out on a limb june / july 2012
DESCRIPTION
The trade magazine for the UK's footwear and accessories market.TRANSCRIPT
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new
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Babycham usesretro interest
Showtime Pages 4-6
News
Site gives tiredshoes lease of life
Page 7
June/July 2012 33
By Nicola Hyde
A SCHOOLGIRL has won a designcompetition that has seen her shoesgo on sale in boutiques across theUK – with a price tag of almost£300.Molly James, 15, entered the ShoeDesigners Of The Future competitionlaunched by Daniel Footwear thatwas open to anyone in the UK agedbetween six and 16.
The idea was to encourage buddingdesigners to design and draw ashoe that would fit appropriately intothe 2012 Autumn/Winter Danielcollection.
Molly’s design – an elegant Italian-made stiletto – won the nationalprize after she was shortlisted fromthousands of entries to be putbefore top footwear industry expertsfor the judging – including celebrityshoe designer Jimmy Choo’s niece,Lucy Choi.
Managing director Daniel Buck said:“We tweaked Molly’s design, butonly a little bit, and the shoes were
made in a factory near Milan whichproduces shoes for a host of topbrand names like Prada andVivienne Westwood.
“It’s great to see such enthusiasmfrom young talented individuals witha passion for the fashion industry.We can’t wait to see Molly’s Courtson display.”
Thousands of entries were made tothe competition from detailed calfboots to cute ballet pumps. Now,the ‘Molly court’ will go on sale in30 stores across the UK and online,priced at £299 a pair.
Molly has now been offered workexperience at the company’sproduction centre in Italy. She is astudent at Withington Girls’ School –who did the footwear challenge aspart of a classroom project.
Withington boasts an impressive listof graduates – including SarahBurton, creative director ofAlexander McQueen and designer ofthe Duchess of Cambridge’swedding dress.
Stiletto design winsMolly competition
Putting the final touches to the giant shoe made of liqourice allsorts.
Liquorice shoe is star attraction A GIANT shoe made out of liquoriceallsorts was the star attraction at ashopping centre’s celebration event.
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet, in theEast Midlands, created the two-metre high shoe in partnership withBassett’s sweets of Sheffield tocelebrate a bumper first quarter ofaccessory sales at the outlet.
The shoe features 22,000 liquoriceallsorts and could fit over 250 pairsof shoes inside it – the samenumber of shoes sold at the outleteach week in the first quarter.
Marketing manager Donna Goodwinsaid: “We’ve seen a nine per centincrease in accessories salescompared to the first quarter last
year, with handbags and jewellery upan average of eight per cent andshoes up a huge double digit tenper cent.”
The giant sweet shoe took over 160hours to make and included 1,700pieces of black liquorice to create a39 inch heel.
Molly James with the stiletto shoes shedesigned to win the Shoe Designers of theFuture competition.
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4 June/July 2012 Showtime
A brand which made its debut at Pure last season is preparing itsfirst Autumn Winter collection with plans to capitalise on thenostalgia surrounding its name. Out On A Limb editor Nicola Hydefinds out what’s next for Babycham.
Tony Evans, managing director of theJacobson Group
Babycham usesretro interest inlatest collectionTHE Babycham brand launched aSpring Summer collection at Pureand Micam – showing that no longerwould it be known just forvulcanised pumps but that it wasmaking waves in the style stakes.
Tony Evans, managing director of theJacobson Group, obtained thelicence for the brand a year agoafter the firm that had previouslyheld it went into administration.
Babycham had been known forvulcanised pumps, selling in placeslike Schuh and Office, but the groupsaw potential for expansion.
Tony said: “We looked at the brandas an opportunity because it didn’tconflict with any of the other brandswe do. It was younger, quirkier andwe really felt we didn’t haveanything that it would conflict with.
“We knew immediately that wewanted to take it into a new area,with a more structured style but
what surprised us was the responsewhen we made the debut at Pure.
“We expected to get some goodsales on the vulcanised side,because that was what it was knownfor, but we got some great sellthrough for the constructed side aswell, which we weren’t expecting.”
Being a new concept, the groupplans to keep the collections quitetight but it has already addedwedges, brave satin designs andcute kitsch flats for Autumn Winter.
And the designers have capitalisedon the retro element, incorporatingoversized bows, rosettes and ribbondetails with the addition of contrastprinted linings.
Tony added: “There is a real interestin nostalgia at the moment but theinteresting thing for us is that a lotof our customers who buy the shoedon’t even realise that it is a drinksbrand – they’d never heard ofBabycham the drink.
“We have to be careful that we don’tmarket it to under 18s so we haveno children’s sizes but a lot ofcustomers don’t recognise itbecause they are too young toremember.
“We wanted Babycham because it’sa great name, it sounds young, funand happening which is one of thereasons it’s been so successful.
“We’ve got some of old imagery ofthe original Babycham fawn and weplan to make much more of thearchive material to make the brandeven quirkier. This brand was hugein the 60s and 70s and to bring that
back to life in a different way isreally exciting.”
Babycham is targeting independentretailers in the UK to take on its newcollections and is also planning anoverseas push to target Europe andAmerica.
There are also plans to develop anaccessories collection which wouldinclude bags, jewellery and belts.
Babycham will be showing itsAutumn Winter 2012 collection atPure.
New show planned for AugustA NEW trade show for urban, streetand action footwear will launch atBirmingham NEC in August.
The event – called FLIP – will runfrom August 12 to 14 and willshowcase major names and nichebrands alongside spectacular liveshows featuring some of theworld’s best bike riders.
It is particularly aimed at
boardsport and activewear storesand will include apparrel.
It has been organised by ITE Modaand will sit alongside the Modashow.
Jamie Harden, event director ofFLIP, said: “We’re really excited toget involved with such a vibrantarea of the fashion industry. Weknow from our conversations with
both brands and retailers that thissector of the market has been inneed of a credible trade show forsome time and we’re pleased tohave been able to create this forthese dynamic brands.”
One of the early labels to sign upwas British brand Animal.
Head of marketing Joel Pickeringsaid: “The introduction of FLIP
gives us a perfect platform toshowcase our brand in the rightenvironment remaining true to ourbrand values and strong actionsports heritage.
“Moda’s timing and location areperfect for the industry and theaddition of FLIP will complementthe show for both new and existingcustomers.”
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RESEARCH from the March editionof international shoe show GDSshows a strong trend for Chelseaboots and Cognac colour tones.
Statistics from the show reveal thattwo thirds of buyers placedadvanced orders at the show, whichfeatured over 1,200 exhibitors from44 countries.
According to buyers, the mostimportant materials for theAutumn/Winter season were leatherand suede, with half looking to buycognac or red/orange tones. AndChelsea Boots are a must have fornext season, according to thefindings.
GDS spokesman Werner MatthiasDornscheidt says GDS is aiming toattract more international brands tothe next season in September –capitalising on a relationship withthe British Footwear Association.
