LIFESTYLE brand O’Neill has signeda new footwear partnershipagreement for Europe.

The Northern California surf andsnow brand has signed a licenseagreement with Bos Group whichcovers men's, women's and kids'closed footwear, including everythingfrom socks and summer sneakersright through to winter snow boots.

Willem Haitink, O’Neill CEO, said:“We are very excited to be workingwith Bos Group. They havedemonstrated a great understandingand appreciation of the O'Neill brandand our unique heritage.

“We're very confident thisstrategically-important agreementwill pave the way for bothcompanies to fulfill our brand'spotential.”

Bos Group has worked with anumber of high profile brands likeConverse and Gant Footwear.

Managing director Roelof de Leeuw

said: “The Bos Group is anorganisation that remains fullycommitted to developing, expandingand distributing a carefully chosenselection of the world's most famoussport and lifestyle brands. We aredelighted to welcome O'Neill to our

portfolio of brands, and we lookforward to building the businessacross Europe by leveraging andrespecting the brand, focusing onproduct development, andidentifying and exploiting all the rightsales channels.”

new

s

Crocs use landmarkto reposition brand

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News

Shoe designed forKate on display

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August/September 2012 3

By Nicola Hyde

A STUDY has revealed that UKwomen are wasting £2.5billion everyyear on uncomfortable shoes theyrarely wear.

The average woman spends£136.52 on five new pairs of shoesevery year but the statistics showthat instead of investing wisely inshoes they can wear more thanonce, three out of the five pairs ofshoes end up at the bottom of thewardrobe having only been wornonce or twice, because they hurt.

The research, commissioned byHotter Comfort Concept, revealedthat 40 per cent of the 1000women questioned admitted tochoosing their shoes purely for howthey looked and not how they felton their feet.

Almost a third of women who have

tried on shoes and know that theywill be uncomfortable still purchasethem as they can't resist how theylook.

Spokesman Lisa McCarten said:"Shoes really can change your life:they have an impact on the healthof your feet, can influence how youfeel and play a significant part inhow much you enjoy your day.

“Not only do uncomfortable shoesmake for a bad day today, squeezingyour toes into ill-fitting footwear canalso damage your feet causing painand discomfort in later life.

"We all want to look our best, keepup with our busy lives and have fun;stylish comfy shoes are an essentialpart of the modern woman'swardrobe to help her tackle allthree."

More than half of women will keep

uncomfortable shoes for up to ayear before giving up on them andthrowing them away despite onlywearing them once.

The ladies also revealed that theyown at least four pairs of shoes justto be worn when sitting down thatlook amazing but are very painful towalk in.

Regionally, women in Chelmsfordbuy the most shoes, purchasing onaverage seven new pairs a yearwhereas women in Leicester buy theleast purchasing just four pairs everyyear.

Women in Worcester buy the mostuncomfortable shoes admitting that70 per cent of their shoe collectionhas only been worn once, whereaswomen in Cambridge are the mostcomfort savvy revealing that just 20per cent of their collection has beenworn only once.

UK women ‘wastingbillions’ claims study

O’Neill sign new Europe deal

Willem Haitink and Roelof de Leeuw.

Shoe brand Cushe has signed upsurfer Sophie Hellyer to its team ofambassadors. Sophie, 25, hasbeen surfing for a decade and ison the English team, scooping upawards like English Junior Women’sNationals, and the British SchoolsWomen’s Nationals. She has goneto Costa Rica with the Cushe teamto shoot the brand’s SS13footwear collection of flip flopsand sandals. Cushe have created aspecial shoe for Sophie (picturedleft) – the Cushe Slipper Hellyer, apremium canvas slip on shoe witha breathable canvas lining,microfiber insock and moulded EVAoutsole.

4 August/September 2012 News

Love it or hate it shoe brand Crocs is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year – anoccasion that has prompted the company to embark on a major campaign to repositionthe brand. Editor Nicola Hyde finds out why Crocs is more than just a clog.

Crocs uses landmarkto reposition brand

EVEN Crocs’ new Europeanmarketing director admits that itfeels like the brand has been aroundlonger than a decade.

Crocs brand recognition is right upthere with major brands like Coca-Cola and Apple, making it seemolder than its years.

But now, the company is embarkingon a major campaign to repositionCrocs as a lifestyle brand – ratherthan a one hit wonder.

Michael Marshall-Clarke said: “Theclog is where we came from and it’siconic, but our products haveevolved and we are much more thanthat.

“Everybody has an idea of whatCrocs are but we really are settingout to change that perception. Ofcourse, people know we make theclog – which is still a very importantproduct for us – but we have over300 other styles now.

“We need people to take a freshlook at us and reconsider.

“We have gone through a fantasticgrowth from being a one productbrand to now being a lifestylefootwear brand and it seems a goodtime to get some new peopleinterested and push it forward.”

The campaign launched this monthin London, bright green Crocs cabs

were the first idea, followed by apop-up store in Spitalfields. A Crocsstreet crew will be going around thecapital, encouraging people to trythe new styles and post about themon social media sites. And a flagshipstore has opened at Bluewater.

Michel added: “We’ve got everythingfrom rain boots to flip flops – we’vestill kept our quirky, colourful pointof view but we’ve moved on.

“Crocs are like Marmite, you’ve gotthe lovers and the haters. We’ve gotsome followers who love usvehemently and then those thathate us but most of the time they’venever even tried them on.

“I want people those people to lookat the new designs and be surprisedthat they are Crocs. I wear them all

the time and I’ve been in bars andhave had to take my shoes off toprove it.

“Buyers think they know us butperhaps they don’t – we need to getacross that we have changed.”

Crocs is now showcasing a newSS13 collection that featureseverything from rain boots to flatsand flip flops.

The collection is inspired by a retrofeeling from the 70s, with warmoranges, hot pinks and neonpurples. Key styles include strappysandals, a new twist on thetraditional boat silhouette and thereinvention of Crocs classics, allfeaturing Croslite, the technologythat makes Crocs lightweight,comfortable and none-marking.

News August/September 2012 5

Shoe designedfor Kate goeson display

Becka Hunt with the shoe she designed for the Duchess of Cambridge that is ondisplay at Harrods.

By Nicky Hyde

A SHOE designed by a student forthe Duchess of Cambridge has goneon display at one of the world’smost famous department stores.

Becka Hunt – a student at DeMontfort University (DMU) –designed a sapphire blue and laceshoe for Kate Middleton that hasbeen on display at Harrods, alongwith the five other designs that wereshortlisted.

The six shoes were in the window fora month to give people chance tosee the designs that have beenfeatured in the media all around theworld.

Becka said: “I am really delightedthat my design has taken pride ofplace in one of the biggestdepartment stores in the world. It isanother amazing opportunity I neverthought would come my way.

“Being a footwear student youdream about seeing your shoes in astore but I never thought it wouldactually become a reality, especiallyin a store such as Harrods andespecially whilst I am still astudent.”

Becka was given the news that herdesign would be made into a pair ofshoes when Her Majesty The Queen,His Royal Highness the Duke ofEdinburgh and the Duchess ofCambridge visited DMU on the firststop of the official Diamond JubileeTour.

Her design was inspired by theDuchess’s engagement ring andfeatures an ornate white floralpattern with pearl detail.

It was inspired by 19th centuryfashions and based around the 20-year-old’s interpretation of theDuchess’s style.

