The Kensington Event has moved location and dates for this season, due to the refurbishment taking place at The Kensington Close Hotel.

Created in collaboration with footwear technologists and podiatrists, Terra Plana’s VivoBarefoot Kids is a lightweight and super-flexible shoe line with a thin puncture-resistant sole designed to mimic what foot specialists have long known... that children walk best barefoot. ecause of the high proportion of cartilage and other soft tissue, the developing foot can be deformed under the persistent pressure of wearing incorrectly shaped or rigid shoes. The child’s foot does not fully mature until age 18–19 for girls and 20–21 for boys and growing evidence supports that children’s shoes should be designed on the barefoot model More than 80% of foot problems are attributed to misshaped and inflexible shoes, but modern day life means children can’t always be shoeless. VivoBarefoot Kids offers a close alternative for everyday use.

Following the initial success of the ‘New Life’ boot campaign at retailers across the UK, Meindl has extended the initiative until July 31^st 2010 to encourage on-going donations and raise continued awareness of the campaign and its cause.

The Off-Price Show, the trade event specialising in stock buying (March 14th–15th Olympia), returns to London after the successful launch of its Warsaw, Poland edition last September. The show organizers report an uplift, both in exhibitors and buyer registrations. Said show manager Max Carter, “confidence seems to be returning to most sectors, confirmed space was already 8% up by mid-February compared to the whole show last year, and with very busy sales in the last few weeks, we expect the show to open at least 15% bigger than last Spring. Buyer registrations are also up – 7% up on last year with hundreds of new registrations pouring in daily”.

Exhibitions

It’s show time for many of our members, selling their new collections around the world

The weak pound is helping, but the state of the economies in the States and Europe is not. Two points, however, are emerging as increasingly irritating ones:

Firstly, the continual difficulties companies are experiencing in finding new agents or distributors both in the UK and abroad, especially if they are start-up or smaller ones.

The Off-Price Show, the trade event specialising in stock buying (March 14th–15th Olympia), has seen a late surge in new exhibitors, particularly in the accessories, outdoor wear and branded imports sectors. Companies such as W. Brown International (fashion bags), New Hope Clothing (leather and woolen outer wear), Long & Son Trading (fashion bags), Travis and Leigh (silver and costume jewellery), Brilliant Belts (fashion belts), Designsix (costume jewellery),  Jewelcity (jewellery), Bislex (neck wear), and New Point (branded sports and designer wear), join previous exhibitiors such as Accent Accessories (Fashion accessories and head wear), Trespass (outdoor and ski wear), Head UK (sports bags and swimwear)

A British team is the first team in history to retain the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race title on Monday morning when they crossed the finish line on the Beagle Channel after six-and-a-half days of exhausting non-stop racing through the spectacular wilderness of Chilean Patagonia.

The four Britons, who at one point had to swim a fast-flowing ice-fed river to stay on track, won the world's 'toughest and wildest race' after a 600km course of trekking, kayaking and biking over the wind-swept pampas of Tierra del Fuego, peat bogs in Karukinka Reserve, snow-capped mountains and tree-filled canyons in the Cordillera Darwin and rough waves in the Beagle Channel.

Base London has announced the appointment of Peter Knight as Sales and Business Development Executive to represent the Baracuta Footwear licence in the UK and Ireland. Peter Knight joins Base London having previously served at retailer Office, working at manager level in stores and concessions since 2002.

Base London signed a licensing agreement with the BMB group in December 2009 to produce the iconic brand’s first full footwear collection. The Baracuta footwear collection will be a tightly focused range of styles to complement the clothing range including vulcanized, desert boots, loafers and boots and is available to view for A/W 10 retail.

Wortmann Schuhproduktionen Holding KG, based in Detmold, Germany, has released the figures for the first half of the current financial year, together with an estimate for the entire financial year 2009/10 (ending on 31 May) on the basis of the currently existing orders. In the first six months (1 June to 30 November 2009) a turnover of 407.6 million euros (GBP 361,2 million) (an increase of 3.5 %) was achieved.

Gio-Goi's A/W 2010 footwear collection sees an exciting injection of new styles and silhouettes alongside key continuity styles. Catering for both men and women, the new collection has been designed to compliment Gio-Goi's clothing offering, while tiered price points (wholesale prices range from £15 to £40) ensure the range will be at home in both clothing retailers and stand-alone footwear stores.