He added: “Our approach isinternational and so is our concept.Our strength lies in creating a win-win situation for both sides. Ourcooperation with the BritishFootwear Association is a goodexample of this: young, up-and-coming firms can open up new salesmarkets through GDS and ourvisitors see brands they may neverhave discovered otherwise.”
BFA sales and marketing director
Nicholas Parry-Billings said: “18months ago none of our exhibitorshad entered the German market yet.Just three seasons later half of allthe exhibitors on our area have beenable to establish their businesses inGermany.
“This is a great figure and goodadvertising for GDS. Moreover, ourexhibitors were very pleased to seethat a large proportion of GDSvisitors are decision-makers in thesector.”
Showtime June/July 2012 5
THE FOOTWEAR section at thisyear’s Pure London has grown insize and will offer new sourcingareas for Spring Summer 2013.
The event, which has beenmoved to August 19-21 due tothe Olympics, will see thefootwear and accessory hallsdivided into four key sections –design and trend led footwear,accessories and premiumaccessories.
Celebrity favourite JeffreyCampbell will be launching hislatest collection of footwear atthe show. His designs are alreadybeing worn by celebritiesincluding Jessica Alba, Rihanna,Sarah Harding and Jessie J.
Chinese Laundry made theheadlines after winning ‘Women’sFootwear Brand of the Year’ atthe Drapers Footwear andAccessory Awards and will beshowcasing strong, trend leddesigns.
Others exhibitors include the flirtyrocker label L.A.M.B. designed byGwen Stefani, and UK designerRae Jones; which both are set tobe top favourites at the show.Combining individuality with thecontemporary, Poetic Licence willreturn, whilst new brand PennyLoves Kenny will display theircollection of edgy footwear which
includes ankle boots, powerpumps and colour-pop heels.
Buyers can browse the eccentricnew footwear collection fromMelissa and newcomer PeterKaiser who will showcase a rangeof statement heels.
Pure London’s Accessory gallerywill offer over 120 brands,including Ally Capellinohandbags, Tatty Devine with theirunusual laser-cut Perspexjewellery and Lola Rose, Ruby &Ed, Sam Ubhi and Paul & JoeSister. Zandra Rhodes handbagswill be re-launching.
Pure London’s event directorSarah Lawrence said: “We’redelighted with this opportunity tofurther increase the show’soffering as we continue to investin Pure London.
“We will be creating a brand newcatwalk offering even more greatcontent as well as specificscenes dedicated to footwearand accessories. This season weplan to go even further in termsof fulfiling our buyers’ needs formore new and internationalbrands as well as offering anextended seminar programmewith topics and speakers who willtackle some of the most pressingchallenges facing retailers today.”
The show will be held at Olympia.
Zandra planshandbagrelaunch
Zandra Rhodes will return to Pure with her original pieces.
Chelsea bootsand cognac arethe must-have
Statistics have shown that two thirdsof buyers placed advanced orders atGDS.
STITCH is expanding this seasonwith a new area dedicated tostreetwear.
For Spring Summer 13, Stitch willlaunch the Switch show which givesthe flourishing streetwear market aplatform to showcase its newdesigns. That section of the showwill feature DJs, live music and evena tattoo parlour.
Ross Cottingham, the owner of OutOf Step Ltd, said: "In recent yearswe've seen a great rise in demandfor premium streetwear in the UK.
Many of these brands have grownthrough their online presence,numerous social media channelsand word of mouth.
“Whilst this is a great vehicle forbrand awareness for the consumer,one area that hasn't kept pace is asuitable forum to match up thebrands, either directly or viadistributors like ourselves, withretailers under one roof.
“There are shows that fulfill thisremit in the US and Germany, butuntil now nothing in the UK. We'veshown at the main Stitch showbefore and whilst we've already hadpositive experiences, we're optimisticthat a cohesive designated sectionis going to really take things to thenext level.”
The show will be held at theIslington Business Design Centre onJuly 15 and 16.
Stitch adds streetwear
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6 June/July 2012 Showtime
TIPS on improving customerservice as well as getting to gripswith social media will beincluded on the seminarprogramme for the upcomingModa show.
Claire Rayner, the retailchampion, will cover customerengagement with tips on how touse PR and marketing to attractcustomers, why having the rightproduct, pricing, promotions,visual merchandising and stocklevels enable customerconversion, how to retaincustomers and much more.
Commerce expert Warren Knightwill look at social media andcover how to use Google toincrease online sales. He will beexplaining the benefits of the
different social networks such asTwitter, Facebook, Google+,YouTube and LinkedIn.
The session will guide retailersthrough driving free target trafficto an online store, how they canmaximise their online businessas well as how to design astrategy with analytics to trackand measure information.
Ray Buckler and Nick Pratt, ofSitemakers Ltd, will consider thefuture of online retailing, lookingat how smartphones and tabletscan provide a new ‘shop window’to businesses and howtechnological advances can helpdevelop business.
The event returns to BirminghamNEC on August 12 - 14.
Customer servicetips to feature inModa’s seminars
FOOTWEAR will be shown for thefirst time at the Chic Fashion andAccessories Fair due to buyerdemand.
The show – which is held July 1 to 3at the Ricoh Arena – will featurehandbag, jewellery and fashionaccessory suppliers plus footwear.
It will feature the UK launch of Docawho will be showing clothing, shoes,bags, jewellery, scarves, hats, andwallets.
Organiser Michelle Chappell said: “Itis great to see a lot of new British
brands emerging over recent yearsand we are really excited that somany of them have chosen tolaunch at Chic.
“We hope that everyone will supportthem and encourage a growth inawareness for such beautifully madeproducts, especially this year whenthere has been so much publicitygiven to Mary Portas’ drive to ‘BuyBritish’ and capitalise on nationalpride and additional tourism due tothe Olympics and Jubileecelebrations.”
Footwear first for Chic
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THE FIRST ever UK exhibition tocelebrate the career of ChristianLouboutin is running at The DesignMuseum until July.
The London gallery is presenting theretrospective in celebration ofLouboutin’s shoes which – with theirsignature glossy red soles – are afusion of fashion, craftsmanship,engineering and sculpture.
The exhibition showcases 20 yearsof designs and inspiration, lookingat everything from stilettos to lace-up boots, studded sneakers andbejewelled pumps.
It features content from thedesigner’s personal archive with aspecial section dedicated to theshoes designed for ‘Fetish’ anexhibition at the La Gallerie DuPassage, Paris in 2007.
A spokesman said: “At the core ofthe exhibition will be a uniqueexploration of Louboutin’s designprocess, taking the visitor throughevery stage of the design journey,
revealing how a shoe is constructed,from the initial drawing and firstprototype through to production inthe factory.
“Looking beyond design andproduction the exhibition will alsoexplore the company’s innovativestore design in which Louboutin isalways closely involved.”
ARCHITECT Julian Hakes hasscooped a major footwearindustry design gong for hisMojito shoe collection.
The Mojito took the footwearindustry by storm when itlaunched last season after Julianused software that he’dpreviously designed bridges on tomake the unusual shoe that hasbecome instantly recognisable.
