Out on a Limb Aug/Sept 2012

news

O’Neill sign new Europe deal LIFESTYLE brand O’Neill has signed a new footwear partnership agreement for Europe.

The Northern California surf and snow brand has signed a license agreement with Bos Group which covers men's, women's and kids' closed footwear, including everything from socks and summer sneakers right through to winter snow boots.

Willem Haitink, O’Neill CEO, said: “We are very excited to be working with Bos Group. They have demonstrated a great understanding and appreciation of the O'Neill brand and our unique heritage.

“We're very confident this strategically-important agreement will pave the way for both companies to fulfill our brand's potential.”

Bos Group has worked with a number of high profile brands like Converse and Gant Footwear.

Managing director Roelof de Leeuw

Willem Haitink and Roelof de Leeuw.

said: “The Bos Group is an organisation that remains fully committed to developing, expanding and distributing a carefully chosen selection of the world's most famous sport and lifestyle brands. We are delighted to welcome O'Neill to our

portfolio of brands, and we look forward to building the business across Europe by leveraging and respecting the brand, focusing on product development, and identifying and exploiting all the right sales channels.”

UK women ‘wasting billions’ claims study

By Nicola Hyde A STUDY has revealed that UK women are wasting £2.5billion every year on uncomfortable shoes they rarely wear.

The average woman spends £136.52 on five new pairs of shoes every year but the statistics show that instead of investing wisely in shoes they can wear more than once, three out of the five pairs of shoes end up at the bottom of the wardrobe having only been worn once or twice, because they hurt.

News

The research, commissioned by Hotter Comfort Concept, revealed that 40 per cent of the 1000 women questioned admitted to choosing their shoes purely for how they looked and not how they felt on their feet.

Crocs use landmark to reposition brand

Almost a third of women who have

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Shoe designed for Kate on display Page 5 August/September 2012

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tried on shoes and know that they will be uncomfortable still purchase them as they can't resist how they look.

uncomfortable shoes for up to a year before giving up on them and throwing them away despite only wearing them once.

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

The ladies also revealed that they own at least four pairs of shoes just to be worn when sitting down that look amazing but are very painful to walk in.

“Not only do uncomfortable shoes make for a bad day today, squeezing your toes into ill-fitting footwear can also damage your feet causing pain and discomfort in later life.

"We all want to look our best, keep up with our busy lives and have fun; stylish comfy shoes are an essential part of the modern woman's wardrobe to help her tackle all three."

More than half of women will keep

Regionally, women in Chelmsford buy the most shoes, purchasing on average seven new pairs a year whereas women in Leicester buy the least purchasing just four pairs every year.

Women in Worcester buy the most uncomfortable shoes admitting that 70 per cent of their shoe collection has only been worn once, whereas women in Cambridge are the most comfort savvy revealing that just 20 per cent of their collection has been worn only once.

Shoe brand Cushe has signed up surfer Sophie Hellyer to its team of ambassadors. Sophie, 25, has been surfing for a decade and is on the English team, scooping up awards like English Junior Women’s Nationals, and the British Schools Women’s Nationals. She has gone to Costa Rica with the Cushe team to shoot the brand’s SS13 footwear collection of flip flops and sandals. Cushe have created a special shoe for Sophie (pictured left) – the Cushe Slipper Hellyer, a premium canvas slip on shoe with a breathable canvas lining, microfiber insock and moulded EVA outsole.

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

Crocs uses landmark to reposition brand

EVEN Crocs’ new European marketing director admits that it feels like the brand has been around longer than a decade.

Crocs brand recognition is right up there with major brands like CocaCola and Apple, making it seem older than its years.

But now, the company is embarking on a major campaign to reposition Crocs as a lifestyle brand – rather than a one hit wonder.

Michael Marshall-Clarke said: “The clog is where we came from and it’s iconic, but our products have evolved and we are much more than that.

“Everybody has an idea of what Crocs are but we really are setting out to change that perception. Of course, people know we make the clog – which is still a very important product for us – but we have over 300 other styles now.

were the first idea, followed by a pop-up store in Spitalfields. A Crocs street crew will be going around the capital, encouraging people to try the new styles and post about them on social media sites. And a flagship store has opened at Bluewater.

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

Michel added: “We’ve got everything from rain boots to flip flops – we’ve still kept our quirky, colourful point of view but we’ve moved on.

Crocs is now showcasing a new SS13 collection that features everything from rain boots to flats and flip flops.

“Crocs are like Marmite, you’ve got the lovers and the haters. We’ve got some followers who love us vehemently and then those that hate us but most of the time they’ve never even tried them on.

The collection is inspired by a retro feeling from the 70s, with warm oranges, hot pinks and neon purples. Key styles include strappy sandals, a new twist on the traditional boat silhouette and the reinvention of Crocs classics, all featuring Croslite, the technology that makes Crocs lightweight, comfortable and none-marking.

“I want people those people to look at the new designs and be surprised that they are Crocs. I wear them all

“Buyers think they know us but perhaps they don’t – we need to get across that we have changed.”

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

“We have gone through a fantastic growth from being a one product brand to now being a lifestyle footwear brand and it seems a good time to get some new people interested and push it forward.”

The campaign launched this month in London, bright green Crocs cabs

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News

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

Shoe designed for Kate goes on display

By Nicky Hyde A SHOE designed by a student for the Duchess of Cambridge has gone on display at one of the world’s most famous department stores.

Becka Hunt – a student at De Montfort University (DMU) – designed a sapphire blue and lace shoe for Kate Middleton that has been on display at Harrods, along with the five other designs that were shortlisted.

The six shoes were in the window for a month to give people chance to see the designs that have been featured in the media all around the world.

Becka said: “I am really delighted that my design has taken pride of place in one of the biggest department stores in the world. It is another amazing opportunity I never thought would come my way.

“Being a footwear student you dream about seeing your shoes in a store but I never thought it would actually become a reality, especially in a store such as Harrods and especially whilst I am still a student.”

Becka was given the news that her design would be made into a pair of shoes when Her Majesty The Queen, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Cambridge visited DMU on the first stop of the official Diamond Jubilee Tour.

Her design was inspired by the Duchess’s engagement ring and features an ornate white floral pattern with pearl detail.

