Out On A Limb October/November 2010

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ISSUE 61 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010

News

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WHILE news reports areclaiming that the country’sfinances are looking up, mostpeople are still feeling thepinch – especially as we beginthe run up to Christmas.

Luckily there are a lot ofdesigners and brands out theretailoring their offerings to helpretailers attract even the mostreluctant customers.

This issue we speak to HelenRochfort whose collectable,pop-art inspired creations owemore to art than fashion.

We also feature the latest legal and business advice for retailers concerned about facing further financial challenges in the New Year.

Articles considering the prosand cons of pre-packadministration and tips onhow to prepare for January’sVAT changes will provide allthe information needed toplan an effective savingstrategy.

Finally, make sure you checkout our show round up,featuring Moda, Pure, GDS andBread and Butter.

We review the best bits of theseason’s shows and lookforward to what the biggestindustry events have plannedfor brands and retailers in2011.

Temptingby design

www.twitter.com/ooalmagazine

Shoes – The Musical has finallyopened at Sadler’s Wells theatre witha cast of 12 dancers performing inover 250 pairs of shoes fromLouboutins to Crocs.The show, composed by RichardThomas in his first large scaleproduction since Jerry Springer –The Opera, features 32 footwearinspired song and dance numbers.Stephen Mear, the show’s director,

said: “For this subject matter, andRichard Thomas’'s unique yet widevariety of songs and music, the otheringredient had to be dance.“So we have brought together totallydifferent variations of style, enablingus to bring to the show as muchdiversity through the dancers asRichard will bring through hiswonderful music.”Picture: Manuel Vason

Too many firmsrelying on tiredproducts – DragonBy Louise Cordell

RETAIL guru Theo Paphitis hasblamed the ‘shocking state’ of theBritish footwear industry on brandswho fail to move with the times.

Speaking at a product launch for theWedgeWelly brand, his latestDragon’s Den investment, he claimedthat too many companies are relyingon reproducing old and tiredproducts.

He said: “The footwear industry hasbeen in a shocking state for anumber of years now.

“But there will always be a marketfor things that are different.

“Who would have thought thatUggs or Crocs would be thephenomena that they turned out to be – it shows that if you don’t innovate then you will fail.

“The brands that have died a deathrecently are the ones who have beenputting out the same old thing foryears – even since I was a kid – andthat was many years ago!”

He has now invested £65,000 in toWedgeWelly and will be using hisretail expertise to guide the companythrough the challenges it faces as anew business while building andexpanding the brand.

He added: “I invest in people andthe people that came before mewere exciting and passionate.

“Then I just had to decide if theproduct was a goer and the answerwas a definite yes.

“My aim now is to let people knowabout the brand and the concept ofthe wedges.

“I believe that retailers should beinvesting in the boots because theyare something new and innovative.Independent stores are only going toget customers in if they are offeringsomething customers can’t pick upat the local supermarket.

“They need to have something thateveryone else hasn’t got – that’swhat makes the difference.”

Buyingevent inDubaiTRADE fashion and footwear event,Pure London, has joined forces withFrench trade show Who’s Next andPremiere Classe to host a buyingevent in Dubai. Middle East Fashion Days are set totake place October 19-21 2010 andPure London has announced that thenew collaboration will mean adedicated section for its exhibitorsover the three-day event. Pure Selection will form a special partof Middle East Fashion Days givingPure London’s fashion brands theopportunity to meet, network anddo business with buyers andconsumers across the Middle East.Brands who have already expressedintent to show include ZandraRhodes, James Lakeland, AlmostFamous, Lotus London, Sight Station,Beth Jordan, Bibi and AndrewMajtenyi. The event will take place in Dubai’shotel resort, the Madinat Jumeirahand will include three catwalk showsa day presenting the best ininternational designers, sponsored byFashion TV and L’Oreal. Creations bylocal designers will be on showalonside a mix of internationalproducts from Indian, Turkish andLebanese designers, as well asEuropean brands.

Lotus in VAT moveAT LEAST one footwear brand is tackling the VATchanges head on, with a pledge to reduce pricesfor retailers. Following the government’s decision to raise therate of VAT from 17.5 per cent to 20 per centfrom January 2011, Lotus has announced it plansto increase the base margin on its S/S11 collectionby lowering its prices to take into account the VATincrease.The brand has said it has taken these steps inorder to support its customers as they contemplateabsorbing the extra tax burden or suffering aninevitable fall in consumer demand if they pass thetax on. The key retail price points will also remainthe same to help retailers through what willundoubtedly be a very challenging period. Alan Scott, Lotus MD, said: “We could seeconsumer spend drop following the VAT increase,which will put added pressure on our retailers. Wewant to do everything we can to help.”Customers have pledged to reciprocate theirsupport by placing increased orders with Lotus forS/S11.

Spanish brand El Naturalista launched its first summer kids’collection at GDS and Micam this September.The 2011 summer collection is the second children’s shoerange designed by El Naturalista Kids.The 40 strong shoe range is made up of seven differentoutsoles, with several styles per line, all available in four orsix colors. True to the natural influence in their main range,the children’s designs are unique, fun and reflectiveenvironmental consciousness.

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Contents Issue 61 October/November 10

Great news ...

The ultimate winter boot

Celebrity goodies

Tights that won’t ladder

Helen bags style of her own

Cheeky look

Full round-up

What the VAT rise will mean

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27

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SalesTony Barry - Sales & Marketing Director

Beverley Green - Sales Manager

([email protected])

Advertising Contacts

Tel: 01226 734333 | Fax: 01226 734477

EditorialAndrew Harrod - Group Editor

Judith Halkerston - Group Deputy Editor

Louise Cordell - Editor

Christina Eccles - Reporter

Dominic Musgrave - Reporter

Editorial Contacts

Tel: 01226 734694 | Fax: 01226 734705Email: [email protected]

Design & ProductionStewart Holt - Studio Manager

([email protected])

Kyle Wilkinson - Design & Production

([email protected])

Circulation01226 734695 (24 hour hotline)

Email: [email protected]

GREAT news! The hugely successfulshoe company Paul Green, has madethe decision for a very selectiveincrease in its UK and Irelanddistribution.

Paul Green is famous amongstdiscerning shoe shops and consumersfor its excellent quality, superb fit andup-to-the minute styling.

However, perhaps of more interest toprospective UK and Irish customers isits unique Just In Time (JIT) productionphilosophy.

This philosophy means that instead ofthe normal two seasons per year, PaulGreen can have anything from four tosix seasons.

The customary main collection islaunched later than other brands butdue to 100 per cent European

production, still manages to bedelivered first to the retailer.

An example being that aspring/summer collection would beordered in October, with the firstdeliveries in December.

This timing allows the collection to beas relevant (hence profitable) to thecoming season as is possible. Inaddition to these key collections PaulGreen create bridge collections whoseselling time is specifically designed tospan what is traditionally a slowperiod for sales.

This means retailers can still have

relevant products over the latewinter/early spring and latesummer/early autumn time periodswhen normally all that is available isthe previous seasons sale goods.

This JIT philosophy, along with thepossibility of made to order repeatsavailable within three to four weeks,enables the modern retailer to controlstock levels and cash flow as efficientlyas possible.

If you feel that your business is forwardthinking and suitable to take advantage of thisopportunity, then contact Paul Green at the UK

office on 01604 686800 or e-mail them [email protected].

COVER STORY

NEWS

NEWS

SOCKS N STUFF

ACCESSORIES

ACCESSORIES

SHOWS

BUSINESS

The Just in Time philosophy

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News


EMU Australia have announcedthe development of waterresistant technology for theirspring/summer 2011 footwearcollection.

The water resistant sheepskin hasbeen introduced to all of thebrand’s styles across the collection,protecting them from water andreducing the risk of surfacestaining.

The water repellent has also beenadded through the tanningprocess rather than through aspray that sits on the surface ofthe boot and washes away as theboot wears – ensuring that theprotection lasts for the entire lifeof the boot.

Emma Thaxter, European SalesManager at Emu Australia, said:“We made the decision tointroduce the new technology intothe brand’s styles becausesheepskin is naturally very porous,and therefore is not the bestmaterial for rain or snow –contrary to popular belief.

“Since we now have worldwidedistribution in countries all around the world, including invery cold and wet climates, we felt that this treatment would create the ultimate winterboot.