Men’s lifestyle brand Camel Activestaged a fashion show with a movietheme as part of this year’s Berlinfashion celebrations. The brand usedthe historical slaughterhouse theCobra Kiler Club at Landsberger Alleefor a fashion show inspired by themovie ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ toshowcase the Urban Nomadscollection. More than 800 guestswatched a snake dancer with a fourmetre-long albino tiger python in aburlesque show, a genuine tattoostudio and the legendary band Tito &Tarantula. The fashion show tookplace on a rotating stage that was sixmetres high.

6 August/September 2012 News

Prolific designer Dan Sullivan has launched a fusion collection of limited edition designswhich, he says, hark back to his roots. He speaks to Out On A Limb about the rocky roadof Irregular Choice in the early days and how it bloomed into a must-have brand.

Irregular Choice founder Dan Sullivan.

Dan uses designbackground tocreate an icon

IN less than 15 years, kitsch shoebrand Irregular Choice has becomeinstantly recognisable – the split toeiconic designs, with eye-searingcolour-ways have pushed the brandinto success.

The brand launches hundreds ofnew designs every year – each onedesigned by founder Dan Sullivanwho launched Irregular Choice afteradvice from his footwear industryexpert parents.

Dan came from a designbackground – his parents were in

the industry as early as the 1960s,starting the Pod brand and thenlater owning the famous Transportstore on London’s Kings Road in the70s, working with the likes of Red orDead and Katherine Hamnettt.

He said: “They made crazy shoes,they’d spend a lot of time in Japangetting inspiration and I canremember going into the factories,

tramping around fashion shopsand going into all these weirdplaces. They did all sorts - they

had a brand called Suki, theycollaborated with The Who.

“But, by the time the 90s camearound, they weren’t as on trend asthey once were. By this time, theywere in their 50s workingsuccessfully with people likeGeorge at Asda and BHS.

“I was 26 and bumming around andmy dad told me I had to dosomething with myself. He sent meto the factory in Vietnam and Ihated it. It was all boring, blandfootwear.”

Instead, in the late 90s, Danwent to China and found a newlyset up artisan factory.

It was fortunate timing – thegovernment had just changed therules regarding who could openfactories (previously they were allgovernment-run and only dealt withmajor businesses).

Dan said: “The factory I found werea family who six months earlier had

been farmers – they downedtools and made a shoe factory.”

Irregular Choice was born,offering designs under the brandname as well as offering amanufacturing service. Office and

Schuh were the company’s biggest

business in the early 2000s, andbusiness grew.

Eventually, in 2005, themanufacturing side was dropped toallow all the focus to be on IrregularChoice.

Dan said: “I remember in2001/2002 we very nearly wentunder. It’s very hard to get a brandgoing and we went through a badtime. But I designed this shoe thatturned the whole company around.It became the number one sellingshoe in Office, Schuh had it, evenRiver Island had it.

“We couldn’t keep up with demandand at one point we had 100,000pairs ordered just of that one shoe.Look at it now and there’s not muchto it but at the time no-one hadseen anything like it.”

Dan’s ethos is in the company name– he set out to challenge, to offeran ‘irregular’ product that was abreak from the norm. But even headmits that he didn’t expect thecompany to be as successful andsought-after as it now is.

He said: “I wanted an irregularproduct and naming it that meantthat I could never do anything basic,I could never be persuaded tochange.

“Normally, the idea of being differentmeans it’s limited and isn’t availableto so many people ... we are atabout ten per cent of the marketnow and we would have thought itwould only be one or two per cent.”

Dan’s new ‘Dan Sullivan Collection’will feature only 24 pairs of eachdesign, which will be unveiled eachmonth for the next six months.

He has already refused requests tobulk produce for wholesale and isdetermined to honour the brand’soriginal ‘irregular’ ethos.

He said: “This is for the hard corefans really – if I could make themcheaper, I would but there’s muchlower margins on the smaller runs.

“The brand got bigger what we aretaking it back to where we wereoriginally.

“We are making them in our ownsample rooms and when they’vegone, that’s it.

“It’s actually really strangebecause when I look backon the old designs which –at the time were so crazy– they look so boring.What once seemed likesuch a high heel now

would be classed asa mid heel. TheDan Sullivan

Collection really is achance to look atthe designelements more.”

News

Vegetan shoewins Mauricecompetition

Manolo Blahnik and Maurice van de Stouwe.

A FOOTWEAR graduate has won anaward from iconic designer ManoloBlahnik for his technical footweardesign.

Maurice van de Stouwe, whoattended the Royal College of Arts,was named the winner of this year’sManolo Blahnik Shoe DesignCompetition which has been runningat the university for the last decade.

This year’s design brief was achallenge to create a show inspiredby the rich artisan practice ofeighteenth-century Russia, a timewhen the arts and crafts movementin Moscow and St. Petersburg wasflourishing.

Maurice’s design combineselaborate, hand-stitched embroiderythat takes inspiration from a rareglass and wood table from theperiod.

He said: “The table, of which thereare only 40 in existence, has thiscolour and texture but when youlook at the top of it you realise it’sglass.

“I was inspired by the graphicelement of the embroidery – up untilnow my work has been very angularand geometric.”

The shoe has a printed resin heelwith metal pin for support, vegetanleather and python skin.

Maurice added: “There are a lot oftechniques I used in the makingthat avoid stiffeners or traditionalcomponents such as over the toe orheel to keep the shape. It’s allvegetan, which can be sandwichedlike plywood to give it strength.”

Maurice won £1,000 and has alsobeen given funding for technicalsupport and materials.

Fashion tutor Heather Holford saidManolo’s judging criteria was to findfootwear designs that were 'original,well-researched and refined, withenhanced-quality, and mostimportantly, exquisite detail'.

Heather added: “The competitionprovides a valuable experience forstudents, plus the kudos and theenjoyment of achieving a successfulend result.”

The winning design.

feat

ures

8 August/September 2012

Ethical companyto unveil its newbrand direction

Showtime Pages 10-23

Features

Brand spotlightPage 24

JUJU started life as injectionmoulders to the shoe trade in theUK. Founded by Rushton Schafer(Rushton Ablett Ltd) and based inNorthampton, the company workedas injection moulders to the shoetrade, supplying hundreds ofthousands of soles for companieslike Dr Martens.

In the 1980s the companydiversified, and began producingjelly shoes which could be made onthe same machines as the soles.JuJu jellies were produced and thefirst season sold over 400,000pairs. The company then moved intochildren’s jellies and has sold over1.5 million pairs every year.

The company still uses the original,vintage lasts and, from November, isstarting production on five styles inthe Northampton factory.

Andy Gadsden, marketing manager,said: “We’ve had a great successwith our jellies over the years, theyhave been in Topshop, Office, UrbanOutfitters and they’ve always gotJuJu in the mould in the sock soyou can tell it’s ours.

“One of our styles has been inOffice for the last five years but thisyear we are looking at making fivestyles in the UK in our factory.

“We are a small factory and itseems to be what the buyers likeabout it - they like that integrity andthe fact that it is British as well. Idon’t know of anyone else that’sdoing jelly shoes in the UK and Ithink ours really stand out becausethey are the original moulds and thecolours you can get now arefantastic.

“What’s been great is the supportwe are getting from UK buyers –even though the weather hasn’tbeen great and sandals haven’t soldjellies have done well for them.”

JuJu launched its UK productionwith one style initially (the Fergie)

and then the following year it wasproducing two styles by addingPetra. This year two more havebeen added and by next year therewill be up to five UK produced stylesfor Spring Summer 2013.