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

Men’s lifestyle brand Camel Active staged a fashion show with a movie theme as part of this year’s Berlin fashion celebrations. The brand used the historical slaughterhouse the Cobra Kiler Club at Landsberger Allee for a fashion show inspired by the movie ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ to showcase the Urban Nomads collection. More than 800 guests watched a snake dancer with a four metre-long albino tiger python in a burlesque show, a genuine tattoo studio and the legendary band Tito & Tarantula. The fashion show took place on a rotating stage that was six metres high.

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

Dan uses design background to create an icon IN less than 15 years, kitsch shoe brand Irregular Choice has become instantly recognisable – the split toe iconic designs, with eye-searing colour-ways have pushed the brand into success.

The brand launches hundreds of new designs every year – each one designed by founder Dan Sullivan who launched Irregular Choice after advice from his footwear industry expert parents.

Dan came from a design background – his parents were in the industry as early as the 1960s, starting the Pod brand and then later owning the famous Transport store on London’s Kings Road in the 70s, working with the likes of Red or Dead and Katherine Hamnettt.

He said: “They made crazy shoes, they’d spend a lot of time in Japan getting inspiration and I can remember going into the factories, tramping around fashion shops and going into all these weird places. They did all sorts - they had a brand called Suki, they collaborated with The Who. “But, by the time the 90s came around, they weren’t as on trend as they once were. By this time, they were in their 50s working successfully with people like George at Asda and BHS. “I was 26 and bumming around and my dad told me I had to do something with myself. He sent me to the factory in Vietnam and I hated it. It was all boring, bland footwear.”

Instead, in the late 90s, Dan went to China and found a newly set up artisan factory.

business in the early 2000s, and business grew.

Eventually, in 2005, the manufacturing side was dropped to allow all the focus to be on Irregular Choice.

Dan said: “I remember in 2001/2002 we very nearly went under. It’s very hard to get a brand going and we went through a bad time. But I designed this shoe that turned the whole company around.

It became the number one selling shoe in Office, Schuh had it, even River Island had it.

“We couldn’t keep up with demand and at one point we had 100,000 pairs ordered just of that one shoe.

Look at it now and there’s not much to it but at the time no-one had seen anything like it.”

Dan’s ethos is in the company name – he set out to challenge, to offer an ‘irregular’ product that was a break from the norm. But even he admits that he didn’t expect the company to be as successful and sought-after as it now is.

Irregular Choice founder Dan Sullivan.

He said: “I wanted an irregular product and naming it that meant that I could never do anything basic, I could never be persuaded to change.

“Normally, the idea of being different means it’s limited and isn’t available to so many people ... we are at about ten per cent of the market now and we would have thought it would only be one or two per cent.”

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

He has already refused requests to bulk produce for wholesale and is determined to honour the brand’s original ‘irregular’ ethos.

He said: “This is for the hard core fans really – if I could make them cheaper, I would but there’s much lower margins on the smaller runs.

“The brand got bigger what we are taking it back to where we were originally.

“We are making them in our own sample rooms and when they’ve gone, that’s it.

“It’s actually really strange because when I look back on the old designs which – at the time were so crazy – they look so boring.

What once seemed like such a high heel now would be classed as a mid heel. The Dan Sullivan Collection really is a chance to look at the design elements more.”

It was fortunate timing – the government had just changed the rules regarding who could open factories (previously they were all government-run and only dealt with major businesses).

Dan said: “The factory I found were a family who six months earlier had been farmers – they downed tools and made a shoe factory.”

Irregular Choice was born, offering designs under the brand name as well as offering a manufacturing service. Office and Schuh were the company’s biggest

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News

Manolo Blahnik and Maurice van de Stouwe.

Vegetan shoe wins Maurice competition A FOOTWEAR graduate has won an award from iconic designer Manolo Blahnik for his technical footwear design.

Maurice van de Stouwe, who attended the Royal College of Arts, was named the winner of this year’s Manolo Blahnik Shoe Design Competition which has been running at the university for the last decade.

This year’s design brief was a challenge to create a show inspired by the rich artisan practice of eighteenth-century Russia, a time when the arts and crafts movement in Moscow and St. Petersburg was flourishing.

Maurice’s design combines elaborate, hand-stitched embroidery that takes inspiration from a rare glass and wood table from the period.

He said: “The table, of which there are only 40 in existence, has this colour and texture but when you look at the top of it you realise it’s glass.

“I was inspired by the graphic element of the embroidery – up until now my work has been very angular and geometric.”

The shoe has a printed resin heel with metal pin for support, vegetan leather and python skin.

News

The winning design.

Maurice added: “There are a lot of techniques I used in the making that avoid stiffeners or traditional components such as over the toe or heel to keep the shape. It’s all vegetan, which can be sandwiched like plywood to give it strength.”

Maurice won £1,000 and has also been given funding for technical support and materials.

Fashion tutor Heather Holford said Manolo’s judging criteria was to find footwear designs that were 'original, well-researched and refined, with enhanced-quality, and most importantly, exquisite detail'.

Heather added: “The competition provides a valuable experience for students, plus the kudos and the enjoyment of achieving a successful end result.”

features

A growing trend for jelly shoes has prompted one manufacturer to develop five styles that will be produced in the UK from November.

Out On A Limb editor Nicola Hyde finds out how JuJu is growing and capitalising on its retro history.

JuJu goes retro with new designs JUJU started life as injection moulders to the shoe trade in the UK. Founded by Rushton Schafer (Rushton Ablett Ltd) and based in Northampton, the company worked as injection moulders to the shoe trade, supplying hundreds of thousands of soles for companies like Dr Martens.

In the 1980s the company diversified, and began producing jelly shoes which could be made on the same machines as the soles.

JuJu jellies were produced and the first season sold over 400,000 pairs. The company then moved into children’s jellies and has sold over 1.5 million pairs every year.

The company still uses the original, vintage lasts and, from November, is starting production on five styles in the Northampton factory.

Andy Gadsden, marketing manager, said: “We’ve had a great success with our jellies over the years, they have been in Topshop, Office, Urban Outfitters and they’ve always got JuJu in the mould in the sock so you can tell it’s ours.

“One of our styles has been in Office for the last five years but this year we are looking at making five styles in the UK in our factory.

“We are a small factory and it seems to be what the buyers like about it - they like that integrity and the fact that it is British as well. I don’t know of anyone else that’s doing jelly shoes in the UK and I think ours really stand out because they are the original moulds and the colours you can get now are fantastic.