“The response to the new linefrom customers and retailers hasbeen great – it has been a realpoint of difference for Emu, and inaddition to all of the otherfeatures and benefits of theproducts, we feel it makes us thebest sheepskin footwearavailable.”

The brand uses grade A qualityAustralian Borderlester/ Merinocross sheepskin to give the boottheir structure, as it is known forits blend of fine and thick pilefleece with a strong pelt.

Emma added: “I think that themove will convert critics whooften claim that sheepskin bootsare unpractical, as our productsare made from top quality skins,have fibreglass heel cups and have

The ultimate winter boot

dual density EVA/ thermal rubber soles – adding waterresistance to this means they offereverything.

“We are also always looking to seehow we can continue to developour product, so there will be evenmore to come in the future.”

Conferencecall to onlineretailersINDEPENDENT retailers who also sellonline are being encouraged toattend the Internet RetailingConference 2010.

The event, which will take place on12 October, aims to provide aplatform for the exchange of ideas,knowledge and experience to helpretailers maximise their presenceonline.

This year’s keynote presentation willsee three major names from theBritish high street – DSGi, Marks &Spencer and ebay – who will sharetheir insights, experience andchallenges of innovating in multi-channel retail.

Following the keynote presentations,the conference will split into threesimultaneous streams:

� Captivating the Customer, whichwill ask whether retail should beforgetting about channels anddevices and instead be concentratingon brand and the promises given tothe customer.

� Reaping What You Sow, which willconsider how to include new lines ofbusiness, especially the importantmobile channel.

� Making Cross-Channel Work,which will ask – as the lines betweenchannels are blurring, is retail able todeliver on its promises.

A NEW type of orthotic insoles,developed with the help of clinicaltrials with the Ministry of Defence,are now available to retailers aroundthe UK.

The manufacturer RightStride haspreviously produced bespokeorthotics for the NHS and for privateclinics, and has now branched outinto ‘off the shelf’ products forstores.

Bente Smith-Rewse, RightStride’sexecutive director, said: “We havecreated these orthotics by using aspecialised pressure measurementfoot scan to analyse gait.

“They were then tested in clinicaltrials with the Ministry of Defence –the study involved 400 people and itfound that injury rate was reducedby 78 per cent in those using theorthotics.”

The company used the results fromthe foot scans to categorise threedifferent foot types – flat, flat/normaland high arch, for their threedifferent orthotic types.

Bente added: “People don’t realisehow important it is that they lookafter their feet.

“Most have no idea what archheight they have, so even if they buysupportive insoles, they are usuallywearing the wrong type.

“For ours we have devised a simpletest so customers can buy the rightone.

“Depending on whether they can fittheir finger tip, half the finger or thewhole finger under their foot arch,their type is flat, flat/normal or high,respectively.”

The insoles are now used by theMoD and are part of soldiers’combat kit. They last them for morethan a year, so for a normal person’s

day to day use, they will last for twoto three years.

Bente added: “We have createdimpact and comfort orthotics whichare made for shoes like trainers andhiking boots, but there are also ‘slimfit’ designs which can be worn inbusiness shoes and heels for comfortand support.

“Both are produced using the latesthigh technology equipment – theyare insoles with a difference.”

New insoles are partof soldiers’ combat kit

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Hush Puppies attended this year’sT4 On The Beach music event inWeston Super-Mare to promote itslatest styles.

The brand set up a backstage

gifting lounge to show off the spring/summer 2011 range and the ‘Coming Soon’ 1958collection.

Celebrities including Pixie Lott, Tinie

Tempah, Gok Wan, AlexandraBurke and the Hollyoaks cast wereall presented with a pair of shoesand goody bags full of champagneand chocolates.

Tinie Tempah Pixie Lott Gok Wan

Goodies forthe celebs

Nation not happywith state of its feetHALF of the people in Britain areunhappy with the appearance oftheir feet, according to a new surveyfrom Scholl.

The study, conducted as part of thebrand’s ‘Keeping Britain on its Feet’campaign, has found that toes areparticularly hated, with 40 per centfinding them the least attractive partof the foot.

It also revelaed that 52 per cent ofpeople have cracked heels and that61 per cent of men never moisturisetheir feet.

Mark Crichley, SLL MD, said: “Thissurvey has taken a measure of thenation’s feet and we have found alot of pain and suffering.

“Scholl believes people should betterappreciate their hard working feet,which keep this country going.”

Victoria Beckham - well known forher soaring stilettos - was named asthe person with the worst feet in thenation and 67 thought she shouldhave urgent surgery to deal with herbunions.

However, despite the possible healthhazards, 81 per cent of women feelsexier wearing high heels - and sevenper cent have loved their shoes somuch that they have even wornthem to bed.

Half the nation has admitted tobuying a new pair of ill-fitting shoes- knowing they’d never becomfortable enough to wear and this

means that over 40 per cent alsocarry an extra pair of morecomfortable shoes around withthem.

The survey also revealed good newsfor retailers, as it showed that thenation is keen to buy even moreshoes with more than 75 per centwanting more money at the end ofthe month to spend on footwear.

The results should also give storeowners an idea of what to stock,showing that while the most covetedshoe labels for women aged 16 to40 are Jimmy Choo, ChristianLouboutin and Manolo Blahnik, 49per cent are not concerned aboutbrands or labels at all, and that thepreferred heel height for more thanhalf of women is one to two inches.

Market hostsfree eventsLONDON’S historic Old SpitalfieldsMarket has hosted five days of free,fashion events.

The market, which is well known forits fashion designers and retailersconstructed a 30ft long catwalk as a focal point for theweek’s events – a collaborationbetween retailers, designers and hairand beauty specialists.

Andrew Sparrow, events manager atOSM, said: “This is the perfectexample of how everyone can cometogether and celebrate thewonderful and diverse fashionoffering that our shops and marketstalls have.”

Retailers that took part include DrMartens, Agnes B, Jigsaw and Luluand Lush, and displayed their piecesin an Alice and Wonderland themedMad Hatter’s Tea Party.

There was also a Swishing event,where ladies dropped off unwantedgarments, shoes and accessories inthe morning – then returned later inthe day to choose someone else's.

Finally, up-and-coming designersfrom the market and surroundingareas were given the chance todisplay their style on the OSMcatwalk, all modelled andchoreographed by students from the London School ofModelling.

Fashion Press Week launchedA NEW fashion press day concepthas been launched with the aimof collectively showcasing a widerange of key brands, all in oneplace.

Fashion Press Week will be takingplace at the Saatchi Gallery inNovember with displays ofspring/summer 2011 collectionsfrom the biggest fashion,

footwear and accessory names.

The event will be open to British and International pressand the concept will then go onto be launched in New York,Milan and Paris for futureseasons.

Sam Fearn, who came up withthe idea, said: “As most people

know, press are invited to 500press days each season and insome cases over 40 in one dayalone.

“With this number growingseason on season, Fashion PressWeek will ensure brands arereviewed by all the key fashionand retail media.”

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Launch party for WedgeWellyBy Louise Cordell

THE team behind WedgeWellies havebeen celebrating their success onBBC2 show Dragon’s Den with ahigh-profile launch party.

The brand was born out offrustration from the lack of practicaland fashionable footwear availablefor girls to wear at music festivalsand the entrepreneurs came up witha boot design that incorporates a 2.5inch wedge and follows the latestcatwalk trends for surface prints.

After appearing on the show theysecured a £65,000 investment fromretail guru Theo Paphitis, inexchange for a 25 per cent share ofthe business.

Mike Longthorn, WedgeWellydirector, said: “We decided to go onDragon’s Den because, while wewere growing quite quickly andgetting contracts with big names likeNew Look and YSL, we needed tohave the finance and capital to beable to cope with the orders.

“Appearing on the show was verydaunting, it was quite frightening tobe going up in front of businesspeople of that calibre. We had afantastic result, getting a couple ofoffers, but we really wanted Theo forhis retail experience and I think wegot the best deal possible.”

Theo Paphitis attended the launch

party to celebrate with the team andsaid: “I found the enthusiastic teamat WedgeWelly an inspiration andbelieve that the business has greatpotential.

“When making an investment, thepeople are more important than theproduct.

“The great benefit in this case is thatthey also have a very excitingproduct that is well-designed to be

both practical and stylish.”

The brand’s celebration party alsogave the team a chance to launch anew WedgeWelly Curve range forwider fittings as well as show off anew sheepskin prototype design.