Production will start in November forthe collection that will featurefluorescent coloured jellies, theirfirst two tone styles and UV colours,alongside a vibrant new palette ofzesty pastels and bright colourblocks.

Andy added: “We are alreadylooking to develop more styles andinvest in the factory in the UK – ithas already grown more than whatwe expected but we aren’tcomplaining.

“I don’t know if it’s because it’s in

fashion at the moment or maybebecause our designs don’t look likeother brands. It is an original look.

“Some of the guys working in thefactory have been there since theyleft school and you see them on adaily basis so it’s nice to be able tokeep that going.”

The company has now set updistribution for Spain and France,has secured a customer in Icelandand did its first Bread and Buttershow, where it has had interest fromAsia and was bought in by AmericanApparel in the US.

Wholesale prices range from £5 to£10 and JuJu plans to not onlyallow forward ordering but in stockordering from the UK factory inMarch.

A growing trend for jelly shoes has prompted one manufacturer todevelop five styles that will be produced in the UK from November.Out On A Limb editor Nicola Hyde finds out how JuJu is growingand capitalising on its retro history.

JuJu goes retrowith new designs

HUSH Puppies unveils itsSpring/Summer 2013 collectionwith shoes and sandals thatmirror the Brand’s authentic styleand carefree personality.

This season’s vintage inspiredHP1958 collection is punctuatedby colour and puts a moderntwist on classic sillouettes

through new textures, leathersand materials.

The casual Laid-Back Luxe lineincludes a Summer Fun selectionof quintessential summer styleslike wedges, espadrilles andsandals in florals and on trendcolourways.

Hush Puppies Signaturecollection delivers easy everydayfavourites for consumers whodesire modern, effortless styleand great fit.

This foundational collection isbased on everyday wearabiltywith superior fit and comfort.

The easy, everyday collectionSignature has the brand DNA ofcomfortable classic styling.

Colour blocking is key for ladiesstyles in this range and theflexible driving mocs make aconfident statement in theSignature collection for Men.

The Hemingway design for HushPuppies collection is inspired byBritish club culture and HushPuppies iconic heritage.

This season the menswear rangeexpands with the introduction ofa ladies collection, Inspired bythe men’s styling and materials.

Contact Simon Mabey, SalesManager, simon.mabey@wwwinc.com

or call 0207 860 0459.

Features August/September 2012 9

Out on a Limb cover story

Editor’scomment

Nicola Hyde Editor

It seems in the footwear industrythat ‘limited’ has become the nextbig thing.

Not only are shoe designersreporting rocketing custom orders -but bespoke-in-bulk through onlineretailers is booming and has beenidentified as a growth area by retailexperts PSFK in its Future Of RetailReport.

It chooses Shoes of Prey as its casestudy – a do-it-yourself footwear sitethat allows users to design nearlyevery aspect of their shoe, fromheel height to strap design. Wespeak to Jodie Fox, one of the sitefounders, in this issue and discoverhow in just three years the websitehas gone global with a multi-millionpound turnover.

Another designer cashing in oncustom orders is Emily Lamb, whoseScottish roots have seen a boom inorders from local women. And thenthere’s Dan Sullivan, the brainsbehind kitsch shoe brand IrregularChoice. He’s just launched a newcollection of limited edition designsof which there is only 24 pairs ineach style - he puts this down tothe demand from the brand’s fanswho adamantly want somethingdifferent.

So what does this mean for thewider industry? And what canretailers expect to see? At Out On ALimb, we reckon it will lead tobrands adding in more ‘limitedcollection’ fusion lines and cherrypicking the retailers they give it to ina bid to build interest. FashionistaGok Wan made customisingfashionable again – and we’vealready heard of some retailers thatare offering their own ‘customshoes’ simply by blinging up andcustomising styles they may have inleft-over stock, to create one-offpieces.

What do you think? We’d beinterested to hear your thoughts.Email nh@scriptmedia.co.uk.

‘Limited’ isthe word ofthe moment

THIS season, Hush Puppiesintroduces FIVE, a combination ofclassic Hush Puppies style withmodern outsoles influenced by therevolutionary comfort andperformance of Vibram® anddresses them up for the renegadegentleman.

The outsole is inspired by the hugelysuccessful Vibram® FiveFingers®design but frames the foot andplaces a classic shoe or bootsilhouette on the upper.

Styles include distressed broguesand boots. FIVE is equal partsclassic and modern, appealing toboth the gentleman and therenegade.

A hybrid of form and function, FIVEis engineered with an anatomicalsole designed to fit the naturalcontours of the foot creatingunmatched fit and comfort.

Grooved channels in the outsoleallow for a high level of flexibility.

This season will introduce two

silhouettes, Brogue5, a classicwingtip design, Boot5, a wingtipboot.

Both styles sit on a performanceoutsole that is flexible, comfortablewith surprising bright colors.

Distressed leather and suede upperswith a collapsible heel in the shoeprofiles add a touch of distinctionfor the renegade gentleman.

Hush Puppies Puts a Modern Twiston Classic Footwear with BoldColours and Materials for the ...

Innovative FIVE collectionblends performance withcontemporary style

Spring/Summer2013 season

VIVIENNE Westwood has confirmedshe is showcasing her latestfootwear collection at Pure thisseason.

She will be joining global labels likeJeffrey Campbell, L.A.M.B, KatMaconie and Rae Jones at the showat Olympia in August.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s choiceof footwear for a recent campingtrip, Le Chameau wellingtons, will beshowing for the first time and PennyLoves Kenny brings a fashion-forward shoe collection.

Launching at the show with theirrange of hand-sewn espadrilles,Espadrij are made in a small villagein the French Pyrenees with naturalmaterials. The Footwear andAccessory halls are divided into fourkey sections – Design-Led andTrend-Led Footwear, Accessories andPremium Accessories.

The areas will bring together newniche labels and returningfavourites, plus numerousinternational brands which are

launching exclusively at PureLondon.

Event director Sarah Lawrence said:“Pure London will expand into WestHall Level 1 at Olympia.

“We’re delighted with thisopportunity to further increase theshow’s offering as we continue toinvest.

“It means we can welcomeadditional design-led footwear andaccessory brands and we will becreating a brand new catwalkoffering even more great content aswell as specific scenes dedicated tofootwear and accessories.”

10 August/September 2012 Showtime

Westwood toshow her latestfootwear range

MORE than 800 exhibitors from 30countries have signed up for thenest edition of GDS to be held inSeptember.

The theme is ‘Inspiration to Go’ andit will feature a line up of sideevents including catwalk shows,lectures and seminars.

New labels have already signed upincluding French designer FrancoisNajar with his court shoe collectionand Yves Desfarge with his women’s

shoe line debut.

The British section will featurebrands like Base London, Cocorose,Fury, Jean-Michel Cazabat, JulianHakes, Luxury Rebel, Red by Wolvesand, for the first time, John Whiteand Miista. Made In Italy will featureas a stand-alone show, celebratingits 35th anniversary at GDS andGlobal Shoes will be held in parallelfor those buyers looking for volumesuppliers.

‘Inspiration to Go’theme for GDS

Showtime August/September 2012 11

THE Bread and Butter show hasbeen moved forward to allow buyersmore time to explore other showsrunning at the same time – likeBerlin Fashion Week.

The show – which returned in July2009 – says it has now establishedBerlin as a fashion location withFashion Week Berlin now rivallingParis, Milan and New York.