He used a 3d prototype systemthat is used in Formula One andaeroplane design – and had theprototypes made up by acompany that usually mademedical instruments.
He has shown his show at themajor trade shows and has now
been named the Best DesignerOf The Year in the DrapersAwards.
Julian is already working on hisnext collection – he’s hoping tohave a Swarovski crystal version,animal prints and python print.
A NEW website which encouragescustomers to breathe new lifeinto their old shoes has beenlaunched by a Gatesheadentrepreneur and has alreadyfeatured in national magazines.
Niki Virgo – who runs the UneakBoutique in Whickham – onlylaunched the Twinkle My Toeswebsite at the start of the year,but she’s already been featuredin NOW magazine.
The concept is that a customersends in a tired pair of shoes –and they are given a twinklemakeover, covered in glitter and‘rescued’ from the rubbish bin.
The website enables a customerto build a picture of how theirfinished shoe will look and hasthe option of changing the style,colour and which parts of theshoe they’d like transformed.
Niki said: “It came about byaccident – I was rummaging inthe wardrobe and came acrossthese gold shoes that I used tolove.
“But the heel was scuffed quitebadly and they were past theirbest. My husband was convincedI’d be able to do something tothem.”
Niki – a former art student – gotsome gold glitter and startedpracticing techniques to entirelycover the scuffed heels.
“The most important thing abouta pair of shoes is that they arecomfortable, so you’ve got a pairthat you’ve worn in, that fit youwell – well you don’t have tothrow them away.
“I’m a size 8 so it’s difficult forme to find stylish shoes so whenI do have them, I want to hold onto them. The glitter covers amultitude of defects and makesthem wearable again – which isreally important as everyone isvery tuned in to recycling,upcycling and making theirmoney go further these days.”
Twinkle My Toes charges £15 fora heel revamp and £28 for a fullshoe. There’s a postage chargeof £5.99 but that fee covers theshoes being reboxed andrebranded with a “Twinkle”sticker on the bottom. The shoesaren’t just given a glitter make-over either – rescue work is doneon the soles and on improvingslightly damaged areas.
In future months, she plans toexpand the business to add acustomisation service that wouldinclude hand-painted designs anda Swarovski crystal element –though she has already done onepremium pair for a bridal clientthat had over 1,000 crystalshand attached – a feat whichtook over three weeks.
News June/July 2012 7
Niki Virgo
Website givestired shoes alease of life
Some of the shoes that Nikihas transformed throughher new Twinkle My Toeswebsite.
Chatham in dealwith Force IndiaA FOOTWEAR brand has secured ahigh profile relationship after achance meeting at the Moda showlast season.
British brand Chatham – the brandrenowned for its deck shoes – hasbecome the official provider of teamtravel shoes to the Sahara ForceIndia Formula One team.
The team gave the shoes their firstouting en route to the AustralianGrand Prix for the opening of theseason and at the Chinese GrandPrix in April.
Philip Marsh, managing director atChatham, said: “This is a fabulousassociation for us – and in fact itstarted at Moda. It’s the perfectshowcase for our footwear,
reinforcing our strong tradition ofstyle and quality, and will drive ourbrand awareness in deck shoes.
“Plus, as part of our ambitious plansto expand further into internationalmarkets, this partnership provides apotentially exciting businessopportunity in India. We are lookingforward to supporting the team asthey continue their fight to worktheir way up the highly competitiveFormula One grid.”
Chatham has supplied all travellingstaff with footwear from the currentdeck shoe collection. The 93-strongteam will be wearing the classicstyle Deck in chestnut – thecompany’s most popular deck shoefor the last 20 years.
Julian scoops award
Louboutin celebrated
One of Louboutin’s exhibits.Credit: Luke Hayes.
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feat
ures
8 June/July 2012
Campaign aimsto attract firms
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Features
New menswearconcept launched
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ESTABLISHED for over 100 yearsand manufacturing shoes in Norwichfor 75 of those, the Florida Group isleading a campaign to keep itBritish.
Tony Linford, managing director ofthe Florida Group – parent companyof footwear brand Van Dal – iscampaigning for a resurgence of theMade In England ethos and has hadmeetings with major High Streetmultiples to convince them to getbehind it.
He said: “Over the last nine monthsor so we have had a large numberof inquiries from companies wantingto use our manufacturing base tosupply them with ‘Made in England’shoes – this would be third party,nothing to do with Van Dal.
“But in every case it has been forexport – for us to make the shoesand send them overseas wherethere is a huge interest.
“What has left me somewhatbemused was the fact that it is forexport – there is a demand in theUK to pay a premium for productsthey know are made here and I’mjust trying to get UK buyers to jumpon the bandwagon and startbanging the drum.”
The Florida Group factory in Norwichis still one of the UK’smanufacturing strongholds,
employing about 80 people whodeliver around 15 per cent of thecompany’s goods (roughly 1,400pairs a week).
The family-run company has alwayssworn to remain committed to UKmanufacturing, and says the gapbetween UK manufacture and Chinais ever shrinking.
Tony added: “We need some of thebig retailers to get behind the ideaand make a concept out of it – tobe fair footwear buyers are keen onit but it should have a much biggervision and include everything fromclothing to handbags, not justshoes.
“It has become quite trendy but itneeds to be more than just onething.”
At the moment, Tony estimates thegap in cost between UKmanufacture and China/ India isaround £5-a-pair cost to thewholesale price – adding around£20 onto the tag for consumers.
But he says that gap is closing allthe time. He added: “Freight ratesare rising, as is the cost of oil all ofwhich makes sourcing from Asia
more difficult. The business case formanufacturing here is becomingmore meaningful.
“For the last ten years our factoryhas been subsidised by the rest ofthe business but it is starting tomake sense again and it’s aninteresting change. I really do feelthere’s a great opportunity in ourown market – although it isfrustrating that we haven’t got a bigUK retailer really buying in to theMade in England ethos.
“We found this ourselves – Van Dalexplicitly calls its collection Made InEngland and we have had muchmore interest than we anticipated –all we did was change the way wepositioned it. Independents boughtit. Multiples bought it. SuddenlyMade In England is a selling point.
“In the past, the footwear industryhas done a terrific job of shootingitself in the foot and educatingcustomers that cheaper is better –but I do think we are at a turningpoint.”
� What do you think? We’d love tohear your views. [email protected].
One of the UK’s last manufacturing strongholds is campaigning tobring shoe manufacturing back to the UK. Out On A Limb editorNicola Hyde speaks to the man behind the campaign.
Companies urgedto keep it British
The Florida Group has been manufacturing shoes at its Norwich factory for thelast 75 years.
Florida Group MD Tony Linford.
Cheaney Shoes has opened anew flagship store in the heart ofLondon to showcase thecompany’s heritage of craft-manship. The store – onPiccadilly Arcade – boasts thebrands 125 year heritage, withevery pair individually hand-crafted at their Northamptonshirefactory from start to finish. Jointmanaging director JonathanChurch said: “This is now ourthird London store opening inthree years and we look forwardto building on our success.”