Mike added: “We are really keen toshow off all our products and letstores know that investing in theboots will give them a real boost –they provide exclusivity and also sit

well alongside lots of other productsand I think that is why retailers have welcomed them with open arms.

“Now we have this investment thesky is the limit for us.

“We have always had big ambitions,and aimed to sell the productnationwide and even worldwide –now we believe anything ispossible.”

The WedgeWelly family Picture: The Hull Daily Mail

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News


Best known brands distributed across the country

Muckboots:

As well as being 100 per centwaterproof and very light andflexible, Muckboots offer morewarmth, comfort and support thanyou will experience with anyother footwear. The neoprene will stretch to fitalmost any calf and can be rolleddown for ventilation in hotweather and for easy handsfree removal. A wide range of general andspecialist wellies and shoesare available.

The Full Monty Harlequins:

An incredibly fun, fashionablewelly in a range of beautifulcolours at an amazing price.

With a plain ‘hunting style’ top inblack or brown, elastic insert andgently padded lining, theHarlequins inject somethingcompletely new into the footwearmarket.

Superlites:

Superlites are ideal for those whodislike the clumpiness oftraditional wellies.

They are made from one piece ofEVA, a polymer that iswaterproof, self insulating andhighly durable but is also soft,flexible and incrediblylightweight.

The boot will mould to thewearer’s foot over time andsupport it all day.

With a range of heights, coloursand soles to choose from, there isa style to suit every requirement.

For more information call:

01335 372600,

e-mail: [email protected]

or visit: www.belstane.com.

BELSTANE are proud to distribute some of thebest known brands across the equestrian andcountry market and cater for all footwear needs.

Greta

Clouds

£1m investedas new showis launchedPURE London has announced thelaunch of a new show for February2011.

The event, Pure Spirit, will runalongside Pure London and will aimto attract a new selection of fashionindustry buyers and retailers.

A total of £1m has been invested inthe new show, which will featuregenerational zones for upcominglabels, branded catwalks, parties,seminars and bands, and over 150top brands are getting ready to signup and exhibit.

It is hoped that the expansion planswill benefit Pure London’s currentvisitor base, while also creating astronger identity for young fashionretails. To help with this, buses willrun between the two locations everyseven minutes to ensure easy accessto both shows.

Samantha Bleasby, event director,said: “August 2010 saw Pure Londondeliver the most ever visitors, taking

the event to another level.

“We also discovered that 81 per centof young fashion buyers wouldprefer a show with a fresh, bespokeidentity.

“With international visitors up 27 percent, the expansion of Pure Londonand the launch of Pure Spirit willcontinue this momentum and growoverseas visitors further. The newlaunch will allow us to fulfill thedemand from even more brands whowish to take part in a London fashiontrade event and will give more focusand identity to the young fashionindustry.”

On top of this, the layout for nextseason’s Pure London is set to berefreshed and re-edited in order tofeature more brands and better caterto their requests. Several areas of theshow are also set to grow further,including Pure Premium, which waslaunched last season, contemporarywomenswear and footwear.

FOOTWEAR brand Sole has launcheda new hybrid shoe that moulds tothe wearer’s unique foot shape as itis worn.

The ‘Exhale’ is a slipper/shoe hybridthat can be worn indoors or outsideand can also be worn as a shoe or asa slip on due to its fold down heelpanel.

The mouldable design means thatthe whole foot is supported, with anadjustable arch height and a deepheel cup that provides lateral stabilityand neutral alignment.

This creates 100 per cent contactacross the foot to ensure evenweight distribution and shockabsorption.

Shoe moulds to foot shape

Pop-up store attracts shoe loversSHOE lovers are flocking toLondon’s West End in order tovisit Manolo Blahnik’s pop-upstore in one of the capital’s mostfamous shops.

The World of Manolo has openedat Carnaby’s Liberty – it is thefirst time the Spanish designer’s

shoes have gone on sale in the UK outside one of his ownshops.

Mr Blahnik said: “I love thepeople who run the building and I love the things they sell inthis building, so that's why I'mhere.”

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Call for supportfor walkingfundraisersBy Louise Cordell

A PAIR of fundraisers are calling onanyone involved in the footwearindustry to support them in a bid tocomplete the Wainwright Coast toCoast Walk.

Ken Gray and David Jameson of Tand A Footwear in Leicester aretaking on the challenge in order toraise £50,000 for Footwear Friends, acharity that provides financialassistance to people who haveworked in the shoe trade but havefallen on hard times.

They aim to complete the 192-milelong walk, which runs across theNorth of England from St Bees inCumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay inYorkshire in just 14 days.

Ken said: “The footwear industry has been kind to me and after many years I felt now would be a good time to put somethingback.

“I have enjoyed traveling to manycountries over the years and as Icould never resist the local cuisine,I’ve struggled to shed the pounds.

“Now is the time to do somethingabout it and as a result I havedecided to take on this challenge.

“Physical exercise is not somethingthat has played a big part in my life, so training to lose weight and be fit enough to complete thedistance is going to be a seriouseffort.

“To help us reach our target, we arealso trying to encourage as manypeople as possible from the industryto come and join us at any timeduring our walk.”

T and A Footwear are sponsoring thecosts of organising the walk toensure that all the money donatedgoes to those in need and asking as many people as possible to get involved by making acontribution.

David said: “After a 12-month breakconcentrating on riding out therecession I’ve strangely missed thediscomforts and challenges thrownat me when raising money forFootwear Friends.

“I am looking forward to thischallenge for a number of differentreasons – not least getting as much sponsorship as possible andknowing what a difference I havebeen able to make for the charity’sbeneficiaries.”

This season’s Switchflop range includes the special edition ‘Ida’, created to raise awareness of breast cancer. The line has been named after creator Lindsay Phillips’ grandmother and features pink ruffled straps with a decorative rosetteand a gold base embossed with the breast cancer ribbon logo. For each pair purchased, 25 per cent of the profits will be donated to the ‘Walk the Walk’ breast cancer charity.

Training course launchedTHE British Footwear Association hasannounced the launch of a new,industry led technical training course. The BFA Foundation Course inFootwear Technology is an initiativeaimed at raising the profile and competencies of technicaltrainees. A number of leading employers havealready nominated trainees toparticipate in the 12-monthprogramme and those who completeit will receive a BFA accreditedcertificate. Richard Kottler, BFA chief executive,said: “It is generally acknowlegedthat technical staff constitute the biggest skills shortage in theindustry. “Following consultation with theindustry and with training

organisations, the BFA decided that the only sure way to meet this crisis in competency was to introduce a course that would become the industrystandard.”

To create the course, over 25 key footwear companies met with the BFA and SATRA to agree a syllabus for trainees and theselection of accredited trainingproviders to manage differentmodules.

Richard added: “What makes thiscourse unique is that it has been puttogether by the industry itself, withinput from training providers, andnot the other way around.

“This has harnessed an incredibleamount of enthusiasm from withinthe trade.”

Odour beater on award shortlistAN ultraviolet sports pack thateliminates odour from the users’shoes has been shortlisted in theJames Dyson Design awards.

The designer, Canadian studentRahim Bhimani, has created arechargeable battery poweredathletic bag, which uses UV light towipe out the bacterial that causesshoes to smell.

To use it, two UV hubs are places inside the shoes, which are then sealed inside the bag to protect the users eyes from thelight.

Rahim said: “I was inspired whileconducting surveys and interviewwith varsity athletes at my university,who expressed concern about thehygiene and smell of their footwearafter extended periods of physicalactivity.

“Many of these athletes hadrecurring issues with athlete’s foot and fungi and had resorted to sprays and powders, which merely masked the problemtemporarily.

“I thought it made sense to look into

the power andbenefits of UVlight inpermanentlyeliminatingbacteria andodour fromathleticfootwear.”

Whiledeveloping theproduct, Rahimcarried outresearchincludingvisitingpodiatrists tolearn moreabout feet and what causes footodour and liaised with his university’sphysics department to learn more about the properties of UVlight.

He added: “During my research Iobserved athletes and their shoesafter hours of physical activity and it became abundantly clear that a viable solution simply did notexist.

“Further study showed that athleteswere more concerned with the

problem of shoe odour rather thanwet shoes and that there was a needfor a product specially designed withathletes in mind.

“My final challenge was to makesure that the light would not bevisible to the user, so I thereforedecided to conceal the technology ina trendy sports bag.”

