INTERSPORT, the premier global buying group brand in centralising its in-house marketing role has appointed Susan Herbert as Marketing and Communication manager.

Susan was previously in charge of brand direction and strategy for Love Hearts Jewellery, with special responsibility for launching the brand and the development of distribution channels, before which she was Brand Director of adidas & Ellesse Watches responsible for the brand’s marketing and communication strategy and product development.

Ward Shoes, an export company based in Sheffield, specialise in exporting stock lot and worn return footwear and clothing. The company exports 1,000,000 items a year, mainly to Africa and Eastern Europe. Quite an achievement for a company that only has 24 employees.

Michael Ward the managing director told Footwear Today: “We are absolutely over the moon to win the award for a third time. To win the award once was an incredible achievement and we are just astonished that we have managed to win it for the third time. We are very lucky to have such an amazing workforce, it is their hard work and dedication that has made this company the success that it is.”

Founder of Shoe Aid.co.uk Lee Todd appeals to footwear retailers nationwide to get involved in helping not only those in the third world who desperately need shoes, but also those close to home who are fighting cancer.

Lee Todd writes: Having worked within the footwear industry for 28 years, shoes have always been a big part of my life. However, whereas shoes are a means of expressing ourselves in the western world, there are many people for whom shoes are luxuries, and that is why I have recently purchased the domain name www.shoe-aid.co.uk with a view collecting shoes that could be put to good use overseas.

Owners of any brand of worn and unwanted walking boots are being encouraged to donate their old boots through a new initiative launched by the leading outdoor footwear brand, Meindl. Boot owners are being given the chance to make a difference in developing countries by donating their used boots with all monies raised from the collection of the footwear donated to WaterAid.

From 1^st May to 30^th June 2010, outdoor enthusiasts can simply take their old boots of a wearable standard to any Cotswold or Ellis Brigham store nationwide or to selected independent retailers (as listed at www.meindl.co.uk/newlife)

Children’s shoe company Start-rite has appointed Adrian Horne as Sales Director for the UK and Eire.  This is a promotion for Adrian, who was previously Field Sales Manager at the company.

In his new position Adrian will play a strategic role in helping to grow the business while continuing to head up Start-rite’s team of regional Business Managers.  He will retain personal responsibility for two of the company’s major accounts: Russell & Bromley and Jones Bootmaker.   Adrian’s first task will be a fact-finding mission to visit Start-rite retailers - large and small - to get a fresh understanding of the challenges and opportunities which face them. 

Jacobson Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Helen Pope to the position of key account product developer. Pope joins Jacobson Group having worked in the footwear industry for 25 years, with vast experience in customer product design, this newly created role will see Pope working in the design and sourcing areas of the business.

Pope will be based at the Jacobson Group head office in Lancashire, but will also maximise the opportunities available in London, working from the group’s newly formed showroom and office facility in the capital.

Creating a buzz for 2010,  Meindl’s new Respond XCR is available in a mid-boot or shoe version. The Respond XCR combines Meindl’s quality craftsmanship with the latest technology to produce footwear which is lightweight, durable and guaranteed to be 100% waterproof.

Priced at £99.99, the Respond XCR shoe provides extreme lightweight comfort while enjoying the outdoors due to its Gore-Tex lining. The Contagrip sole unit offers excellent heel stabilisation and superb durability for everyday use, while the additional toe rand offers protection to the forefoot and is 100% waterproof. Available in two colourways, sizes 3.5 – 8 women and 6 – 12 men, both the male and female styles are also available in half sizes.

Men’s footwear brand, Base London continued their support of the future of British design with the ‘Band for the Brand’ competition for De Montfort University’s Footwear Design 2^nd year students.

During the winter term the De Montfort students were tasked with developing and producing a range of creatively commercial formal and casual footwear styles for a new imaginary band to fit their style and sound for two occasions, festival and award ceremony. Looking at fashion trends relating to the music industry, both past and present, the students formed a band for whom, they would create a range of casual styles ideal for a festival appearance and formal styles for the award ceremony.

For this coming autumn, the Kickers collection varies from the downright urban, with bright colour pops and techy materials, to a softer more natural range with soft vintage leathers and rich autumnal hues. Permeating throughout the collection, be it for men, women or littl’uns, the Kickers feel good attitude resonates. As ever, Kickers has designed shoes that make you smile.

Women

For Autumn Winter 2010, the Kickers range for women follows two distinct stories, both designed to ensure feet stay not only warm and comfy, but also firmly on trend. On the one hand, we have ‘Real Folks’, a trend of warm nature-inspired shoes in vintage materials and earthy colours. On the other hand, we have the ‘Express Yourself’ trend featuring reinvented 90’s classic styles with bold chunky silhouettes, funky animal prints and diamante and gold trims.

UK Gear, the company that supplies performance running shoes to the British Army is preparing an assault on the US using a £1.125 million cash injection from venture capital firm Catapult. The funding will be used to increase the number of sales staff, both in the UK and US, to speed expansion into overseas military markets as well as specialist retail channels.

