Out on a Limb Feb/March 2011

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February/March 2011 33

new

s How womenwill sufferfor shoesthey love By Louise Cordell

FASHION conscious women go tosuch extreme lengths for theirshoes that one in ten admits theyhave had to receive medicalattention or even be hospitalised.

Nearly half of women have twistedtheir ankle because of theirfootwear and two thirds admit towearing shoes that have causedthem injury.The top injuries caused by shoeswere broken ankles, twisted knees,infected blisters, bunions and torntendons.A third had fallen flat on their faceas a result of their shoes with manydamaging their teeth and breakingtheir wrists.The study into 3,000 women’sfootwear choices was conducted bycomfy shoe specialist Hotter Shoes,the UK’s biggest shoe maker, whoare looking into what motivateswomen to buy certain shoes.Lisa McCarten of Hotter Shoes,said: “It’s incredible to imagine the

pain and discomfort women endurefor a pair of killer heels or an ill-fitting impulse sale bargain.

“Buying shoes can be hard work aswomen tend to buy shoes that lookgood with an outfit, and then worryabout the pain later.”

Nearly eighty per cent of women hadbought shoes knowing that theydidn’t fit with most buying shoesthat are too small for their feet.

Although women listed comfort as apriority when looking for shoesmany ended up buying what lookedgood with 94 per cent saying theyhad bought shoes that were painful.

Six out of ten women said that evenif they were in pain they would keepwearing a pair of shoes if peoplecommented that they looked goodwearing them.

Most women said they hadregretted buying shoes but a thirdsaid that they wouldn’t throw a pairof shoes out if they caused them toget injured if they looked good.

UK brand Starchild hasreceived a rock and rollendorsement for its adultUnion Jack shoes.Rock star Ozzy Osbourne hasordered the style in navy andhis wife Sharon purchased amatching pair in candy pink.

Converseannouncesretail firstCONVERSE has announced theopening of its first specialtyretail store in Manhattan.Michael Spillane, the brand’schief executive, said:“Converse was first in sportsand first in rock ‘n roll sowe’re extremely excited tobring our fans the firstConverse New York City spe-cialty retail store.“Converse has deep roots inNew York City culture frombasketball to the influentialunderground music scenes ofthe 80s and 90s.“This newest store will allowvisitors to immerse them-selves in a unique Converseexperience and give them newand exclusive ways to engagewith our brand.”The store will have the largestoffering of Converse footwearin the world, showcasing col-lections including Chuck TaylorAll Star, Jack Purcell, StarChevron, One Star andConverse by John Varvatos, aswell as other premiumfootwear collaborations.Another key feature of theshop will be Converse’s in-store customisation capabili-ties. This will allow customersto select shoes and bagsalong with graphics andcolours to create their owndesigns and leave with theircreations on the same day.

Cult label teamsup with chain

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Award-winner seeksmore partners

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News

Hetty launchesready-to-wear range

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4 February/March 2011 News

Wall can changethe way retailerssell their productsTHE launch of new invention,the Virtual Footwear Wall, isset to change the way highstreet retailers sell theirproducts. Unveiled at the 2011National Retail Federation’sconvention, the interactiveadiVerse Virtual FootwearWall potentially puts as manyas 8,000 shoes at shoppers’fingertips by merging theworlds of e-commerce andtraditional stores. For the event, Intel partneredwith Adidas to show off theWall’s potential.It has been designed by UKcompany Start Creative andrenders products in 3-D –allowing shoppers to spin andzoom in on the shoes andcall up specifications from atouch screen display. Particularly popular models

can also be linked toaccompanying video andrelevant information – forexample the Adidas F50soccer shoe, which was wornby players who scored 44goals in last year’s WorldCup.

Retailers using the Wall willbe able to deliver a massiveinventory in a relatively smallspace. Actual stock can bekept low, with a small supplyof shoes to serve as fitmodels.

Chris Aubrey, vice presidentof global marketing for Adid-as, said: “We have levelledthe playing field for smallretailers. They can now actlike a big flagship store in atown like London or New York.Not to mention the fact thatthe installation turns flatwalls into prime selling

space.” The aim is for a prototypestore to be rolled out in theUK within the next year. Adidas executives havechosen this option becausethey believe the UK is nearlyas enthusiastic about e-comm-erce as the UnitedStates, but is also closeenough for managers fromthe company’s Europeanheadquarters to keep a closeeye on how the Wall isworking.Chris added: “Germany itselfstill lags a bit in its appetitefor online shopping.“However, footwear sales ingeneral are bouncing backafter taking a hit during theglobal melt-down of 2008. Wehad a very good 2010 and Ithink consumer confidence isback.”The Virtual Footwear Wall

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News February/March 2011 5

Emy Blixt, Swedish Hasbeens and Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M

By Louise Cordell

H&M has teamed up with cultshoe label Swedish Hasbeens tobring its wooden-soled clog styleto the rest of the world.

From April, three designs createdespecially for the chain will beavailable in around 150 storesworldwide.

The shoes have been inspired by the traditional Swedish styles of the 70s and are madeusing handcrafted methods and environmentally friendly mate-rials.

Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s headof design, said: “I love the gen-uine feeling you get fromHasbeens, from the wood and theleather, and also how they takesomething traditional and Swedishand make it contemporary andmodern.

“These new styles fit perfectlywith the 70s’ bohemian look that’s so important this comingseason.”