08 30/5/12 12:09 Page 1
A COMPANY which was the first tomanufacture and design soft leathershoes for children and babies in theUK has launched a new collectioninspired by Britain.
Daisy Roots – which was establishedin 1995 – are marking the DiamondJubilee and Olympics with a rangeinspired by the Union Jack.
Made from chrome free leather witha non-slip sole, there is a traditionalUnion Jack shoe in red, white andblue, a hot pink and two paler,softer versions in pink and blue.
A spokesman said: “We are
extremely proud of our Britishheritage and of our dedicated teamand we know from customerfeedback that it is these things thathave played a huge part in oursuccess.”
All Daisy Roots shoes are designedand handmade in Northamptonshire.
Made in Britain June/July 2012 9
HAVING launched Van Dal Vintagein celebration of their 75thanniversary the brand finds itselfriding the crest of a tidal wave ofBritish manufacturing revivalism.Very much in its heartland one ofthe key styles, made in theirNorwich factory is Aurora II whichretails for £90.
Sales: 01603 787100Web: www.vandalshoes.com
Campaign aimsto attract firmsA PUSH on the Made In Britainethos has seen a campaignlaunched in a bid to attract highquality ladies footwearmanufacturers to move to theUK.
Richard Kottler, chief executive ofthe British Footwear Association,said the companies that alreadymanufacture in the UK – likeGina, Van Dal and New Balance –do a sterling job, but that there isa gap in the market.
In a speech at the AnnualFootwear Dinner, he said: “Withthe shining exception of Gina whohave just moved into a new, wellequipped factory in London, thereare virtually no factories capableof filling the continual and pentup demand from our designerbrands who would love to maketheir product here and not inItaly, Spain or the Far East. Thereis a real opportunity here forsome courageous andenterprising entrepreneur.”
THE BFA is constantly pushing itsMade In Britain ethos, and saysthe UK manufacturing sector hasdeclined – in 1965, there were
110,000 people employed in itmaking 200 million pairs, nowthere are 4,500 people makingfive million pairs.
But, Richard added, there aresome success stories.
He added: “All producers arecurrently working flat out tosatisfy the increasing demand forBritish made goods and theNorthampton-shire factoriescontinue to set the benchmarkfor high grade men's weltedproducts.
“It is also interesting to note thatthe two biggest manufacturers ofshoes in the UK are directlycompeting with so called low-costcountries and succeeding.
“Both Hotter, which accounts fornearly one in three of all shoesmade in the UK and NewBalance, are reaping the rewardsfrom making considerableinvestment in equipment andstaff.
“In addition, it is heartening tosee that in the past two years, atleast three small making unitshave started up.”
Range celebrates events
Made inEngland
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10 June/July 2012 Features
Out on a Limb cover story
Editor’scomment
Nicola Hyde Editor
THE face of retail is changing –we’ve known it for a while. Andwhile many independent retailershave (sadly) been lost due to thedifficult climate, we’ve still got somestrongholds using their imaginationand unique selling points to makethemselves stand out from thecrowd.
Those smart retailers have made thejump to e-commerce, supportingtheir shops with online sales.They’ve jumped on the social mediabandwagon, using things likeFacebook, Twitter and Google+ toadvertise promotions, special offers,clear stock and become moreapproachable to new clientele.
Even Out On A Limb magazine nowtweets – offering an easier platformfor contacting brands and keepingabreast of new changes (you canfind us @ooalmagazine)
But what’s next? How can retailersmove forward and get ahead of thegame? Forget e-commerce...thenext big thing is m-commerce, withan increasing number of customersbuying items on mobile devices likesmart phones and iPads.
Research shows that by 2015 morepeople will access the internet via amobile device than they will adesktop PC. So how can retailerscapitalise on that? Experts at RetailAssist reckon you can expect to seea major uptake in the use of mobilepayments, where people cancomplete a purchase entirely ontheir phone, even in a shop. Andthe company also predicts a moveaway from fixed tills in store – theyreckon instead that tablets (like anipad) can add to in-store customerinteraction.
How canretailerskeep aheadof the rest?
A NEW comfort product that can becustomised by the retailer is beinglaunched to the UK market at theend of June.
Sheval Shoes will be launching theirTredflex collection, which will bedistributed through their exclusivewholesale partner UKD for AW2012.
Simon Robertson and Angelo Marrahave worked together to develop therange, which includes a range offormal shoes and boots, along witha collection of Desert boots.
Each style can be custom-fitted withthree different types of socks – AirSystem which promotes aircirculation and moisture absorptionaided by Charcoal activatedfootbeds, Gel system with impactabsorbing gel patches and Comfortsystem with added memory foamtechnology offering 24sevencomfort. All styles within the rangeuse a flex control insole board aswell as the Tredflex Air PocketTechnology incorporated within thesole. Another important sellingfeature are the retail price points,which the company has worked tokeep at £45 – £55 but still usingBrazilian leathers, full grain leatherlinings and genuine Rubber soles.
Simon said: “I had the idea about12 months ago – looking at a lot ofcomfort products on the market atthe time, I was convinced we couldmanufacture a premium productthat retailed around £50. I alsowanted to offer a concept that wasdifferent from what was alreadyavailable at the time, and that is asystem whereby the retailer has a
choice of three different comfortfeatures which can be used withinany of the product available in therange.”
That is the uniqueness of thisproduct – buyers can decide whichsystem they prefer in which style,effectively you can have threedifferent formal styles each with adifferent comfort feature.
Dale Robertson, MD at Shevaladded: “We were keen to developthe idea further and in December2011 initial concepts werepresented and the range evolvedfrom there and we are now in aposition where we can now offer apremium Comfort product which isextremely competitively priced. Atthe moment, a lot of comfortfootwear retails at around £65+ webelieve this plugs a gap in themarket for a premium product at anaffordable price.”
Each Tredflex combination issupplied with its own branded swingticket, so the retailer can fullyexplain the science within the shoeand in-store show cards are alsoavailable. If you would like moreinformation on Tredflex, [email protected] or telephone0208 1448275 for generalenquiries. For wholesale enquiriesemail [email protected] call 01162403 232.Alternatively visitwww.tredflex.com
New concept incomfort menswearlaunched in the UK
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11 chic 28/5/12 12:03 Page 1
12 & 13 Pure 30/5/12 11:20 Page 1
12 & 13 Pure 30/5/12 11:20 Page 2
CHILDREN’S footwear brand Skeaniehas launched its new Autumn Wintercollection – with a special offer forretailers.
The brand – which is the footwear ofchoice for many celebrity mums likeNicole Kidman – has launched a‘sell or swap’ scheme for retailers.
It allows shop owners to replace anyproducts which do not sell with newdesigns from the next season’scollection.
This applies to Spring Summer 2012buys – which can be traded for theAutumn Winter collection.
Brand manager Mel Hearn said:“Since our launch in Europe wehave been delighted with the sellthrough rates that our retailers haveexperienced.