As part of the deal Mike Tomkins, non-executive chairman of online sportswear retailer M and M Direct, is to become chairman of UK Gear. Mike Tomkins led M and M Direct through a £90 million sale three years ago.

Sanita, the original clog brand from Denmark, has a fashion focused collection for Autumn/Winter 2010/2011.

The footwear brand was born in Herning, Denmark in 1907 when Christian Andersen began making wooden soled shoes for his neighbours.

Over 100 years on, the brand is renowned around the world for high quality products offering maximum comfort at fantastic prices.

For WOMEN in ENGLAND there is funding available for the Society of Shoe Fitters course.  The next course starts October lst, but if you wish to receive a large percentage of the course fee refunded, you need to apply for the course and the funding NOW.  The funds are extremely limited in comparison to other years, so an application has to be made immediately.  If you would like a course place, are a woman and living/working in England you need to complete the SSF course application form (available for download online:  www.shoefitters-uk.org), and email it to Laura West, Secretary (SSF) requesting funding contact details.  The secretary cannot guarantee funding as this is a government initiative and it is entirely based on a 'first come first served' basis.

Amid scenes of great euphoria and the popping of champagne corks, as the finishing tape was broken, the ‘Pound for Cumbria’ fundraising walk, which started from Warrington, New Balance’s European HQ in Cheshire, on Monday 22^nd of February, finally finished, appropriately enough, at Dovenby Hall, the home of the Cumbria Community Foundation just outside Cockermouth on the afternoon of Friday 26^th February, 140 gruelling miles later.

The eight tired but jubilant walkers were greeted and congratulated at a reception given at Dovenby Hall attended by Tony Cunningham MP for Workington, Malcolm Wilson CEO of M-Sport, Jonathan Ram, New Balance’s Managing Director, John Grainger, Managing Director of Invest in Cumbria, and Councillor John Binky Armstrong, Mayor of Allerdale.

It’s Kickers’ 40^th birthday this year and they want to celebrate in style with real people, the true Kickers’ lovers who have helped Kickers achieve such a momentous heritage.

Born out of the peaceful uprising of the early 70’s that has remained true to the brand and to celebrate 40 years in the business, Kickers want to take their ‘Feel Good Revolution’ to the streets of London.

From the middle of February, the Kickers’ team have been hitting the streets of the capital, inviting people of all ages who encapsulate the Kicker’s Feel Good ethos to take part in a casting for the new marketing campaign.

Manas has launched a line of men’s shoes. Positioned in the same market segment as its successful line of women’s shoes, it is described as a well-designed cross-over between urban and outdoor fashion, targeting an independent, contemporary and demanding client.

MBT is introducing lighter and more technical models in its athletic shoe collection for spring 2010, and a new line of business shoes for men and women for autumn 2010. The big Swiss company, whose main patents have fallen into the public domain, is warning shoppers to be careful and not buy counterfeit versions of its shoes, saying that fake MBT shoes are flooding the market and could pose a health threat to the wearer.

The shareholders of spartoo.com, which rejected a takeover offer from Amazon at the end of 2008, are targeting sales of more than $100 million by 2012, rising to $300 million in 2015, and at least 40 % of that should come outside France, where this young shoe e-tailer is based. Amazon took over last year zappos.com, the leading American shoe retailer over the internet.

Spartoo claims to be already the biggest retailer selling exclusively current footwear styles in Europe. To help finance its European expansion, Spartoo has raised €12 million worth of additional equity by letting in two investment companies as new shareholders.They are Highland Capital Partners of the U.S. and Endeavour Vision of Switzerland. They have joined are institutional investors and company managers including Boris Saragaglia, co-founder and president of the three-year-old company.

Baracuta, renowned for its effortless style and timeless cool, is stepping up its brand offer by launching a stylish footwear collection.The British brand, founded in the 1930’s has enjoyed iconic status, being the favoured casual staple of the coolest from Steve McQueen to Daniel Craig, Frank Sinatra to Pete Doherty and Elvis to Oasis.   The extension from clothing  into footwear comes as the brand is enjoying great success worldwide.

The footwear collection will be produced, under license, by Base London.  The collection will be a tightly focused range of styles to complement the clothing range including vulcanized, desert boots, loafers and boots.  The footwear will be unveiled early in the New Year for A/W 10 retail.

Kickers and LEGO team up for a killer second season with summery silhouettes, playful prints and a brand new girls’ collection in pinks and purples. The range seamlessly incorporates instantly recognisable LEGO® design features on the eyelets and straps, as well as the LEGO brand’s iconic prints. All of this is delivered in the signature bright up-tempo LEGO colours, which complement the playful Kickers spirit perfectly.

Investvar, Portugal’s biggest footwear company, has a general meeting on Feb. 8 where shareholders and creditors will decide its future, but it seems that its new MoveOn project will not go ahead. They will have two or three different options, but Jorge Pereira da Costa, Investvar’s new president, did not provide details, saying the projects are confidential and have to be voted on first.

The previous chief executive of Investvar, Pedro Ribeiro da Cunha, who was designated by Portuguese Economics Minister Manuel Pinho last March, had said that the new MoveOn banner, created to replace Aerosoles, would have allowed the company to be profitable in 2011 and have record sales in 2012.