The three wooden-soled designsinclude a gladiator style, strappywedge, a heeled summer sandalwith one ankle strap and a peeptoe, slip on wedge with snakeeffect leather.

Emy Blixt, founder and designer ofSwedish Hasbeens, said: “We have a strong belief in making better shoes for a betterworld.

“We want to make fashion morefun, creative and friendly to boththe environment and people.

“Designing for H&M is a fantasticopportunity to spread the idea ofHasbeens and make these shoesavailable to more people.”

Chain joinsforces withSwedishcult label

‘Better legs and betterbums’ adverts bannedby advertising watchdogREEBOK’S adverts for the brand’sEasyTone Curve trainers have beenbanned by the Advertising StandardsAuthority.

The watchdog has ruled that theadverts should be withdrawn due totheir promises of ‘better legs and abetter bum with every step’.

After studying the claims in two pro-motions, a magazine and a TV advert,the ASA concluded that they were‘misleading’.

The magazine advert featured head-line text that stated: “Reetone withevery step. Get up to 28 per centmore of a workout for your bum. Andup to 11 per cent more for your ham-strings and calves.”

A separate TV advert claimed:“Reebok EasyTone. Helps tone legsand bum more than regular trainers –with balanced ball inspired technology.Better legs and better bum with everystep.”

The ASA said this would be under-stood by consumers to mean thatwearing EasyTone trainers regularly,during everyday activities, would result in a noticeable improvement inmuscle tone, which would continueover time.

However, it added: “We consideredthat the very small sample size of par-ticipants on which the EasyTone studywas based was not adequate to sup-port the absolute claims made in theads that consumers would achieve animprovement in muscle tone.

“Because we considered that we hadnot seen robust, scientific evidence tosupport the efficacy claims made inthe magazine ad or the TV ad, we con-cluded that the claims had not beensubstantiated and were therefore mis-leading.”

The ASA looked into the ads after twocomplaints challenged whether theefficacy claims for the product weremisleading and could be substantiat-ed.

NIKE has announced the officialreopening of its flagship Niketownstore in Oxford Circus, followingextensive redevelopment makingit the largest Nike store in theworld.Niketown London now coversapproximately 42,000 squarefeet over four floors and itsreopening forms part of a seriesof planned new store openingsacross the UK.The store now includes a twofloor NIKEiD studio for consumersto go online to design and cus-tomize their own footwear; astate-of-the-art football boot fit-ting machine, allowing players thechance to steam mould boots to

their feet and a boot embroideryservice.Also on offer is video gait analy-sis and trained staff to help run-ners to work out exactly whattype of shoe suits their runningstyle.Marc van Pappelendam, Nike UKgeneral manager, said: “Nike iscommitted to offering consumersaccess to engaging, exciting andinnovative retail spaces. “The re-launch of our flagshipNiketown London store demon-strates our drive to continue toraise our game and offer our con-sumers world-class shoppingexperiences in line with our long-term category strategy.”

London boasts largest Nike store

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Brandosa launches new UK siteONE of the largest online shoestores in Europe has officiallylaunched its new site in the UK.

Brandosa.co.uk offers a range offootwear for men, women andchildren and will immediatelybecome one of the largest onlineshoe stores in the UK with arange of over 10,000 styles andmore than 280 brands.

Liam Clark, UK country manager,

said: “We will offer UK customerseverything from winter boots toflip flops, trainers to bridal shoes.

“We are very excited to belaunching in the UK and we hopethat new customers will enjoy theBrandosa shopping experience.

“Shopping online is all aboutconvenience, so we also offer freeshipping and free returns on allorders.

“Customers can get their shoesdelivered to their door, try themon at home and just send themback at no cost if they are not100 per cent happy.”

Brandosa launched in 2006 andhas since expanded at a fast rate,attracting over 13m visitors andselling over 350,000 pairs ofshoes across seven countriessince opening.

Liam added: “We pride ourselveson offering the best possiblerange of footwear to ourcustomers and catering for allkinds of people, no matter theirage, style, size or background.

“This model is successful in other European markets and it is incredibly exciting to belaunching our brand in a large,diverse and competitive marketlike the UK.”

Smaller retailerswould pay more forsimpler tax systemMANY independent retailers are sofrustrated with the complex UK taxsystem that they would pay morejust to see it simplified, accordingto new research.

Over half of small business ownerssurveyed by the Forum of PrivateBusiness said that they would bewilling to pay more tax in exchangefor a simpler system that led togreater rewards.

Another 50 per cent said that theywould be prepared to contributemore if a new system cut down ontax avoidance among their competi-tors – especially larger businesses.

Finally, 45 per cent of companiessaid that they would tolerate a high-er tax bill if the new system wasaccompanied by a general reductionin legislative red tape.

The findings come after the

Coalition Government announcedthe creation of the Office for TaxSimplification last summer.

The Office is a Treasury departmentwhich is currently working on taxsimplification proposals ahead ofthe March budget.

Phil Orford, Forum chief executive,said: “The cost of complying withBritain’s hugely complex tax systemis such that, if simplification andprofitability result, most businessesbelieve a little more tax would be aprice worth paying.

“Clearly, if the government is seri-ous about stimulating small busi-ness growth, streamlining taxadministration must be a priority.

“In addition, small businesses aredeeply concerned that the tax sys-tem favours large companies and isdeeply unfair.

“How can the government continueto allow major retailers to set upshop in the Channel Islands todeliberately undercut small shopsby exploiting a VAT loophole thatclearly distorts competition andleads to tax abuse?