“We feel so confident that our familyof retail partners will sell their shoeswe will effectively replace any shoesthat they do not sell at the end ofthe season with new shoes from our
next collection – meaning that theyare sure to retain their full marginsand not have to discount.”
Skeanie has this month appointedtop podiatrist Tracy Byrne as a
consultant.
Tracy will provide input to productdevelopment and is developing aseries of training courses forretailers.
Brand launches ‘sellor swap’ scheme
14 June/July 2012
product showcase product showcase
Jack aims to makebrand cooler
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Lucy’s brand offersaffordable luxury
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Product showcase
product showcase
Skeanie has become the choice for celebrity mums such as Nicole Kidman.
THIERRY Rabotin’s AutumnWinter Collection showcases highfashion designs with a distinctiveedge – comfort.
The new collection features softlambskin nappa uppers withflexible rubber injected leathersoles and ankle boots made instretch microfibre with colourfulmotifs.
The collection uses a variedpallette and heel range with theTR logo engraved on goldenmetal buckles and chromaticchoice going from bold colourssuch as burgundy, raspberry andprism purple, navy blue, carameland icing sugar.
Comfortthe key
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Product showcase June/July 2012 15
product showcase product showcase
Jack taskedwith makingbrand cooler THE Hush Puppies brand wasfounded in 1958 and has been atthe forefront of 50 years worth offashion and subculture.
Although now mainly seen as amainstream lifestyle brand, at onetime Hush Puppies were the symbolof a generation – the footwear ofchoice for the mod movement wereHush Puppies.
And now, it’s returning to its rootswith a heritage inspired collectioncreated by design agencyHemingway.
Designer Jack Hemingway – the sonof Red or Dead founders Wayne andGeraldine – was tasked with makinga range that appealed to a differentclientele.
He said: “Hush Puppies have agreat business – their womenswearis good but the men’s had reallygrown old with the customer base.They wanted to get into a few coolershops and get a younger customerand they thought we would be bestplaced to give it a crack.”
It is Jack’s first ever footwearcollection and, although he used toplay in the Red or Dead warehousesas a child, he admits the hardestpart of creating footwear was gettingto grips with the unfamiliar specsheets for shoe parts.
He added: “Hush Puppies hasheritage – it’s been through everyyouth culture we’ve ever had in thiscountry from teddy boys to rockabillyto 80s casual.
“They have been there and done it.
“With this collection, we pickedthree key moments in time – wewanted that teddy boy look to belike a creeper but not as daunting, abit more wearable and the desertboot, the Chelsea boot well, there’snot much you can change in thedesign but we’ve been working withcolours and making sure we gotsome interesting new elements inthere like the bespoke print on thesole unit which was the 1960s HushPuppies logo that we cut up and
recreated.
“Their archive is great – I can’t waitto dig deep in there because I betthere’s loads of amazing stuff.Although these are new designs,they are influenced by the original.”
Hemingway Designs has also lookedafter the concept for photography,promotion and point of sale for thebrand – even sourcing 1950s recordplayers to use as point of sale inshops.
Jack added: “Hush Puppies as abrand is in a really good position –people are familiar with the brand.
“This collection is quite far removedfrom the mainstream line but isadding some street style and, oncewe get in these cooler shops, it willentirely change the perception ofHush Puppies.”
Jack is now working on a collectionfor Spring Summer and he hopes toadd women's footwear in there.
Hush Puppies will launch a new collectionfor Autumn Winter 2012 that is inspired bythe brand’s iconic heritage. Out On A Limbeditor Nicola Hyde speaks to JackHemingway – the designer who says he’sout to invigorate the brand.
15 31/5/12 15:27 Page 1
product showcaseproduct showcase product showcase
16 June/July 2012 Product Showcase
A new guarantee will be offered for Regatta footwear launching for SS13 thatwill cover everything from the outsole to the waterproof technology. The two-yearguarantee covers the Isotex waterproof and breathable technology, hardwearingouter soles and fault free construction of our boots, shoes and sandals. A newlightweight Aquatrail shoe for men and women has been launched – it driesquicker than a normal trail shoe, thanks to its open mesh construction and newsole unit with water drainage ports.
WELLNESS brand Therafit haslaunched to the UK market thismonth.
Therafit is an impact reductionfootwear brand that are made fromlight weight and flexible uppers and
outsoles. Every pair is delivered withtwo sets of adaptors that can beinserted into the holes in the heelsto control the level of impactreduction, so the customer candecide which fit is best for them.
UK launch for wellness brand
16 30/5/12 12:11 Page 1
Product showcase Performance footwear June/July 2012 17
product showcase product showcaseproduct showcase
Hi-Tec has launched a newcollection which is aimed atwomen wanting shoes that copewith rugged outdoor and urbanenvironments.
The Harmony collection has alightweight OrthoLite® cushionedfootbed and micro-fibres to drawaway any unwanted moisturefrom the foot.
The compression-moulded EVAmidsole absorbs impact and theVibram™ outsole deliverstraction, comfort and durability.
The collection includes a midboot and low ankle hiking shoe.
17 28/5/12 17:05 Page 1
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18 June/July 2012 Focus on men’s footwear Product Showcase
Sustainable flip-flop brand Amazonashas launched to trade with its firstever collection for the UK market. Amazonas uses latex from the nativerubber trees of the AmazonRainforest, alongside recycled andrecyclable styles in its collection. The rubber is biodegradable – biorubber – taking only five years to de-compose once disposed of, comparedto 700 years with synthetic rubberscommonly used in flip-flops. Taking inspiration from Brazil and theRio Carnival, Amazonas has created acollection bursting with colour.
TECHNOLOGY company Gore-Tex iscelebrating one of its most variedcollections ever thanks to its brandpartners.
Collections from brand partners likeClarks, Legero, Superfit, Primigi andAra use the brand’s open solestructure that ensures 360 degreesof breathability and allows excessheat and moisture to escapethrough the sole as well as the shoeupper.
The Gore-Tex laminate provideswaterproof protection to keep feetdry and the rain out.
A spokesman said: “Gore’s brandpartners are recognising therelevance and importance of thistechnology’s benefits to consumersand SS/12 sees casual collectionsengineered with it being showcasedthroughout Europe.
“Clarks have included thistechnology in their casual rangesthis season in seven of its men’sstyles and one female style.
“Legero and Ara offer a women’sand men’s range with Primigi andSuperfit, offering ranges forchildren.”
Firm celebratesvaried collection
THE Cushe slipper is the ultimateCushe product – it’s relaxed,deconstructed, super lightweight andabove all else stupendouslycomfortable.
As soon as you slip your foot intoone of these, you’ll be convincedthat you’ll never put anything morecomfortable on your foot.
It’s the ultimate travel shoe, theultimate kicking back shoe, theultimate recovery shoe, in fact it’sjust about the ultimate ‘anythingcasual’ shoe.
It features a fully collapsible and
breathable textile upper with arelaxed deconstructed fit.