The BFA recently canvassed its members for their predictions for 2010 and their views were broadly optimistic  - but tinged with realism. They see forward orders as being stronger than last year but there is the underlying uncertainty of not knowing the way the economy and consumer confidence is really moving  - together with a pending election, changes in the buying habits of the public and big pressures on price from both the retailer and the consumer.

This general air of increased but not overwhelming confidence translates into increased participation by our members in exhibitions. For overseas shows, we calculate an increase of 10%, for the UK ones a bit less.

Slips, trips and falls at home, work and in public places can cause serious injury, lost productivity and major compensation claims. The risk of slipping increases where people walk in conditions of snow and ice. Such risk can often be greatest at entrance and exit points of buildings where partially melted snow and ice creates a hazardous combination, made worse by the tendency of many people to relax attention when stepping inside from extreme external conditions.

Working direct with manufacturers and public and private institutions and companies, SATRA Technology Centre plays a key role in research and development to improve the slip resistance of footwear and floor surfaces. Thirty years ago SATRA designed and built the first prototype laboratory-based slip testing rig and developed the corresponding test method.

The Langenfeld-based Ara Group and the Detmold-based Wortmann Group want to revive the Salamander brand to build on the great success of the past. The two companies have agreed that the production and sale of shoes from the Salamander brand portfolio, in particular the well-known Salamander and Lurchi brands, should ensue within a joint venture to be founded shortly.  Ara and Wortmann will each have 50% interest in the company, as they did in a+w shoes (Jana), their first joint venture, which has enjoyed success since 2000. The existing retail activities of the Salamander Group, which will also be run separately in the future, are not affected by this collaboration.

With significant growth experienced for the autumn 2009 season, total volumes in the UK and Ireland more than doubled, Romika is on a firm footing for continued success with it’s new autumn 2010 collection.

Martin Ingram, managing director of Romika in the UK and Ireland attributes this success to a number of key ingredients. “A heritage of superb fitting lasts, resilient PU injection construction and comfort built in at every level of shoemaking is a great place to start. Add to this progressive and desirable design and top quality infrastructure in production, distribution and marketing and you have a recipe for success!

The UK is justifiably proud of the high profile footwear designer brands that not only are the envy of the world, but confirm this country’s ability to seemingly produce an endless stream of brilliantly talented and envied individuals. Names like Rupert Sanderson, Emma Hope, Georgina Goodman, Gwendolyn Carrie and Jeffery West are just a few of the eponymous brands that have global distribution and have inspired young designers in our world class colleges.

There is, however, another group of brands, less well known, but who have made enormous inroads whilst in the midst of this unrelenting recession. They aim at very different sectors of the market and each have a personality or DNA of their own  -  but what they do have in common is that they are run by young entrepreneurs who work hard at identifying their particular niche and making it work.

Norwich based Van Dal footwear is leading the way in AW10 with a collection of four authentic themes aimed at bringing comfort to recession hit women. In AW09 the British manufacturer launched ion-mask, a revolutionary nano technology which repels dirt and water, in its Van Dal TLC collection.

There is a hint of western in ‘Rawhide’, a homage to Van Dal’s own history of fine shoe making in ‘Heritage’ , a softer return to the authentic femininity of ‘Ribbons & Bows’ and the ultimate in winter comfort with ‘Arctic Chic’.

This season’s Boutique by Chic exhibition at the Ricoh arena in Coventry promises to be more directional than ever with even more big European brands eager to present their collections at the UK’s most glamorous fashion trade event.

If you have experienced Boutique by Chic before, you will not be shocked to hear that the organisers have more surprises in store this season as they have just announced that there will be a French theme ‘with a touch of Moulin Rouge’ and a fabulous restaurant menu to tantalise your taste buds at very reasonable prices.

Fiorentini + Baker has announced it will present the forthcoming A/W 2010 collection at London Fashion Week. This will be the first time the Italian based shoe designer has exhibited at LFW. The decision is part of a continuing expansion plan to bring the Fiorentini + Baker philosophy to the UK, following the success of its Westbourne Grove boutique, launched in June 2009.

London born designer, Deborah Baker comments on the decision to exhibit at LFW – “It seems the right time to get involved with London Fashion Week, having previously always presented collections in Milan and Paris. We want to make the collection available to a wider, UK based audience and feel that LFW is the best option to achieve that.”

The floods of November 2009 in Cumbria have directly effected over 1500 households and businesses. Many families are still living in temporary accommodation and businesses are still closed severely affecting local employment.

Our New Balance Factory in Flimby is part of the area in Cumbria that has suffered so much havoc and destruction caused by the extensive flooding just before Christmas.  As a show of solidarity with the local community and to ensure that the hardships they are still suffering do not fade from the nation’s consciousness we will be walking from our European Headquarters in Warrington to Dovenby Hall near Cockermouth a distance of 140 miles, passing through Wigan, Preston, Lancaster, Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside and Keswick on the way.