“We desperately need reforms thatincentivise small business growthby freeing up time and money toinvest in future planning and expan-sion, rather than a system thatimpedes it, as the present onedoes.”

The Forum now plans to investigatethe possibility of a radical overhaulto the tax system, which couldinclude the abolition of business taxreliefs and allowances if corporationtax were to be cut to internationally-competitive rates and employmenttaxes were significantly reduced orabolished.

Equity firmpurchasesshoe chainFOOTWEAR chain Office has beenbought by private equity firmSilverfleet for an undisclosed sum.

Chief executive Brian McCluskeyhas reinvested in the business andis set to remain in his current role.

Office first opened in 1981 and hassince grown to 75 stand alonestores in the UK and Ireland and 46concessions in House of Fraser, TopShop, Harvey Nichols andSelfridges.

The chain sells a range of brandsincluding Ugg, Converse, Vans andHunter, as well as its own-brandedshoes.

Gareth Whiley, partner at Silverfleet,said: “Office is a great businesswith a management team that reallyunderstands what its customerswant – the stores are a destinationfor anyone looking for fashionableshoes.

“The young fashion sector of thefootwear market is growing fast andthere is still room for a roll out ofstores within the UK and potentiallyoverseas.”

AWARD-WINNING French footwear brandHoka One One, which picked up the bestfootwear and product of the year award atthis year’s Outdoor Trade Show, is lookingto widen its network of retail partners inthe UK for spring 2011. The brand also won the 2010 innovation ofthe year award in France’s Endurance

Trails magazinefor their

product, which aims to present an alternative to current barefoot runningofferings. The shoes are already worn by winning athletes including ultra runner Karl Meltzer and distributors Sidas UK are now working to launch the product at bothbusiness and consumer levels.

Award-winner seeks more partners

HUSH Puppies is celebratingthe opening of its first retailstore in the UK at The Mall inBristol. The move is part of aplanned expansion into directdistribution on the high streetand this store joins 500other concept stores world-wide. Phil Beaven, international

retail director, said: “The Mallat Cribbs Causeway is a keyretail destination for Bristoland the South West.“The centre hosts a largenumber of well establishedbrands and is a perfect loca-tion for Hush Puppies tolaunch our first UK retailstore.”

UK first for Hush Puppies

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News February/March 2011 7

BESPOKEshoemakerHetty Rose haslaunched aReady to Wearcollection for2011.

After threeyears creatingpersonallydesigned shoesfor individualcustomers,Hetty hasdecided to extend the brand to awider audience.

Key classic and top-selling styles,including Mika, Yuki, Kiki, Harukaand Mami, have been selected forthe range and are availablethrough her website andwholesale.

The new range will allow fans ofthe brand to own some of thekey styles at a lower cost than abespoke pair.

The concept behind the HettyRose brand is based on a theory

of re-using and re-workingvintage materials in a creative andsustainable way, hand makingshoes to fit.

Hetty is passionate about herbrand philosophy, which is tomake an environmental statementin an aesthetically pleasing way.

She said: “The Ready to Wearrange takes the essence of ourbespoke, hand-made shoes in our signature vintage kimonofabric style and makes them more accessible, so clients can buy without the six to eight-week wait for personalised shoes.

“Hopefully, clientswill also enjoyowning a piece ofdesigner footwearat a more afford-able price point.”

Hetty has plans toexpand her rangethroughout the yearand future collect-ions will includebags, baby shoesand men’s ties.

Hetty extendsbrand with newready-to-wearcollection

Leading Italian brand in UK moveA LEADING Italian footwear brandhas announced it plans to createnew opportunities for UK retailers. Lomer shoes had been popular inthe UK footwear market for manyyears and, when sold through themail order outlet Hawkshead, thebrand regularly achieved sales ofover 30,000 pairs each year.

However, after Hawksheadexperienced severe financialdifficulties, the brand took thedecision to withdraw temporarilyfrom the UK market. Now, having recently struck a newUK distribution deal, Lomer is eagerto attract new retail partners for itsclassic Italian designs.

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Students headto China forwork tripTWO young footwear students havebeen given the chance to gain work experience in China with thehelp of the British FootwearAssociation.

The undergraduates, both fromNorthampton University, have spentthree months working withinternational and local clients andtheir Chinese factories.

Samantha Morris and Phillippa Tattwere selected and sponsored byRaddisshMe – a leading footweardesign studio based in SouthernChina.

Samantha said: “Overall I feel thiswhole experience has benefitted mean incredible amount and I am sograteful for the opportunity.

“I am now confident in my careerchoice and can’t wait to get startedworking in the UK.

“I was nervous with my ideas whenI first started but the team helpedme overcome that by letting meknow that nothing is ever wrong.

“One small idea voiced can be thestart of a brilliant collection onceeveryone else gets involved.”

RaddisshMe was founded by ex-Prada Sport designer Ajoy Sahu,and now works with a wide varietyof customers from high enddesigners through to sportswearbrands, including Clarks, Diesel,Miu Miu and DKNY.

Phillippa said: “I think myexperience in China was verypositive. There were times when Ithink I struggled with the culturaldifferences, however, I feel sofortunate that I was able toexperience not only working as adesigner in an innovative footwearstudio, but living in a country sodifferent to what I am used to inEngland.

“I feel more than ever that I want topursue a career in footwear design,and I believe the experience andguidance that I gained fromRaddisshMe has given me a greatplatform to continue my career inthe UK.”