The James Dyson Foundation will announce the global winner ofthe design awards on October 52010.

INDIE focussed footwearbrand J Shoes has announceda new money-saving schemefor the spring/summer 2011season.

It is offering its account base an exclusive 2.5 percent discount on all SS11forward orders alongside astandard mark up of 2.5 percent.

The brand is also offering inseason stock, bespoke POSpackaging and an earlysettlement discount forretailers.

The new collection combinesa range of materials withvintage touches, includingcut out uppers, tassles andlace for women and dirty,dressed down styling formen.

Brand indiscountexclusive

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New Products


EQUITY’S spring/summer 2011collection is a breath of fresh air forcustomers frustrated in theirattempts to find a smart wide-fittingcourt shoe for special occasions.

Stylish and chic with fine detailing,Equity’s sandals are the perfectaccessory for weddings, christeningsand summer balls.

Skillfully fashioned on wide fittinglasts with a wide choice of heelheights, these sandals look classicallyelegant while allowing feet ampleroom to feel comfortable and fresh

and all day long.

To complete the look, a co-ordinatedhandbag is a perfect profitopportunity for you and a furtherproblem solved for your customer.

Shown here are shimmering Sarah,Stephanie and Gabriel in iridescentpearl and porcelain patent – all at atrade price of just £26.45.

For more details of Equity’s sandals, shoesand handbags, please call your local

representative or Padders Sales on: 01536534999.

Solving the wide-fit problem

OVERSIZE technology hasrevolutionised many sports such asgolf, tennis and skiing.

Hoka is now using an oversize midsole for its new range of running andwalking footwear.

In sports that involve travellingdownhill such as skiing andmountain biking this is where thefun happens, however for runnersand walkers this can be where thepain starts with stress and shocksplaced on the joints.

Hoka footwear allows you to runand walk faster downhill with lesspain and a lot more fun.

Efficiency has been proved in ultrarunning races with over 20 podiumsin less than a year from international

athletes such as Karl Meltzer, LudoPommeret and Nicolas Mermoud.

HOKA Mafate trail running shoe hasa RRP of £120 and is available inmen’s and women’s fit.

For more information call Steve Couper atSidas UK Limited on: 01539 725817, fax:

01539 725845 or e-mail:[email protected]

Oversize mid sole offersless pain and more fun Gant Footwear for spring/summer 2011 for kids sees a focused collection including classic

deck shoes in navy and brown leathers for boys and a red/white combination for girls.Canvas product is available in a wide range of colours, pink, denim, navy and sand, andballerinas and flip flops in summer brights complete the collection.

SPANISH company Art Footwear willlaunch their first kids’ collection atthe Moda trade show in February2010, and will be in store in Julylater that year.

The 156-strong shoe range is madeup of five different outsoles, withthree styles per line, all available insix colours. True to the urbaninfluence in their main range, thechildren’s designs are unique, funand reflective of city life.

In addition, there will be designs inbasic black, brown and navy for the‘back to school’ diffusion.

The kids collection will be producedin Spain where The Art Companycurrently produces approximately onemillion pairs of shoes a year.

A new division has been set upwithin the organisation to create thekids’ collection, which has beenunder development for some time.

Unique, fun and reflective of city life

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New Products

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One of Brazil’s biggest names in women’sfootwear, Piccadilly, has presented itsspring/summer 2011 collection at Moda.

The brand is aiming to regain its presencein the British market by proving thatcustomers do not have to sacrifice fashion

for comfort.This season the collection is divided intofour conceptual groups that representdifferent moods – Contemporary, Fashion,Classic and Maxi Therapy.

THE new Scholl AW10 collection re-interprets basic lines and essentialstyles with original shapes and materialsto propose a new footwear aesthetic.

Innovative design and styling, are acombination of simple elements withnew casual shapes for everydaywearability.

Scholl Contemporary is theconcentration of personality whichexpresses itself through casual anddistinctive styles for a woman whowants to live her day with practicality,comfort and to feel great – a completerange for an easy refined look.

Worth a look, within the collection isthe line characterised by a country-chiclook for women who want tocommunicate their femininityconfidently, by wearing boots with avintage feel.

The collection ranges from suppleleathers and suede in earthy colours tothe black and occasional highlights likefuchsia and blue for a spark of vitality.

Innovativedesign andstyling ...

Patent filed for Backto the Future lacesSHOE lovers who rememberstaring in wonder at Marty McFly’sAir Mags are looking forward toNike’s latest offering.

The brand has finally filed thelong-awaited patent for poweredauto-lace shoes, similar to thosefeatured in the 80s’ film classicBack to the Future.

The patent has been lodged atthe World Intellectual Property

Organisation describing an‘automatic lacing system’.

It shows a powerpack within theshoe that tightens the lacesaround the foot when a buttonon the side of the shoe is pressed.

The design also features an‘automatic ankle cinching system’,configured to adjust the ankleportion of the trainer.

Brand launches trainer rangewith price tag of £1,535FOLLOWING the launch of JimmyChoo Uggs, fans of comfortablefashion footwear can startcelebrating again.

Christian Louboutin, one of theworld’s most coveted footwearbrands, has announced plans tobring out a range of trainers.

However, the price of the hi-tops isanything but practical, with a crystaland suede ‘Louis Veau’ encrustedpair for £1,535 and leopard printversions for £595.

The range will be sold exclusively atHarvey Nichols and ChristianLouboutin stores.

13 21/9/10 15:39 Page 1

Kids


14

FEET-huggable Podlers have beendesigned with tiny tots' little feet inmind, made with super-squashableleathers, breathable linings andlightweight and flexible rubbersoles.The Podlers SS11 collection holdshost to its brightest and boldestcollection yet, with innovative rubberdesign features. The collection is also expanding intoa wider size range from a tiny 21 togenerous 31. In addition to Eclipse (pictured) newstyles include Orbit the rubber toe-bumper shoe perfect for mischievous

toddlers and Earth, the limitededition suede desert boot.

For more information call: 01234 240 440.

e-mail: [email protected] or visit:

www.pod-footwear.com

With little feet in mind ...

Designs from the Bobux brand aim tolet children’s feet develop free fromrestriction, while protecting them insoft, flexible leather that moves andbreathes naturally.The company works closely with footdevelopment specialists andpodiatrists and are recommended bythe American Podiatric MedicalAssociation as ideal shoes for anactive toddler’s feet.I-Walk Pre and First Walkers cater forkid’s feet as they start to take theirfirst steps and walk confidently. Thehighly flexible shoes allow for naturalfoot movement and are available in arange of classic designs with amodern twist.New styles for summer 2011 areDesert Boots in tan and navy and newPrincess t-bars and classic sandals.

WHEN taking big responsibility forlittle feet, the Superfit developmentteam pays close attention to the feetof youngsters in order to offer theright products to meet their needsand wishes.

The theme of nature inspires thecolours, shapes, materials and detailsof Superfit’s spring/summer 2011collection.

The nature line of first walkerscombines chrome-free nappa leatherwith canvas for a natural effect andlace-up models all have linen-lookshoelaces and natural-looking cork-style soles.

The city look for the summer has lotsof white, with shades of grey, muted

metallics for a futuristic hint, andshiny silver.

Superfit is also offering freshballerina styles, including new soleswith sporty toe caps lifted at thefront, sporty shapes with a small heeland a metallic sole finish.

Meeting needs and wishes

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News


Shoe lovers and retailers now have the chance to create their own footwear collections thanks to the launch of anew website. Upperstreet.com provides hundreds of style and material options together with a helpful adviceservice, giving everyone the chance to turn designer for a day.

USING Upperstreet.com meansthat you can design any shoe, ina vast range of styles, heelheights, colours and fabrics, injust seven steps. Sisters Katy and Julia Grinhamcame up with the idea for thesite after Katy splashed out on apair of bespoke heels to matchher wedding dress. Julia said: “My sister had alwayshad trouble finding shoes to fither big feet! So when she gotmarried and had a pair custommade, she fell in love with theexperience. “Soon she’d started getting allher footwear that way, theyalways looked great and westarted thinking it would be awonderful idea for a business.”Julia’s business background wasinternet based, so it was anatural step to take thecompany online and aftermonths of planning andresearch the site was launchedin March. The pair brought in a team ofexperts to take care of thedesign technicalities, includingRosa Fior, a leading shoedesigner who has previouslyworked for designers includingPaul Smith and Emma Hope. Julia added: “This type of designwas a brand new challenge forRosa, because she had to lookat things in a different way,designing the shoes and thendeconstructing them becausewe needed elements that wouldwork in any combination. “In the end she came up with abeautiful range – no matterwhat combinations you come upwith it is practically impossible to

Seven stepsto turningdesigner

UPPERSTREET.COM are now givingretailers a chance to get in on thedesign act by offering them thechance to design their own rangeand order them wholesale.