Kirstin Deutelmoser (pictured), director of GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories, as well as GLOBAL SHOES – leading trade show for sourcing, at Messe Düsseldorf, was honoured last month with the Fashion Fuchs 2009 from Hermann Fuchslocher Business Consultancy. With the award, the jury around Dr. Rolf Klinke again honours an “exemplary personalised fashion achievement”.

As you may already be aware, Germany, Austria and Malta have now opted to abstain from the vote on the Commission's proposal to extend the ADD period for a further fifteen months. These additional abstentions effectively count as votes in favour of the proposal, which now looks  certain to be voted through at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 22nd December, with the additional fifteen month period beginning sometime between the 3rd and 8th January 2010.

Launched as the ‘little black dress of the rubber boot wardrobe’, Aigle’s new luxury boot has reported 40% sell through in the first two weeks. The Miss Juliette, black story collection of limited edition premium rubber boots was launched exclusively in the UK through Kurt Geiger in Harrods and Liberty on 2nd November and has provided a point of difference in this increasingly influential footwear sector.

Chic returns this January to The Ricoh Arena Coventry (which is on junction 3 of the M6 motorway), where will see all the biggest names in the Luggage and handbag industry as well as a fantastic collection of key jewellery, scarf, glove, umbrella, hat and shoe brands.

The unique difference at Chic is that it is the only fashion trade event that takes place at the beginning of the retail selling season… Now more than ever, it makes sense to buy stock as you need it.

Chic returns this January to The Ricoh Arena Coventry (which is on junction 3 of the M6 motorway), where will see all the biggest names in the Luggage and handbag industry as well as a fantastic collection of key jewellery, scarf, glove, umbrella, hat and shoe brands.

The unique difference at Chic is that it is the only fashion trade event that takes place at the beginning of the retail selling season… Now more than ever, it makes sense to buy stock as you need it.

The collaboration of Hannes & Mauritz with Jimmy Choo appears to have been much better than its previous partnership with Karl Lagerfeld and many other big-name designers. H&M stores in 200 cities around the world recently opened to lines of people who had been camping outside for hours, waiting to get their chance at the new line of shoes, accessories and clothes signed for the low-priced chain by Jimmy Choo. The shoes were also on offer on H&M’s website. The collection, Jimmy Choo for H&M, sold out quickly as customers snatched up the designer’s products, with shoes costing less than $300 -hundreds of dollars cheaper than his regular line. New York’s Daily News reported two days later that many of the purchases being sold on eBay – for twice the price as at H&M.

Italy’s and Southern Europe’s persistent shoe lobby won two important battles in Brussels and Strasbourg. While, it has not yet put out an official document on this, the European Commission has stuck to its recommendation to extend the antidumping duties on Chinese and Vietnamese leather shoes for 15months, and a technical working group of the European Council of Ministers has indicated its support, reversing a negative vote cast by the anti-dumping committee of the Commission last November. At the same time, the European Parliament urged the Commission to come up with a final compromise proposal for mandatory labels of origin on shoes and other products imported from a number of countries outside the European Union.

The global footwear market is expected to grow by an annual average rate of 4.5% in value between 2009 and 2013, with the luxury segment enjoying the strongest pace over the period.

This rather optimistic forecast was presented by at the annual convention last month of Anci, the Italian footwear industry association. It was based on research conducted by Corporate Value Associates (CVA) in behalf of Anci.

Joel Travers, a former French executive of Wolverine World Wide who is also an agent of foreign shoes brands at his own company Sacamalice, believes in thepower of scents to stimulate customers to buy certain types of products in the stores, in the same way that music and visual interior design do.Travers has become president of the French subsidiary of Air Creative, a company specializing in olfactory marketing. Air Creative is a Swiss company that works on neutralising odors, rather than masking them, without using chemical elements.

Manas has won the first prize for value creation in The 2009 China Awards, organized by an Italo-Chinese foundation in collaboration with the Milano Finanza newspaper. The Italian company is developing a dedicated shoe line for the Chinese market with the help of a local design team. Manas has four stores in China and they should grow to 100 within five years. The brand has also opened three new corners in three different department stores in South Korea on a franchised basis, and their number is set to grow to 16 by 2012. Globally, the company is targeting deliveries of 1.5 million pairs and sales of €70 million for 2009.

Shoe Zone managed to restore profitability to the Shoefayre and Stead & Simpson chains, acquired in September 2007 and January 2008, respectively, raising the number of its stores to about 800. Before their takeover, the two chains were together making joint losses of about £10 million (€11.0m-$16.5m) annually. According to the latest public financial records available from the British retail company, filed for the financial year ended last Jan. 3, Shoe Zone reported an operating profit of £751,000 (€826,500-$1.2m) on sales of £63 million (€69.3m-$104.0m) for the two operations, which have been slimmed down considerably.

Gibson London has announced the appointment of Nandi Enterprises of Dublin to represent the brand’s footwear collection within Northern Ireland and Eire. Charlie Demery and Andrea Splendori of Nandi Enterprises will commence, with immediately effect, by selling the Gibson London SS10 footwear range.

The Detmold-based Wortmann KG with its brand Tamaris was voted the best shoe manufacturer of 2009. The prize awarded by schuhkurier, one of the leading trade journals of the footwear sector, was presented on Friday, 9 October in Munich. 

