Kensington Shoe Event SS11 - September 26-28
Published: 14 November, 2010
The Kensington Shoe Event closed its doors on September 28 on yet another successful show. Popular with footwear and fashion buyers, the three-day Event has become a premier show for medium-to-high quality footwear, but it still remains deliciously compact and customer-friendly.
The KSE never fails to impress, with its fabulous ranges and comfortable hotel setting, situated in the heart of prime central London. Due to the refurbishment taking place at The Kensington Close Hotel, this season the Event was held at The Westbury Mayfair, Conduit Street, a prestigious West End venue that proved popular with exhibitors and visitors alike.
The timing of the Event, just after the major shows, allows buyers, namely boutique and independents, to have a clear mind on what to buy in a relaxed and informal environment. Given its sumptuous surroundings and complimentary tea, coffee and pastries, it is little wonder visitors keep coming back for more!
This season visitor numbers at the KSE exceeded 200 and there were buyers from several multiples, including Dune and Jones Bootmaker. All visitors came to do business and the atmosphere at the show was very good, according to Renato de Angelis, exhibitor and organiser. Renato told Footwear Today:
“This season the Kensington Shoe Event proved to be a remarkable hit with exhibitors and visitors alike, due to the very central location and exclusive surroundings of the Westbury Mayfair. It was not an easy task to arrange everything at this new venue at such short notice, but I am delighted with all aspects of the results. The decision to go ahead with the show at the Westbury was confirmed to be a sound move.
“The products on show were a good mix with something for every taste and were well received by the buyers, some of which visited the show for the first time. I had positive reports from both agents and buyers and the atmosphere was vibrant .
“My Pons Quintana range, famous for their interwoven and colourful uppers , did very well and so too my two Italian ranges: Nero Giardini, contemporary and well priced footwear and handbags, and Alberto la Torre who specialises in good quality and good looking ballerinas pumps conveniently priced in the 30 Euro range.”
Martin Ward, exhibitor and co-organiser commented: “The general reactions to the show and the new venue were very positive. We felt very relaxed knowing our 5* collections were being presented in 5* surroundings. Certainly, retailers came out in force on all three days and the numbers were beyond our expectations. It was felt to be a positive move into the West End, making it easier for more multiple buyers to visit us at their convenience.
“The hotel made a real effort to make exhibitors and visiting retailers feel welcome, even if the traffic wardens had a different perspective on occasions!! I spoke to many retailers throughout the Show and they often remarked that the natural light available on the 1st and 2nd floors was a real boon and a big help when buying.”
On display last month there were 65 brands, providing retailers with an exciting cross section of Europe best factories and designers. These are some of the best selling brands in the UK, for shoe and fashion retailers. The blend of ranges on offer was improved again at the September Event with the introduction of ALIMA, ART, C. DOUX, DYVA, GANT, MANAS, MODA IN PELLE, NEOSENS, PAUL GREEN, RAS, SALORD JOVE, amongst others.