Bread and Butter president Karl-Heinz Muller said: “As theinternational leading tradeshow, wehave a responsibility towards theindustry and towards Berlin, it isour duty to counteract this situationby offering a solution."

He believes that by moving theshow forward one day – to start onthe Tuesday from January 2013 – itwill allow buyers more time to visitother fashion shows.

Karl-Heinz added: “I feel verycomfortable with this decision,since in the last seasons one couldobserve the visitors increasinglybecoming ‘haunted men’. I amlooking forward to a strongtradeshow.”

The next Bread and Butter show willrun from January 15 to January 17,2013.

New datefor show

Newcomers set for Moda A LINE-UP of show newcomers willjoin the industry giants at theupcoming Moda Footwear show atNEW Birmingham.

The event – which takes placeAugust 12 to 14 – welcomes a hostof brands making a first timeappearance, including PanamaJack, Palladium, Nina of New York,Jack & Jones, Beach Athletics,Melania, Skono, CoupleOf, Mistraland Sam and Lee.

They will be joined by regulars likeUnited Nude, Fly London, ARA,Wrangler Footwear, Original Penguin,Base London, Barkers, IkonFootwear, Rockport, Iron Fist,Mustang Shoes, Mephisto, Geox,Rocket Dog, Umi, Keds and Ricosta.

Spanish label Panama Jack willshow an extended line of young andtrendy sandals, loafers and clogswith Israeli newcomer CoupleOf setto make waves with its colour-popbrights, unusual silhouettes andlaser detailing.

Italian label Melania will be showingits footwear range for 0-16 yearolds for the first time in the kids halland Sam and Lee introduces itschildren’s range of casual styles,boots, sandals, party shoes andback-to-school ranges for boys andgirls.

At Select, the area for urban andcontemporary footwear, heritagelabel Palladium will showcase itssignature cutting-edge style,premium materials and modernmanufacturing.

Inspired by Scandinavian landscapesand culture is the spring/summer 13range from Norwegian label Skono,which will feature streamlineddesigns with practicality anduniqueness as its focus.

Moda will also feature daily fashioncatwalk shows and a free seminarprogramme will cover topicsincluding mobile commerce, PR &marketing, social media and visualmerchandising.

12 August/September 2012 BFA Collective Showtime

Four footwear designers have been hand-picked tobe showcased to the trade as part of a specialpartnership between Pure and the BritishFootwear Association. Nicola Hyde reports on ‘TheDesigner Collective’.

ETHICAL footwear company Po-Zuwill use its Pure showcase to reveala new direction for the brand.

The company was set up in 2006 bySven Segal with the aim of settingnew standards in ecological andethical footwear manufacturing.

The shoes are made from carefullyselected natural materials, that arekind to the environment.

Sven said: “Generally speaking weare evolving from a casual shoebrand to producing smarter lookingshoes as the high quality naturallylends itself well to the higher end ofthe market.

“We are planning to grow ourpresence in the UK through our newsales agency that are starting thisSS13 season, and Pure is a greatopportunity to introduce our newand very exciting direction.

“Our growth has been quite slow butsteady. We have managed to spreadinternationally in a relatively shortperiod of time, thanks to acombination of creating a productwith unique qualities, as well ascollaborating with a few establishedbrands. Finding the right saleschannels is key.”

Po-Zu earned a spot in the DesignerCollective thanks to its new ShoeFleur collection which is inspired bythe floral designs of artist Michel

Tcherevkoff. Taking inspiration fromMichel’s award-winning book ShoeFleur: A Footwear Fantasy, Po-Zuhas interpreted the original designs– as well as keeping sustainableand toxic-free standards by using aglueless construction.

Michel began Shoe Fleur as apersonal project when he noticed aresemblance between a leaf he hadphotographed and a woman's highheel. He began to craft tiny shoesculptures from individual flowers,that he photographed and printed inhis New York studio.

Sven added: “I think the BFA weredrawn to our Shoe Fleurcollaboration.

“As we are at a turning point in ourbrand evolution by which ourcollection is becoming smarter andmore design-led, we feel it’s a greatopportunity for us to show at Pure.”

Ethical companyto unveil its newbrand direction

Showtime BFA Collective

A MICROBIOLOGIST who started herown shoe company for larger sizedfeet is showing for the first time atPure this season.

Catherine Owens – who wears a sizeten herself – set up Amber and Jadefour years ago when her passion forshoes forced her into a careerchange. She has been selected toappear in the British FootwearAssociation’s Designer Collectivesection and will be showcasing hernew collection of ballet pumps.

She said: “I have size ten feet and Ijust couldn’t find shoes that fit me.The few that were available on theHigh Street tended to be just sizedup versions so they didn’t fit welland they looked really out ofproportion. They were so poor fittingthat I just couldn’t keep them on myfeet.

“I got a block of wood and a file andI started sculpting the ideal shoesI’d like to buy, trying to get theshape right and the proportionsright. I didn’t have any contacts inthe footwear industry, I was acomplete novice but I just designedshoes that were in proportion.”

Eventually, Catherine developed ashoe collection, incorporating heelsand boots and started buildingcontacts in the footwear industry –eventually finding a factory tomanufacture her samples.

From there, she set up a websiteand also started to offer a fittingservice.

She added: “When I first started, Ireally hadn’t got a clue. I launchedat the start of a recession so I’venever had an easy time of it, everydecision has had to be carefullythought through. But even so thebusiness is viable and it has just

built mainly through word of mouth.

“I find that when people buy shoesfrom me they don’t go away withjust one pair. My record so far isnine pairs in one sale to a customerbecause they want to get it whilethey can as they know it’s practicallyimpossible to find somewhere else.”

Catherine now wants to build up thetrade side of Amber and Jade andwill be showing a collection of balletpumps at Pure. Due to demand, shehas added in smaller sizes (therange goes from size 4 to 12) butshe maintains her ethos is that theshoes should fit well, with a focuson fashion.

The pumps come with printedmaterial inners with a matching totebag and includes everything fromleathers to prints.

She said: “I was very excited when Igot the call from the BFA – Pure isan amazing opportunity for me andI’m really looking forward tospeaking to people and showingthem the collection.”

Microbiologistdebuts largersized shoes

14 August/September 2012 BFA Creative Showtime

A gift from a relative in Zimbabwe started the fledgling shoe business Zims which is showing at Pure forthe first time this season as part of the British Footwear Association’s Designer Collective. Editor NicolaHyde finds out more.

Zims makes Pure debutand is available to trade

ZIMS launched just oneyear ago but its instantlyrecognisable lookcatapulted it to success,appearing in manymagazines.

Started by reflexologistLindsey Mundy the brandsold online and at festivalsand is now available totrade buyers for the firsttime.

But it all started whenLindsey’s sister-in-lawmade a pair of shoes forher husband Nick, in asmall workshop inBulawayo. They were handstitched in leather withrecycled rubber soles.

Lindsey said: “They werebeautiful and very simple.She didn’t have a last oranything, she just made

them with what materialsshe could find. Zimbabweis a very poor country butshe managed to find someleather and as soon as myhusband started wearingthem people remarked onthem.”

Using the original shoe asinspiration, Lindsey beganto build the Zims brand,creating the nowrecognisable round toed,upper stitched design.

She eventually added in awomen’s range, a morefeminine ballerina styleusing the same leatheruppers and inners.

She said: “We areconfident in the productand we really get a kickout of it. We’ve not soldon the High Street before

in shops, we’ve hadqueries but so far all ourselling has been doneonline. We’ve been havingrequests but the thing iswe are waiting for stock.