According to the jury, consisting of renowned and long-established experts in the sector, Wortmann KG is by far the most dynamic brand manufacturer of the present. Exceptionally innovative collection concepts and exemplary marketing are the hallmarks of Wortmann. With Tamaris, the company has shown an impressive national and international brand development.

The Trade Directorate of the EU published their report on Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on Monday. The 80 page document summarised the research done and concluded that their recommendation be that ADD is continued for a further fifteen months (after January 2010).

Interested parties now have up to November 3rd to comment on these thoughts.   The process thereafter will be a meeting of the Anti-Dumping Committee of the EU on October 22, the actual decision making meeting for Member States to be either November 10th or more likely November 19th.

The Society of Shoe Fitters is delighted to welcome Professor Wesley Vernon O.B.E. PhD as a member of their organisation.  Professor Vernon is the first person in 50 years to achieve a 100% pass mark in their Entrance Examination.  "Examination papers are sent to our Examiners anonymously; therefore they have no idea about the candidate and their history.  Once they had marked Professor Vernon's papers they were informed about the outcome overall, and needless to say were not surprised they could not find fault with his papers, in fact they felt quite relieved that their marks reflected his knowledge and standing," said Laura West, Secretary.

The Italian production of footwear dropped by an estimated 12.1% year-on-year in the first half of 2009 and the situation is not expected to improve in the second part of the year, according to data released by the Italian shoe industry association, Anci. Production is seen dropping in the second half to reach 75% of existing capacities at the end of 2009, down from 76% in June.

While the German shoe market has performed better than the retail sector as a whole so far this year, German shoe manufacturers have not been immune to the international recession. During the first six months of 2009 their turnover dipped by 10% to 986 million euros. Ralph Reiker, president of their industry association, HDS, does not expect that the decrease in sales can be made up for during the generally improving economic situation.

The Society is in a landmark year - 50 years as a not-for-profit organisation. It is no mean feat (pardon the pun) to keep a non-commercial organisation running without the benefit of charitable status, so it is extraordinary the SSF has been self-supporting and helped to maintain standards and provide support to the trade for so many years.

'Without the dedication of our membership; those who sit on our voluntary council or tutor our students, the good work we do would be lost forever' says Laura West, (secretary of the past 20 years). 'Even those members who retain their membership and qualification should be applauded, as the small amount it costs to remain a member annually, all helps keep our services open to all - and allows us to promote them as a contact point that will inevitably help the public.

The joint Modacalzado and Iberpiel shoe and leathergoods fairs in Madrid have reported a 17.45% increase in the number of trade visitors to 10,815 in September, compared with the edition of last March, which witnessed a major decline.

However, the number was still much lower than in September a year ago, when it stood at 13,290 visitors. Foreigners represented about 17% of the total attendance at the Spanish show, and there were significant increases for those who came from Portugal, France, Greece, Italy, the U.K., Brazil and some other countries.

SATRA has seen an increase in requests for dimethylfumarate (DMFu) testing of leather footwear and furniture, following the recent directive issued by the European Union (2009/251/EC) restricting the import of products that contain dimethylfumarate. SATRA is also witnessing a large and regular number of product recalls.

Retailers and importers of consumer products keen to guard consumer safety have contacted SATRA for advice on how to comply with the legislation following the EU wide ban of the chemical.  By using their own procedure, SATRA carries out analysis of product or materials for DMFu as well as give advice on mould problems and the use of silica gel and other packing materials.

Sales of shoes have outstripped the general clothing market for the past ten years, with sales growth of 53.1% in the decade between 1998 and 2008, compared with 39.7% for clothing, according to a recent article in The Times Newspaper. Reporting on information from Mintel, the market researcher, it said this trend continued last year, with shoes sales rising by 4.8% compared with 0.4% in the clothing market.

Funky fashion with die-hard comfort, once on the foot you'll never want to take them off.  Inspired in America where nurses are clamouring for the product, the move into funky fashion colours and materials only enhances the product further.

For SS10, Clarks Originals have joined forces with acclaimed artist, Pete McKee. In his own inimitable style, the Sheffield-based McKee has produced illustrations capturing the iconic mod culture of the 1960s. These have been screen-printed on to luxuriously soft, Italian leather to create special editions of the men's and women's Desert Boot.

A marked increase in new exhibitors and stable buyer figures at fashion trade exhibition Londonedge, shows a strengthening in this fashion sector.

Wortmann, the corporate group in Detmold, Germany, one of Europe's leading shoe production and sales companies, has published its final figures for the last financial year 2008/2009 (31 May). Last year the Wortmann companies boosted their consolidated total turnover by 7.8% to €798.9 million (GBP 660 million).

Sof Sole, America's No.1 below the ankle shoe care brand, is to be manufactured and marketed in the UK by Grangers at its Alfreton base in Derbyshire.

Grangers has selected three of the most popular lines which will be presented in 200ml aerosol cans in distinctive colourways to make it easy for customers to distinguish them by functionality and they are priced to retail at £2.99.

The blue "Water Proofer" is made from a fast drying silicon format which not only protects all sports shoes, trekking boots etc. from water but also extends their life.

