Top Spanish brands put their best foot forward at Modacalzado in Madrid from March 17 to 19, 2009, where there was chance to see their autumn/winter 09/10 collections. Hot trends include the classic Oxford shoe, updated with feminine detail like coloured leather and heels. Leggy cowboy boots and giddy platforms also head the list of things to come.

Classicism merges with modernism, nature unites with urbanism, tradition pairs with futurism – these interactions open up an exciting season: re_worked future/the time is now ! Contrasts are defining the trends of the winter season 2009/10. Deliberate breaches are existential in any of the four topics and reflect our society. Today fashion is defined by different lifestyles not by one special look. There is a turning to the „real life“: authentic and rustic, yet with a little twist. The counter movement is to be seen in the ever progressing development of the high tech field: a new lightness of the material provides sculptural shaping followed by innovation with the silhouettes.

Children have money, children have incredible power when it comes to shopping and shoe retailers still don’t appreciate them sufficiently.” Kids’ and youth market researcher Ingo Barlovic brought along a wealth of helpful tips for his approx. 150 listeners at the third Kids Business Brunch at GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories - suggesting how footwear retailers can turn children into customers. According to his data the 6 to 19-year olds in Germany have EUR 23.1 b at their disposal of which they actually spend EUR 22.8 b, EUR 4.42 on fashion. Yet shoe retailers, he said, were still not doing enough to turn this important target group into more loyal shoppers – despite the fact that 70% of the six-year olds already had an active say in shopping for shoes.  

Pleased with a positive result and largely exceeding the expectations of the exhibitors the 130th International Leather Goods Fair – I.L.M Winter Styles – finished in Offenbach today. Exhibitors at the three-day trade fair represented 215 companies coming from 14 countries and displayed what will be the trend in leather goods in the coming autumn/winter season.

The Düsseldorf shoe fairs GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories – and GLOBAL SHOES – leading trade show for sourcing – draw to a close after three days on Sunday evening with a predominantly positive summary. According to still preliminary calculations over 31,000 buyers came to the fair grounds, this means approx. 2,000 visitors or 6% less...

Foot problems are a big issue in Europe, where 35% of the population suffers of some troubles with their feet. Orthopaedic treatment is an effective and sometimes even the only way to solve these complaints. Another European problem is the increasing costs of healthcare. This gives both a chance and a risk for the footcare trade, which is aiming at improving the quality of its treatment as well as decreasing of production costs.  

On 1 June 2008 REACh entered an operational phase by implementing pre-registration. The aim of this article is to explain the obligations of the various types of company included in the scope of REACh and to suggest the action plans to be set up for each one.

One of the highlights of the upcoming GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories, from 13 through 15 March 2009, is the 10th edition of Design Attack. With Queen Alpin, visitors and exhibitors experience London as a firstclass ski location in the Alps. This season Design Attack again provides a contact and business platform for 100 young national and international designers with unique collections... 

Le Cuir a Paris (Paris fair of leather and fur) introduces the leather trends for summer 2010. For the first summer of the new decade, new rhythms appear and guide our desires for colours and textures. After a long period punctuated by narration, we are craving more abstraction. To express our desires for summer, nouns pair up with adjectives which strengthen meaning and accentuate the tension. This tension makes positive waves vibrate and reminds us of effects of light and shadow.