“We have got so manyrequests for shoes that wehave sold out of a lot ofthem. We are not in aposition to give peoplesamples we will literally becoming back from ourfactories straight to Purewith our samples and aredoing all the work now tomake sure we have

enough stock in place.”

Zims launched in April2011 and immediatelysold out.

The company is nowlooking at a range ofwinter boots, still stickingto the Zims ethos andworking on the originallasts.

Lindsey added: “Running ashoe brand is not anythingI thought I would be doing,I was a reflexologist so Iknow feet but that’s as faras the connection wentbefore Zims.

“It is like giving birth to achild – you name it andsuddenly it takes on apersonality of its own andyou just have to go with it.It’s very exciting,challenging but exciting.”

Showtime BFA Collective August/September 2012 15

SHOE designer Nicole Le Grangespent many years designing forHigh Street stores beforeeventually setting up her ownbrand Love Art Wear Art.

She showed her first collection tothe trade at Pure last season andis now preparing to debut her firstever bridal range with a fusion lineof six styles. The collectionfeatures the brand’s trademarkdainty details and feminine shapesand the styles will be a limiteddesign of just 50 pairs available ineach.

She said: “I got really lucky andI’m so grateful to the British

Footwear Association for taking meto Pure again – I think the normalprocedure is that they only take abrand once but as my bridal rangeis so new and different they madean exception for me which is justamazing. Last season was brilliant– it went really well. I wasintroduced to a lot of smallindependent boutiques who Isigned up as stockists which wasjust perfect as that’s exactly whatI’m looking for. If I can continuewith that I will be happy, thoughobviously it would be like a dreamcome true if someone likeSelfridges showed an interest.”

The bridal range was a result of asuggestion of one of her newstockists, Belle and Bunty in NorthLondon. The shop is run by twoclothing designers who haddiversified into wedding dressesand they were looking for someunusual shoes to complementtheir range.

She said: “I was over there oneday delivering stock and theysuggested I consider doing a bridalrange as the feedback from their

customers had been that findingsomething a little bit different wasvery difficult. I thought why not, it’sonly a small collection and it’ssomething different plus it allowsme to offer them in more limitedranges which gives people a bitmore of a bespoke appeal.”

The collection features ankleboots, court shoes, a platform andsexy sandals with a focus onNicole’s ethos of ‘wearable art.’ Ituses materials like pearlisedleather, shimmer fabrics, metallicgolds and glitter.

“I have been a bride myself and Iknow that you need to be able to

spend at least half a day in yournice shoes so I concentrated a loton heel sizes to make themwearable.

“For me the bridal collection is astab in the dark so I’m reallyexcited to hear the feedback aboutit at the show. I always do on whatI like so I can’t wait to hear whatpeople have to say about it.”

Nicole has spent the last fewmonths working on her branding,revamping the Love Art Wear Artlogo into a classier format andproducing more elegant boxes andpackaging, which she believes willhelp the bridal range.

Nicole Le Grange made her debut at Pure in January as part of the British Footwear Association’sDesigner Collective – and she’s making a return this year with her first ever bridal range. Out On ALimb editor Nicola Hyde reports.

Nicole to unveil bridal range

16 August/September 2012 Showtime

Launched in 1996, Ikon continuesto offer innovative and design-ledcontemporary footwear.

Formal and Casual shoes, deliveredat competitive prices, are key to thebrand’s success.

Signature desert boot and classicloafer ranges are regularly

augmented by styling of the day;currently brogue formals and relaxedcasuals, all reflecting the season’scolour and leather trends.

For further details contact 02476 324670 or visit

www.ikonfootwear.co.ukSee us on stand Y5 at Moda

Brand offers innovative andcontemporary footwear

Showtime August/September 2012 17

EDGY fashion show London Edge willbe undergoing a reshuffle for theSeptember edition with newer, moreclearly defined sales floors.

The show – which returns toOlympia in September – willintroduce new sections London EdgeOriginal and London Edge Fashion inthe place of London Central.

A spokesman said: “AlthoughLondon Central has been a key partof the show for the last 11 years,this section of the trade show wasoften referred to as London Edgeand clarity between the differentareas became vague. To put thisconfusion to rest and highlight thebroad and exciting ranges on offerat the show, London Edge will nowhave two clearly defined ranges ofstyles: London Edge Original andLondon Edge Fashion.”

London Edge Original will offer aplatform for punk, rock n roll andtattoo styles and will be aimed atthose whose customers are thetypical music festival goer.

London Edge Fashion will be theshowcase of quirky, young,commercial, high fashion collectionswith retro and kitsch influences.

The spokesman added: “Theabsorption of London Central intoLondon Edge fashion aims to clearthe haze between the two showsand help buyers to understand theplethora of brands available withinthe shows.”

London Edge Original will host morethan 150 brands with London EdgeFashion offering 125 collections andyet more added in with the sportsand skate collection The Ledge.

Reshuffle for Edge

FOR SS13, Pod footwear hastaken inspiration from its retrosub-brand, Pod Heritage, byinjecting bold colourcombinations and innovativeupper designs into the coremen's collection.

As 2012 marks the 36thanniversary of the footwearbrand, SS13 pays homage toPod’s original identity through theintroduction of soft suedes, richleathers, contrasting soles andperforated uppers with flashes of

colour remaining prominentthroughout the collection.

New development includes themen's canvas, formal, stitch-outand vulcanised sole collectionswhich will be previewed at Modathis August.

T: 01234 240 440E: sales@aegisshoes.co.uk

www.pod-footwear.comModa stands:

Pod footwear X9Pod Heritage stand SE21

Retro inspirationfor new range

20 August/September 2012 Kidz at Moda including Kool for Kids Showtime

Colour is key for Superfit’s Spring Summer 2013 collection which is full ofvibrancy. The collection is for children of all ages with all footwear beingproduced in sizes 18 – 43. Superfit will be at Moda on stand S26.

Padders will be launching its British designed Spring Summer collection atModa. It features burnished leathers, pretty floral linings and cute stacked heelswith a trade price of £21.50. The brand will appear at stand Q10.

FRODDO’S new collection for SpringSummer 13 features ameditteranean flavour with vibrantcolours like lemon, turquoise andgreen.

The brand - which is Italian designedand Croation made - will beshowcasing a range of summershoes and ankle boots at Moda.

FRODDO is a leading children’sbrand with 60 years’ shoemakingexperience, it offers high quality

leather children’s footwear rangingfrom sizes 17-40 that fusescomfort, flexibility and reliability withstyle.

The brand – which has heldSuperbrand status since 2009 – willbe at Moda in Hall 20 on standU20.

Sales contact : Pauly TongT: 01727 760101

M: 07796 766669

Mediterranean flavourto new collection

22 August/September 2012 Showtime

A brand which turns eel skins left over as a by-product of the food industry into luxury handbagsis making a return to Moda after almost seven years. Nicola Hyde reports.

Moda return for Makkiafter seven-year breakMAKKI founder Joanne Tempertonwas living in South Korea when,in 2003, the idea for her handbagbrand was born.

Eel skins are a by product of theSouth Korean food industry butJoanne was convinced therewould be a way to use the skinsto create an ethical, luxuryhandbag brand.

She said: “I started thinking thatthere must be a way to develop aluxury handbag brand that’sethical as there weren’t thatmany brands doing that –especially not using eel skin.