The site is offering store owners anexclusive design service to guidethem on style, finish and fit in order to create a unique collection to attract new custom.

Julia said: “We have been speaking to several independent retailers about creating their own designs and are currently producing samples for a high end bridal footwear store.

make an ugly shoe!”They also had to work hard toovercome the many other challengesof selling bespoke footwear on line,ranging from the length ofturnaround time to the issues of fitand alterations. However, their approach has paid offand, six months in, they are yet toreceive a single piece of negativefeedback. Julia added: “The response fromcustomers has been unbelievable –better than we ever thought it wouldbe.“People have been blown away by it,because it is giving them optionsthat they’ve never had before.”The site is now expanding based onfeedback from customers anddemand means they will beintroducing a new lower heel optionon all designs before Christmas.They are also planning on launchinga site blog with the aim of givingpeople the confidence andinspiration they need to make theirdesigns a reality. Julia added: “We didn’t realise howmuch support and guidance peoplewould need – many customers comeup with lots of designs, and then e-mail us because they don’t knowwhich pair to chose.“They are scared of makingmistakes, so we want to keephelping them and providing adviceto help them get their ideal design.”

Katy and JuliaGrinham

“Our aim is to make it easy foranyone to design their ownshoes – so why not storeowners too?

“Normally it is extremely difficultfor an individual or smallcompany to get a range ofshoes designed and made, but

by taking a co-brandedapproach with us, all the

hassle can be avoided.

“From a businessperspective everyone

wins, and the boutiqueswe are working withreally feel it will givethem an edge in difficultfinancial times.”

Designer opportunity

16 21/9/10 15:00 Page 1


News

17

BRITISH outdoor footwear specialist, Carn, hasannounced a new collaboration with presenter andadventurer Ben Fogle.

A range designed with the outdoor enthusiast in mind,the Ben Fogle collection will include a mid-cut boot andan urban trail shoe, both constructed using proventechnologies and the latest in environmentally friendlymaterials.

Ben Fogle said: “I am hugely excited to be launching thisrange in conjunction with Carn.

“Having travelled extensively across some highlydemanding terrain, I know only too well that the rightfootwear makes all the difference. I wanted to use thisexperience to create a range which was up to that taskand working with Carn I have been given the freedom todesign the shoes the way I wanted them to be.

“Together we have created a range of functionalproducts which are fit for the hills but also stylish enoughfor urban life – I can’t wait to start on the nextcollection.”

The new styles will be in stock for retailers forspring/summer 2011 and Richard Dean, Carn’s founderand director added: “To be asked to develop a specificrange of footwear with someone of Ben’s prominenceand passion for the outdoors has been a fabulousopportunity.

“We first met with Ben and his team over a year ago andsince then we have been working hard to put together a

compact product line reflecting the high quality thatretailers and consumers have come to expect.

“Drawing on his many experiences and adventures, Benhas been a key source of inspiration throughout theproduct design and development stages which hasenabled us to create a range of products that meets ourbrand ethos – to design and deliver products that aresuitable for all walks in life.”

Ben Fogle

Ben launches range inconjunction with Carn

More thanjust a boardHEELYS has announced the launch ofits Nano in-line foot board which canbe used with any Fats of Mega styleHeelys.

The new product has beenundergoing testing for over a year,including assessment from topparkour athletes Jonathan andThomas Tapp.

Thomas said: “The free foot allowsme to brake and perform basicparkour movements quite easily.

“This type of freedom makes theNano more than just a board – youcan perform ground tricks and grind,but you can also efficiently cruisethrough your environment andfreeboard over obstacles at a highrate of speed and control.”

Rick Groesch, vice president of brandengagement at Heelys, claimed thatthe Tapp brothers' experience withparkour made them a natural fit fortesting the board.

He said: “Parkour requires a greatdeal of creativity and athleticism.

“The Tapps were able to bring theirunique perspective to testing theNano to help ensure that we weredelivering a product that would onceagain revolutionize the way peopleskate.”

17 21/9/10 15:01 Page 1

TLC


18

Following on from the success oflast summer’s ladies removablefootbed sandals, come two newdesigns from Padders – Glamourand Glint.

Both have removable insoles,perfect for inserting bespokeorthoses and Glamour has theadded advantage of a back in to

help keep the foot stable andsecure.

Made in a wide fitting, withpatent leather uppers, adjustabletouch and close straps and alightweight PU outsole – thesesandals score highly on the TLCscale.

SCHOLL has launched a new shoethat moisturises your feet with everystep.

The HydraStep Sandal contains aspecial built-in gel footbed thatslowly releases softening ingredientsto the skin on your feet while you goabout your daily routine.

Scholl Sr. brand manager CarolineGreen said: “This is the perfectfootwear for the busy woman whocares about her feet. With the newScholl HydraStep Sandal, your feetare gently moisturised with everystep.

“The new HydraStep Sandal is justone more example of how Scholl isalways innovating and using thelatest technology to help womenachieve healthy, attractive feet.”

The Scholl footbed is comprised oftwo layers: a gel of gentle naturalemollients, Vitamin E and delicate

fragrance, and the insole – madefrom a soft and breathable bambooand charcoal textile.

The new HydraStep Sandal isrecommended as part of a dailyskincare regime for women who careabout their feet, as well as thosewho are too busy to spend timepampering. With its moisturisingbenefits, it can help women feelmore confident about the skin ontheir feet – particularly in the lead upto the summer months.

It is easy to walk in and comfortable,with its anatomically shaped footbedand anti-slip sole, and Schollrecommends you wear theHydraStep Sandal from one to twohours a day to fully appreciate itsbenefits.

Available in three colours – black,white and fuchsia – it comes in sizes4/5, 6/6.5 and 7/8.

Moisturisingyour feet withevery step ...

18 21/9/10 16:08 Page 1


TLC

19

HUSH Puppies, the brand known for creating the world’s first casual shoe, have launched a newconcept collection called The BodyShoe.

The collection for men and womenoffers athletic-inspired casuals from sandals to heels all of which feature Hush Puppies’ unique new comfort system thateffectively enhances the walkingmotion and makes it easier, notharder, to walk.

The Body Shoe collection isengineered with Hush Puppies BioBevel technology that is a bevelledheel and toe that increases walkingefficiency by encouraging an easier,smoother and more natural walkingmotion.

Exceptional fit is achieved by usingprecise moulds that are anatomically

correct so that every Body Shoeproperly envelops the foot forultimate comfort.

Multi-density footbeds with Ortholitefoam in the arch and Poron foam inthe heel and ball of the foot providecomplete support and enhancedcushioning.

An advanced climate control systemcomposed of Ortholite foamfootbeds features in every Body Shoe which wicks away moisture,reducing heat build up and keeping the foot cool, dry andcomfortable.

The Body Shoe Collection is due tohit stores nationwide in October2010.

For more information visit:www.hushpuppies.com/uk or call sales

contact Andy Cockayne on 0207 8600100

Enhancing the walking motion

DASCO’S stylish new “lifestyle”graphics, which were so wellreceived last year, are now to be used on their insoles’packaging.

The new design personalisesinsoles, illustrating activities thatyour customers will automaticallyassociate with their lives and theirfootwear – from smart andformal to casual, outdoor shoesand boots.

Dasco insoles are made from highquality, natural materials.

These include: Fine, luxury leather

– natural and white, foam cushioned for extracomfort;

Soft latex foam – extracushioning comfort, perfumed foradded freshness;

Soft, fleecy lambswool – keepsfeet snug and warm, foamcushioned for added comfort andextra hard wearing cork –comfortable and durable.

All Dasco’s insoles are treated with anti-bacterialSanitized® to help prevent footodour.

Stylish new packaging

19 Right Stride 22/9/10 15:45 Page 1

Socks


Authenticheritage is thekey theme forCamel Active’sspring /summersock collection.The focus ofthe designs ison durabilityandfunctionality ina range of coloursand styles. Theseinclude wash-care labelsocks, worker socks, ribbed sportsocks, slub socks and sort leg socks.