Shoe giant's decision puts pressure on Clarks, Reebok and Adidas to take similar steps

The global sportswear company Nike has announced that it is to stop buying leather from the Amazon region of Brazil, following concerns that its shoes and trainers could be driving the destruction of the world's largest rainforest and contributing to climate change.

The move follows a Greenpeace report which exposed how cattle hides from deforested areas were contaminating the supply chains of a number of global brands including Nike, Clarks, Adidas and Reebok.

Over 250 visitors from the leather and fashion industries across the world attended a special celebratory event at The University of Northampton over the weekend.

A prestigious awards ceremony and fashion show at Park Campus on Saturday evening was part of three days of activities in Northampton and London, commemorating 100 years of leather education at the University's British School of Leather Technology (BSLT).

UPS and the Royal College of Art (RCA) have announced the winners of a design competition that challenged graduate fashion students to interpret the concept of ‘free movement'.

Talented duo Robert Huth and Simone Sommer, who are studying menswear and womens wear respectively, have been named winners of the competition at the annual Royal College of Art Graduate Fashion Gala. UPS and the RCA have also announced two competition runners-up, selected from a shortlist of nine designs, which are currently being exhibited at the Royal College of Art's Upper Gulbenkian Gallery in London.

Latest results from the British Shops and Stores Association (bssa) Quarterly Sales Monitor, show that whilst overall performance in Q2 was down 2.2%, on the same quarter last year, overall performance year to date compared with 2008 has steadied at minus 2.1% for the past two quarters. Business confidence for the next twelve months has also risen from 52% to 55% during the last quarter. ‘Whilst it is too early to read too much into these figures, it is encouraging to see that perhaps we have reached the bottom of the decline. However, we should be under no illusion as to the challenges facing all small businesses in getting out of this trough'' said Chief Executive, John Dean.

Miles Gray, Ben Sherman Group CEO said: ‘Since deciding to cease our in-house footwear business we have had strong interest from most of the key players in the footwear sector to take the Ben Sherman footwear license. However our clear preference has been to establish a partnership with Hudson, who we feel tick all the boxes in terms of footwear expertise and full understanding of the Ben Sherman brand and it's potential; and we really look forward to working with the Hudson team'.

BFA Board Changes

Three new Directors are joining the BFA Board: Paul Humphrey - Group HR Director, R Griggs Group (Doc Martens); Michael Kelly - Chief Executive and Joint Chairman, Sutton Group; Adam Marsden - Head of Sales, UK and NI for Clarks International. They join the existing Board members: Philip Luckett - Chairman - Chief Executive, Dunkelman & Sons; Stephen Etheridge - Group Chief Executive, Church Group; Andrew Loake - Chairman & Chief Executive, Loake Bros; John Hawksfield - Finance Director (p/t); Elaine Davies - Company Secretary; and myself.

SATRA will be presenting a series of seminars in Dongguan China during the week 30th November to 4th December 2009 intended to provide information and advice to companies involved in supplying product into Europe.

The seminars are an opportunity for manufacturers, resourcing companies, retailers and distributors to gain useful information on the topics covered, including:

• General product safety directive
• PPE certification - CE marking
• Furniture flammability
• Safety footwear
• Environmental and quality management systems
• Safety critical testing of footwear
• REACH and restricted substances
• Laboratory accreditation

Two new girls' pre-walkers join the collection this season, with the popular embellished style Cutie Tot, featured in white leather. Sizes 2-5, EFGH, RRP £22. Dark pink Milly is a new pre-walker with a practical buckle fastening and a decorative upper featuring heart cut-outs and cute bow. Colours: dark pink nubuck, light brown nubuck and white leather, sizes 2-5, FGH, RRP £24.

Molly in soft pink nubuck is a closed sandal-style pre-walker with a butterfly detail. Colours pink nubuck and white leather, sizes 2-5, EFG £24. For boys, Jack and Yo-Yo are two new styles. Jack has a double riptape fastening and looks bright and boyish in red, with contrast stitch details to give a relaxed feel. Colours red and brown, Sizes 2-5, FGH, RRP £24. Yo-Yo takes a nautical direction in navy, with its quirky alternative opening and badge detail. Colours: navy and brown, sizes 2-5, FGH, RRP £24.

It came as something of a surprise to me, I was almost about to check the calendar, in early June I saw a large supermarket television advertisement for children's school wear.

Are the marketing folk not blessed with children? Do they not know that buying children's wear in June for the coming school year completely overlooks the impact of ice cream and sunshine on the metabolic rate of kids who shoot up like bean sprouts over the summer?

The distribution of Superfit children's shoes  in the UK and Ireland by Bramwell International  will from 1st July 2009 be handed over to the manufacturer Superfit/Legero who will now employ the existing sales team in the UK and Ireland and co-ordinate both logistic and financial support from their head office in Graz, Austria.

Stepping boldly into the Spring/Summer 2010 Moda Footwear show, men's footwear brand Base London, reveals a selection of casual, semiformal and formal styles that bond colour, style, comfort and functionality together in a perfectly formed range.