Features

Ethical company to unveil its new brand direction

Showtime Pages 10-23

Brand spotlight

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and then the following year it was producing two styles by adding Petra. This year two more have been added and by next year there will be up to five UK produced styles for Spring Summer 2013.

Production will start in November for the collection that will feature fluorescent coloured jellies, their first two tone styles and UV colours, alongside a vibrant new palette of zesty pastels and bright colour blocks.

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

Andy added: “We are already looking to develop more styles and invest in the factory in the UK – it has already grown more than what we expected but we aren’t complaining.

JuJu launched its UK production with one style initially (the Fergie)

“I don’t know if it’s because it’s in

fashion at the moment or maybe because our designs don’t look like other brands. It is an original look.

“Some of the guys working in the factory have been there since they left school and you see them on a daily basis so it’s nice to be able to keep that going.”

The company has now set up distribution for Spain and France, has secured a customer in Iceland and did its first Bread and Butter show, where it has had interest from Asia and was bought in by American Apparel in the US. Wholesale prices range from £5 to £10 and JuJu plans to not only allow forward ordering but in stock ordering from the UK factory in March.

Out on a Limb cover story

Editor’s comment

Nicola Hyde Editor

‘Limited’ is the word of the moment It seems in the footwear industry that ‘limited’ has become the next big thing.

Not only are shoe designers reporting rocketing custom orders but bespoke-in-bulk through online retailers is booming and has been identified as a growth area by retail experts PSFK in its Future Of Retail Report.

It chooses Shoes of Prey as its case study – a do-it-yourself footwear site that allows users to design nearly every aspect of their shoe, from heel height to strap design. We speak to Jodie Fox, one of the site founders, in this issue and discover how in just three years the website has gone global with a multi-million pound turnover.

Innovative FIVE collection blends performance with contemporary style THIS season, Hush Puppies introduces FIVE, a combination of classic Hush Puppies style with modern outsoles influenced by the revolutionary comfort and performance of Vibram® and dresses them up for the renegade gentleman.

The outsole is inspired by the hugely successful Vibram® FiveFingers® design but frames the foot and places a classic shoe or boot silhouette on the upper.

Styles include distressed brogues and boots. FIVE is equal parts classic and modern, appealing to both the gentleman and the renegade.

A hybrid of form and function, FIVE is engineered with an anatomical sole designed to fit the natural contours of the foot creating unmatched fit and comfort.

Grooved channels in the outsole allow for a high level of flexibility.

This season will introduce two

What do you think? We’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

Email nh@scriptmedia.co.uk.

Features

Both styles sit on a performance outsole that is flexible, comfortable with surprising bright colors.

Distressed leather and suede uppers with a collapsible heel in the shoe profiles add a touch of distinction for the renegade gentleman.

Hush Puppies Puts a Modern Twist on Classic Footwear with Bold Colours and Materials for the ...

Spring/Summer 2013 season

Another designer cashing in on custom orders is Emily Lamb, whose Scottish roots have seen a boom in orders from local women. And then there’s Dan Sullivan, the brains behind kitsch shoe brand Irregular Choice. He’s just launched a new collection of limited edition designs of which there is only 24 pairs in each style - he puts this down to the demand from the brand’s fans who adamantly want something different.

So what does this mean for the wider industry? And what can retailers expect to see? At Out On A Limb, we reckon it will lead to brands adding in more ‘limited collection’ fusion lines and cherry picking the retailers they give it to in a bid to build interest. Fashionista Gok Wan made customising fashionable again – and we’ve already heard of some retailers that are offering their own ‘custom shoes’ simply by blinging up and customising styles they may have in left-over stock, to create one-off pieces.

silhouettes, Brogue5, a classic wingtip design, Boot5, a wingtip boot.

Hush Puppies Signature collection delivers easy everyday favourites for consumers who desire modern, effortless style and great fit.

This foundational collection is based on everyday wearabilty with superior fit and comfort.

The easy, everyday collection Signature has the brand DNA of comfortable classic styling.

Colour blocking is key for ladies styles in this range and the flexible driving mocs make a confident statement in the Signature collection for Men.

HUSH Puppies unveils its Spring/Summer 2013 collection with shoes and sandals that mirror the Brand’s authentic style and carefree personality.

This season’s vintage inspired HP1958 collection is punctuated by colour and puts a modern twist on classic sillouettes

through new textures, leathers and materials.

The casual Laid-Back Luxe line includes a Summer Fun selection of quintessential summer styles like wedges, espadrilles and sandals in florals and on trend colourways.

The Hemingway design for Hush Puppies collection is inspired by British club culture and Hush Puppies iconic heritage.

This season the menswear range expands with the introduction of a ladies collection, Inspired by the men’s styling and materials.

Contact Simon Mabey, Sales Manager, simon.mabey@wwwinc.com or call 0207 860 0459.

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Westwood to show her latest footwear range VIVIENNE Westwood has confirmed she is showcasing her latest footwear collection at Pure this season.

She will be joining global labels like Jeffrey Campbell, L.A.M.B, Kat Maconie and Rae Jones at the show at Olympia in August.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s choice of footwear for a recent camping trip, Le Chameau wellingtons, will be showing for the first time and Penny Loves Kenny brings a fashionforward shoe collection.

Launching at the show with their range of hand-sewn espadrilles, Espadrij are made in a small village in the French Pyrenees with natural materials. The Footwear and Accessory halls are divided into four key sections – Design-Led and Trend-Led Footwear, Accessories and Premium Accessories.

The areas will bring together new niche labels and returning favourites, plus numerous international brands which are

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launching exclusively at Pure London.

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

“We’re delighted with this opportunity to further increase the show’s offering as we continue to invest.

“It means we can welcome additional design-led footwear and accessory brands and we will be creating a brand new catwalk offering even more great content as well as specific scenes dedicated to footwear and accessories.”

‘Inspiration to Go’ theme for GDS MORE than 800 exhibitors from 30 countries have signed up for the nest edition of GDS to be held in September.

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

New labels have already signed up including French designer Francois Najar with his court shoe collection and Yves Desfarge with his women’s

shoe line debut.

The British section will feature brands like Base London, Cocorose, Fury, Jean-Michel Cazabat, Julian Hakes, Luxury Rebel, Red by Wolves and, for the first time, John White and Miista. Made In Italy will feature as a stand-alone show, celebrating its 35th anniversary at GDS and Global Shoes will be held in parallel for those buyers looking for volume suppliers.