Italian brand Levante have introduced new sheer tights that won’t ladder. New technologyused in producing the Resistenza Five line means that even if the wearer ‘catches’ the tights,the hole will not run into a ladder. The five denier tights are available in two natural shades,black and nearly black and are now being made available to retailers around the UK.

Relaunch forwaterproofsports sockSEALSKINZ has relaunched itswaterproof sports sock to giveplayers an edge by protecting theirfeet from the cold and wet thiswinter.

Re-named as P3, the waterproofsports sock is ideal for football,hockey, rugby and any other pitchsport where players are often playingin the cold and rain sodden ground.

Made with SealSkinz patentedtechnology, P3 socks are the mosttechnologically advanced socks onthe market and work using a three-layer construction.

Designed to be worn next to the skinwith or without a shin pad, theyoffer waterproof, breathable,windproof and close-fittingprotection to keep players’ feetwarm, dry and free from blisters.

Andrew Dahl, SealSkinz MD said:“We received a lot of positivefeedback from users of the originalfootball sock, and found that it waspopular with a variety of pitch-sportplayers.

“Following this, we decided torebrand and repackage our sportssock to highlight the benefits of thesock to a wider audience ofsportsmen and women.

“Normal socks are notoriously low-tech, uncomfortable and offer noprotection against wet and coldconditions.

“The P3 will mean no more wet andcold feet this winter and thetechnology will make a hugedifference to the enjoyment of thosewho play through the wintermonths.”

Matching socks ...THE latest collections from TN_29and Tracey Neuls footwear havebeen launched with designsfeaturing sliced leather, pony skin,vegetable dyes, catfish, gloveleather and horse tail hair.

To accompany the shoes, there isalso a new selection of socks andtights, ranging from pulled wool totrompe l'oeil designs, lace, silkand elegant wool constructions –all created to match the footwearstyles.

eTailer successONLINE hosiery expertsMyTights.com are celebrating afterbeing named Best Specialist eTailer2010 at the Drapers Awards. Judges said: “This pure-play eTailerwas a clear winner, not only due tothe selection of product on offer, butfor the clean design, layout andusability of the site.” The aim of the site is to make buyingtights easy, with a range spanningeveryday essentials to the hottestfashion hosiery trends.

Cervin are a French luxuryhosiery brand who have beenproducing that epitome ofvintage glamour, stockings, forover a century.Still using the originalmachines, they continue toprovide fully fashioned purenylons stockings, silkstockings, and cosmeticseamed and RHT nylons in arange of fashion colours.This year they have addedopaque seamed hosiery, a silkfully fashioned hold-up, and arange of fashion tightsincluding cashmere and silk.

20 21/9/10 15:02 Page 1

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accessories


UK designer Helen Rochfort has won fans from all over the world with her limited edition handbags, inspired byeverything from Sindy dolls to chocolate bars. She is now planning a series of new collaborations in order to ‘pushthe boundaries of what a bag is’ – Out On A Limb found out more.

Helen bagsher own styleHELEN Rochfort creates quirky framebox clasped handbags in a widerange of vintage and pop art styles.

She set up the HRH brand threeyears ago with the aim of focusingher wider design experience on anexclusive accessories line.

She said: “I have always lovedhandbags and have been collectingstatement pieces from otherdesigners for years – two of my alltime favourites are in the shapes of aradio and a watering can.

“When I came to design my own Idecided to focus on my love ofcolour and pop art to create timelesspieces.

“I have never really followed fashion,so I don’t try to keep up withseasonal trends, I just follow my ownstyle.”

The statement bags are all handfinished and feature a signature pinksatin interior with a fabric HRH logo.

New designs are limited edition andcome with an authenticated andnumbered certificate, but alongsidethese there is a core range of bestsellers that are available all yearround.

Helen added: “I have found thatbecause the bags are such individualpieces, they don’t need to fit into thetraditional summer/winter collectionpattern and this means that we can

run designs for longer – forexample we have some thathave been best sellers for nearlythree years now.

“I try to avoid being in fashion– because that just means thatsoon you will be out of fashion!

“Instead, when I am designingthe bags I treat them like pieces ofart – the box of the bag is theframe and then I create thegraphics and visuals to matchthat.”

Helen often collaborates with otherbrands and artists to create newdesigns, including a recent capsulecollection using work from renowned

photo realist painter SarahGraham and an exclusive, limitededition range of 200 chocolatescented ‘Wonka Bar’ bags.

She has also just confirmed anofficial collaboration withPedigree Toys to produce arange of officially endorsedSindy doll bags, which willfeature the character in an arrayof different outfits andlocations.

Helen added: “I love doingcollaborations, for example withSarah Graham and an exclusiveWizard of Oz design for Harrods lastChristmas.

“I am always on the lookout for thenext new thing and it helps me keepcoming up with new ideas.

“I enjoy pushing the boat out whenit comes to design, for example withthe scented bags and I would love tocreate musical bags as well – I like tothink of things that will get areaction and I want to push theboundaries of what a bag is.”

Helen attributes her inspiration to a ‘childlike instinct’, but the designs have won her fansof all ages on top of demand from her main customer base of 25 to 44 year olds.

Many find it difficult to stop afterbuying just one bag and she hearsfrom many client ‘collectors’ whohave filled their wardrobes with arange of HRH styles.

Helen added: “Fans of the brandsend us pictures of themselves withtheir bag and we have even heardfrom one lady who has built a specialshelf in her bedroom to display allher styles on.

“It’s great to know that people love

what they see.”

22 21/9/10 15:03 Page 1

ISSUE 61 OCTOBE/NOVEMBER 2011

accessories

23

The Sukie Lau collection forautumn/winter 2010 is allabout colour and creativity.The pieces have beendesigned to be comfortableto wear and easy topersonalise in a mix andmatch style.The jewellery is all fashionedfrom real semi-preciousstones, coloured to thedesigners specifications andthen made by hand.Sukie Lau is the creation ofjewellery designer RachelParkin and has now reachedits sixth season collection.

FOLLOWING an enthusiastic responseto its first bag collection, TheChesterfield Brand has now launchedits follow-up range. The second collection features highquality leather and buttons, creatingthe same look and feel as thebrand’s furniture but with afashionable twist. Viona van Dijk, designer, said: “Onthe one hand the Chesterfieldcollection is timeless due to itsleather and familiar authentic EnglishChesterfield style. “On the other hand tough detailsprovide a cheeky look that makesthe collection exciting and never outof fashion. I design for youngwomen who want to seal theirsuccess, ambition or performancewith a timeless style icon.”

Cheeky look

Posh Wellies will be exhibiting their lateststyles at Boutique this month.

ECO-fashion company LittleEarth will beexhibiting its latest products at Boutique.

The latest range includes the FenderFlair –the first LittleEarth handbag to fullydisplay the brand’s signature licence plates

as minature works of art.

The product features two licence plates,crystallised twist closures, hundreds ofSwarovski crystals, a lined velvet interiorand a recycled rubber strap.

Works of art on a plate

Name a bag and win a designer bag LONDON handbag designerAnya Sushko has launched afashion competition to celebrateher spring/summer 2011collection. The contest is called ‘My Nameis Fashion: Name a Bag by AnyaSushko’ and a designer handbag

worth £750 will be awarded tothe winner of the most originalnaming suggestion for a bagfrom the new range. Entries are to be submitted viathe competition form on AnyaSushko’s website:www.anyasushko.com.

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accessories


Belts from Chatham Marine’s latest collection include the men’s style Porta, featuring cottonwebbing stripes with buffalo brown leather tabs and an antique style silver buckle andwomen’s style Sabrina, which is available in green/cream and airforce blue/cream.

Eel skin accessory specialist Makki has launched an autumn/winter collection thatcombines glam rock and art deco influences.New for the season is a range of day bags and gloves, created with the help of anItalian designer, as well as a new salmon skin line.The Butterfly collection uses feathers and studs and the Glam Deco range featuresstriking woven eel skin.