For men, Gio Goi provide a varied range of vulcanised and cupsole high tops and mid height trainer silhouettes. Key looks range from day and night athletic streetwear trainers, to soulful casuals with rubber soles and raw leather laces, moccasins and hybrid ‘outdoor’ trainers, to the clubbing inspired trainers with material mixes and colour combos.

Total turnover at DEICHMANN Shoes (UK) Ltd increased by 46% during 2009. 

The company today announced an annual turnover of £32.02 million for the year (vs. £21.9 million in 2008).

Europe’s largest footwear retailer sold 2.35 million pairs of shoes in the UK last year; a 30% increase on the previous year.  Like-for-like sales increased by 10.5%.

Cherry Blossom Premium, the new range of shoe care products benefiting  from extensive market research on both formulation and performance, is to be launched exclusively through Debenhams, the UK high street departmental chain with 105 outlets in the UK.

The range, presented in tailor-made merchandising units, will be available from mid January in Debenhams’ Ladies Shoe departments.  An interesting development is that selected items of the Cherry Blossom Premium range will also be positioned to appeal to those who want to take care of their hand bags.

In 1918, two war-weary young soldiers and former POW's returned to Britain at the end of the First World War. Identical twins, Jack and Bill Denton had come back to their Northamptonshire roots, having survived the tumult of a war-ravaged Europe. Exactly 15 months later, the brothers were starting a new venture, as proprietors of a footwear business in Irchester. On Feb 11th 1920, D B Shoes was formed, manufacturing men's shoes and boots in a region of the country renowned for its thriving footwear industry. During the 1930’s the business grew and moved to larger premises in Rectory Road, Rushden. The Second World War saw D B Shoes devote much of its production to manufacturing footwear for the war effort.

The exclusive ‘Sweeties’ range from Norvic, has been designed especially for little girls who love a little sparkle!

The range consists of five styles, but the standout feature of these shoes are the scented rubber soles that release a sweet flavour with every step!*. The soles are jam packed with delicious sweet delights with each style centred around a unique design and colour palette to complement the individual flavour.

The Mountain Boot Company has enjoyed a year of significant growth across all core premier brands. Turnover grew from 6 million in 2008 to 8.6 million, strongly supported by exceptional winter conditions and gave the company its first 1 million month in December 09.

Steve Roberts, MD commented:-

“Continuing our desire to raise service standards in line with business growth we continue to invest in providing our customer base with the very best in support”

AMG Footwear Ltd has been appointed to manage the distribution of the three brands under the LXY structure: Strutt Couture, Zandra Rhodes by Strutt Couture and Five by Rio Ferdinand exclusively in the UK and Eire with immediate effect.

The addition of the LXY brands to the AMG Footwear portfolio further demonstrates the company’s strength and reputation within the footwear industry. AMG entered the footwear market in 2002 when it began its relationship with Deckers Outdoor Corporation securing the distribution licence for multi-activity lifestyle footwear brand, Teva. Following three highly successful years in 2005, AMG were awarded the UK/Eire distribution rights for world renowned luxury sheepskin brand, UGG® Australia and in early 2006 the company landed the third footwear brand owned by Deckers, Simple shoes.

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.

Pikolinos will be showing at the MODA show on Sunday 21st to Tuesday 23rd February (Hall 19, stand no. FK19) and would be pleased to show you their latest collection.  Footwear International are the UK agents for this highly distinctive Spanish brand that specialises in excellent quality leather incorporating unique design and detail in this popular brand. 

Pikolinos have produced an Autumn Winter collection to really get the competitions designers to sharpen their pencils! The collection is full of innovation and includes styles that are more suitable for our winter climate here in the UK. Prices remain reasonable too. New water-resistant leathers are available in both the original Pikolinos finish and the all new vintage “buffalo” textured leathers for both Ladies and Men.

Staff from across the fashion industry are teaming up to support leading overseas aid agency CARE International by taking part in the Prima Solutions Adventure Challenge, supported by Footwear Today, on 22 May.

The challenge, taking place in Exmoor National Park, will see teams hike, bike and canoe a marathon distance in ten hours. It’s a demanding task, but efforts are worthwhile- all funds raised will support CARE’s work helping 59 million people in 70 countries find a route out of poverty.