Showtime

Newcomers set for Moda A LINE-UP of show newcomers will join the industry giants at the upcoming Moda Footwear show at NEW Birmingham.

The event – which takes place August 12 to 14 – welcomes a host of brands making a first time appearance, including Panama Jack, Palladium, Nina of New York, Jack & Jones, Beach Athletics, Melania, Skono, CoupleOf, Mistral and Sam and Lee. They will be joined by regulars like United Nude, Fly London, ARA, Wrangler Footwear, Original Penguin, Base London, Barkers, Ikon Footwear, Rockport, Iron Fist, Mustang Shoes, Mephisto, Geox, Rocket Dog, Umi, Keds and Ricosta.

At Select, the area for urban and contemporary footwear, heritage label Palladium will showcase its signature cutting-edge style, premium materials and modern manufacturing.

Inspired by Scandinavian landscapes and culture is the spring/summer 13 range from Norwegian label Skono, which will feature streamlined designs with practicality and uniqueness as its focus.

Moda will also feature daily fashion catwalk shows and a free seminar programme will cover topics including mobile commerce, PR & marketing, social media and visual merchandising.

Spanish label Panama Jack will show an extended line of young and trendy sandals, loafers and clogs with Israeli newcomer CoupleOf set to make waves with its colour-pop brights, unusual silhouettes and laser detailing.

Italian label Melania will be showing its footwear range for 0-16 year olds for the first time in the kids hall and Sam and Lee introduces its children’s range of casual styles, boots, sandals, party shoes and back-to-school ranges for boys and girls.

New date for show THE Bread and Butter show has been moved forward to allow buyers more time to explore other shows running at the same time – like Berlin Fashion Week.

The show – which returned in July 2009 – says it has now established Berlin as a fashion location with Fashion Week Berlin now rivalling Paris, Milan and New York.

Bread and Butter president KarlHeinz Muller said: “As the international leading tradeshow, we have a responsibility towards the industry and towards Berlin, it is our duty to counteract this situation by offering a solution."

He believes that by moving the show forward one day – to start on the Tuesday from January 2013 – it will allow buyers more time to visit other fashion shows.

Karl-Heinz added: “I feel very comfortable with this decision, since in the last seasons one could observe the visitors increasingly becoming ‘haunted men’. I am looking forward to a strong tradeshow.”

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

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Four footwear designers have been hand-picked to be showcased to the trade as part of a special partnership between Pure and the British Footwear Association. Nicola Hyde reports on ‘The Designer Collective’.

Ethical company to unveil its new brand direction ETHICAL footwear company Po-Zu will use its Pure showcase to reveal a new direction for the brand.

The company was set up in 2006 by Sven Segal with the aim of setting new standards in ecological and ethical footwear manufacturing.

The shoes are made from carefully selected natural materials, that are kind to the environment.

Sven said: “Generally speaking we are evolving from a casual shoe brand to producing smarter looking shoes as the high quality naturally lends itself well to the higher end of the market.

“We are planning to grow our presence in the UK through our new sales agency that are starting this SS13 season, and Pure is a great opportunity to introduce our new and very exciting direction.

“Our growth has been quite slow but steady. We have managed to spread internationally in a relatively short period of time, thanks to a combination of creating a product with unique qualities, as well as collaborating with a few established brands. Finding the right sales channels is key.”

Po-Zu earned a spot in the Designer Collective thanks to its new Shoe Fleur collection which is inspired by the floral designs of artist Michel

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BFA Collective

Tcherevkoff. Taking inspiration from Michel’s award-winning book Shoe Fleur: A Footwear Fantasy, Po-Zu has interpreted the original designs – as well as keeping sustainable and toxic-free standards by using a glueless construction.

Michel began Shoe Fleur as a personal project when he noticed a resemblance between a leaf he had photographed and a woman's high heel. He began to craft tiny shoe sculptures from individual flowers, that he photographed and printed in his New York studio.

Sven added: “I think the BFA were drawn to our Shoe Fleur collaboration.

“As we are at a turning point in our brand evolution by which our collection is becoming smarter and more design-led, we feel it’s a great opportunity for us to show at Pure.”

Showtime

Microbiologist debuts larger sized shoes A MICROBIOLOGIST who started her own shoe company for larger sized feet is showing for the first time at Pure this season.

Catherine Owens – who wears a size ten herself – set up Amber and Jade four years ago when her passion for shoes forced her into a career change. She has been selected to appear in the British Footwear Association’s Designer Collective section and will be showcasing her new collection of ballet pumps.

She said: “I have size ten feet and I just couldn’t find shoes that fit me.

The few that were available on the High Street tended to be just sized up versions so they didn’t fit well and they looked really out of proportion. They were so poor fitting that I just couldn’t keep them on my feet.

“I got a block of wood and a file and I started sculpting the ideal shoes I’d like to buy, trying to get the shape right and the proportions right. I didn’t have any contacts in the footwear industry, I was a complete novice but I just designed shoes that were in proportion.”

Eventually, Catherine developed a shoe collection, incorporating heels and boots and started building contacts in the footwear industry – eventually finding a factory to manufacture her samples.

From there, she set up a website and also started to offer a fitting service.

She added: “When I first started, I really hadn’t got a clue. I launched at the start of a recession so I’ve never had an easy time of it, every decision has had to be carefully thought through. But even so the business is viable and it has just Showtime

built mainly through word of mouth.

“I find that when people buy shoes from me they don’t go away with just one pair. My record so far is nine pairs in one sale to a customer because they want to get it while they can as they know it’s practically impossible to find somewhere else.”

Catherine now wants to build up the trade side of Amber and Jade and will be showing a collection of ballet pumps at Pure. Due to demand, she has added in smaller sizes (the range goes from size 4 to 12) but she maintains her ethos is that the shoes should fit well, with a focus on fashion.

The pumps come with printed material inners with a matching tote bag and includes everything from leathers to prints.

She said: “I was very excited when I got the call from the BFA – Pure is an amazing opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to speaking to people and showing them the collection.”

BFA Collective

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

Zims makes Pure debut and is available to trade ZIMS launched just one year ago but its instantly recognisable look catapulted it to success, appearing in many magazines.

Started by reflexologist Lindsey Mundy the brand sold online and at festivals and is now available to trade buyers for the first time.

But it all started when Lindsey’s sister-in-law made a pair of shoes for her husband Nick, in a small workshop in Bulawayo. They were hand stitched in leather with recycled rubber soles.

