In 2008 Converse Inc. will commemorate its centennial year as one of the world's most coveted, iconic brands with the global launch of a new advertising campaign entitled "Connectivity."

Anthony Page has recently joined JBI ltd, to further strengthen the sales team and develop the Mens, sports and outdoor Footwear sectors of the business. In his 21st year in the trade, having worked with some of the biggest names around like Ascot, NLG and Hi Tec Anthony brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, as well as a golf handicap of 14 and a lifelong love of Leicester City FC to boot.

Wortmann Schuh-Holding KG, Detmold has announced the figures for the first half year (01.06. to 30.11.2007) of the current fiscal year as well as the preliminary figures for the entire fiscal year 2007/08 (31.05.) based on current orders. During the first six months Wortmann achieved a turnover of 359.3 million (GBP 257 million) (a plus of 8.5 %). The group is currently expecting a total consolidated turnover for the entire fiscal year of over 740 million (GBP 530 million).

Green logistics and carbon foot-printing, along with the increasingly complex question of security in the supply chain will be central themes at next year's Multimodal 2008, a new conference event embracing the full range of freight, transport, logistics and supply chain management (SCM) sectors.

Fairbridge is an organisation who through a combination of long-term personal support and challenging activities, provide young people with a route back into mainstream society.

Italian sportswear brand Fila is to be the new official footwear licensee to The Championships, Wimbledon. The five-year contract will see Fila provide a range of dual branded performance tennis and leisure footwear styles, until 2012.

Ward Robertson, Managing Director of STAG Buying Group says, "We've had an incredibly successful past twelve months set against the market trend. More and more Independent retailers, including Footwear are acknowledging the benefits of being part of STAG. Every new member adds to our strength and will benefit us all and we're delighted to welcome to the fastest growing Buying Group in the UK and Europe.

During competitive trading times it is imperative that retailers creatively differentiate themselves by enhancing their product selection to stay ahead of the competition. For summer 2008, Lotus Ltd has expanded its brand selection to offer retailers a greater portfolio of products.

Walking on air", the core brand, is now also stamping its mark on the new showrooms in Munich and Pirmasens.

This year the International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather & Allied Trades returns to the Lancashire coast, and specifically Hillside Golf Club and Formby Hall Golf & Spa Resort. Hillside Golf Club is a Championship Links course, and a qualifying course for this years Open at Birkdale its next door neighbour. Formby Hall is a new venue for the Championship, providing a parkland course with links style bunkers. It is an American design with water on the majority of holes, generous fairways and large undulating greens many protected by water.

For the first time a collection of some of the world's leading fashion designers, including shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, are creating limited edition designs to celebrate the 2008 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by Marshalls Landscapes. The show runs from 20-24 May and tickets are now on sale, visit www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows

British footwear label Ikon has teamed-up with two living music legends, Bruce Foxton and Gary Crowley to produce two new ranges.

His shoes have been impressing and amazing people since the 60's, but it is only now that the weird and wonderful designs of Jan Jansen have reached London's shores.

Ladies fashion footwear brand Lunar had a record day at the recent Moda event.

GRS Footwear, the brand's parent company, was showing a bigger range than ever at the NEC event with a huge range of shoes and boots on show on the GRS/Lunar stand.

Legendary rock n roll icons Sid Vicious, Ian Curtis, MIA and Karen O were last night unveiled as the faces of Converse's exciting Connectivity advertising campaign to celebrate their centennial anniversary and 100 years of disrupting the status quo.

Jacobson Ventures, a newly formed company by Harvey Jacobson, has announced the acquisition of 25 Famous Footwear factory outlet units from shoe retailer, Stead & Simpson Limited.

Start-rite has been named as winner of the Best Toddler Footwear Award in the Prima Baby & Pregnancy Fashion Awards 2008.

London, February 2008. New Balance has ignited keen interest and created an enormous buzz at the Pitti trade show in Florence with the re-launch of the brand's legendary 991 model. This shoe, made in the UK at the company's factory in Flimby with added leather applications provided in Italy, was one of New Balance's most enduring series of running shoes in the 80's and 90's.

This year the International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather & Allied Trades returns to the Lancashire coast, and specifically Hillside Golf Club and Formby Hall Golf & Spa Resort.  Hillside Golf Club is a Championship Links course, and a qualifying course for this years Open at Birkdale its next door neighbour. Formby Hall is a new venue for the Championship, providing a parkland course with links style bunkers. It is an American design with water on the majority of holes, generous fairways and large undulating greens many protected by water.

Global sports brand HI-TEC SPORTS has appointed Mark Cooper as Global MTO Product Manager.

This year's STAG Buying Show will be held at a brand new venue. The buying show, with it's enviable reputation as the place where business is done will take place over the 23rd and 24th November at the Four Pillars Hotel - Cotswold Water Park. The new venue boasts an open plan exhibition space set over two floors and will offer exhibitors and members a rewarding setting to do business. 