REPORT FROM RICHARD KOTTLER, CEO

The current recession has made our members more resourceful and resilient. Some have looked at different payment methods; some have reviewed the options (very few) on credit insurance, many have reduced staffing levels and some have gone in different directions. Own label suppliers have created, bought or licensed brands - direct marketing and etail is a popular option - supply sources have been reviewed, especially in the continued uncertainty on Anti Dumping - see below.

Recession beating Hotter Comfort Concept has achieved 20% growth in the first six months of 2009, its 50th anniversary year, and plans to open two new stores despite the economic gloom. It is now manufacturing 1.3 million pairs of footwear each year in the UK in one of the world's most technologically advanced shoe making factories.

As part of its 90th anniversary celebrations, SATRA will be holding a series of technical conferences investigating global challenges and opportunities in the footwear supply chain, from raw materials to retail.

LIR S.r.l., the financial holding owned by the Moretti Polegato Family, which acts on the real estate markets, editorial markets and footwear and apparel sectors, has reached an agreement to buy Diadora's assets.

Step2wo is delighted to announce that it has opened its third store in mainland China. The new store, which is located in Shenzhen in the South of China, opened on May 8 2009 and follows the success of Step2wo's existing stores in Beijing.

The UK's first ever High Heel-a-thon event in aid of Breast Cancer Haven was launched earlier this summer in Leeds. With the organisers surrounded by high heels, pink feather boas and a flurry of press activity - this was a photo opportunity not to be missed!

Highlights for summer 2010 include the launch of a new trekking and a new trail running range. The new trekking range is building on the phenomenal success of the Outbound collection and introduces the innovative Col mid boot and shoe with designs for both men and women.

Skillfast-UK, the Sector Skills Council covering the footwear and leather industry, has launched "C-CHANGE", a new business plan that will deliver 100 improvements to the skills system over the next year.

Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoes are responsible for stepping up comfort, fitness and posture in scores of users but now Bristolians can benefit from the manufacturer's full choice of sizes, colours and styles.

The Cherry Blossom Shoecare range, which is currently experiencing strong sales growth, has recently been listed by The Co-operative.

Sneaker freaks in the US and UK will be the first in the world to experience one of the most innovative iPhone applications to date - Your Reebok. They can fully customise, and have the option to buy, a pair of Reebok shoes through the Your Reebok application.  The groundbreaking app combines the revolutionary iPhone features such as touch, motion and GPS to create a consumer experience.

The British Footwear Association were pleased to see that the Government has announced some new measures on the following two key issues - Credit Insurance and additional Export Assistance.

The key sectors are:

Essential - with the major German and European brands in the fashionable mainstream segment, "essential" represents the foundation of GDS. The quality brands also include functional wellness shoe fashion (sample brands: Gabor, Ara, Lloyd, Birkenstock, Tamaris, Mephisto, Clarks).

The Kensington Shoe Event opened on Sunday 22nd March 2009 and closed March 24th. According to the organisers, overall visitor numbers were down to around 300, however, for leading German ladies footwear producer, Peter Kaiser it was business as usual.

Swollen feet can become vulnerable in hot weather, as swelling increases and feet sweat, causing them to rub against footwear.

Sales figures from BDO Stoy Hayward's High Street Sales Tracker for the week ending 3 May 2009 were as follows:

Total Sales: +1.5 per cent

Total sales increased by 1.5 per cent on a like-for-like basis.

More than 1 in 10 women drivers in the UK have had an accident or near miss because of their footwear, according to new research by HSBC Insurance.

The recent directive issued by the European Union (2009/251/EC) restricting the import of products that contain dimethylfumarate is causing confusion among retailers and importers of consumer goods.

Deichmann, which has more than 2,500 stores in Europe and the US and sells shoes at a starting price of £9.99, has announced plans to open ten new outlets across the UK during 2009. The company believes the UK could see up to 450 Deichmann outlets opening up in the long-run.

The international logistics provider, Dachser has acquired a 10% share in the Spanish logistics provider Azkar. With this, the two companies are stabilising the excellent partnership entered into two years ago.

It was 1964; the streets of post war London were alive and sounding to a new youth beat defined by music and style codes from Southend to Liverpool. Explosive social consequences challenged traditions.

Mr. Bernard O'Brien of Tuam, Co. Galway, S. Ireland, has been appointed the new President of the Society of Shoe Fitters, now in its 50th year as a not-for-profit organisation.Bernard took over from Lesley Waddy (of Best Feet First, Epsom, Surrey) at the recent AGM with Lesley having completed a successful two years in office as President.  Jan Parry of Parry's Shoes, Pembroke Dock is now Vice President.

ion-mask^TM, the plasma-based surface enhancement technology originally developed by the MoD to protect soldiers against chemical attack, has won its seventh footwear industry award.

Dow Polyurethane (PU) Systems, working with the Italian producer of polyurethane shoe soles Mondial Suole, will test newly developed elastomeric polyurethane material with renewable content for use in the footwear industry. The polyurethane, containing polyols made via innovative RENUVA^TM Renewable Resource

SATRA and Leather Wise will jointly deliver intensive leather training on three separate dates this year, the first of which will be held on 18th and 19th March in Northamptonshire.