Lindsey said: “They were beautiful and very simple.

She didn’t have a last or anything, she just made

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enough stock in place.”

them with what materials she could find. Zimbabwe is a very poor country but she managed to find some leather and as soon as my husband started wearing them people remarked on them.”

Zims launched in April 2011 and immediately sold out.

Using the original shoe as inspiration, Lindsey began to build the Zims brand, creating the now recognisable round toed, upper stitched design.

in shops, we’ve had queries but so far all our selling has been done online. We’ve been having requests but the thing is we are waiting for stock.

She eventually added in a women’s range, a more feminine ballerina style using the same leather uppers and inners.

“We have got so many requests for shoes that we have sold out of a lot of them. We are not in a position to give people samples we will literally be coming back from our factories straight to Pure with our samples and are doing all the work now to make sure we have

She said: “We are confident in the product and we really get a kick out of it. We’ve not sold on the High Street before

BFA Creative

The company is now looking at a range of winter boots, still sticking to the Zims ethos and working on the original lasts.

Lindsey added: “Running a shoe brand is not anything I thought I would be doing, I was a reflexologist so I know feet but that’s as far as the connection went before Zims.

“It is like giving birth to a child – you name it and suddenly it takes on a personality of its own and you just have to go with it.

It’s very exciting, challenging but exciting.”

Showtime

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

Nicole to unveil bridal range SHOE designer Nicole Le Grange spent many years designing for High Street stores before eventually setting up her own brand Love Art Wear Art. She showed her first collection to the trade at Pure last season and is now preparing to debut her first ever bridal range with a fusion line of six styles. The collection features the brand’s trademark dainty details and feminine shapes and the styles will be a limited design of just 50 pairs available in each.

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

Footwear Association for taking me to Pure again – I think the normal procedure is that they only take a brand once but as my bridal range is so new and different they made an exception for me which is just amazing. Last season was brilliant – it went really well. I was introduced to a lot of small independent boutiques who I signed up as stockists which was just perfect as that’s exactly what I’m looking for. If I can continue with that I will be happy, though obviously it would be like a dream come true if someone like Selfridges showed an interest.”

The bridal range was a result of a suggestion of one of her new stockists, Belle and Bunty in North London. The shop is run by two clothing designers who had diversified into wedding dresses and they were looking for some unusual shoes to complement their range.

She said: “I was over there one day delivering stock and they suggested I consider doing a bridal range as the feedback from their

Showtime

customers had been that finding something a little bit different was very difficult. I thought why not, it’s only a small collection and it’s something different plus it allows me to offer them in more limited ranges which gives people a bit more of a bespoke appeal.”

The collection features ankle boots, court shoes, a platform and sexy sandals with a focus on Nicole’s ethos of ‘wearable art.’ It uses materials like pearlised leather, shimmer fabrics, metallic golds and glitter.

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

BFA Collective

spend at least half a day in your nice shoes so I concentrated a lot on heel sizes to make them wearable.

“For me the bridal collection is a stab in the dark so I’m really excited to hear the feedback about it at the show. I always do on what I like so I can’t wait to hear what people have to say about it.”

Nicole has spent the last few months working on her branding, revamping the Love Art Wear Art logo into a classier format and producing more elegant boxes and packaging, which she believes will help the bridal range.

August/September 2012

15

Brand offers innovative and contemporary footwear Launched in 1996, Ikon continues to offer innovative and design-led contemporary footwear.

Formal and Casual shoes, delivered at competitive prices, are key to the brand’s success.

Signature desert boot and classic loafer ranges are regularly

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August/September 2012

augmented by styling of the day; currently brogue formals and relaxed casuals, all reflecting the season’s colour and leather trends.

For further details contact 02476 324670 or visit www.ikonfootwear.co.uk See us on stand Y5 at Moda

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Retro inspiration for new range FOR SS13, Pod footwear has taken inspiration from its retro sub-brand, Pod Heritage, by injecting bold colour combinations and innovative upper designs into the core men's collection.

As 2012 marks the 36th anniversary of the footwear brand, SS13 pays homage to Pod’s original identity through the introduction of soft suedes, rich leathers, contrasting soles and perforated uppers with flashes of

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colour remaining prominent throughout the collection.

New development includes the men's canvas, formal, stitch-out and vulcanised sole collections which will be previewed at Moda this August.

T: 01234 240 440 E: sales@aegisshoes.co.uk www.pod-footwear.com Moda stands: Pod footwear X9 Pod Heritage stand SE21

Reshuffle for Edge EDGY fashion show London Edge will be undergoing a reshuffle for the September edition with newer, more clearly defined sales floors.

The show – which returns to Olympia in September – will introduce new sections London Edge Original and London Edge Fashion in the place of London Central.

A spokesman said: “Although London Central has been a key part of the show for the last 11 years, this section of the trade show was often referred to as London Edge and clarity between the different areas became vague. To put this confusion to rest and highlight the broad and exciting ranges on offer at the show, London Edge will now have two clearly defined ranges of styles: London Edge Original and London Edge Fashion.”

London Edge Original will offer a platform for punk, rock n roll and tattoo styles and will be aimed at those whose customers are the typical music festival goer.

London Edge Fashion will be the showcase of quirky, young, commercial, high fashion collections with retro and kitsch influences.

The spokesman added: “The absorption of London Central into London Edge fashion aims to clear the haze between the two shows and help buyers to understand the plethora of brands available within the shows.”

London Edge Original will host more than 150 brands with London Edge Fashion offering 125 collections and yet more added in with the sports and skate collection The Ledge.

August/September 2012

17

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

Mediterranean flavour to new collection

FRODDO’S new collection for Spring Summer 13 features a meditteranean flavour with vibrant colours like lemon, turquoise and green.

leather children’s footwear ranging from sizes 17-40 that fuses comfort, flexibility and reliability with style.

The brand - which is Italian designed and Croation made - will be showcasing a range of summer shoes and ankle boots at Moda.

The brand – which has held Superbrand status since 2009 – will be at Moda in Hall 20 on stand U20.

FRODDO is a leading children’s brand with 60 years’ shoemaking experience, it offers high quality

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August/September 2012

Sales contact : Pauly Tong T: 01727 760101 M: 07796 766669

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

Kidz at Moda including Kool for Kids

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

Moda return for Makki after seven-year break MAKKI founder Joanne Temperton was living in South Korea when, in 2003, the idea for her handbag brand was born.