INTERSPORT, the most distinctive of the buying group brands, hosted its Q3 2010 show on January 6^th and 7th at Cranmore Park, Solihull. The event was held in the teeth of the worst wintry conditions for 30 years; yet, snow blizzards, widespread ice and sub-zero temperatures couldn’t freeze the vibrant atmosphere of energy and enthusiasm that prevailed at the show. Undaunted, members and suppliers showed great enterprise as they made their way, across the deep freeze that was Britain, to attend one of the most successful of the INTERSPORT shows.

In the Autumn of 2006 FIDELIO® launched its first HALLUX FIDELIO® collection, a range of sophisticated sandals incorporating an ingenious stretch insert for bunions. From the outset this collection was a great success and we were able to win many newcustomers. Since then many retailers have suggested that we add a ladies loafer, with the ingenious stretch insert for bunions, to this collection. In April 2009, having carried out extensive market research, we started working on the “Hallux Loafer” project. Building upon our „FIDELIO® philosophy“ we developed a combination last in width H that incorporates a slimmer heel. This last was continually adapted and improved until it was perfected. Over the last 5 months we have worked intensively, making, discarding, improving and perfecting countless samples.

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!

Norwich based Van Dal footwear is leading the way in AW10 with a collection of authentic themes aimed at bringing comfort to recession hit women. 

In AW09 the British manufacturer was the worlds first women’s brand to launch ion-mask, a revolutionary nano technology which repels dirt and water, in its Van Dal TLC collection.

AUTUMN/WINTER 2010

In AW10 the company follows this with a collection of shoes built around 4 themes which showcase the seasons must have look with the latest comfort enhancing features.

There is a hint of western in ‘Rawhide’, a homage to Van Dal’s own history of fine shoe making in ‘Heritage’ (they have manufactured in Norwich since 1936 and still do), a softer return to the authentic femininity of ‘Ribbons & Bows’ and finally the ultimate in winter comfort with ‘Arctic Chic’. Each collection perfect for the Van Dal consumer, each the epitome of comfort, style and great quality footwear.

After the disappointment of the Anti Dumping Duty ruling going unexpectedly against earlier indications and the duties being continued to April 2011, the pre-Christmas trading performance was encouraging. This is reflected in the comments below from some of our members who were asked to give their thoughts for this New Year: Stuart Lamb of William Lamb said 2010 will be a tough & competitive marketplace for all products including footwear. As consumers face higher taxes, continuing wage freezes and the constant threat of job losses, this will inevitably lead to caution in retail spending. Consequently, consumers will look for all round value and quality in buying their shoes.

The new Cherry Blossom web site launched in October has been exceptionally well received by both the general public and the trade.  Using this contemporary medium, the site conveys a modern image to a vintage brand that continues to register remarkable consumer re-call levels with the general public.

The design brief was to create a visually attractive, easy to navigate site to enable visitors to find out the most appropriate products for their shoe care and foot care requirements and to provide them with practical tips on achieving the best results. 

REPORT FROM RICHARD KOTTLER, CEO

2009 has been an exceptional year. The deepest recession that any of us have worked through. The toughest period of retail trading anyone can remember. The tightest restrictions on cash availability, credit insurance and working capital ever experienced.

And yet the trade has survived – and in many cases, prospered. Companies have slimmed down, worked aggressively and innovatively with suppliers and customers alike, and are now facing next year with a great deal more optimism than seemed likely six to eight months ago.

The European Council voted today by simple majority to keep the anti-dumping duties on leather shoes from China and Vietnam in place for another 15 months. The vote is a victory for the Italian footwear industry association (Anci) and the Italian government, which have been in the forefront of the lobby in favor of these measures, but the opposing camp is not giving up.

Manfred Junkert, who runs the Federation of the German Footwear Industry (HDS), said he hoped that the EU will honor its commitment to end the duties after 15 months. According to the European Footwear Alliance (EFA), which represents HDS and numerous heavy-weight importers of footwear from Asia, the Commission has made this promise, but it has not provided evidence of such an undertaking.

The internationally operating logistics provider, Dachser, founds a new national company in Romania on 1 October 2009. The new company, Dachser Romania S.R.L., offers intelligent transport logistics services to Romanian and international customers from both industry and retail. Daily services will link the first three branches to open – in the cities of Arad, Brasov and Bucharest – and connect them to Dachser’s Europe-wide overland freight network. The country manager, and manager of the Bucharest branch, will be the seasoned logistics professional, Traian Dumitrescu, who has nine years of experience of the Romanian market. 