“I’ve apparently always beeninterested in fashion. My mumsaid when I was little I had one ofthose fashion wheels and I wouldsit and draw out designs forclothes. I could really see itspotential and when I came backto England I spent a bit of timelooking for inspiration and lookingat the market to see what wasavailable. I think it did takepeople a bit of time to get theirhead around the fact that it waseel skin. Snake skin is well knownbut eel skin isn’t so much sothere was a bit of work to bedone around people’sperceptions.”

Although it is a very soft and thinmaterial, eel skin is actually threetimes stronger than cowhide,

enabling it to hold complexshapes.

Joanne added: “I’ve had peoplewho have come up to me reallyexcited by the product becausethey’ve had an eel skin wallet for20 years and its still in greatcondition. The designs do have tobe made in South Korea as it issuch a specialist material to workwith and they have gotgenerations of experience inworking with it.”

Makki made its debut at Moda in2004, standing its first ever tradeshow and stood it for a couple ofyears.

“I just found that it wasn’t doingas well for me. So I gave it a bitof a break and decided to comeback as I went around lastseason’s show and just got areally good vibe from it.”

Makki is stocked as far afield asParis, Italy, Berlin, Athens, Oslo,Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York.The collections all featurebespoke screen printed fauxsuede lining.

In the UK, Makki is popular inindependent boutiques and isalso stocked at the DorchesterHotel. It has a £400 minimumorder and prices range from£7.90 for a coin purse to £46 fora clutch and £147 for a satchel.

CHATHAM will launch the first sailcloth deck shoe for the Britishmarket at Moda this month.

The G2 professional shoe comes infour styles using Contender sailcloth, two for men (Fibercon andContender) and two for women(Elysse and Beam).

A spokesman said: “Sail cloth is atough compound that handles well.It’s an exceptionally lightweight,water resistant and durable material,making it the perfect textile for usein deck shoes.

“All styles are built on the sole kit

used for the successful Schoonerand Sloop deck shoes launched lastyear.”

Contender – the world leading sailcloth maker – was chosen becauseit uses the highest quality Dacronand polyester yarns, which havebeen carefully selected for theirstrength, UV resistance and flexcharacteristics.

The G2 styles come with a two yearguarantee and will retail at between£69 and £89.

Chatham will be at MODA: Hall 20Stand S9.

Sail cloth shoe launch

25 August/September 2012

product showcase product showcase

Emily’s customorder joy

Page 26

Product showcase

product showcase

ROMIKA has launched a packedcollection for Spring 2013 which itattributes to its worldwide success.

The brand – renowned for its expertshoe making for over 90 years –introduces a new colour palette anddesigns that range from wedges tosporty flats and defined heels,leather uppers and a combination ofleather and breathable textilelinings. The use of polyurethaneunits offers lightweight, flexible,shock absorbing and hard wearingsoles. And, new for the season,Romika introduces animal printleathers, ergonomic natural corkfootbeds and quirky styling.

Martin Ingram, managing director ofRomika in the UK and Ireland, said:“In the current climate it is vital tohighlight footwear with attractiveand interesting features that providethe consumer with somethingdifferent.”

The new ranges will be at Moda onstand Q18 and at GDS in Hall 6,stand B06.

Packedcollection

DISTRIBUTION for Mephisto inthe UK has been taken over byPeter Ashton for the new Spring2013 collections.

Created in 1965 in France byMartin Machaeli, the Mephistobrand now has 20,000 stockistsworld wide.

It evolved into four sub brands tocapitalise on the differentmarkets – Mephisto,with “Cool-Air” insoles and soft leathers;Mobils for the more comfortmarket with soft padded upperleathers, removable insoles andfunctional attachments; Sanointo the urban day walkingmarket and the newest additionAllrounder, for the urban sportsmarket.

The collection will be showing atModa, Pure and GDS.

Peter takeson Mephisto

product showcaseproduct showcase product showcase

26 August/September 2012 Product Showcase

Padders will be launching its British designed Spring Summer collection atModa. It features burnished leathers, pretty floral linings and cute stacked heelswith a trade price of £21.50. The brand will appear at stand Q10.

For Spring/Summer 2013 the VanDal collection brings three key looksto market.

Designed to take you from beach totown, relaxed holiday style to asharper urban chic.

For those longing for lazy summerafternoons on the beach we haveBeachcomber, Scandi-Chic picks upwhere the mid-century modern trendleft off with its minimalistic lines.Finally the glamour box is checkedwith a touch of La Dolce Vita.

Referencing these looks weintroduce a progressive collection,once again challenging the moreconservative perception of thebrand.

Styles such as the platform wedgedSarina and Tully, the glamorousKelling and luxuriously trimmedCroyde and Lyme are the new VanDal to a ‘T’.

Come see us at MODA on standO30 in hall 19 to view the rest ofthe collection.

Range has three key looks

SCOTTISH shoe designer EmilyLamb is reporting rocketingsuccess from the custom orderside of her business – with loyalfellow Scots rushing to fill herorder books.

Emily launched her own collectionin 2011 having graduated fromCordwainers and spending a yearworking for custom-made shoebrand Emmy.

But it’s the custom order side ofher business that is rocketing –especially after she opened herown shop in Glasgow.

She said: “My biggest customer byfar is the custom made side of thebusiness. It’s certainly notsomething I was expecting butthat’s the way it has been.

“I’m getting everything fromcommissions for wedding shoes to

women who just want to treatthemselves to party shoes. It’sperhaps because I’m Scottishbecause there isn’t really anyoneelse like me based here – a lot ofmy customers are from Scotland.”

Emily is hoping her newestcollection will tempt morewholesale orders and her aim forthe next 12 months is to boost thenumber of stockists holding thebrand.

The new collection – inspired bythe Corinthian building in Scotland– marks a departure from herusual style. For the first time, itincludes platforms and hasdecadent gold nappa leathers, withpleating detail. There are tendesigns in the collection, which willlaunch at the end of August.

She said: “The Corinthian is anamazing building – it’s got

completely different themes for allthe different rooms so there was alot to work with. I found designingthe collection quite easy, becausea lot of my inspiration tends tocome from architecture anyway.

“The new collection has got atotally different look to what Iusually design and I think thismight get it a bit more attention.When you are starting out youhave to push yourself as there’s a

danger people see one style fromyou and think that’s all you do.”

Emily showcased her footwear atLondon Fashion Week with DesignCollective Scotland and has nowmoved production out of the UKinto Portugal, as – she says – shewanted a higher quality finish.

She added: “It’s very difficult as anew brand finding new stockistsbecause you find that theysometimes don’t want to take therisk on someone new. Theresponse we are getting fromcustomers is making all thedifference though and it helpswhen you get in the press, like theshoe I did that was worn by ShirleyBassey.”

The Corinthian collection is allleather, suede and patent with boldpleats. Wholesale prices start at£99.

Emily’s custom order joy

Emily Lamb

Product showcase August/September 2012 27

product showcase product showcaseproduct showcase

FIVE new styles have been addedto the Legero collection for SS13.

The new season designs includesneakers, pumps, heeled sandalsand lifestyle trainers and featureblock colour as a key trend in thecollection.

Soft nubuck, nappa and sportytechnical fabrics are combined to

give a modern look to the uppersand the sole units are directinjection PU to enable Legero tooffer a lightweight flexible shoe.

All styles are produced in UK sizes4 – 9 (including half sizes) and allhave a removeable insole.

The brand will be showing atModa, stand S26.