Eel skins are a by product of the South Korean food industry but Joanne was convinced there would be a way to use the skins to create an ethical, luxury handbag brand.

She said: “I started thinking that there must be a way to develop a luxury handbag brand that’s ethical as there weren’t that many brands doing that – especially not using eel skin.

“I’ve apparently always been interested in fashion. My mum said when I was little I had one of those fashion wheels and I would sit and draw out designs for clothes. I could really see its potential and when I came back to England I spent a bit of time looking for inspiration and looking at the market to see what was available. I think it did take people a bit of time to get their head around the fact that it was eel skin. Snake skin is well known but eel skin isn’t so much so there was a bit of work to be done around people’s perceptions.”

Although it is a very soft and thin material, eel skin is actually three times stronger than cowhide,

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August/September 2012

enabling it to hold complex shapes.

Joanne added: “I’ve had people who have come up to me really excited by the product because they’ve had an eel skin wallet for 20 years and its still in great condition. The designs do have to be made in South Korea as it is such a specialist material to work with and they have got generations of experience in working with it.”

Makki made its debut at Moda in 2004, standing its first ever trade show and stood it for a couple of years.

“I just found that it wasn’t doing as well for me. So I gave it a bit of a break and decided to come back as I went around last season’s show and just got a really good vibe from it.”

Makki is stocked as far afield as Paris, Italy, Berlin, Athens, Oslo, Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York.

The collections all feature bespoke screen printed faux suede lining.

In the UK, Makki is popular in independent boutiques and is also stocked at the Dorchester Hotel. It has a £400 minimum order and prices range from £7.90 for a coin purse to £46 for a clutch and £147 for a satchel.

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product showcase product showcase product showcase

Peter takes on Mephisto DISTRIBUTION for Mephisto in the UK has been taken over by Peter Ashton for the new Spring 2013 collections.

Sail cloth shoe launch CHATHAM will launch the first sail cloth deck shoe for the British market at Moda this month.

used for the successful Schooner and Sloop deck shoes launched last year.”

The G2 professional shoe comes in four styles using Contender sail cloth, two for men (Fibercon and Contender) and two for women (Elysse and Beam).

Contender – the world leading sail cloth maker – was chosen because it uses the highest quality Dacron and polyester yarns, which have been carefully selected for their strength, UV resistance and flex characteristics.

A spokesman said: “Sail cloth is a tough compound that handles well.

It’s an exceptionally lightweight, water resistant and durable material, making it the perfect textile for use in deck shoes.

“All styles are built on the sole kit

Packed collection ROMIKA has launched a packed collection for Spring 2013 which it attributes to its worldwide success.

The brand – renowned for its expert shoe making for over 90 years – introduces a new colour palette and designs that range from wedges to sporty flats and defined heels, leather uppers and a combination of leather and breathable textile linings. The use of polyurethane units offers lightweight, flexible, shock absorbing and hard wearing soles. And, new for the season, Romika introduces animal print leathers, ergonomic natural cork footbeds and quirky styling.

Product showcase

Emily’s custom order joy Page 26

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August/September 2012

Martin Ingram, managing director of Romika in the UK and Ireland, said: “In the current climate it is vital to highlight footwear with attractive and interesting features that provide the consumer with something different.”

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

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

Chatham will be at MODA: Hall 20 Stand S9.

Created in 1965 in France by Martin Machaeli, the Mephisto brand now has 20,000 stockists world wide.

It evolved into four sub brands to capitalise on the different markets – Mephisto,with “CoolAir” insoles and soft leathers; Mobils for the more comfort market with soft padded upper leathers, removable insoles and functional attachments; Sano into the urban day walking market and the newest addition Allrounder, for the urban sports market.

The collection will be showing at Moda, Pure and GDS.

product showcase product showcase product showcase

Emily’s custom order joy SCOTTISH shoe designer Emily Lamb is reporting rocketing success from the custom order side of her business – with loyal fellow Scots rushing to fill her order books.

women who just want to treat themselves to party shoes. It’s perhaps because I’m Scottish because there isn’t really anyone else like me based here – a lot of my customers are from Scotland.”

Emily launched her own collection in 2011 having graduated from Cordwainers and spending a year working for custom-made shoe brand Emmy.

Emily is hoping her newest collection will tempt more wholesale orders and her aim for the next 12 months is to boost the number of stockists holding the brand.

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

She said: “My biggest customer by far is the custom made side of the business. It’s certainly not something I was expecting but that’s the way it has been.

The new collection – inspired by the Corinthian building in Scotland – marks a departure from her usual style. For the first time, it includes platforms and has decadent gold nappa leathers, with pleating detail. There are ten designs in the collection, which will launch at the end of August.

“I’m getting everything from commissions for wedding shoes to

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

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

Emily showcased her footwear at London Fashion Week with Design Collective Scotland and has now moved production out of the UK into Portugal, as – she says – she wanted a higher quality finish.

Emily Lamb

completely different themes for all the different rooms so there was a lot to work with. I found designing the collection quite easy, because a lot of my inspiration tends to come from architecture anyway.

“The new collection has got a totally different look to what I usually design and I think this might get it a bit more attention.

When you are starting out you have to push yourself as there’s a

She added: “It’s very difficult as a new brand finding new stockists because you find that they sometimes don’t want to take the risk on someone new. The response we are getting from customers is making all the difference though and it helps when you get in the press, like the shoe I did that was worn by Shirley Bassey.”

The Corinthian collection is all leather, suede and patent with bold pleats. Wholesale prices start at £99.

Range has three key looks For Spring/Summer 2013 the Van Dal collection brings three key looks to market.

Designed to take you from beach to town, relaxed holiday style to a sharper urban chic.

For those longing for lazy summer afternoons on the beach we have Beachcomber, Scandi-Chic picks up where the mid-century modern trend left off with its minimalistic lines.

Finally the glamour box is checked with a touch of La Dolce Vita.

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August/September 2012

Referencing these looks we introduce a progressive collection, once again challenging the more conservative perception of the brand.

Styles such as the platform wedged Sarina and Tully, the glamorous Kelling and luxuriously trimmed Croyde and Lyme are the new Van Dal to a ‘T’.

Come see us at MODA on stand O30 in hall 19 to view the rest of the collection.

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

Product Showcase

product showcase product showcase product showcase

Animal prints in range ANIMAL prints, laser cut detailing and sporty nubucks are all included in the SS13 Josef Seibel collection which will be shown at Moda.