Base London has expanded its e-commerce site to incorporate an online Gentlemen's Club aimed at entertaining and educating their loyal customer base and giving them the opportunity to interact directly with the brand.

A variety of 'rooms' in the Gentlemen's Club play host to elements of interest to the Base London target market including competitions, videos and reviews along with fashion and style tips educating the customer on key looks for the season and what to wear to which social event.

You may have seen in the press some comments about what appears to be happening after the initial encouraging vote by member states against the continuation of ADD

The news from the European Commission is they plan to raise the issue for further discussion and potential voting in EU meetings on 4, 7, 8, 17 and 22 December. One view of this would be that this could be a cynical and political device to reach the point where there could be up to 6 votes on the issue hoping that on one occasion they can get the answer they want !. It is not clear why the Commission are taking such a stance, seemingly against the views of the majority of Member States.

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.

DOUBLE COUP FOR ITALIAN SHOEMAKERS ON FOREIGN TRADE FRONT

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.

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.

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 2^nd November and has provided a point of difference in this increasingly influential footwear sector.

J Shoes are proud to announce their collaboration with retail partner Prime Brighton with the unveiling of their first UK sighted Shop In Shop instillation.

“We have an exceptionally distinctive product but wanted to find the perfect retail partner who shares our vision for the brand” said Adam Ford, J Shoes Operations Manager.  “Young entrepreneur Ross Czolak of Prime gave us this opportunity offering an ideal location coupled with his enthusiasm and love for our brand and products.  Brighton is one of the most vibrant, colourful and creative cities in Europe so this venture will help to deliver the stand out identity the brand respects.”

Focused around three main themes the new J Shoes AW10 collection continues to build on its core strengths whilst encompassing exciting new product lines, colours and material mixes.  Design influences look to the idea of androgyny; the mixing between masculine and feminine whilst other segments within the collection take on an industrial avant garde feel and a vintage story focuses quite highly too.

Colours for WOMEN comprise of rich vintage tones – bottle green, deep garnet, cognac, storm and industrial tones of black, wine, grey, oxblood and dark brown.  Whilst colours for MEN include elements of the above as well as pumpkin, minx and mushroom.

The Focus Group are delighted to announce the signing of a new 5 year footwear Licence Agreement under the Voi brand. With effect from November 2009, Focus will design, develop, source and sell a range of footwear under the Voi label exclusively to the UK and European markets. The first range is anticipated to be delivered for the Autumn/Winter 2010 season.

Since the brand was established in 1988 Voi has been seen to be at the cutting edge of fashion and are currently enjoying fantastic success with leading high street retailers. Focus believes that they can capitalise on this success and expand the brands popularity by creating and distributing collections to the leading UK and European fashion and fashion footwear specialists.

One of the UK’s leading footwear and clothing manufacturers is launching a new range of sailing and casual shoes which will be guaranteed for two years – a first in the UK footwear industry.

Chatham Marine’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection will include the new Enduro G2 range of men’s and ladies’ footwear products, all of which will come with a two year guarantee, a unique selling point other companies have feared to attempt.

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 2^nd November and has provided a point of difference in this increasingly influential footwear sector.

2009 has witnessed the continued expansion of Josef Seibel, not only within key wholesale partners but with the launch of the flagship retail store in the heart of London's Covent Garden. As Europe's leading comfort footwear brand and with the expansion of Josef Seibel worldwide, Covent Garden, with its reputation as the place to shop for stylish shoes in London, was the clear choice for their first stand-alone store in the UK.

The store‘s design and product ranges reflect the eco friendly footwear collections within "Spirit of Nature" for both men and women.  Following the launch of "Spirit of Nature" just over twelve months ago, sales in the UK have experienced a rapid growth as consumers become more environmentally aware and are looking for products to address these needs. 

A proposal by the European Commission to extend anti-dumping duties on adult leather shoes from China and Vietnam by another fifteen months was rejected by a majority of representatives at the European Union's anti-dumping committee this afternoon, which will make it trickier for the Commission to uphold its proposal without at least some adjustments.

Sources involved in the debate said that representatives of fifteen member states objected to the extension, while ten of them supported the proposal and two countries remained neutral. Although the advice of this committee is not binding, it should be taken into account as the trade commissioner, Baroness Ashton, prepares a formal proposal on the issue. The European Commission will have to adopt a formal proposal by Nov. 30 at the latest - to be submitted to the Council of Ministers, which then has a month to make a final decision.