Animal prints in rangeANIMAL prints, laser cut detailingand sporty nubucks are all includedin the SS13 Josef Seibel collectionwhich will be shown at Moda.

The collection features the brand’ssignature removable foot beds,sweat absorbing Arneplant insoles,generous fittings and its uniqueAirped system which acts as a shockabsorber as you walk.

For men, spring 2013 will see

youthful toe posts, mules andsandals with flexibility and extensiveunderfoot comfort. This season seesdesigns reflect a more formal slantwith interesting leathers incashmeres, greens and brownswhich complement fashionable andlightweight white sole units.

Trade prices range are around £22.

The collection will be at Moda onstand Q21.

Legero adds five styles

acce

ssor

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28 August/September 2012

Fatlip jewellery tobecome Miss MillyWHOLESALE jewellery brand Fatliphas rebranded to Miss Milly fromthis month.

Miss Milly, managed by SarahWatmore, has taken over all thewholesale jewellery elements ofFatlip, which will remain a retailbrand.

Sarah said: “The new Miss Millybrand is contemporary yet classicallyenduring.

“A re-evaluation of the business and

the market was the catalyst for thechange.”

The company has launched a newwebsite and has lowered theminimum order to £50.

Sarah was a marketing and publicrelations manager for various highstreet brands, before setting upFatlip with a partner in 2004.

The brand will be exhibiting at theupcoming Autumn Fair show.

OLYMPIC legend Sir SteveRedgrave has launched his firstsports sock collection madefrom sustainable African cottonand manufactured in the UK.

The men’s sock has beenproduced as part of acollaboration between clothingrange FiveGold (FiveG) and theAid by Trade Foundation’sCotton made in Africa (CmiA)initiative.

FiveG, which was created by SirSteve in 2001 and named afterhis record-breaking ?veconsecutive Olympic goldmedals, is the ?rst brand to sellclothing produced from CmiAcotton in the UK.

The socks were produced atLoughborough factory J AlexSwift. The factory, which wasestablished in 1895 and run bythird and fourth generationdescendants, is one of only ahandful still manufacturingsocks in the UK.

Alok Ruia, of FiveG, said: “It isplaces like J Alex Swift, whichrepresents the history, heritageand hard graft of Britishworkers, that will be lost if UKmanufacturing isn’t supportedby UK brands.

“It was important to us that wetook the opportunity to highlightthe quality of UK productionwith our latest product,especially as the eyes of theworld are on the country thissummer.”

Sir Stevelaunchesfirst sockcollection

BRITISH luxury jewellery brandBoodles has launched an e-commerce website that allows forworldwide delivery.

The site is part of the Boodles’strategy to expand the internationaldistribution and sells pieces rangingin price from £500 to £20,000. Inits first week ,customers from HongKong, New York and London madepurchases online.

Boodles marketing director James

Amos said: “This is a milestone inthe 214-year history of Boodles.Being at the forefront of finejewellery innovation and design itwas a natural step for us to seek todeliver best in class digital solution.We are known for our distinctivejewellery design, so we wanted adistinctive website that reflects ourindividuality.”

Founded in 1798, Boodles is afamily-owned British Jeweller, knownfor its unique, handmade designs.

Boodles launches site

Over 2,000 new styles have been introduced to Amber Jewellery’s new collectionwhich feature in a 300-page catalogue. The company – which was set up byAshish Kohli in 1997 – sells earrings, necklaces, hairbands, scarves, rings andbags sourced from the Far East. Ashish said: “It’s our most extensive yet andour entire team has worked extremely hard to source pieces at fantastic prices,which customers will love.”

29 August/Sept 2012

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Business andtechnology

Risk assessingchildren’sfootwear:common hazards

Page 30

Investment willallow companyto move forward

SHOES of Prey is only three yearsold but it already has a multi-billionturnover with offices in the UK,Australia, Japan, China and Russia.

Founded by three friends whostudied law together, Shoes of Preylaunched in 2009 with Jodie Foxproviding the original idea andMichael Foxx and Michael Knapp –who previously worked for search-engine giant Google – coming onboard to develop the website.

The site uses a web-based 3Ddesign platform for users to designbespoke shoes with millions ofpossibilities.

Users start with shoe templatesdesigned by Jodie, and then chosetheir own fabrics, materials andpatterns.

Jodie said: “I’d always beeninterested in shoes but I justcouldn’t find any that were exactlywhat I wanted.

“I found a place that would makethem for me and just startedcustom making this amazingcollection of unusual shoes formyself.

“Friends started asking me where Iwas getting them from and theyasked me to do some for them.”

At the time, Jodie had worked as abanking and finance lawyer and hadgone into advertising, while Michaeland Michael had worked for Google,developing the Google readerproduct.

She added: “We just saw anopportunity for a place wherepeople could come and designedtheir own shoes.

“We’ve only been live for two and ahalf years and what started as anidea has become multi-billionrevenue in under two years, staffhas grown and we’ve just securedan investment.

“It takes a while to sink in, our HQin Sydney has 24 staff there nowand it’s really exciting.”

Shoes of Prey and Jodie recentlyappeared on Sky TV in an episodeof Britain and Ireland’s Next TopModel.

They challenged the models to doan aerial photoshoot to show theirbest designs. It came about afterthe company made a pair of shoesfor Top Model founder Tyra Banks.

Jodie added: “There are still somethings we really need to developand have on the website – likeboots. There are so many things wecan do, we just need to keep going.

“It’s up to us to be across all thetrends that are coming through sowe can make sure we get the righttextures and heel shapes to makesure they are all options that areavailable to be right on trend.”

A fledgling shoe company which allows customers to design their own shoes online hasjust secured a $3 million investment to move it forward. Nicola Hyde reports.

Shoes of Prey founder Jodie Fox at a photoshoot.

30 August/September 2012 Business + Technology

The common hazards in risk assessing children’s footwear By Jack Brown, Footwear TechnicalConsultant at Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services

Risk assessing children’sfootwear: common hazardsTHE safety of children’s footwear isparamount: children’s shoes shallremain safe throughout the life ofthe product when used undernormal wearing conditions.

But what are the main factors tolook for when conducting a riskassessment?

Whereas slip resistance, heel andtop piece attachment strength andsharp points and edges are obviousfactors to consider when riskassessing children’s shoes, the toepost attachment strength, soleadhesion and seam strengthproperties also need to be assessed.

Tripping hazards caused by long,swinging pom-poms or very stickypatent upper materials are equallymajor safety concerns. Indoorslippers, slipper boots, fleece andfur lined footwear may also presentlow flame resistance propertiescausing a fire hazard.

In addition to structural andflammability hazards, chemical

hazards must also be taken intoconsideration.

There is a large number of bannedand restricted chemicals commonlyfound in dyes, paints, lacquers,sprays, polishes, metals and tanningwhich could be harmful to childrenwhen ingested or absorbed throughthe skin.

Baby shoes are a particularlysensitive product category sincebabies tend to put their feet andshoes in their mouth.

And what about the add-ons such asstapled-on decorative bows, glued-on gem stones, welded-on motifs orstitched-on sequins?

All of these are detachmentpossibilities where choking hazardsto babies and toddlers can easilybecome a reality.

The attachment strength of thesedecorations is therefore a veryimportant safety factor.

If you are a manufacturer, brand or

importer of children’s wear, you alsoneed to risk-assess the free giftsoften included in the shoe box likenecklaces, bracelets, crayons,cosmetics and other mini-toys andgifts as they can all contain hiddenhazards such as banned chemicalsor sharp edges.

