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.

APLF in association with IFCOMA has launched "Footwear Materials Manufacturing & Technology Fair (fMM&T) in New Delhi, India from May 8 -10, 2009. With a huge population and the world's 4th largest economy by GDP (in purchasing power parity terms), a large domestic market is waiting to be tapped. Economic growth has meant greater disposable incomes. It is estimated that today 2.8 % of the population are able to spend over USD 30,000 a year on conspicuous consumption. That may not look so huge at first glance, but this is 2.8% of one billion plus. India's huge USD 5 billion footwear market is growing at around 10% a year.

The APLF (The Hong Kong international fair of leather, shoes, bags, materials and technologies...) gives seven different reasons how to profit from the financial crises. The financial crisis and the recession forecast by economic analysts look inevitable. In this article we offer some ways on how your company can profit from the Asian markets and in this way offset the negative aspects foreseen in the international media.

This year, The Jan Pivecka Foundation Award for young and beginning designers of shoes and leather goods has been presented for the second time. The winners of the year 2008 were announced on the opening ceremony of 32. edition of fairs STYL and KABO in Brno.

Modacalzado and Iberpiel, the international fair of shoes (Modacalzado) and leather goods (Iberpiel), sometimes known also as “Sipiel”, hold in Madrid from 25th till 27th September, just finished. We were there to see it. One of the highlights of the whole event was a lecture on next season fashion trends presented by Aldo Premoli.

Mr. Tomas Bata Junior, one of the most famous Czech „shoemakers“ died in Toronto at the age of 94 on Monday the 1st of September 2008. We offer our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

Comparative testing provides with very useful and complete lessons. A great number of examples prove their significance in the news. Footwear is not outdone. Throughout the year, CTC, the leading global resource providing quality assurance for the footwear and leather goods industries, carries out tests for French and European consumer associations, specialized magazines or people responsible for bringing products to market. .

At its head office, CTC has been operating since December 2004 on it’s new facility: the European Campus. It offers a unique global solution to all requirements of the footwear, leathergoods and leather manufacturers. The CTC European Campus offers the world’s only platform for digital design and product development of footwear.

All aboard! For young designers ‘design attack’ means full steam ahead. As part of GDS – the International Event for Shoes & Accessories from 12 to 14 September 2008 – 100 young design talents will be presenting their original collections in the unconventional Young Fashion Area ‘design attack’ alongside selected, more established labels. Under the design and event motto SOULEXPRESS interested trade visitors will be introduced to independent fashion, urban and streetwear as well as accessories and other trendy lifestyle products in a true ‘soul-city’ setting complete with wafts of mist, funk ’n’ soul grooves and multi-coloured party lights.