Having windsurfed and surfed for many years Sophie started kiting in February 2007. "I was teaching windsurfing in Venezuela when I was given a kite course as a Christmas present. That was it, from that moment on, I went for it!" The following winter and after little time on the water over the summer, Sophie left her windsurfing kit at home and headed to Brazil to give it her all. Out there she got sponsorship and the next stop was the KPWT world tour.

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.

Society of Shoe Fitters 'Student of the Year' 2009

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. 

ITALIAN PRODUCTION FELL BY 12.1 PER CENT IN FIRST HALF

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.

Guest speaker Johs Knudsen, ECCO's vice president business development, opened the event with a talk on how complete ownership of the supply chain can be turned into a competitive advantage as it enables quick reaction to retail demand. He talked about a general industry shift from production push and sell commercial models to better identification of market demand to generate supply - there was discussion on using time zones as a global production advantage. Talking generally, Knudsen put an emphasis on introducing science, standards and best practice before any systems are put in place.

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 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.

Leading overseas development agency CARE International is delighted to announce the launch of the fifth Prima Solutions Adventure Challenge, exclusively for the fashion and fashion retail industry.

This challenge, which is supported by Footwear Today, will take place in the stunning Exmoor National Park on 22^nd May 2010. Teams from across the industry will hike, bike and canoe the distance of a marathon in a day.  

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.

Christine Powley-Williams has been appointed Divisional Manager (Consumer Products) at SATRA Technology Centre. Ms Powley-Williams has considerable experience of the leather industry having undertaken a variety of roles in manufacturing, product testing, funding procurement, training and management within tanneries and research and technology organisations.

It would be fair to say Kevin Cooke knows a thing or two about shoes - 2009 sees him celebrate 50 years within the footwear industry.  Not many can say they have experienced some of the most influential changes the industry has been faced with, so Cooke has certainly got an interesting tale to tell.

On leaving school Cooke set his sights on being an accountant, but with jobs in Ireland in 1959 being scarce he knew that the only way to achieve this dream would be to get on the career ladder at the first opportunity and head to night school.  So by day he worked within a busy sales/despatch office of the ladies' footwear factory at Hanover Shoes, Cork, and by night he studied, played Gaelic football and tennis and on Saturday nights he danced!

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.

Technically Alegria shoes have a mild rocker outsole which still produces a normal walking motion, but helps to tone muscles and gives energy when on your feet all day.  An anatomically correct patented interlocking foot-bed with arch support, loaded with latex and memory foam provides a customised fit for every wearer, every time.

The British Footwear Association (BFA) has announced a new training opportunity for its members. The scheme entitled ‘The BFA Training Support Programme' is aimed primarily at its small and medium sized members.

To qualify the applicant must demonstrate the following:

• A genuine need for specific training
• A well considered training programme
• The need for matched funding

The programme can cover any job function, at any level in the organization and is applicable to both new and existing employees of BFA Members.

Richard Kottler, Chief Executive of the BFA commented: "Our Members have told us that they need really practical help and funding to support their company training, which has become a particular issue during these difficult times. We have tried to respond to our Members needs by devising this programme which accesses funds from the BFA Development Trust, which is a separate charitable entity".

The successful story of the Wortmann Group continues unabated. 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). This figure stood at €741.3 million in the previous year. The strongest growth markets were again Germany and some Western European countries; even though it was not possible to quite match the two-digit growth rates of the past. The markets in Eastern Europe were unable to meet expectations as a result of current developments. The export rate amounted to 53.9% (previous year 52.8%). Collections of the Wortmann Group are offered in more than 70 countries and at over 14,000 shoe shops all over the world.

It would be fair to say Kevin Cooke knows a thing or two about shoes - 2009 sees him celebrate 50 years within the footwear industry.  Not many can say they have experienced some of the most influential changes the industry has been faced with, so Cooke has certainly got an interesting tale to tell.

On leaving school Cooke set his sights on being an accountant, but with jobs in Ireland in 1959 being scarce he knew that the only way to achieve this dream would be to get on the career ladder at the first opportunity and head to night school.  So by day he worked within a busy sales/despatch office of the ladies' footwear factory at Hanover Shoes, Cork, and by night he studied, played Gaelic football and tennis and on Saturday nights he danced!