The collection features the brand’s signature removable foot beds, sweat absorbing Arneplant insoles, generous fittings and its unique Airped system which acts as a shock absorber as you walk.

For men, spring 2013 will see

Product showcase

youthful toe posts, mules and sandals with flexibility and extensive underfoot comfort. This season sees designs reflect a more formal slant with interesting leathers in cashmeres, greens and browns which complement fashionable and lightweight white sole units.

Legero adds five styles FIVE new styles have been added to the Legero collection for SS13.

Trade prices range are around £22.

The new season designs include sneakers, pumps, heeled sandals and lifestyle trainers and feature block colour as a key trend in the collection.

The collection will be at Moda on stand Q21.

Soft nubuck, nappa and sporty technical fabrics are combined to

give a modern look to the uppers and the sole units are direct injection PU to enable Legero to offer a lightweight flexible shoe.

All styles are produced in UK sizes 4 – 9 (including half sizes) and all have a removeable insole.

The brand will be showing at Moda, stand S26.

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accessories

Fatlip jewellery to become Miss Milly WHOLESALE jewellery brand Fatlip has rebranded to Miss Milly from this month.

Miss Milly, managed by Sarah Watmore, has taken over all the wholesale jewellery elements of Fatlip, which will remain a retail brand.

Sarah said: “The new Miss Milly brand is contemporary yet classically enduring.

“A re-evaluation of the business and

the market was the catalyst for the change.”

The company has launched a new website and has lowered the minimum order to £50.

Sarah was a marketing and public relations manager for various high street brands, before setting up Fatlip with a partner in 2004.

The brand will be exhibiting at the upcoming Autumn Fair show.

Sir Steve launches first sock collection OLYMPIC legend Sir Steve Redgrave has launched his first sports sock collection made from sustainable African cotton and manufactured in the UK. The men’s sock has been produced as part of a collaboration between clothing range FiveGold (FiveG) and the Aid by Trade Foundation’s Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative.

FiveG, which was created by Sir Steve in 2001 and named after his record-breaking ?ve consecutive Olympic gold medals, is the ?rst brand to sell clothing produced from CmiA cotton in the UK.

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

Boodles launches site BRITISH luxury jewellery brand Boodles has launched an ecommerce website that allows for worldwide delivery.

The site is part of the Boodles’ strategy to expand the international distribution and sells pieces ranging in price from £500 to £20,000. In its first week ,customers from Hong Kong, New York and London made purchases online.

Boodles marketing director James 28 August/September 2012

Amos said: “This is a milestone in the 214-year history of Boodles.

Being at the forefront of fine jewellery innovation and design it was a natural step for us to seek to deliver best in class digital solution.

We are known for our distinctive jewellery design, so we wanted a distinctive website that reflects our individuality.”

Founded in 1798, Boodles is a family-owned British Jeweller, known for its unique, handmade designs.

The socks were produced at Loughborough factory J Alex Swift. The factory, which was established in 1895 and run by third and fourth generation descendants, is one of only a handful still manufacturing socks in the UK. Alok Ruia, of FiveG, said: “It is places like J Alex Swift, which represents the history, heritage and hard graft of British workers, that will be lost if UK manufacturing isn’t supported

by UK brands.

“It was important to us that we took the opportunity to highlight the quality of UK production with our latest product, especially as the eyes of the world are on the country this summer.”

business + technology

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

Investment will allow company to move forward

Shoes of Prey founder Jodie Fox at a photoshoot.

Business and technology

Risk assessing children’s footwear: common hazards Page 30

29 August/Sept 2012

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

Founded by three friends who studied law together, Shoes of Prey launched in 2009 with Jodie Fox providing the original idea and Michael Foxx and Michael Knapp – who previously worked for searchengine giant Google – coming on board to develop the website.

The site uses a web-based 3D design platform for users to design bespoke shoes with millions of possibilities.

Users start with shoe templates designed by Jodie, and then chose their own fabrics, materials and patterns.

Jodie said: “I’d always been interested in shoes but I just couldn’t find any that were exactly what I wanted.

“I found a place that would make them for me and just started custom making this amazing collection of unusual shoes for myself.

“Friends started asking me where I was getting them from and they asked me to do some for them.”

At the time, Jodie had worked as a banking and finance lawyer and had gone into advertising, while Michael and Michael had worked for Google, developing the Google reader product.

She added: “We just saw an opportunity for a place where people could come and designed their own shoes.

“We’ve only been live for two and a half years and what started as an idea has become multi-billion revenue in under two years, staff has grown and we’ve just secured an investment.

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

Shoes of Prey and Jodie recently appeared on Sky TV in an episode of Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model.

They challenged the models to do an aerial photoshoot to show their best designs. It came about after the company made a pair of shoes for Top Model founder Tyra Banks.

Jodie added: “There are still some things we really need to develop and have on the website – like boots. There are so many things we can do, we just need to keep going.

“It’s up to us to be across all the trends that are coming through so we can make sure we get the right textures and heel shapes to make sure they are all options that are available to be right on trend.”

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

Risk assessing children’s footwear: common hazards THE safety of children’s footwear is paramount: children’s shoes shall remain safe throughout the life of the product when used under normal wearing conditions.

But what are the main factors to look for when conducting a risk assessment?

Whereas slip resistance, heel and top piece attachment strength and sharp points and edges are obvious factors to consider when risk assessing children’s shoes, the toe post attachment strength, sole adhesion and seam strength properties also need to be assessed.

Tripping hazards caused by long, swinging pom-poms or very sticky patent upper materials are equally major safety concerns. Indoor slippers, slipper boots, fleece and fur lined footwear may also present low flame resistance properties causing a fire hazard.

In addition to structural and flammability hazards, chemical

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hazards must also be taken into consideration.

There is a large number of banned and restricted chemicals commonly found in dyes, paints, lacquers, sprays, polishes, metals and tanning which could be harmful to children when ingested or absorbed through the skin.

Baby shoes are a particularly sensitive product category since babies tend to put their feet and shoes in their mouth.

And what about the add-ons such as stapled-on decorative bows, gluedon gem stones, welded-on motifs or stitched-on sequins?

All of these are detachment possibilities where choking hazards to babies and toddlers can easily become a reality.

The attachment strength of these decorations is therefore a very important safety factor.