For a second year running, Padders were voted Best Men's Brand in IFRA's Annual Awards.

Gola Classics, the original British sports brand, has developed a stunning new advertising campaign for 2008.  The nostalgic new campaign depicts a sweet jar full of brightly coloured Gola trainers, accompanied by the tag line ‘Classics. With a twist'.

The way to any mother's heart this Mother's Day really can be through her feet with these stunning patent leather Cyndi loafers from Geox. The classic and sophisticated design means your mum will never go out of style and are the perfect gift for her special day.

From 14th to 16th March, the Design Attack area within the Young Fashion Sector at GDS/GLS will once again be showcasing 100 selected design newcomers and their collections and lifestyle products beyond the fashion mainstream. Awaiting the international trade audience are independent fashion, urban and streetwear creations.

Global sports footwear brand Hi-Tec has exclusively teamed up with River Island to re-launch the legendary 80's style ‘Hi-Tops'. Available from March 2008 the two styles will be sold in selected River Island Stores.

British Shops and Stores Association (bssa) Chief Executive, John Dean, commented in response to the Chancellor's CGT recent announcement.

Boots made by Grisport - one of Italy's leading producers of trekking and safety footwear - are about to become the greenest in the world.

Dasco are launching a new range of Gel Cushions using the  ‘Angel Feet‘ name as a sub-brand. The first product being rolled out, is a NEW Gel Cushion Ball of Foot insole, covered with a luxuriously soft, leopard print fabric.

ABBEY Saddlery & Crafts has agreed a new distribution deal with leading Italian firm Castiglioni.

Europe's largest online retailer of women's footwear, Viva La Diva .com, has recently added another covetable label Strutt Couture to their expanding list of brands which they stock via their website.

Peter Newman Shoes, a family run business renowned for its customer service has invested in Eurostop's ready to go e-commerce solution for its new online store.  The new website www.shoes2Udirect.com has been developed by Eurostop as part of the retailer's expansion plans. 

London, 3 December, 2007: Palford Ltd, UK distributors of Levi's Kids Footwear is pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Vickers of Gary Vickers Agencies as their agent for the North of England.

The world's premier luxury footwear and accessories show, The Collections at WSA, is to host more jewellery and handbag brands than ever before.  From 21st-24th February 2008, this exclusive ‘show- within-a-show' will take place in the prestigious suites of the Venetian Resort Hotel, Las Vegas and will feature more than 350 women's and men's footwear, handbag, and jewellery designer brands, offering an unmatched comprehensive view of these categories within the  luxury market.

Gresham Private Equity, the UK mid market private equity specialist has announced it has invested in Hotter shoes (Hotter).  

Patrick Cox has been put up for sale after a mooted licensing deal with House of Fraser Collapsed.

For the start of the sales season autumn/winter 2008/2009, the Caprice shoe factory in Pirmasens/Germany presented the new women's shoe collection for the first time in the eastern European fashion capital Warsaw last week. In front of a selected audience, international models showed the shoe highlights developed by the Caprice designers. Next to the optical fashion impressions, the wellness innovations which are marked with the slogan "Walking on air" and are patented throughout Europe were the focal point of the presentation.

Puma have designed a specific shoe in honour of the Beijing Olympics. The USAN shoe by Puma is described as "a key sport lifestyle shoe, inspired by running "and has been created by Puma as a celebratory style in honour of the games.

Roelof de Leeuw was appointed sales director for Crocs Europe in December. Roelof will take over the position of European Sales Director from Ortwin Dellevoet, who will now manage the Ocean Minded Business Unit.

BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd, UK and Asia Pacific Leather Fair Ltd, Hong Kong will once again be pooling their resources and hosting an international leather conference on 1 April 2008, during the APLF event.

The latest Retail Traffic Index (RTI) figures from research group SPSL show that despite a good deal of gloom from analysts and city-watchers, November was better than anticipated. Footfall on the high street was up by 2.7% on October, but still down by 0.8% on November 2006.

After 12 years in the role, Niall Campbell is moving on from his role as chief executive for the British Footwear Association.

Employers in England's fashion and textiles sector are claiming that the recent government commitment to spend more on apprenticeships will mean little, unless Ministers do more to address the apparent "ageist" approach to skills support.

Hot, young and cutting edge: the New Generation sponsored by TOPSHOP at London Fashion Week is the most exciting date on the fashion calendar. The raw talent represents all that is pioneering about London and accounts for the buzz that surrounds the capital at the moment. 

With its latest television commercial, ‘Primigi, a great adventure', Primigi, the leading children's shoe company in Italy, has won the ‘Beauty & Fashion' category of the 39th Key Award, the most important Italian recognition dedicated exclusively to television advertising.

Shoe and leather goods manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers tracking temperature or humidity conditions affecting inventory quality can now have the convenience of both real-time data and the ability to download data for further analysis with the redesigned Dickson Graph-at-a-Glance Flat Panel Temperature and Humidity Data Loggers (http://www.dicksondata.com/).