Following a period of substantial growth in sales during 08 and enjoying 52% growth in year to date sales 09, The Mountain Boot co is poised to make some significant investments and revision to both its sales representation and service/distribution centre. Managing Director- Steve Roberts comments

"Sales out in 09 have been nothing short of sensational. This has been fuelled by the continued impressive development of the Deuter brand, new additions to the portfolio of Outdoor Research and Healthystep footbeds, along with Scarpa enjoying the current footwear boom and a flying start to Grivel boosted by winter conditions. Despite the growth, we still see huge blue sky opportunities in all brands and with a strong desire to maintain and enhance service levels, we have elected to invest in our infrastructure, recognising that what took us to this point and was stretched in the process!, will not be sufficient to take us to our next goals."

Alistair Cameron, Sports industry veteran, following a long career at Speedo International, New Balance EMEA and more recently the shoe retailer Clarks, joins ASICS Europe B.V. as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Starting mid-October, Cameron joins ASICS in this newly created position. His remit is to further strengthen the brand and to execute ASICS' ambitious growth plans for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

As part of the relaunch of the New Rohde International company, Rohde shoes (UK) Ltd ran a competition for its customers at the recent MODA exhibition to win an Apple I Phone.

Emotion Licenses Ltd are very pleased to announce that they have awarded Gardiner Bros the exclusive rights to distribute the Emotion Footwear brand to the independent market from Spring 2010 onwards.

SATRA, the world leader in footwear technology and testing, is holding various open days and workshops in September and October for manufacturers, sourcing companies and retailers.

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.

P2i Ltd, the world leader in liquid-repellent nano-coating technology, has raised £4.1 million ($6.7 million), from new and existing shareholders, to support its accelerating commercialisation and international growth.

P2i was established in 2004 to commercialise liquid-repellent treatments developed by the Ministry of Defence.  Its revolutionary technology helps customers protect and improve a wide and growing range of products including performance textiles (such as hiking and military boots; running and golf shoes), hearing aids, laboratory consumables such as pipette tips, and a wide range of filtration products.

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.

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.

SATRA has expanded its range of environmental services after announcing that Mark Buckley has been appointed to the newly created role of Health, Safety and Environmental Manager at the company's Northamptonshire base.

Buckley is a member of the Institute of Environmental Managers and Auditors (IEMA) and has a wealth of industrial experience working with companies for them to comply with relevant legislation, use energy efficiently and control environmental impacts more effectively.

Rieker, the family-owned German shoe manufacturer, has appointed two new key members to run the UK/Ireland team. Chris Gorrod, Managing Director, and James Podmore, Sales Manager, aim to build on the remarkable success Rieker has enjoyed over the last few years, despite the recession, as customers look for lasting quality, comfort and great value.

Chris Gorrod has been with the Rieker Group since 1998, where he actually started his Rieker career in the UK with Brevitt Rieker Ltd. His last 7 years have been in a senior managerial role with Rieker Shoe Group in North America. His career has also included spells at John Wilkes footwear and Kookaburra Sport.

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. 

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'.

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. 

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:

• Chairman - Philip Luckett - 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.

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!

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.

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.

The distribution of Superfit children's shoes in the UK and Ireland by Bramwell International will from 1^st 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.

Recession beating Hotter Comfort Concept has achieved 20% growth in the first six months of 2009, its 50^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

 SATRA has developed a training package and laboratory test programme to help companies fully comply with EU regulation on chemicals (REACH) for products.

Independent retailers are upping the personal service ante to keep customers spending through the economic recession, according to Pure London.

While the majority of independents pride themselves on their high level of customer service, building relationships with loyal shoppers is now more important than ever as the UK retail sector continues to face a tough time ahead.

The joint venture partners Dachser and Logimasters are reorganising the business segments in Brazil and terminated their mutual joint venture with effect from March 31, 2009.

The internationally operating logistics provider is taking over all international business, which is to be consolidated in the newly founded "Dachser Brazil Logística Ltda." headquartered in Indaiatuba. From there, the logistics provider manages air and sea freight business, including existing partner connections. Furthermore, Dachser Brazil is to acquire 100 percent of the shares in Logiprojects and will thus also coordinate international special and project business from and to Brazil.

Women workers in England's footwear and leather industry could be climbing the career ladder over the next nine months, thanks to a special training initiative called Women & Work.

