...introduced themselves for the very first time. In total, 239 exhibitors from 14 countries and 632 represented brands presented their collections of textile, clothing, footwear, and leatherwear. The novelties for the Autumn and Winter 2016/2017 season were, according to a first estimate, viewed by five thousand professional visitors, traders, and buyers.

The biggest number of foreign exhibitors came from Poland, Germany, and Slovakia. The novelty of this edition of the event was the large participation of companies from Turkey; the companies ERFO from Germany, Minerva from Greece, the Italian footwear company NeroGiardini, or the Czech company SNAHA (who are returning to production of fashion footwear after twenty years) had their interesting premieres at the trade fairs as well. Among the Czech exhibitors there were representatives of foreign brands as well as 66 direct manufacturers. The section of young and independent fashion Fresh Fashion was again a part of the trade fairs.

A special fashion show Luxury Cut, hosted by Leoš Mareš, became an exceptional event at the trade fairs. Besides collections of the brands Corneliani and John Richmond, the audience could see the unique retrospective show of models by the world famous fashion designer Oleg Cassini – the original glitter dresses made for Marilyn Monroe, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Grace Kelly. The Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Bratislava, Livia Klausová, was among the guests of the event.

Like in previous years, the Brno Exhibition Centre hosted a trend seminar with a foreign expert in the Czech Republic this year as well. Traders, exhibitors, and other interested visitors could attend an engaging lecture on the key trends for the Autumn and Winter 2016/2017 season, hosted on Saturday and Sunday by the Dutch expert Ellen Haeser. Untraditionally, the lecture took place directly on the catwalk in the pavilion P, and the key word for the lecture was “individuality”. Four main themes will be reflected in women’s fashion: elements of nature, “primal” – which points to the roots and traditions, art studio, and treasures from the history of fashion.

On the occasion of the fashion trade fairs the magazine Svět textilu & obuvi (The World of Textile and Footwear) gave a prestigious award to two important personalities of the field. The Personality of the Year 2015 in the Textile and Clothing Industry award went to the founder of the company SILK &PROGRESS Petr Moravec and the Personality of the Year 2015 in the Footwear Industry award went to the director of the company D.P.K. Petr Kubát.

What they said about the trade fairs: 

Vlasta Mayerová, Secretary of the Czech Footwear and Leatherwear Association:
The attendance was quite good. The trade fair offers mostly collections for autumn and winter, but many exhibitors have still added their current offer which is intended for the stores in spring and summer. Unfortunately, due to this year’s weather, winter collections have not sold out; winter shoes still remain in retail stores, but shoes for the whole year are sold all the more.

Drahomíra Gřešová, Director of the company PEGRES footwear, Ltd.:
In comparison with last August a lot of visitors came to KABO, during the weekend many people visited our stand and we also have a lot of orders. Our offer mostly consists of shoes for the whole year, so our sales are not affected by the weather, and most importantly, we are able to deliver the goods within a week from being ordered, which is very welcomed by our customers.

Kateřina Ščuková, Brand Manager, PM-STYL Ltd.:
This is our first time exhibiting handbags here, but we have been exhibiting clothing in Brno for more than ten years. In our Central European premiere we presented the London brand of handbags Pauls Boutique and I think that it was successful. With the handbags, we will supply our usual customers in fashion boutiques, but we looked for specialised leatherwear stores at the KABO trade fair. We’re a new brand and we still need to expand on the market, but we have found many new and many interesting contacts at the trade fair. Even the traders themselves were enthusiastic about our handbags and they look forward to selling them because the handbags are very different at a first glance.

Václav Vaněk, Director of the company V+J OBUV, Ltd.:
After a bad winter I was worried about the outcome of the KABO trade fairs, but I have to say that the course of the event has been standard and we are happy with it. For the first time ever, we have introduced here the Croatian brand of children’s leather footwear FRODDO, which was sought after very much. This is partly due to the fact that the footwear was certified with the brand “Žirafa” (Giraffe), because customers like children’s footwear to be branded this way; it is a good sale boost and, of course, a certification of quality.

Livia Klausová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Slovakia:
The fashion show LUXURY CUT, for which real original models were lent, was very interesting. I have attended STYL and KABO every years and I can see how the pavilions change for the better each time. Every year the level of quality moves upwards. It is true that I have found my range of companies to whom I’m faithful and who I visit here, but I like to look at those who exhibit here for the first time or return after several years as well.

Radim Dvořák, CEO at Snaha, plc.:
At the KABO trade fair we introduce new models which arose due to our collaboration with the project LOCAL ICONS, where we aimed mainly at private stores in smaller to medium-sized towns. We were very interested in the reactions of buyers for shops and boutiques. In the last twenty years, Snaha hasn’t presented any new models, and therefore we were very nervous about the reception of the models by sellers and end customers. To make new models without having confronted the market would be a bad idea.

Jana Kabrhelová, co-owner of the company Kabrhel-Perab:
We present five women’s and five men’s clothing brands in Brno. The brand TRAMONTANA, which also opened the STYL SHOW fashion show, is our flagship. What’s good about fashion shows is that sellers have an opportunity to see the collections being worn by models, and if they like something, they will come to the stand for specific things. That is why we participate in fashion shows regularly.

Petr Vykoukal, Sales Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the company FELINA ČR:
This year we introduce the collection for Autumn/Winter 2016 by the brands FELINA and CONTRELLE by FELINA, where we highlight the novelties for this year’s season, which we also do in the context of the trade fair fashion show FELINA LINGERIE FASHION SHOW. We are going to participate in the trade fair again in August, when we want to introduce the collections for Spring/Summer 2017 to the visitors.

Martin Závorka, owner of the company UNIDAX, Czech Bags and Accessories:
I have been coming to STYL and KABO since 1991. We try to offer fashionable luxurious handbags, leather or made of a combination of textile and leather. Eighty per cent of the goods that we sell are our own that we manufacture in Prague. Nowadays, when there is an overflow of imported goods made from imitation of leather, and when we struggle against e-shops, who successfully sell cheaper goods, it’s important to have staff who want to work, to have our own network of stores, and to present ourselves.

Chris Chatziantoniou, owner of the company Miss Rosy Lingerie, Greece:
Our company is one of the biggest lingerie manufacturers in Greece, which we not only sell at home but we also export abroad. This is our first time at the Brno trade fair, so we will see how the Czech market reacts to us. Some visitors came to our stand right after they saw our collection at the fashion show. We present mainly satin lingerie in Brno, but we would also like to find a sales representative here, who would take care of the Miss Rosy brand on the Czech market.

The 48th International Fashion and Footwear Trade Fairs STYL and KABO will take place from the 27th to the 29th of August 2016.

(4.3.2016)