It has purposely positioned elasticpanels designed so you can slip-onand kick off with ease. Built on adeep cushioned super lightweightE.V.A outsole that’s so light, you’llforget you’re wearing them.
This shoe will change your life andyour perceptions of what youthought was possible indeconstructed footwear.
Sales contact: Geoff [email protected]
+44 207 860 0399
Introducing the Cushe Slipper– the most Cushe shoe ever
18 30/5/12 11:27 Page 1
Product showcase Focus on men’s footwear June/July 2012 19
product showcase product showcaseproduct showcase
A men’s footwear brand that topped a poll of independent retailers isploughing ahead with its Cotswold Collection. Mir-Tex was named oneof the top five brands in a poll by Footwear Today for its men’s rangeof formal shoes. They are waterproof and ergonomically crafted withsoft leather uppers, bellows tongues and padded collars.
WHILST maintaining its on-goingfocus on semi-formal fashion wear,drawing on its deep rooted heritageand culture, IKON continues toembrace the latest fashion trendsfor its Autumn/Winter 2012collection.
Brogue styling is key, not only onshoes but also in the fashion bootcategory for the coming season.There is an increased representationof plain vamp shoes which aptlydisplay new toe shapes, newleathers that incorporate new soles.
IKON embraces trends
Quilted style pushedPOD is celebrating its 36thanniversary this year with a push onits iconic quilted style that will jointhe English Soul collection.
The Pod Heritage label is workingwith its original designers to staytrue to the 70s and 80s design withdevelopment being down close to itsorigins in the traditional shoemanufacturing county ofNorthamptonshire.
Jagger features thick crepe soles,rich leather uppers, heavy contraststitch lines and the Queen’s 1977Jubilee flag and will stand alongsideother designs such as the originalPin-Punch shoe; the very first model
to roll off the production line in1976.
A Pod spokesman said: “We arekeen to maintain an element ofexclusivity, production runs are on asmall-scale basis within a specialistfactory, whilst distribution is directedtowards niche stockists such asScorpio Shoes (Newcastle UponTyne), Plum Soles (Derby) andRubyshoesday (Hebden Bridge).”
SS13 also sees the launch of the80’s unisex T-bar sandal followingdemands on the brand’s socialmedia platforms.
The SS13 Pod Heritage collectionwill be at Moda in August.
19 29/5/12 10:59 Page 1
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20 June/July 2012 Product Showcase
She comes from shoe royalty but with her debut collection, Lucy Choi is making a name of herown. The fashionista speaks to Nicola Hyde about why she decided to launch her own brand.
Lucy sets up own labelto offer affordable luxury
Lucy Choi’s debut collection will be stocked in 30 independent Daniel boutiques, as well as Harvey Nichols and high-end shops in Dubai and Singapore.
NOBODY can question Lucy Choi’slinks to shoe dynasty – or indeedher experience in the industry. Heruncle is Jimmy Choo and her sisteris Sandra Choi – the creativedirector of Jimmy Choo.
Growing up, Lucy watched in theworkshops, seeing how her artisanuncle made his shoes and sheworked in the industry for 10 years,working for French Sole where sheplayed a major role in design andproduct development.
Even though she’d been aroundshoe design all her life, Lucy choseinstead to go into the businessside. She went to university andwas a financial analyst for a while.
She said: “I saw a lot in my uncle’sworkshop about the making shoesfrom scratch and my sister helpedout a lot with that. But I wantedsomething I could get my teeth in
to – I knew I could always comeback to shoes in later life and Iwanted to do more on the businessand marketing side.
“I had lots of opportunities to seemy uncle and sister work andeventually it felt like the right timeto set up my own label as I saw agap in the market in terms ofaffordable luxury footwear.”
Lucy’s debut collection will bestocked in 30 independent Danielboutiques, as well as HarveyNichols and high-end shops inDubai and Singapore.
She acknowledges that her maidenrange is a simple design aesthetic,but says they are made special bythe attention to detail and high-quality materials used in them.
She added: “I didn’t want to be tooexpensive or too cheap. I wantedpeople to still be able to afford
beautiful shoes. I designed formyself really, something that I canwear. I wouldn’t wear anything thatwas bad quality but I also wouldn’twant to pay £800 for a pair of slingbacks. The most important thing tome is that the brand ethos isaffordable luxury.
“At the end of the day a peep toeis a peep toe but you add an extrasomething else by using the rightmaterials and I am very particular.”
Lucy is already looking for locationsto develop a flagship store inLondon and – although she plansto keep her label exclusive – she islooking for more retailers to takethe brand.
She’s already developing a bridalrange and wants to add a widervariety of sizes to the label.
She added: “Coming from thebackground that my uncle created I
have been very lucky and that’swhy I decided to use my own namefor the brand as I thought it wouldbe more impactful.
“My family are very supportive andproud of what I have done becauseit is different to them, it’s a totallydifferent price so I’m not trying tocompete.
“I have had a great opportunity toget a foot in the door.”
Lucy’s target customer is womenwho have money to spend. Herretail prices hover around the £185- £200 mark.
She added: “My type of customersare the ones that can affordsomething more expensive but whowant to be able to buy three orfour pairs for the price of one. Theycan afford it – they just want to bea bit more savvy when they spend.”
Pam Walker and her manager Lorraine Heggie collect their award from BigBrother, Little Brother presenter Emma Willis, sponsored by Clarks.
INDEPENDENT footwear retailer ThisLittle Piggy has scooped anotherindustry gong for its impressivebusiness model.
The children’s shoe shop – whichhas outlets in Perth and BroughtyFerry – won the title of Best FamilyFootwear Store in the UK as part ofthe Drapers Footwear Awards. OwnerPam Walker – who set up This LittlePiggy in 1999 when she couldn’tfind any shoes for her son, who hada high instep and wide feet – was
praised for her creativity andmarketing skills.
Past winnings for This Little Piggyhave included: Best UK Children’sFootwear Retailer, Best UK FootwearMarketing Campaign, WomenAhead- Shooting Star, Winner ofBank of Scotland BusinessExcellence Award and more recently,last month, finalist in the BestIndependent Children’s Retailer2012 in the Footwear IndustryAwards voted by its readers.
Company scoops gong
20 28/5/12 17:06 Page 1
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21 June/July 2012
Range on showat Moda
Page 22
Accessories
GREEK brand Doca is launchingits new collection at Chic thisseason.
It will be showing a range ofshoes, bags, jewellery, scarves,hats and wallets with wholesaleprices ranging from £2 to £20.
The brand started over 20 yearsago in Greece and has more than20 flagship stores and thousandsof outlets throughout the rest ofEurope.
The collections at Chic will be onstand H16.
Chic launch for Doca
THE Bridge has launched a newcollection of luxurious handbagsas part of its timeless designeye.
The company has been on themarket for 40 years and usesTuscan tradition inspired bysaddlery reinterpreted withcontemporary aesthetics tocreate “everyday glam.”
A spokesman said: “Each modelis the result of a specific artisanexpertise according to old Tuscantraditions: from the strictlyvegetable-tanning process, to thedying and finishing with amberrollers, that give the leathersoftness and elasticity.