The programme, which is run by Skillfast-UK, the Sector Skills Council for fashion and textiles, aims to help women to develop their technical and management skills, so they can develop within their company and progress to higher-level jobs.

Independent retailers are upping the personal service ante to keep customers spending through the economic recession, according to Pure London.

While the majority of independents pride themselves on their high level of customer service, building relationships with loyal shoppers is now more important than ever as the UK retail sector continues to face a tough time ahead.

Dimethylfumarate is a biocide used to prevent mould growth on products during transit or storage and is most frequently supplied in the form of a permeable paper sachet through which the chemical will be released. Dimethylfumarate is recognized as a potential skin irritant and has been implicated in cases of contact dermatitis from furniture and footwear in several EU countries.

SATRA has organized a series of technology roadshows in the US and China in June 2009 to provide information on current industry issues for consumer products and to discuss innovative ideas that SATRA intends to explore.

Factories, offices and shops are no longer required to register with the relevant health and safety authority. Factory employers are no longer required to complete the F9form and register with the HSE. Office and shop employers are no longer required to complete the OSR1 form and register with their local authority. Factory employers are no longer required to complete and keep the series of forms and records that make up the "general register" for factories as this no longer applies. Further information can be found on http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd219.htm.

OFFICE picked up the prize for Women's Footwear Retailer of the Year at  Drapers Footwear Awards, held this month (May) at the Hilton Hotel, London.

The Drapers Footwear Awards are the most prestigious awards for the footwear industry, and bring together around 500 industry leaders to celebrate and recognise the achievements of 18 of the most innovative and passionate footwear retailers, brands and students in the UK and Republic of Ireland. 

Sales: Euro 384.2 million, +5% at current exchange rates, +4% at constant exchange rates

EBITDA: Euro 124.9 million, 32.5% margin (Euro 125.1 million in the First Quarter of 2008)

EBIT: Euro 116.5 million, 30.3% margin (Euro 119.4 million in the First Quarter of 2008)

Net Income: Euro 72.4 million, 18.8% margin (Euro 80.1 million in the First Quarter of 2008)

Solid Net Cash Position: Euro 22.6 million

The Board of Directors of Geox S.p.A., the Italian company leader in the classic and casual footwear market listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (MSE: GEO.MI), approved today the first quarter 2009 financial results.

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).

May 12th 2009: From today, 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.  For the first time, 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 not seen before on mobile.

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.

• Non-fashion: +3.3 per cent

Non-fashion retailers generally had a good week with the majority of stores registering higher sales. Demand for luxury goods continued to be very positive, while leisure and gifting stores also saw sales improve during the week. In contrast, health and beauty was softer.

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. Surprisingly, PK were opening new accounts and writing orders, even though the pound has lost out to the euro by some 30%. Many retailers were looking to sell Peter Kaiser with PK opening over 10 new accounts during the three-day show. Indeed, there are signs of a trend emerging where the small independent retailers are moving up-market, offering higher quality footwear that commands a higher price and increased margin. Retailers also benefit from smaller order quantities and shorter leads times.

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 research suggests that the most dangerous shoes for driving are flip-flops, which 47 per cent of women who have had an accident or near miss were wearing at the time.  This is followed closely by 38 per cent of women who admit to wearing high heels at the time of an incident.

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 BFA has quoted the announcements at some length, but are trying to find out more detail on how these schemes will actually work for its members - so more information shortly,  hopefully.

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 50^th years 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.

The continuing economic pressures continue to make what was predictable, unpredictable, reports Richard Kottler, CEO of the British Footwear Association: "Safe" retail chains go bust, others go the AVC route, others reduce orders, delay payments and demand higher margins. But the problems being experienced in the wake of the collapse of the availability of credit insurance is one of the biggest issues of the day."

The Cherry Blossom Shoecare range, which is currently experiencing strong sales growth, has recently been listed by The Co-operative. The range will be stocked in over 3,000 Co-operative Retail Trading Group stores nationwide.

Dimethylfumarate (DMF) is a biocide used to prevent mould growth that can cause deterioration of leather furniture or footwear during storage or transport, especially in a humid climate. DMF is often contained in pouches fixed inside furniture or added to footwear boxes, where it sublimates protecting product from mould. Often, the pouches look similar to those used to contain silica gel, a non-harmful desiccant frequently used in leather products.