26 22/9/10 15:02 Page 1


Show round-up

27

THE organisers of Blackpool Showare gearing up for a new event inJanuary, following the success oftheir first July exhibition. The show, organised by ConradDempsey and Shaun Moreley, isopen to footwear wholesalers fromaround the UK and aims toshowcase the best new andestablished brands.Conrad said: “July’s event was verywell received – it was the first timewe had held a show at that time ofyear, but there was a very good

turnout. “We have always traditionally doneJanuary shows – but they were sucha success we thought why not startdoing July as well. “It is mainly the same brandsshowing, but it gives them thechance to exhibit their newcollections.”At the July show there were 19exhibitors, with most of theseshowing upwards of ten brands andthe next shows will be taking placeJanuary 22-24 and July 16-18

2011. Conrad added: “Our aim is for theshows to be informal, social events,mixing business and pleasure. It is acomfortable relaxed show that thecustomers enjoy attending andmany visitors make a weekend of itand stay overnight. “This is obviously a popularapproach as there has been a lot ofdemand from new exhibitorswanting to get involved – we arenow fully booked for January’s showand are still getting requests.” Conrad and Shaun

Demand from new exhibitors for Blackpool show

MODA organisers have announcedrenewed industry confidencefollowing record attendance at theAugust 2010 show.

The event saw a 22 per cent increasein visitors compared to the previousyear, making it the busiest Augustshow to date.

It saw over 1,450 brands showcasetheir spring/summer 2011 collectionacross five shows, with somereporting record orders and a largenumber of new exhibitors.

Colette Tebbutt, ITE Moda MD,added: “The feedback from each ofour show sectors this season hasbeen excellent, and recordattendance figures underline boththe strength of the show itself andreturning confidence within the

industry. It’s particularly encouragingto have seen such a positive reactionto new exhibitors and new areas ofthe show such as The Collections.

“It’s always been our aim to bringthe whole industry together atModa, and this season we’ve beenable to expand the scope of Modaanother step further across each areaof the show.”

Regular exhibitors at Moda Footwearwere pleased with the number ofretailers visiting the show andStephen Joseph, UK distributor forCaprice, said: “This season inparticular however we saw newindependents and opened upaccounts with them, including somepeople we’ve been keen to bring onboard for several seasons.”

Record Moda attendance

Show points tobusiness revival forfootwear industryALL the signs pointed to a businessrevival for the footwear industry atGDS and Global Shoes this season. Exhibitors from 79 countriesattended the three day show,resulting in a total of over 28,600visitors, matching last year’sattendance numbers. Brands that were showing at theevent reported a significant increasein visitor quality and that there hadbeen an improvement in theordering moods amongst buyers. Retailers who attended includedBetsy Palmer, Comfort One Shoes,Hush Puppies, Jones Bootmaker andZalando, with one in two visitorsattending from abroad. This year there was also an increasein buyers from the Benelux,Scandinavia, Great Britain and theBaltic states as well as a largerproportion of non-European buyersand more who were interested inlarge scale retail. Kirstin Deutelmoser, Director of GDSand Global Shoes, said: “Theeconomic mood is considerablybetter than even just one year ago.“You could hear and feel this in thehalls of the fair. Increased visitorquality, the ordering mood and therise again in the number of buyerscoming to Düsseldorf underlines therole of GDS as a leading specialist

shoe fair for thecentral andnorthernEuropeanmarket.”At the event, 780exhibitorspresented 1,800collections,showcasing all thekey trends andlooks forspring/summer2011 orders. The rangespannedpregressive andclassical premiumbrands and qualityfashion throughto street, sportswear and kids’ranges, with a further 410 exhibitorsparticipating at Global Shoes. The next GDS and Global Shoes fairswill be held March 16-18 andSeptember 7-9 2011.Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, CEOof the fair organising companyMesse Düsseldorf, said: “Theinternational shoe sector once againfelt very at home at the Düsseldorfshoe fairs. The mood in the hallsshowed that GDSand Global Shoesare a reliable and solid marketplacefor both trade and industry.”

BREAD and Butter iscelebrating a trade event thatshowed off the best in streetand urbanwear. The motto for the July showwas ‘Premier League: bestbrands, best buyers, bestbusiness’ and it produced anincrease in international tradevisitors as well as animproved brand portfolio. Karl-Heinz Müller, Bread andButter GmbH managingdirector, said: “It was afantastic and in all aspectsconsistent event, whichrepresented a strong andsuccessful start of the seasonfor all business partners.

“Again, we could welcomethe industry’s best, whichvalued and used Bread andButter for communicativeexchange and directed orderdecisions. Under the motto‘best brands, best buyers,best business’, we have oncemore exceeded the attainedlevel and our selective brandportfolio.”The highlight of the three-dayshow was the football WorldCup, which had served as afixed part of the eventconcept since the start of theseason. At the especiallybuilt B&B Premier Leaguestadium on the open airfield,

9,000 guests watched theSpain v Germany game on a68-metre square LED screenas well as on additionalscreens that were set up inthe B&B Lustgarden.Next season’s Bread andButter is being launchedunder the motto ‘Absolute’and will take place in January2011.

THIS season’s PureLondon broke itsattendance records witha 24 per cent increase invisitor numbers. Compared to August2009, the number ofinternational visitors wasalso up by over a quarterwith more buyers fromEurope and as far afieldas Canada, USA, Japan,Lebanon and Russia.There was also anincrease in buyersspending longer at theshow, with revisits overa second and third dayup by 37 per cent. The show offered a full

line up of content,including insights fromTV, online, high streetand independent retailexperts. WGSN, Drapers,Kurt Salmon and LondonCollege of Fashion ranseminars on topics suchas buying advice, futuretrends, localisation andvisual merchandising.GMTV’s Mark Heyes,ASOS’s Jo Hunt,Cosmopolitan’s FashionDirector, Shelly Vella ,Khabi Mirza for PureLondon and ManchesterFashion Network’s DaleHicks, all offered adviceacross the two stages.

Record attendance at Pure‘Best brands, best buyers, best business’

27 21/9/10 15:04 Page 1

Business and law

ISSUE 61 0CTOBER/NOVEMBER 201028

THE New Year’s VAT increase to 20per cent will have a relatively smallimpact on retailers and should evenprovide a short term boost to thesector – these are the latest finding sfrom the KPMG Synovate RetailThink Tank.

However, the panel of retail industrycommentators has also warned thatthe real danger for the sector is thatthe increase could trigger widereconomic changes, which wouldadversely impact consumer spending.

According to the RTT, the rise in VATis preferable to a sharper increase indirect taxation, making it the ‘leastworst’ option for the sector.

Even though the early January timingwill present an extra burden forretailers at their busiest time ofyear, it does mean that theyhave valuable time to plan andallows pre and post-Christmaspromotional strategies to beimplemented. If done correctly, thiscould provide a short term boost tosales and make a positive short termimpact on margins, although someof this will be offset by the cost ofmaking the change.

Spending threatened:January was chosen for the VAT riseas it was hoped that by theninflation would be under control andfalling, with the recovery gatheringmomentum – however, the RTT haswarned that this may not necessarilybe the case.

Helen Dickinson of KPMG said:“Retailers’ need and desire toincrease prices in advance of the rise,in order to protect margins whichhave been severely affected over thepast two tough years, may have animpact upon the headline inflationfigures.

“This, coupled with rising food pricesand the additional supply ledpressures already in the market, willcreate pressure for interest rates tobe raised.

“Such a scenario would create a farmore dramatic squeeze on consumerincome which in turn would threatenspending levels far more significantlythan the VAT rise in isolation.”

According to the RTT, retailers,suppliers and consumers are all setto share part of the pain of the VATrise, either through margins beingsqueezed or, in the case ofconsumers, through lower disposableincome, reduced volumes or qualityof products consumed.

Retailers will have no choice butto pass more than half of thecost to consumers and, due to thehighly competitive nature of theindustry, absorb the remainderthemselves or share it withsuppliers.

The commentators have concludedthat, overall, values will hold up wellbut that volumes will be impacted toan extent, although some groups ofconsumers will inevitably be hitharder than others and, in turn,some businesses will be affectedmore, particularly where markets arealready weak.

Tim Denison of Synovate said: “VATis likely to be considered again in thebudgets of 2011 and 2012 –particularly as a number of othercountries in Europe have higher rates– with an extension to othercategories of products a possibility,or the re-introduction of anotherband on luxury goods, last seen inthe 1970s.

“The January 2011 rise is unlikely tobe the end of the story.”

Retailers can breathe a sigh of relief following the latest conclusions from the industry experts at Retail Think Tank. Thecommentators have claimed that next January’s VAT rise should have a minimal impact on the health of the sector buthave also voiced a warning about the possible consequences of wider economic change.