“Each bag is a timeless andunique accessory, beyondfashion, a mix of tradition andinnovation.”
Rangepart oftimelessdesign
Bags that are practical,individual, stylish and funWHAT makes a great bag? Style,charm and individuality? Practicality,versatility and durability? Or simplybeing fun to have?
We would say all of the above – andthe Baggz® range holds the answerto every one of those needs plusmore besides.
Whether packing for the beach,nipping out for a quick lunch or evenheading off for a walk in the snow:Baggz® are ideal for any occasion,every outing and all seasons.
Made from EVA material – which issoft and ultra-lightweight, yet rigidand strong – Baggz® are available ina choice of styles and colours,combining a variety of uses witheye-catching design. Also, the widerange of Bittz® accessories can beattached easily to personalise andcomplement each of the Baggz®styles.
The Baggz® unique base soledesign means that they stay uprightwhen they are put down – no need
to worry about possessionsscattering everywhere.
Baggz® of benefits for all the family:
� Suitable for a multitude of uses:pool or beach bags, shower caddies,toy bags, pet totes, lunch totes,baby bags, plus many more.
� Choice of three styles and fivecolours.
� Quick and easy to clean – justwipe them down with a damp cloth.
� Bittz® accessories provideindividuality for adults and fundesigns for kids.
� Available to order individually(subject to minimum order), as solidcolour cartons or pre-packed mixedcolour cartons.
21 31/5/12 15:49 Page 1
22 June/July 2012 Accessories
THE DESIGN team behind RocketDog bags have created a newAutumn Winter collection thatmirrors the seasonal fabrics of thefootwear range.
The bag designers say they haveworked closely with the footweardesign team in Los Angeles tocapture the ethos of the brand andensure a comprehensive collection.
The Autumn Winter range useswoven fabrics, tweeds, plaids, ethnicinfluences and earth tonescompleted with details includingtassels, fringing and bows.
Bag silhouettes vary from backpacksand cross body bags to bowling andshoulder bag designs and evenpurses and wallets. The collectionwill be shown at Moda.
Bags of style for AW12
Storm has embraced rich colours and inviting textures for the women’s andmen’s AW12 bag collection. The women’s range includes berry colours, richmahogany tones and tactile fabrics in autumnal hues. The silhouettes for theseason include spacious shoppers, handbags, practical cross-body styles, clutchbags and purses. The collection will be shown at Moda.
Range on show at ModaBOXFRESH has launched a new bagcollection for Autumn Winter 2012which include styles like duffels andrecord bags.
The collection uses leather, waxedcotton, canvas and wool in richbrowns, smokey grey, black andforest accented by straps, bucklesand trims. Plaids and corduroyfabrics also feature in the holdalls,backpacks, messengers and totebags. Leather zip pulls, embossedsew-on patches and metal badgesall feature the branding. Thecollection will be on show at Moda.
22 31/5/12 15:35 Page 1
23 Aquaeos 28/5/12 12:04 Page 1
24 June/July 2012
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Business andtechnology
Is your businessupwardly mobile?
Page 25
New IT initiativescan make plansbecome a reality By Andy Tudor
OVER the coming year, retailers whoare already looking at the differentways in which their customerstransact with them will start tointroduce new IT initiatives to turntheir plans into reality.
Many are starting to espouse omni-channel, and see it as an all-encompassing ‘win-win’ interfacethat enhances customerconvenience and satisfaction whilstincreasing the retailer’s ability tosecure sales.
Based upon the work beingcurrently undertaken by the mostforward-thinking of our clients, weforecast see the followingdevelopments:
Mobile Payments – expect to seesignificant trials of mobilepayments, marking a move beyondtoday’s mobile-optimised websitesand mobile apps to focus on linkingdifferent channels.
The goal here is a scenario wherebycustomers start to researchpurchases on their mobile ‘phone,then go into a store to confirm theirchoice, possibly completing thepurchase on their ‘phone as well.
Reduced fixed till usage – weanticipate a move away from fixedtills. We’ve already come across anumber of tablet trials and, asplatforms such as Windows 8 startto come out, we may see a realchallenge to Apple’s monopoly.
Tablets can offer a desirable, addedlevel of in-store customerinteraction. Having that one-on-one
experience with the customer isparticularly important for retailerswhose product price-points oroverall basket values are high.
Social Networking – socialnetworking has already proved itsworth by enabling retailers to betterunderstand their customers. Inextreme examples, we’ve seenexecutive board members respondto Twitter feeds and Facebookcomments.
At an operational level, we also seeretailers studying live Twitterstreams to gauge consumerreaction to new product launches.
We predict that social networkingpractices will be widely introducedinto the workplace and become anintegral part of a retailorganisation’s culture.
International web sites – this isanother exciting area and onewhere we foresee considerableexpansion.
We will soon see dedicated foreignlanguage websites which will breakdown the barriers to internationaltrade and permit customers loggedon from anywhere in the world toshop in their native language andcurrency.
But what about the economics ofthese new omni-channel initiatives?Can the retail industry afford them?
At one extreme, we see some whohave yet to embark on a mobilestrategy, still trading via ‘bricks andmortar’ stores or on the web.
At the other, we are working withbusinesses at the forefront of omni-
channel, which have already mergedtheir channels and have achievedthe goal of enabling customers tostart product research using onechannel, and make their purchaseusing another.
Looking back three to five years, aretailer was considered to be at thecutting edge if it had a transactionalwebsite.
In the past year or two, we’ve seenmultichannel retailing become morecommonplace, which has allowedcustomers to travel in differentchannels in their purchasingjourney.
� Andy Tudor is head ofmultichannel solutions at RetailAssist.
Andy Tudor
A NEW entrance examination hasbeen added by the Society ofShoefitters to encourage more shopowners to sign up their staff.
The society has opened theentrance examination forexperienced shoe fitters with morethan five years experience to allowthem to gain the membershipqualification.
A spokesman said: “Membership ofthe organisation is purely byqualification and experienced staffhave been unaware that we offer anexamination. Unfortunately themajority of shops employ staff whoare retail sales assistants and not
shoe fitters and therefore it wouldbe nice to give their self esteem alift, and give them the opportunity toqualify for membership of theorganisation.”
The entrance examination is £50per entry. More information fromwww.shoefitters.org.uk
Society launches newentrance examination
Pall-Excontinuesto deliverA COMPANY is eyeing a UKexpansion with its offering thatallows timed deliveries to shopsoutside normal trading hours.
Pall-Ex is pushing its RetailPlus+ service that offers homedeliveries, timed deliveries intoretail outlets and deliveriesoutside of trading hours.
A spokesman said: “This deliverytechnique is unique within palletnetworks and is an example of usmeeting the needs of ourcustomers.”
24 30/5/12 12:12 Page 1
Business + Technology June/July 2012 25
What are the regulatoryrequirements for footwear?