Far left:Freedomand, left:Maneaterfrom theCurvesrange

WedgeWelly makesa splash with redWEDGEWELLY has unveiled a spe-cial edition print named Freedom.

Designer Laura Booth said: “I’vebeen looking to introduce the colourred into the range for some timenow, and by popular demand we’relaunching the Freedom print.

“This design is by far my favourite.”

The Freedom boot will be presentedin a gift box and will be available inthe Unique and Flex ranges.

The brand has also launched a newCurve range of wellies with a widerfit. It has been made for customersthat require a wider foot, ankle andleg area and accomodates a calf cir-cumference of between 45 and48cm.

Laura added: “As a designer it’simportant for me to not only designproducts which I can be proud of,but also products which the cus-tomer will love.

“I know that the Curve range isgoing to be a huge success as I’mcontacted daily by fans ofWedgeWelly, many of whom express their frustration at the lack of functional and fashionableboots available with a wider fitting.

“We strive to accommodate thedesires of everyone and the addi-tion of the Curve range will ensurethat more people can now engagewith our brand and enjoy our won-derful products.“

Farmer plugs new shoesA CHINESE farmer has invented apair of electric shoes which he claims enable wearers to ‘run’ more than 100 miles a day.

The shoes are effectively battery-powered roller skates which

feature headlights, indicators,brakes and brake lights.

Inventor Zhao Xueqin was inspiredto create the shoes by thechildren in rural areas of Chinawho often have to travel manymiles to go to school.

CLARKS Sport has appointedBritish Olympic gold medallistsIain Percy and Andrew Simpsonas ambassadors for its newtechnical boat shoe.

The design is part of thespring/summer 2011 collectionand Iain and Andrew will appear in store and mediacampaigns from now until 2012.

Clarks Sport’s marketingmanager said: “We are delightedto be working with Iain andAndrew.

“We have developed a highlytechnical, best in class boat

shoe as a flagship product forthe nautical Clarks collection andwe could think of no betterpeople to work with than a teamwhich has won European, Worldand Olympic titles.

“We are keen to support Britishsporting talent and Iain andAndrew have proved over manyyears that they can compete ona global stage and continuallydeliver success.”

The boat shoe designs, Orsonand Ionia, are available for men and women and feature the Aquadx water drainagesystem, designed to reduce the

risk of aquaplaning.

They also feature rock compoundrubber soles, anti-microbal lining,salt water resistant leather andrust proof eyelets to help withperformance.

Andrew Simpson said: “Often theissue sailors face most withtheir footwear is when it gatherswater and becomes heavy andcumbersome.

“But with the technology in ourClarks boat shoes, we neverhave this worry as the water isconstantly drained through theshoe without affecting the weightor grip.”

Olympic championspromote new boat shoe

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feat

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CUSHE has described itsC.L.I.M.A.T.E. range as more than anew collection – instead it is thefuture of the brand. The aim is to continue creating styl-ish and wearable footwear, butusing design ideas and productionmethods that minimise the impacton the environment. The brand has looked into everystage of the manufacturing processto create the new concept, whichtranslates as:Contains.Low.Impact.Materials.And.Thinking.Environmentally.Martin Dean, Cushe’s creativedirector, said: “The eco range issomething I have wanted to do for along time, but we have not reallyhad the resources to do it properlyuntil now – and doing it right wasvery important to us.“Our aim has always been to makeproducts that are different andunique, by challenging the bound-aries of footwear design rather thanjust following trends. “However, it is also important totake ease of production intoaccount when designing – essentialif you don’t want to get to the endof the design process and find thatno one is able to create what you’vecome up with. “So we have been waiting for allthese factors to come together.” The first shoe to launch in the rangeis the Shucoon - which has beendesigned to create its own packag-ing with each pair fitting together,secured with a rubber ‘supportC.L.I.M.A.T.E.’ wristband, and thesole facing outwards as a protectiveshell. The shoes’ uppers are made froman organic cotton/hemp mix which,due to its strength and robustness,

is also used for the Slide style.This design features folding heeland toe sections on the uppers, cre-ating an open or closed toe, slip onor sandal style.The soles of the Shucoon are madefrom environmentally sensitivemoulded rubber with pressed can-vas for durability and also include aneoprene lining for extra cushioning.Martin added: “I very much see thiscollection as a first step. “We will be putting theC.L.I.M.A.T.E. label on all the shoeswe produce that meet the sustain-ability criteria we have come upwith.“Hopefully this will apply to moreand more designs as time goes andand as we keep improving.” The eco friendly theme is also car-ried through to the brand’s packag-ing and point of sales. The shoes are shipped in boxesconstructed entirely from recycledcardboard and water based glues,and printed with bean ink. The boxes have also been shrunk insize to fit the shoes exactly, reduc-ing wasted space and making themeasier to store. When the product reaches thestore, there is a recycled consumerbook to available, showcasing thebrand’s story and environmentalaims and also a magnetic float-ing shoe display made from recy-cled materials. Martin added: “Communicatingwhat we are about to retailersand to the consumers is veryimportant to us. “We are especially keen tobuild up new relationships withindependents now, after doingmost of our initial business

with bigger chains. “I think this will be a success – ourshoes have always been popularwith smaller stores because theyare something different to the otherproduct on the shelves. And this iswhat independents are looking for,particularly when times are as diffi-cult as they have been lately.“We are also keen to start reachingout to the customer directly and areconsidering the idea of introducingour own pop-up storesand shop-within-shopconcepts in thenear future.”