The poor fitting of children’sfootwear causing bunions, blisters,cuts and grazes as well as squashed

feet and rubbed heels are otherareas which must be addressed priorto sale to avoid permanent damageto young, vulnerable feet.

In brief, the risk assessment ofchildren’s footwear must not beunder-estimated.

Only a thorough and detailedanalysis of all new designs will helpimprove the safety and compliance

Jack Brown

32 August/September 2012 Business + Technology

Getting rankedis not a ‘dark art’By Ian Tomlinson

ASK any retailer if they would liketheir website to be on page one ofGoogle and…well you know theanswer.

The power of Google and theinfluence it has on websites is vastso appearing on its first page, andthe higher the better, can have ahuge bearing on volume of trafficand therefore sales. But you ask any‘expert’ on how you get on page oneof Google and they may try andbamboozle you with dark arts andmay make out what is a prettysimplistic methodology is actuallyvery complicated. Well, quite simplyit isn’t complicated. For example ifyou are sat in front of a computertype in “Footwear epos systems” inGoogle.

You will see Cybertill is the firstnatural link that appears. To getthere was very simple. We addedthe relevant ‘keywords’, ‘page titles’,‘image tags’, ‘description’, ‘headers’to our footwear epos page, andthat’s it. And this is what goodecommerce systems should allowretailers to do, naturally optimiseevery page on their website, simplyand effectively.

So on eachpage different‘keywords’ (aword or phraseused by asearch enginein its searchfor relevantweb pages)can be added.These willrelate to theproducts andbrands being sold on each page.Retailers should be able to edit andamend other elements too (pagetitles, image tags and so forth).

Many see “Search EngineOptimisation” (basically this meansimproving how a website ranks inGoogle and other search engines) asa dark art, but it really is not. With alittle training and a decentecommerce system retailers cantake control of their website andbegin to manage this processthemselves. At Cybertill we havebegun to offer a consultancy serviceon Search Engine Optimisation tocustomers, but the end goal of thisis for the retailer to have theconfidence to take over and do itthemselves…and get themselves toappear on page one of Google.

The Society of Shoefitters is pressing forwardwith its campaign to make formalqualifications for measuring footwear a legalobligation. Here, they share a case study onone of their members Karen Feltham.

Fittingmatters …KAREN Feltham moved to SouthWest France with her family in2010 and noticed a gap in themarket – a lack of shoe shopsthat offer a fitting service, or theopportunity to buy shoes forchildren with width fittings.

So, in 2011, she created PetitsPieds to offer children’s footmeasuring, shoe supply and afitting service to mainlyinternational families. Shesupplies Start-rite, Kickers,Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Garvalinand Biomechanics as well as arange of soft leather pram shoes.

She said: “Despite havingreceived training in children’sshoe fitting many years ago, thiswas for just one brand and Ididn’t want to set up a businesssupplying children’s shoes if Ididn’t know how to fit differentbrands correctly.

“I know the differences in shoemanufacture and wanted to havea wider knowledge of shoe fitting.So I researched shoe fittingtraining courses and came acrossthe SSF. I booked straight ontothe five-month intensive course.

“I wanted to train with SSFbecause it's recognised byfamilies living here. My tutor,Maureen Unsworth being theexpert in children’s shoe fitting

was brilliant in every way, alwaysthere for help should I need itand a font of useful information.

“I know there are other tutorsthat specialise in other areas ofshoe fitting and foot health whichI’m sure are also brilliant, it wasjust a nice touch to work with atutor who specialises in the areaof my particular interest.”

The full course that Karen tookcost £550 (no VAT as the Societyof Shoe Fitters is a 'not-for-profit'organization). All tuition,workshops, course materials andlunches at workshops areincluded. A £50 goodwilldiscount is offered for multiplebookings, existing members’shops and members of IFRA.

The SSF have also introduced anew entrance application which is£50 and aimed at experiencedshoe sales assistants.

The international golf championships for the shoe and leather trade took placein North Berwick last month. Nearly 100 competitors braved the strong windsand rain over the three days of the championship and the annual trade banquet– hosted at the Marine Hotel – raised a record £7000. Richard Kottler ofFootwear Friends and William Tusting from the LHTBI received cheques fromPresident Gordon A Wilson. The Championship News Bowl was won by GusLaurenson, a retailer from Dundee with 72 points over 36 holes; the ladieschampion was Susie O’Brien from Galway with 72 points. Next year, theChampionship returns to Southport in Lancashire, playing at Hillside Golf Cluband Hesketh Golf Club, from June 19 to 21.

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

TRAINING FOOTWEAR COMPONENTS

ENKWSALas Vegas 7 - 9 August, 2012

(www.wsashow.com)

ENKWSA is a twice-yearly event that

gathers footwear and accessory

exhibitors, showcases hundreds of

brands, attracts leaders in the

affordable footwear and footwear

sourcing industry, newsmakers,

designers, retail and distribution

channels.

Moda FootwearNEC, Birmingham,

August 12 - 14, 2012(www.moda-uk.co.uk)

Moda will include a seminar

programme which will be free of

charge to all visitors and exhibitors.

The Moda catwalk show will present

an overview of the seasons trends,

providing an insight into key looks.

FLIPBirmingham NECAugust 12 - 14, 2012

The new trade show for urban, street

and action footwear will showcase

major names and niche brands

alongside spectacular live shows

featuring some of the world’s best

bike riders. It is particularly aimed at

boardsport and activewear stores.

PureOlympia London

19 - 21 August, 2012

(www.purelondon.com)

A showcase of over 1,000 directional

womenswear brands, young

creative labels, footwear and

accessory collection plus inspiring

seminars and catwalks.

London EdgeLondon Olympia2 - 4 September, 2012(www.londonedge.com)

The trade show for alternative street

and club fashion, footwear,

accessories and giftwear with over

300 collections available to view.

GDS/GLOBAL SHOESMesse Dusseldorf, Germany5 - 7 September, 2012(www.gds-online.comHighlights will include high

fashion labels from international

brands and the children’s footwear

marketplace. Other events will

include fashion shows, trend

presentations and trend vision.

MICAMItaly16 - 19 September, 2012(www.micamonline.com)

This international fair is dedicated to

mid-to-high and high-end footwear.

The show now opens on Sundays to

meet the needs of Italian and

international buyers and visitors

ISPO MUNICHNeue Messe München

3 - 6 February, 2013

The international trade fair for sportsequipment and fashion. Over 2,000international exhibitors present thecomplete selection of sportinggoods, athletic footwear andfashions from the Outdoor, Ski,Action und Performance Sports tomore than 80,000 visitors from over100 countries.

Sales

Tony Barry – Sales & Marketing Director

(tb@scriptmedia.co.uk)

Beverley Green – Group Sales Manager

(bg@scriptmedia.co.uk)

Avertising Contacts

Tel: 01226 734333Fax: 01226 734477

Editorial

Judith Halkerston – Group Editor

Nicola Hyde – Editor

Christina Eccles – Reporter

Dominic Musgrave – Reporter

Helen Williams – Reporter

Editorial Contacts

Tel: 01226 734694Email: nh@scriptmedia.co.uk

Design & Production

Stewart Holt – Studio Manager(sth@scriptmedia.co.uk)

Laura Blackburn – Graphic Designer(lb@scriptmedia.co.uk)

Circulation01226 734695 (24 hour hotline)Email: circulation@scriptmedia.co.uk

Contacts

diary dates