Is your businessupwardly mobile?By Ian Tomlinson
In my last column I talked aboutmobile points of sale, on iPads andother tablets, but there is anothertype of mobile that is also changingretail.
That is mobile-commerce, or m-commerce as it is better known. Sowhy does m-commerce affectindependent footwear retailers?
Well it is affecting all areas of retail,including footwear. There are somestartling facts too; the numbers ofmobile internet users are predictedto overtake desktop users by 2015.
That means by 2015 more peoplewill be accessing the internet viatheir mobiles than their PCs orlaptops.
There are other figures that illustratethe move to m-commerce isinevitable: For example the totalpercentage of online sales that werethrough a mobile device inNovember 2011 was 3.9 per cent,up from 0.4 per cent in February2010.
What’s more the internet contributesto 8.3 per cent of the UK economy,a bigger share than for any of theother G20 major countries
People carry their smartphones withthem everywhere. I bet while you arereading your copy of Out On A Limb
your phone is in your pocket or onyour desk.
Not only does this give you accessto the world wide web, your emailsand so forth, it also gives retailersan opportunity to communicate andengage with customers.
I am sure many retailers will bethinking I’ve got a website, so whydo I need a mobile website?
How often do you try navigating a‘traditional’ website via your phone?
Retailers that don’t invest in specificmobile sites will see their websitetraffic fall and with it sales may stalland fall.
For those that use “GoogleAnalytics” there is a report thatshows how many visitors were on a
mobile device and what that mobiledevice was.
If you can, have a look as you willbe surprised how many mobilevisitors your site gets.
Then if you are able run a report onmobile users over say a year andthere is only one way the trend willbe going, upwards.
� Ian Tomlinson is chief executive ofCybertill
Ian Tomlinson
By Jack Brown
THE footwear supply chain is longand complex with the retailer, itsagents and the manufacturers allstriving to get the right design at theright price onto the shelves at theright time.
Ensuring that the shoe fits, is madeethically, is fit for purpose and ofgood quality are key elements tokeep returns and complaints at alow level and to improve customerloyalty and brand image.
Sustainability and the environmentare also increasing concerns. And inaddition to all of the above, are theactual legal obligations of theretailer and its supply chainpartners. But what exactly are theselegal requirements from a qualityand technical point of view?
The main regulatory requirements forthe footwear industry can besummarised as followed:
1. The European General ProductSafety Directive (2001/95/EC) –producers and distributors shall takeall the reasonable steps to ensurethat the products they sell are safe.
For footwear, this entails such as theheel attachment property of theshoe, the slip resistance of the shoesole, the strength of straps and
seams when under stress, theadhesion of the sole to the upper toprevent dangerous flapping toes.
2. Registration, Evaluation,Authorisation and Restriction ofChemicals or the REACH Directive(EU Regulation EC 1907/2006) –companies that place products ontothe EU market includingmanufacturers, importers andretailers of footwear, need to ensurethat their products do not containsubstances that have been classifiedas Restricted Substances as perREACH Annex XVII.
If you are a retailer of footwear, youneed to be aware that consumerscan request to be informed of any
potential SVHC contained in theshoes you sell. In this instance, youshall be prepared to answerconsumers’ questions about thepresence of SVHC in shoes andprovide sufficient information toallow a safe use of these shoeswithin 45 days.
3. The European Labelling Directivefor Footwear 94/11/EC – shoes soldto the general public must meeteither the written text or pictogramrequirements of the Directive andthe public must be informed at thepoint of sale what all of the symbolsactually mean to allow them tomake an informed judgement as tothe material make up of the shoes.
The health and safety of theconsumer is still paramount as iscompliance with the law. Litigationclaims for personal injury are verycommon and unlikely to go away.
It may be appropriate to introducean “intelligent testing and duediligence” approach and target themost important properties of theproduct from a legal and safetypoint of view. In other words focusmore on heel attachment, solebond, slip resistance and REACH.
� Jack Brown is the footweartechnical consultant at BureauVeritas Consumer Products Services.
25 30/5/12 16:44 Page 1
RETAIL SOLUTIONS
RETAIL SOLUTIONS
TRAINING
Sales
Tony Barry – Sales & Marketing Director
Beverley Green – Group Sales Manager
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: [email protected]
Design & Production
Stewart Holt – Studio Manager([email protected])
Natalie Talbot – Graphic Designer([email protected])
Circulation01226 734695 (24 hour hotline)Email: [email protected]
Contacts
diary datesChicRicoh Arena, CoventryJuly 1 - 3, 2012(www.chicuk.com)
The UK's only specialist trade show for handbags, fashion andtravel accessories, and nowclothing and footwear due tobuyer demand.
Stitch MenswearIslington Business Design CentreJuly 15 and 16, 2012
For Spring Summer 13, Stitch willlaunch the Switch show whichgives the flourishing streetwearmarket a platform to showcase itsnew designs. That section of theshow will feature DJs, live musicand even a tattoo parlour.
ENKWSALas Vegas7 - 9 August, 2012(www.wsashow.com)
ENKWSA is a twice-yearly eventthat gathers footwear and
accessory exhibitors, showcaseshundreds of brands, attractsleaders in the affordable footwearand footwear sourcing industry,newsmakers, designers, retail anddistribution channels.
Moda FootwearNEC, Birmingham, August 12 - 14, 2012(www.moda-uk.co.uk)
Moda will include a seminarprogramme which will be free ofcharge to all visitors andexhibitors. The Moda catwalkshow will present an overview ofthe seasons trends, providing aninsight into key looks.
FLIPBirmingham NECAugust 12 - 14, 2012
The new trade show for urban,street and action footwear willshowcase major names and nichebrands alongside spectacular liveshows featuring some of theworld’s best bike riders. It is
particularly aimed at boardsportand activewear stores.
PureOlympia London19 - 21 August, 2012(www.purelondon.com)
A showcase of over 1,000directional womenswear brands,young creative labels, footwearand accessory collection plusinspiring seminars and catwalks.
London EdgeLondon Olympia2 - 4 September, 2012(www.londonedge.com)
The trade show for alternativestreet and club fashion, footwear,accessories and giftwear with over300 collections available to view.
GDS/GLOBAL SHOESMesse Dusseldorf, Germany5 - 7 September, 2012(www.gds-online.comHighlights will include high
fashion labels from internationalbrands and the children’s footwear marketplace. Other events willinclude fashion shows, trendpresentations and trend vision.
MICAMItaly16 - 19 September, 2012(www.micamonline.com)
This international fair is dedicatedto mid-to-high and high-endfootwear. The show now opens onSundays to meet the needs ofItalian and international buyersand visitors
ISPO MUNICHNeue Messe München3 - 6 February, 2013
The international trade fair forsports equipment and fashion.Over 2,000 international exhibitorspresent the complete selection ofsporting goods, athletic footwearand fashions from the Outdoor,Ski, Action und PerformanceSports to more than 80,000visitors from over 100 countries.
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27 B & B 28/5/12 09:54 Page 1
28 Pallex 24/5/12 15:14 Page 1