The new range from laid-back lifestyle brand Cushe has been created with the environment in mind. Out On A Limb spoke to creative directorMartin Dean about the label’s ambition to ‘Leave a Lighter Footprint’

New C.L.I.M.A.T.E.range: it’s thefuture of the brand

New looks for Fish ‘n’ Chips

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Looking back to the future

Page 14

Features

Show round-up Page 19

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10 February/March 2011 Features

Out on a Limb cover storyEditor’scomment

THE start of the New Year is agreat time to be planning forthe future – the question is,how far ahead should you belooking – Next season? Nextyear?

Planning for the longer term is the best way to guaranteesuccess, especially whentimes are tough, but without a crystal ball it can be hard to know what to do for thebest.

This issue, OOAL comes tothe rescue with invaluableadvice from top futuristGraeme Codrington, who hascast his expert eye forwardover the next five years to seewhat’s in store for the worldof retail and how you canmake the most of thechanges.

Also looking at the best things to come – check out our Retail Technology feature, reviewing new products and ideas that areset to change the way peopleshop forever.

Finally, our Show Previewshould provide all the information you need to start planning your tradeevent visits and start stocking up for a successfulyear.

Look out for OOAL at Pure,Moda and GDS and, in themeantime, keep following ourtweets at www.twitter.com/OOALMagazine to keep up todate with the latest news andto contribute to our upcomingfeatures.

Louise CordellEditor

What’sin storefor ourindustry?

FOR autumn/winter 2011 HushPuppies lives up to its name as theleading casual shoe brand.The 1958 Collection is a truecelebration of Hush Puppiesheritage, taking inspiration from thebrands archives to re-create someof their classic styles. The 1958 Collection brings forwardHush Puppies original comfort,offering a classic approach tocontemporary styling.

The washed suede Brogues are themain star of the men’s 1958collection and the ladies are allinspired by the man tailoring look.Maximizing on Hush Puppiesheritage, this vintage inspiredcollection is a true reflection of howthe brands values of comfort arenever compromised by styling withinHush Puppies.For AW11, Hush Puppies continuesto develop its successful Body Shoe

and launches its sister product‘Twist to Tone’, a revolutionary all inone interval training shoe.The product features a heel whichtwists; in normal mode the shoeprovides stability when the toningsole function is not desired. Turn the heel 180 degrees and itbecomes a toning shoe. Wearers will be able to log on to theHush Puppies website anddownload a training program, inorder to build up their fitness levelsgradually.This revolutionary concept has beenincorporated into a knee high boot,fur trim ankle boot as well as aMary Jane and trainer style shoe. The styling of all these means thatthere is no need for ladies to carrytwo pairs of shoes with them, asTwist to Tone combines both acasual and training shoe into theone.Hush Puppies latest offering of‘Twist to Tone’ is a complete designinnovation within the wellnessmarket and places the brand at theforefront of this trend with this firstto market product.For the children’s collection, onlyHush Puppies are able to offer aunique set of precisely calibratedfoot beds for each shoe, allowingeach foot to be fit individually forboth width and depth. For AW11, there is an extensiveback to school offering providing awide array of choice.Hush Puppies will be exhibiting atModa Footwear on Stand X4.

For more information call AndyCockayne on: 0207 860 0100 orvisit: www.hushpuppies.com/uk

A classic approach tocontemporary styling

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Features Moda Preview February/March 2011 11

BRAZILIAN leather footwear brandAnatomic and Co is launching itsmost comfortable outdoor footwearever.

The brand’s new autumn/winter2011 collection is set to beunveiled at Moda Footwear andaims to attract a whole newcustomer group.

The designs have been made morecontemporary, ranging from leathertrainers and casual slip-ons toclassic brogue-like Chelsea boots.

Joao Conrado, said: “The keyprinciple to stay competitive in thecurrent climate is to always adaptto the changes of the market.

“It is also very important to alwayslisten to our customers and, withtheir help, improve our products andexpand our collection.

“We have received numerousrequests for waterproof and warmlining boots with our signaturecomfort features and this seasonwe can finally offer a strong productline.”

Brand bids to attractnew customer group

Base London’s casual fashionfootwear brand Fish ‘n’ Chips isfeaturing a range of new looks forautumn/winter2011. The designs aremore style led,using

detailing and trims across the collection of casual shoes andboots. The range focuses on autumnalshade of green, navy and bordoand takes on a sporting influencefor the season with casual/sportdesigns. The boot collection also includes arange of low, mid and high cutstyles in materials including furs,felt and oily canvas to create

hiking hybrids.

Casual range featuresnew looks for season

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ROMIKA are celebrating a successfulseason with repeat orders increas-ing by over 300 per cent on the pre-vious year. Popular products include thewaterproof and washable winter

boots and lightweight comfortstyles.

Martin Ingram, managing director ofRomika in the UK and Ireland, said:“The success of the Romika brandthis autumn has just been outstanding, a reflection of greatvalue product that has taken the market by storm. Romika producesexcellent quality, stylish comfortfootwear at competitive prices. “For the UK and Ireland we have ateam of knowledgeable and committed sales agents and supportstaff to enhance the experience of

dealing with the brand.” The new ranges will be launched

at Moda Footwear in Februaryon Stand Q18 and at

GDS inDusseldorf

thisMarchonStandB06.