This season saw several agents returning to the show to exhibit collections from Spring/Summer 11, including: ALBERTO ZAGO - ALEXANDRIA - ANN MOLARI - ANTONIO BEN CHIMOL - APEPAZZA - ARCHE – AUDLEY - BALTARINI - CARA LONDON - CHARLIE NICOLE - CHARLIE NELSON - CHRIS DAGLESS - DANIELA POLO - DAVID BELL - DANIELE ANCARANI - DORKING - FELMINI - FLUCHOS - FRANCESCO MORICHETTI - GEOX - GLAMURANO - HARRIE HENDRIKS - HISPANITAS - HOBBY SPORT - ITSOME - JAIME MASCARÓ - JAVIER CARBONELL - JOHNNY WOOLFSON - JOHNSONS SHOES AGENCIES - K+S SHOES - LEE CHARLES - MAGRIT - MANILA – MARK WATTS - MARKOLI - MARTIN WARD - MARTYN KIRBY - MÉLINÉ - MOCASINES PASTORET - NERO GIARDINI - OLGA BERG (H/BAGS) - PACO HERRERO - PAM - PASCUCCI - PATRICIA - PETER KAISER - PETER PEARCE - PONS QUINTANA - PRETTYBALLERINA - PUNTOTRES - PURA LOPEZ - RAPISARDI - REBECA SANVER - RENATO DE ANGELIS - ROBERTO BOTELLA - ROLF BUHR - ROSEMARY DARTNALL - SACHELLE - SACHELLE COUTURE - SANTACANA - SALVADOR SAPENA - SIXTYSEVEN - TO BE - TONI PONS - UNISA/JTA - URSULA MASCARÓ - VANILLA MOON - VICTORIA - VICTORIA DELEF – VOLTAN
Manila – had produced a great series of their “signature styles” the chic-driving shoes and hand-sewn causal moccasins. All sampled in a fabulous colour palette which really emphasised the fashion element of the shoes.
Alberto Zago – As usual had some key styles which were a combination of classic/ understated fashion. Agent Charlie Nicole reported increased interest from the buyers in a revamp of the classic espadrille styles with striped wedges, followed by some of the more elegant styles which were well received too.
Thanks to successful styling by Rebeca Sanver, the real python ballerinas costing only 45euros proved a hit with buyers, according to agent Martin Ward. Shoes with "girly" bows were a big success and the very sexy lycra wrap-arounds stole the show!!
What the exhibitors said:
“It was great to be at the hub of London fashion just off Bond street, a stone’s throw from the newly vibrant Regent Street to the east, the coolest dept store and Oxford street to the north and the newly developing super chic streets like Brook Street and Mount Street to the West. Customers were happy and got straight down to business writing orders, so they could steal a little personal shopping time after a job well done.” David Bell
“We were extremely pleased with the new venue and layout which produced new visitors and potentially new clients to the show. Our Sachelle, Vanilla Moon and Itsome ranges proved very popular and generally the mood was relaxed and optimistic.” Chris Dagless
“There was a noticeably positive mood and majority of the visitors to our stand wished to place orders. We saw more independent buyers than we expected to see on the first day and over the next two days we were delighted with the level of new accounts showing interest in our collections and we added to our customer base. Overall the exhibition went well and retailers were positive and pleased with what they saw. It seems the sell through rate for our autumn range is good and consequently people were upbeat about the collections.” Charlie Nicole
“The new venue was liked by all my customers and the agents that attended. My brands: Rapisardi Cara London and Victoria Delef, were well received by my customers, and the forward sales for summer were very good. The vast majority of retailers we talked to during the show were buoyant about current trading. Although, being careful with forward buying, my retailers were ordering the new colours and designs within the brands. So, overall the show was a great success, and I look forward to going back next season should the Kensington Close not be available again” Martyn Kirby
“The temporary site proved to be excellent. The stands were well sited and bright and airy and the service given by the hotel was faultless. We enjoyed a much better customer flow and were able to open new accounts. Customers were able to view the collections in an excellent environment” Howard Jones
“The temporary new venue was not an issue for my customers, more important our SS11 collections from Vidorreta Espadrilles and Angel Alarcon matching shoes and bags were received very well following on from Micam, offering great prices and quality from Spain.” Johnny Woolfson
“The Kensington Shoe Event continues to satisfy the requirements of Peter Kaiser. The new venue
was excellent and any fears of fewer buyers attending the event proved otherwise for Peter Kaiser. “New accounts opened and orders were in-line with our expectations.“ Rolf Buhr, UK Sales Executive, Peter Kaiser
www.thekensingtonshoeevent.com
PULL QUOTE:
“This season the Kensington Shoe Event proved to be a remarkable hit with exhibitors and visitors alike, due to the very central location and exclusive surroundings of the Westbury Mayfair.” Renato de Angelis, exhibitor and event organiser.
