offer comments on the protocol.

By Jack Brown, Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services

Am I selling a legal shoe? How do I know? Am I liable?

Although the manufacturer, agent or importer are responsible for making, shipping, storing and distributing the shoes, the law is heavily weighed against the retailer and those actually placing the goods onto the market place. The retailer and the final customer are usually the ones at the front end of the legal requirements.

There are many times when a business may need money and advice. It could be for a start up, expansion or for a new idea. But apart from the traditional bank sources and your local library, there may be other places to look – the Government grant and support network.

I want a pair of shoes made here in England" declared a rather no-nonsense gentleman who walked into our emporium a few days ago.

The young person who had foolishly offered to help him was somewhat taken aback by this, and referred him, as per standing orders when unable to cope, to me who was similarly placed on the back foot.

GLUV is hitting new heights by marking the launch of its biggest ever spring and summer range with a link-up to one of the UK’s leading low-cost airlines, bmibaby.com In a novel initiative, the leading women’s comfort shoe brand is supplying shoes for all female cabin crew members who work for bmibaby, the airline with tiny fares.

In the face of adversity- go back to basics, your family your roots, your passions". This is the advice of Janet Middleton, who, when the odds were suddenly stacked against her, founded the phenomenally successful Starchild label- a sassy, exciting line of children’s footwear for trendy girls and boys. Celebrating two decades of shoe design this year, Middleton has a lot to smile about - Footwear Today caught up with her to find out how she managed to turn a pair of handmade kiddies shoes into the coolest brand in the children’s footwear market….

Babyshoes.co.uk has supplied children’s boutiques and independent shoe shops for over 15 years. Our winter 2007 range can be made in over 100 colours to match clothing or your individual taste. Colours this year have not changed much cerise, red and black patent for girls beige and tans for boys. All our shoes have leather linings and arch supports in sizes 15 to 37 Continental 00 to large 4 UK.

Noel, the French children’s shoe manufacturer, has been making shoes since 1925, when the company was founded by two brothers.

For 2007 Noel have produced an exceptional range of Back to School shoes that are superbly designed and are made of durable leather uppers and superbly soft leather linings. For boys robust protective toe caps have also been included.

Hippychick’s collection of stylish, comfortable and fun leather and suede Shoo Shoos for babies and toddlers is available in a wide selection of new designs and colours for Spring/Summer 2007.

The girl’s range incorporates this seasons hottest trends of metallics, and embellished with embroidery and diamante. The colour palette is bronze, browns, dusky pink and raspberry, and not forgetting patent party shoes!

Northamptonshire based children’s shoe manufacturer Daisy Roots first Outdoor Shoe collection launched recently is designed in house by Daisy Roots’ dedicated team and are available in three designs.

Autumn/Winter

2007-2008 collection

For Autumn/Winter 2007-8, PRIMIGI offers footwear able to meet all requirements. In fact each line in the collection has been developed with its own specific style and is dedicated to a particular use, from urban to casual, as well as hard-wearing shoes for outdoor games.

Following its successful showing at Moda and Garda, wide-fitting fashionable footwear company, Emotion, has reported unprecedented forward sales for its autumn/ winter 2007/08 range.

Our latest gel product is Flipping marvelous!! Anyone who has spent the day in a pair of ‘flip flop’ style sandals will appreciate the smart thinking behind ‘Soft Flip’.

NEW Angel Feet Toeposts are a recent addition to Dasco’s popular Gel Cushion range. Already attracting a lot of interest, Angel Feet Toeposts are a dual-purpose insole designed speci˜cally for ‘Flip-Flop’ style footwear. With a toepost protector and half insole moulded seamlessly from lightweight polymer gel, they provide excellent cushioning for both the toes and the ball of the foot.

With summer just around the corner it’s time to start planning your lightweight wardrobe! Out go the chunky knits, winter coats, boots and thick socks and in come mini skirts, t-shirts, shorts and FALKE’s Summer Invisibles!

It has been 10 years now since the first spectrum of colour was presented to the world from the MOSHULU stable – 10 years on and the brand is still lighting up shop windows across the land with ever more imaginative palettes and designs to keep customers hooked in and looking for more.

Paradox London boast three bridal shoe brands; award winning designer collection Benjamin Adams, fashionable and affordable Pink and the latest contemporary range just launched Belle.

British brides are set to fall head over heels in love with Diane Hassall’s new eponymous collection. Especially if the reaction to the launch of her beautiful, cutting edge, vintage inspired designs at the recent Sposatex fashion fair in Amsterdam is anything to go by.

INSOLVENCY DETAILS

Message: 7 February 2007. Registered Number: 03049221

Subject: FORTUNE 14 LIMITED. The London Gazette dated Tue Feb 6, 2007 published the following public record information against the subject: Meeting of Creditors under Sec 98 Insolvency Act 1986