The New Year’s VAT increase will add new challenges to the January sales

“HAVE you entered into any leasessince 3 January 2006?

If so, a recent announcement byHMRC means that the VAT rise dueto take effect on 4 January 2011 isgoing to cost you in time,compliance, and possibly tax.

Under the legislation, Stamp DutyLand Tax is calculated on rentspayable under leases.

The regulations also provide that if

the rent is uncertain or otherwisedue to vary in the first five years,then, when it becomes certain, oris varied, a new tax return has tobe completed, if appropriate, andany increased SDLT paid.

The announcement by HMRCclarifies that they regard theincrease in VAT taking effect nextyear as being a variation of the rentwhich triggers the obligation to filea return and to pay any increased

duty shown.

So, what should you do?

First, identify the leases you havetaken since 3 January 2006. Then,by using the calculator on theHMRC website, input the figuresincluding the new VAT rate from 4January 2011 on an apportionedbasis and see whether therecalculation triggers a liability forSDLT.

If it does, check whether the leasepreviously did so and if not, therewill be an obligation to file a returnand pay the duty. If a return hadpreviously been filed, file a newreturn, and pay the increase in tax,giving yourself credit for tax alreadypaid.

You can see that all of this incursmanagement time, and is acompliance risk, so needs to betaken into account.”

Peter Busby, partner for the retail team at Thomas Eggar LLP, provides advice for retailers to help them plan aheadof the VAT rise in January next year.

Rise could be costly in time, compliance and tax

VAT rise is the ‘least worst’ optionfor sector claim commentators

28 21/9/10 15:04 Page 1


Business and law

29

By Danielle McCormick

MERVYN King, Governor of the Bankof England has warned that it willnot all be plain sailing for theeconomy during 2011.

With the forecast for the economicgrowth now revised from anoptimistic 3.4 per cent to a morerealistic 2.5 per cent, retailers inparticular are left with the dilemmaof how to deal with the expectedfurther slow down.

Over the past 18 months a popularway for struggling retailers to burnoff those excess calories (debt) hasbeen to go for a pre-packadministration.

Pre-pack:The pre-pack is essentially thebusiness equivalent of a diet pill,enabling those who dare to take oneto trim down on the unwantedcalories in order to fit into nextseason’s mini, or ‘newco’ (newcompany).

By ditching the excess weight aretailer can arrive in ‘newco’ leanerand fitter, ready to take on thechallenges ahead.

This has had particular advantagesfor the retailer with multiple outlets,with the pre-pack proving to be apick and mix exercise enabling themget rid of shops in underperformingareas whilst leaving behind those inmarkets showing signs of growth.

However, this method of binningexcess debt leaves in its wake a pathof unfulfilled customer orders,unpaid suppliers, landlords and thetax man.

So although the pre-pack may looklike the smart solution, like the dietpill, it should only be used with awell thought through exerciseregime, especially as those left in itswake are now fighting back.

Fight back:A recent example of this can befound in landlords that have foughtback with a victory in the High

Court. In this instance the courtruled that administrators of collapsedretailers must pay rent quarterly inadvance if they continue to occupyshops.

Prior to this ruling, administratorsusually managed to pay rent weekly,making a huge difference to theirpotential outlay and cash flow aswell as to the landlord’s pocket.

Banks may also take a harder linewhich can cause difficulties.

With the pre-pack requiring consentof the company’s main banker, bankscould find more ways to say no tothis request than yes.

Also the tax man, who has not beena preferential creditor for some time,may decide it is more favourable togo for a winding up petition, thanwait to be left high and dry withother unpaid creditors following apre-pack.

Alternatives:So what are the alternatives for

shedding those unwanted calories?

It might be old fashioned butnegotiation is one area where youmight have some success.

For example, HMRC has recentlyannounced that it will continue toallow businesses in arrears for VAT toenter time to pay arrangements, butonly where it considers the businessis viable, in genuine difficulty andlikely to be able to catch up with itsVAT arrears in time.

With a double dip recessionpotentially on the way, do you look to simply swallow the diet pill and opt for the pre-pack ordo you develop your own personaltraining regime and look tonegotiate with your suppliers anddevelop a more sophisticated exitstrategy which avoids the obviouspitfalls.

� Danielle McCormick is a solicitor on theretail team of leading law firm Thomas EggarLLP

Should retailers deal with debtthrough pre-pack administration?

Footwear distributors Silentnight recentlydonated 35,000 pairs of shoes todisadvantaged children in Bosnia-Herzegovina.The shoes were donated to In Kind Direct forre-distribution to a charity working abroad.Having been placed with one of In KindDirect’s charity partners, Mission WithoutBorders, the shoes were distributed to

disadvantaged children across EasternEurope.A Silentnight spokesperson said: “It is lovelythat the shoes have found such worthybeneficiaries and we are pleased that wewere in a position to help In Kind Direct andtheir charity partners. The shoes have goneto a very worthy cause and the children’sfaces say it all.”

THE 66th International GolfChampionship of the Shoe Leatherand Allied Trades took place at TheKillarney Golf and Fishing Club inJune. 130 competitors attended andplayed on the Killeen Course andMahoney’s Point – the Killeen wasthe venue for the Irish Open in July.Richard Kottler, president of

Footwear Friends, and WilliamTusting, president of the LHTBI, werepresented with cheques for theircharities by president Gordon AWilson. The trade banquet raisedover 7000 Euros towards the annualtotal of donations of about £15,000.The 2011 Championship, will be atDe Vere Carden Park near Chester,from 15 to 17 June 2011.

Trade golfers in Killarney

Retail guru launchesconsumer-drivenfeedback websiteAFTER many years campaigning forchange on the British high street,retail guru Mary Portas has nowannounced the launch of a newconsumer-driven website. MaryPortas.com is her firstpermanent home on the web andhas been designed to be acomprehensive resource for bothshoppers and shopkeepers keen toimprove, comment or learn aboutthe retail experience. The site’s lead feature is ‘Search for aShop’, where users can upload, rateand review shops from countries allaround the world.The aim is to create a detaileddatabase of comsumer insight intohigh street stores. The searchable directory lets usersread real reviews from like mindedshoppers and allows customers –from those upset by a badexperience to those blown away by

excellent service – to get their voicesheard. The comments will bepresented unedited and without bias,hopefully allowing MaryPortas.comto become a barometer for consum-er sentiment, and providing brandswith valuable feedback on what isworking for them and what isn’t. In its role as a community driven site,MaryPortas.com will also aim to be amore general destination for ongoingconversations on shopping, fashionand wider lifestyle issues. To develop this, it will also featureonline polls and other surveys thatcan be developed to gather moreresearch and insights from thecommunity. In addition, users will beable to follow Mary’s latest projects,television campaigns, journalism, andnews Mary’s Living and Giving shopsfor Save the Children, as well as liveagency news.

A SERIES of wallcharts has beenpublished by the Satra TechnologyCentre to provide companies in thefootwear industry with easy access toclear and comprehensive informationon a variety of production issues.

The first guidelines released describesubstances restricted under REACHlegislation, marking codes used onEuropean CE-certified footwearproducts and soling types fordifferent applications.

Easy guidelines for footwear industry

29 21/9/10 15:05 Page 1

Bread and ButterAirport Berlin-Tempelhof, 19-21 January 2011(www.breadandbutter.com)A tradeshow for selected brands, Bread andButter provides the concept of an innovative tradefair event for the progressive, contemporaryclothing culture.

ISPONew Munich Trade Fair Centre, 6-9 February 2011(www.ispo.com)International trade fiar for sporting goods andsports fashion in Munich. The show will featureexhibitors from sectors including ski, outdoor,board and performance.

PureOlympia and Earls Court, London, 13-15 February2011(www.purelondon.com)A showcase of over 800 directional womenswearbrands, young creative labels and footwear andaccessory collections.

Moda FootwearNEC, Birmingham, 20-22 February 2011 (www.moda-uk.co.uk)Moda will include a seminar programme whichwill be free of charge to all visitors and exhibitors. The Moda catwalk show will present an overviewof the seasons trends, providing an insight intokey looks.

GDSMesse Dusseldorf, Germany, 16-18 March 2011(www.gds-online.com)Highlights will include high fashion labels frominternational brands and the children’s footwearmarketplace. Other events will include fashionshows, trend presentations and trend vision.

diaryddaatteess


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FOOTWEAR

AGENTS REQUIRED

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

FOOT CARETRAINING

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