Romika repeat ordersup by 300 per cent

THE highlights of the Capriceautumn/winter 2011 collection arenew, ultra light boot models thatweigh in at just 240 grammes. The range also features shoes that weigh less than 100 grammes, while still integrating a range of wellness features. The new collection is focussed on high quality leather materials, with half and full length boots in matt nubuks, velours and high polish finishes. Detailing ranges from knitted braiding and decoration with rhinestones, pearls, chains and stones. The range, which is also available in half sizes, is completely made up of shoes in special widths G and H withrobust soles. It also includes narrow and wide boots with different heelheights.

Walkingon airwithCaprice

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14 February/March 2011 Moda Preview Features

JOSEF Seibel’s autumn/winter 2011collection features new materialsand progressive units aimed atkeeping the brand on track to widenits appeal.The brand enjoyed one of its mostsuccessful years in 2010 for men’sfootwear, now for 2011, ruggedcasuals in super soft leathers sitalongside versatile footwear anddress products.Martin Ingram, managing director ofJosef Seibel in the UK and Ireland,said: “We look forward to present-ing our new and extensive ranges tocurrent and future stockists of theJosef Seibel brand, to offer not onlywhat they have come to expect butalso something new and exciting. “Our loyal retailers rely on JosefSeibel to produce excellent quality,stylish comfort footwear at compet-

itive prices.” Josef Seibel will be showing atModa Footwear in February onStand Q21and at GDS,

Dusseldorf in March onStand A03.

Brand taking stridesto broaden its appeal

With a back catalogue stretching to 1936 theVan Dal brand has designed, developed

and made countless shoes from its Norwichbase. The Van Dal Vintage collection

celebrates that history and commitment toBritish manufacturing tradition, with carefullyselected, original designs from the archives,

updated for 2011. ‘Man tailoring’ inspiredlooks are the star of the show, with their

origins in the 1957 back catalogue.

Collectionlooks backto thefuture

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Gant opts for richleathers and suedesfor the ladiesTHE Gant Footwear autumn/winter 2011 collection for men sees the introduction of arugged boot range, featuring worn out leatherswith lace and buckle detailing.Extra light sole units with autumnal uppershave also been added and classic Gant stylescontinue to play a big part in the winter collection with chukka boots and brogues in a variety of suede and leathers.For women there are contempor-ary options with a selection of shoe boots in rich leathers and suedes. Fur continues to feature with lined ankle boots and knee highs and riding boots are key,with greys and espressos making up the colour palette.

AUSTRIAN brand Legero offers alarge range of winter footwear insizes UK three to nine, including halfsizes. The lightweight shoe which carriesthe slogan ‘My feet’s favourite shoe’is developed to win over consumerswith its superior cushioning and flexi-bility. All of its footwear is produced withremovable insoles and includes theGore-Tex Products membrane. Theautumn/winter 2011 collection willoffer a range of styles for both menand women who are looking for theperfect winter shoe or boot.Legero will be showing at Moda inFebruary 2011 on stand S28.

‘My feet’sfavourite shoe’

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Features Moda Preview February/March 2011 17

The new autumn/winter collection from VanDal has been created to cover three keylooks.Clean Lines is a step on from last season’sSimple Life, blending comfort with clean andcontemporary styling, the Baroque rangefeatures occasion styles in suedes andlizard prints and Bonnie and Clyde providesan homage to Americana with brogue detail-ing, polished crocs and antique leathers.

CAMEL Active footwear collection for autumn/winter2011 has been inspired byalpine sport. The focus of the range lies inwaterproof, protective materialsand fuctionality with detailingincluding hooks, rivets, fur andstriking sole profiles. Lambskin and woollen liningshave been used to provide heatinsulation and rubber cup outsoles provide grip and durability. Colourways have been chosento give the shoes a natural exterior resulting in browntones, combined with grey, blue,green and black.

Alpine sportinspires range

Three keylooks for the season

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CUSHE (pronounced‘Cushy’) was born inthe summer of 2004. A brand conceived bya group of footweardesigners and enthusi-asts, we are an inde-pendently thinking,design-led footwearbrand, based in theUK, offering uniqueand exciting footwearchoices for a dynamic,inspired and confidentgeneration. The Cushe namereflects a way of lifethat we as a teamaspire to and wespend every day refin-ing our art to deliveronly the type of shoesthat we love to wearourselves. Cushe was set up asa direct response tothe global brands thatdominate the lifestylefootwear market. Ouraim is to make some-thing a bit different,unique and set apart from themasses, challengingthe boundaries of footwear designrather than following trends set by others. We love detail – the little things youcan and can’t see that make ourproduct that extra bit unique andspecial. Because we have the know-how, wealso utilise the latest manufacturingtechniques, and the most innovativematerials to make our shoes con-form to your foot’s natural shape,ensuring comfort, protection and

stability.

Each shoe’s design is thoughtthrough, making sure that only thebest components and constructionsare used.

See us on stand Y7 ModaBirmingham.

For more sales information e-mail: Cushe's UK Sales Manager,

Wayne Cupid at:[email protected], call:

+44(0)7827 446603 or visit: www.cushe.com.