If you are a manufacturer, brand or

Jack Brown

importer of children’s wear, you also need to risk-assess the free gifts often included in the shoe box like necklaces, bracelets, crayons, cosmetics and other mini-toys and gifts as they can all contain hidden hazards such as banned chemicals or sharp edges.

feet and rubbed heels are other areas which must be addressed prior to sale to avoid permanent damage to young, vulnerable feet.

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

Only a thorough and detailed analysis of all new designs will help improve the safety and compliance

In brief, the risk assessment of children’s footwear must not be under-estimated.

Business + Technology

Getting ranked is not a ‘dark art’

By Ian Tomlinson

ASK any retailer if they would like their website to be on page one of Google and…well you know the answer.

The power of Google and the influence it has on websites is vast so appearing on its first page, and the higher the better, can have a huge bearing on volume of traffic and therefore sales. But you ask any ‘expert’ on how you get on page one of Google and they may try and bamboozle you with dark arts and may make out what is a pretty simplistic methodology is actually very complicated. Well, quite simply it isn’t complicated. For example if you are sat in front of a computer type in “Footwear epos systems” in Google.

You will see Cybertill is the first natural link that appears. To get there was very simple. We added the relevant ‘keywords’, ‘page titles’, ‘image tags’, ‘description’, ‘headers’ to our footwear epos page, and that’s it. And this is what good ecommerce systems should allow retailers to do, naturally optimise every page on their website, simply and effectively.

So on each page different ‘keywords’ (a word or phrase used by a search engine in its search for relevant web pages) can be added.

These will relate to the products and brands being sold on each page.

Retailers should be able to edit and amend other elements too (page titles, image tags and so forth).

Many see “Search Engine Optimisation” (basically this means improving how a website ranks in Google and other search engines) as a dark art, but it really is not. With a little training and a decent ecommerce system retailers can take control of their website and begin to manage this process themselves. At Cybertill we have begun to offer a consultancy service on Search Engine Optimisation to customers, but the end goal of this is for the retailer to have the confidence to take over and do it themselves…and get themselves to appear on page one of Google.

The Society of Shoefitters is pressing forward with its campaign to make formal qualifications for measuring footwear a legal obligation. Here, they share a case study on one of their members Karen Feltham.

Fitting matters …

KAREN Feltham moved to South West France with her family in 2010 and noticed a gap in the market – a lack of shoe shops that offer a fitting service, or the opportunity to buy shoes for children with width fittings.

So, in 2011, she created Petits Pieds to offer children’s foot measuring, shoe supply and a fitting service to mainly international families. She supplies Start-rite, Kickers, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Garvalin and Biomechanics as well as a range of soft leather pram shoes.

She said: “Despite having received training in children’s shoe fitting many years ago, this was for just one brand and I didn’t want to set up a business supplying children’s shoes if I didn’t know how to fit different brands correctly.

“I know the differences in shoe manufacture and wanted to have a wider knowledge of shoe fitting.

So I researched shoe fitting training courses and came across the SSF. I booked straight onto the five-month intensive course.

“I wanted to train with SSF because it's recognised by families living here. My tutor, Maureen Unsworth being the expert in children’s shoe fitting

was brilliant in every way, always there for help should I need it and a font of useful information.

“I know there are other tutors that specialise in other areas of shoe fitting and foot health which I’m sure are also brilliant, it was just a nice touch to work with a tutor who specialises in the area of my particular interest.”

The full course that Karen took cost £550 (no VAT as the Society of Shoe Fitters is a 'not-for-profit' organization). All tuition, workshops, course materials and lunches at workshops are included. A £50 goodwill discount is offered for multiple bookings, existing members’ shops and members of IFRA. The SSF have also introduced a new entrance application which is £50 and aimed at experienced shoe sales assistants.

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

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Business + Technology

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

diary dates ENKWSA Las Vegas 7 - 9 August, 2012 (www.wsashow.com) ENKWSA is a twice-yearly event that gathers footwear and accessory exhibitors, showcases hundreds of brands, attracts leaders in the affordable footwear and footwear sourcing industry, newsmakers, designers, retail and distribution channels.

Moda Footwear NEC, Birmingham, August 12 - 14, 2012 (www.moda-uk.co.uk)

Moda will include a seminar programme which will be free of charge to all visitors and exhibitors.

The Moda catwalk show will present an overview of the seasons trends, providing an insight into key looks.

FLIP Birmingham NEC August 12 - 14, 2012 The new trade show for urban, street and action footwear will showcase major names and niche brands alongside spectacular live shows featuring some of the world’s best bike riders. It is particularly aimed at boardsport and activewear stores.

Pure Olympia London 19 - 21 August, 2012 (www.purelondon.com)

fashion labels from international brands and the children’s footwear marketplace. Other events will include fashion shows, trend presentations and trend vision.

London Edge London Olympia 2 - 4 September, 2012 (www.londonedge.com)

MICAM Italy 16 - 19 September, 2012 (www.micamonline.com)

The trade show for alternative street and club fashion, footwear, accessories and giftwear with over 300 collections available to view.

This international fair is dedicated to mid-to-high and high-end footwear.

The show now opens on Sundays to meet the needs of Italian and international buyers and visitors

ISPO MUNICH Neue Messe München 3 - 6 February, 2013

Tony Barry – Sales & Marketing Director

Dominic Musgrave – Reporter Helen Williams – Reporter

(tb@scriptmedia.co.uk)

Editorial Contacts

Beverley Green – Group Sales Manager

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

Sales

Avertising Contacts

Design & Production

Tel: 01226 734333 Fax: 01226 734477

Stewart Holt – Studio Manager

Editorial Judith Halkerston – Group Editor Nicola Hyde – Editor Christina Eccles – Reporter

Highlights will include high

A showcase of over 1,000 directional womenswear brands, young creative labels, footwear and accessory collection plus inspiring seminars and catwalks.

Contacts

(bg@scriptmedia.co.uk)

GDS/GLOBAL SHOES Messe Dusseldorf, Germany 5 - 7 September, 2012 (www.gds-online.com

The international trade fair for sports equipment and fashion. Over 2,000 international exhibitors present the complete selection of sporting goods, athletic footwear and fashions from the Outdoor, Ski, Action und Performance Sports to more than 80,000 visitors from over 100 countries.

(sth@scriptmedia.co.uk)

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

Circulation 01226 734695 (24 hour hotline) Email: circulation@scriptmedia.co.uk

TRAINING

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

FOOTWEAR COMPONENTS