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.

For the 9th edition of ‘design attack’ exhibitors like Gumbies from the United Kingdom, HOKKA from Germany and the German brand Buygo have already registered. After the re-organisation of GDS ‘design attack’ is now presented in the neighbourhood of the areas ‘urban fresh’ and ‘urban active’ in hall 3. This means the trendy area will remain in the familiar surroundings of established young fashion brands. Popular, mainstream lifestyle and fashion brands such as Skechers, Yellow CAB and Tatonka will showcase their urban and sporty shoe fashions in the immediate vicinity.

With its re-arranged areas GDS creates homogeneous lifestyle worlds. In line with this, ‘design attack’ will also have a new look. Through the choice of young designers admitted for participation, the Area will now focus more strongly than before on the alliance of fashion with art and music. “The creativity of the young trendsetters and above all the ‘hip’ atmosphere of the area is what ‘design attack’ is all about,” says the visionary behind the trendy area, Eddi Mackowiak. ‘design attack’ will also have an extraordinary hall design in store for exhibitors and visitors in September 2008. In the event area staged like a station concourse complete with a railway carriage and tracks, dancers will present daily groovy SOUL EXPRESS performances on a rotating circular platform set amongst luggage, little ticket offices and luggage trolleys. Three themed “main streets” lead visitors through this Soul City: on the glamorous 5th Avenue high society gets together.

Disco Street with numerous colourful light effects brings back memories of the glittering dance temples with those typical Motown sounds of the 60s and 70s. And in the Bronx cool graffiti, gangs and burning garbage cans set the scene. The exhibition stands are designed as stores lining these streets in matching colour ways: brown, white, black and orange.

In a genuine restaurant car visitors can enjoy snacks and refreshments while DJs will turn up the heat for exhibitors and visitors with groovy funk and soul beats. On the evening of the first day of the exhibition the SOULEXPRESS Party extends an invitation to guests to party and/or chill out. DJs at real turntables will generate high spirits with Hammond organ grooves. Light effects and funky disco dancing sounds make this party a must-go music experience.

The promotion of young designers ranks high on the agenda of GDS. To draw special attention to particular talents, the ‘SOULEXPRESS Fashion Award 2008’ will be presented in the categories ‘Best Outfit’ and ‘Best Shoe’ on the Sunday of the trade fair. The award winners will get a sponsored stand at ‘design attack’ for GDS in March 2009. However, this is not the only event promoting young designers. For the 11th time now the HDS – Main Association of the German Footwear Industry will be presenting an international young designer prize, the ‘Footwear Fashion Future Award’, in cooperation with Messe Düsseldorf at GDS. ‘design attack’ is part and parcel of GDS’s promotion of young talents. “We provide young designers and international buyers with a suitable communication platform that adapts to the spirit of the age,” says Kirstin Deutelmoser, Director of GDS.

All activities related to GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories are available online at:

www.gds-online.com

(28/07/2008)