‘The little things you can andcan’t see that make our productthat extra bit unique and special’

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Features Show Guide February/March 2011 19

THIS season’s Pure London show is set to wel-come a wide range of new and returningfootwear and accessory brands.At the event, the footwear hall will be split intotwo areas, Trend Led and Design Led, with newlow walling around the extended footwear sec-tion to help buyers view all the brands avail-able. Ethical brand Veja is set to show for the firsttime in the UK, displaying their shoes madefrom natural latex rubber, vegetable tannedleather and organic cotton.Also in the Design Led section, French brandAccessoire Diffusion, C.doux, Love fromAustralia, Arche and Rae Jones will be onshow. Overall, more than 40 new footwear brands willbe showcased at the event including presti-gious American brand Frye, which has a hugecelebrity following with the likes of GwynethPaltrow, Jake Gyllenhall and Anne Hathawayspotted wearing their designs. Pertti Palmroth, known for luxurious materialsand all-weather boots, will be the first brandfrom Finland to exhibit at the show and othercollections new to the UK include Looky,Minnetonka, Sanita, Miz Mouze andUnleashed.Finally, FICE, the leading Spanish FootwearAssociation, will be bringing a range of brandsincluding Audley, Chie Mihara, Hispanitas, SixtySeven, Alma en Pena and New Rock. New to the show is the largest ever collectionof young fashion accessories with Pure Spirittaking over Earls Court and the Funky andFresh section housing brands for trendy retail-ers, including Pantherella, Beta Fashion andBuffalo Private Label.A Premuim Accessories section has also beenintroduced to complement the womenswearbrands and will feature new brands TattyDevine, Bernstock Spiers, St Erasmus andMimi. British brand Orit will also be showing it eclec-tive range of jewellery for the first time and AllyCapellino will return for a second season,alongside Comfort Station and Sam Ubhi. Luxury leather brand Bobelle London will pres-ent their latest eel skin leather collections andthe main hall will also be home to MischaBarton, Calvin Klein Accessories, Suzy Smithand Zandra Rhodes.

Ethical brand inUK first at Pure

Moda unveils product zonesMODA has announced the names of some of thenew fashion and lifestyle footwear brands that willbe appearing at this season’s show. Labels appearing at the NEC for the first time nextmonth will include WedgeWelly, Iron Fist, FlyLondon, Blowfish, Rocket Dog and Sketchers. Also set to appear are top children’s brands suchas Angulus, Agatha Ruiz De La Prada, Bobux,Terra Plana and Dino Soles. This season the exhibition has been divided intofive key product zones covering all areas of thefootwear market. Life – The best names in unisex casual andlifestyle footwear and the biggest names in men’sfashion, including Levi’s, CAT Footwear, BaseLondon and Keds. Boutique – Dedicated to contemporary women’sfashion with exhibitors like Fly London, UnitedNude, Dkode and Sanita. Essential – The biggest mainstream and comfortfootwear brands, from Birkenstock and JosefSeibel to Lotus, Padders and Scholl.Express – In season designs, fast fashion andhigh volume ranges from Kidderminster, Cortina,Indigo and City Shoes. Kids – The UK’s largest gathering of children’sand infants’ footwear brands, including Lelli Kelly,Geox, Moschino, Robeez, Garvalin and Petasil. Moda has also announced that the IndependentFootwear Retail Association’s annual FootwearAwards will once again be held at the Februaryshow.

Awards presented will include Best Ladies’ Brand,Best Men’s Brand, Best Children’s Brand, BestService and Best Representative and, new for thisyear, Best Comfort Brand. The awards are voted for by retailer members ofIFRA and an award will also be presented to theoverall Retailer of the Year, voted for by suppliermembers. Sean O’Connor, Moda’s event director, said: “Weare delighted that IFRA has chosen once again tohost its prestigious awards evening during ourshow.“The independent sector is very important to usand this further confirms our exhibition as theessential meeting point for the footwear industry.”

THIS season’s GDS and Global Shoes event willbe the first to take place completely within theworking week.

The shows have been moved to take place fromWednesday March 16 to Friday 18 after consulta-tion with trade and industry, in order to meet theirneeds more efficiently.

It is hoped that the change will mean that retail-ers no longer need to decide between missing outon selling on a Saturday, the busiest day of theweek, and being at the trade fair.

In March, 1,190 exhibitors from 41 countries willbe displaying their collections of footwear, bagsand accessories for autumn/winter 2011/12.

Kirstin Deutelmoser, GDS director, said: “We areonce again expecting a varied and, more specifi-cally, broad based event featuring an excitingblend of market leaders alongside smaller newlabels.

“Exhibitor interest in all range segments has beenhigh and demand has been particularly great inthe Premium and Young Fashion segments.”

The event will also feature a comprehensive sup-porting programme, designed to prepare the retailtrade for their order negotiations and daily busi-ness.

Over the three days, visitors will have the opportu-nity to see the latest looks in four different cat-

walk shows, attend matching trend installationsand take part in some of the 20 seminars whereinternational speakers will discuss key orderingtrends and sector specific themes.The GDS website has also been completelyredesigned for the new season, with new contentavailable for ‘profashionals’ all year found. The aim of the relaunch is to cement events repu-tation as an information and trend platform forthe international trade business. Kirstin added: “Over the past few months we havepredominantly focused on re-designing the web-site investing plenty of energy to be able torespond to visitors’ and exhibitors’ various needsin an even more targeted manner.”