Calling all shoe lovers! We thought you'd like to know about Hush Puppies exciting new campaign for 2009. We're searching for the next big thing in shoes, a truly undiscovered talent, a creative person worthy to design for the behemoth brand that Hush Puppies is!

Hush Puppies release their most chic collection to date with their Autumn-Winter 2009 range. Playing to their strengths, the range is made up of familiar classics and characterised by clean lines and simple, modern silhouettes.

DB Shoes Ltd, the leading manufacturer of wider fitting shoes, is the first company to be selected to display the Healthy Footwear Guide symbol on its products. 

Sorbothane®, a leading consumer brand of the Mobilis Healthcare group, has revamped and repackaged its market leading range of Shock Stopper high performance insoles. The new line-up combines the brand's unrivalled shock absorption properties with an updated design that's up to 30% lighter, the latest nano silver antibacterial technology for maximum comfort, and cutting-edge packaging for added shelf presence and easier storage. Also brand new is Sorbo-Pro Total Control, a unique insole that couples pronation control technology and patented Sorbothane impact protection.

Greeper® shoelaces is a pioneering new British invention for the footwear industry that is fun, functional and fashionable. Shoelaces that can never come undone, adding a new dimension of convenience for general consumers, young children, disabled and aged people, were launched at GDS 2009 in Düsseldorf.

Cherry Blossom, the UK's original and now, its only, manufacturer of high quality shoecare products, has announced a substantial rise in its sales figures.  The company has seen its sales grow by double digit percentage figures over the last year and is one of the few companies able to take on new employees in this financial climate.

Kurt Geiger has signed a five-year licensing deal to design, develop and distribute a footwear collection for premium handbag and accessories brand Radley, according to Drapers.

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. has acquired the Cushe (pronounced "cushy") footwear brand, a move that will drive new global opportunities and leverage the strength of Wolverine's proven business model and operating infrastructure. 

It will be interesting to see, once official statistics are available, how the footwear industry actually performed in 2008," says Richard Kottler, CEO of the British Fotwear Association: "What figures we do have indicate that, despite the rapid downturn in the economy, some £6bn worth of footwear was sold in this country with perhaps nearly £0.6bn of this coming from mail order and e.commerce channels. Probably £3.3bn was sold though speciality footwear retailers and exports maintained their performance at nearly £0.5bn."

Small or tall, everybody with high demands will find the perfect slippers in the new collection of Living Kitzbühel! 

Physiological footwear brand Masai Barefoot Techology (MBT) has opened their first bespoke concept store in London's exclusive department store Harrods. The 350 sqft area is manned by specially trained MBT staff and stocks the company's entire range of women and men's athletic, professional as well as casual styles.

Putting the sole into the gift market this Mothers' Day is the non-profit charity Soul of Africa and with a newly launched website www.soulofafricacharity.org it is really easy to order the perfect ethical Mothers' Day gift. There is a range of funky quality footwear available including the fashionable Ubisi slip on, the "must have" Zandile ballet pump and the Mpumi flip flop.

Many of us saw in the New Year with good intentions of adopting a healthy new lifestyle. This year, with the housing market in turmoil and a downturn in the economy, it seems that an investment in our health may be the only one worth making. Rieker, the world's leading AntiStress® footwear brand can help you meet your fitness targets.

As announced by a+w shoes GmbH & Co. KG (Jana), Mr Michael Romberg) has been appointed as Managing Director from 1 January 2009.  Mr Romberg completed his training in the Wortmann Group and after three years of working in sales for Wortmann KG he moved to a+w shoes in the year 2000. Since then, he has been responsible for the areas of Product Management, Sales and Marketing. In this position he played a key role in the extremely successful development of the brand Jana.

Tamaris, the most successful brand in 2008 across all industries (according to Brigitte Kommunikationsanalyse) is increasing the advertising budget for the coming year, 2009, by more than 5 million euros.

This international conference, scheduled to take place the day before the Asia Pacific Leather Fair in Hong Kong on 30 March 2009, is an ideal event for those selling leather, supplying to the leather industry or buying leather products and footwear in Asia.

Organisers of the specialist stock trading event, the Off-Price Show (Olympia, London 15th-16th March 2009), reported a flurry of returning brands and suppliers to its Spring '09 edition, amid mounting interest from buyers in the high levels of fashion stock currently available.

An exclusive practical course designed for people working throughout the leather supply chain is set to take place from 11-15 May at the British School of Leather Technology (BSLT), run in partnership between The University of Northampton and Leather Wise Ltd.

Trading at Primark has been strong and over Christmas was ahead of expectations. Sales in the first half were substantially ahead of last year, reflecting the increase in retail selling space and a 5% increase in like-for-like sales.  As expected, the cost of the new distribution centre at Thrapston in the UK, which has been in operation throughout this period, increased fixed overheads and will be reflected in a lower operating profit margin.

After a Christmas trading period that was generally not as bad as they feared, exhibitors and buyers at the January ‘Chic International Fashion Accessory Fair' were very positive about their expectations for the upcoming season.