GDS in week-day move

THIS season Moda Footwearwill be hosting the latest stageof the British FootwearAssociation’s Made in Britaininitiative. Four of the companies partici-pating in the project will beshowcased at the event on astand especially created by topdesigner Leyshons. NPS Footwear, ChanceryFootwear, Geo-Sol Shoes and

William Lennon will be exhibitingtheir products, which attractbusiness from the UK and over-seas with their ‘Made in Britain’labels. Richard Kottler, BFA chief execu-tive, said: “The collections ondisplay, whilst diverse, are allmade to high standards, oftenwith local sourced componentsand lasts. “We all know the value of prod-

ucts that are made in Britain,but up until now not all of our home grown manufact-urers have the deserved recog-nition of the major Britishbrands. “We are proud to be raising theprofile of British made footwearand to bring customers from thehome market and elsewhereinto contact with these qualityproducts.”

Moda hosts Made in Britain stage

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New for Autumn/Winter 2011 is the launch of Angry Angels,an exciting girls’ footwear brand produced by leading children’sshoe wholesaler Start-rite. The new brand has been devel-oped on the back of in-depth ‘tween’ research, which revealeda gap in the market for a range that fulfils the varied physicaland emotional needs of girls aged 10+, as well as those oftheir parents.

Susan O’Hare, Start-rite’s Product Director said: “The launchof Angry Angels provides a unique opportunity for both our-selves and our retailers to generate further business from acurrently underserved segment of the girls market.

“Girls experience a number of physical and emotional changesduring the ‘tween’ years, which our market research indicatedhave a huge impact on purchase decision making. At this agegirls start to know their own minds, they yearn independenceand have a desire to make their own decisions. Whilst par-ents are accepting of their daughter’s need to develop andmature emotionally, they still want to approve of these deci-sions and ensure they are appropriate.

“We have developed Angry Angels with these influences firmlyin mind, our main aim being to simplify the shoe shoppingexperience for both girls and their parents, providing a brandwhich girls want and choose to wear, and their parents arehappy to buy.”

With the target audience confirming style and comfort as corerequirements for their shoes, the Angry Angels range containsseven ‘fashion led’ designs perfect for both school and every-day, all of which are available in whole and half sizes (L1-L8)and medium width fitting (two styles offered in a choice of twowidth fittings - medium and wide). Brand appeal is enhancedby the range’s collection of eye catching colours including red,purple and pewter metallic, and the added comfort factor ofpadded memory foam foot beds. RRP starts from £35.

The brand will also be supported with dedicated marketingmaterial including: attractively branded draw style box, re-usable tote bag and branded free standing POS units aimed toenhance retail appeal. Focused marketing and public relationsactivities will also be rolled out, to raise brand awarenessamongst both girls and their parents, and drive in-store sales.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Exciting new girls’ brand AngryAngels to capture 'tweens' market

For more information on the Angry Angels range contactSales Director Adrian Horne on +44 (0)7771 892255 or viaemail at [email protected]

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Features Kool for Kids incorporating Kids @ Moda February/March 2011 21

For girls, golden harvest themeinspired designs are complementedwith standout seasonal shades,and a touch of the cosy and warmadded to much of the range.Richer purples, dusky pinks,shimmering winter pewter andwarm burgundy shades adorn thenew seasonal palette across thecollection.

Key product highlights include anenhanced casual pre-school girloffering, welcoming a number of

new styles such as pretty Ella andsuper Sabrina, many of which arenow available in an extended sizerun of up to small 101/

2.

For colder, wetter days the choiceof girls boots has also been greatlyenhanced, now offering 11different stunning styles across thefull range. Key on-trend stylesinclude cute Hetty, and her largersister Marcella, both made fromdyed through water resistantsuede with snugly fur trim. Classicequestrian inspired Turmoil is oneof three new boot designs nowavailable in up to a large 51/

2, withevery girl wearing it riding high inthe fashion stakes.

Primal prints, military inspireddesigns and science andtechnology influences heavilyfeature in the new boyscollection. As with the girlsrange, the boys casual pre-school offering also benefitsfrom added introductions ofnew bump toe styles Trail, Skidand new boot Tread, all availablein up to size small 101/

2. For backto school, new designsAccelerate and Rotate offerstyle, comfort and fit perfect forbusy feet all day long.

Start-rite’s waterproof range,Aqua-rite, also continues toimpress parents and children bylooking great, whilst keepingfeet warm and dry whatever theweather. New styles includeAqua-spray for girls, a great

back to school styled ankle boot,new boys shoe Aqua-stream andboot Aqua-current, both readyto withstand the rough andtumble of every little boy’santics.

For more information on the range or tocontact your local business manager

please call our customer services teamon +44 (0)1603 595200.

Children’s shoe specialist Start-rite continues to adddepth and richness to its collections, showcasing forAutumn/Winter 2011 a host of eye catching newdesigns and stunning seasonal colours to complete afuller, more charming range than ever before.

Start-rite unveils fresh new styles for a‘cooler’ Autumn/Winter 2011 collection

Hetty

Ella

Aqua - spray

Trail

AS a product-led company, Podhave spent the last year developingtheir strongest BTS collection yet,featuring newly developed rubberbranding, racing stripe stitching andsporty-grip genuine rubber soles.Highlights include the double strapVelcro style Domino and Dexter, thelace-up option.

With quality always at the top of theagenda, Pod have released their‘Quality You Can Trust’ poster campaign to demonstrate their commitment to both quality andproduct.

Sizes begin at an EU 32 with selected styles continuing throughto their XL range.

Following much demand from retailers, Podlers infants’ shoes areexpanding into the Pod BTS 2011collection.

Aimed at the pre-school age group,sizes range from an EU 27 to 31and include the girls’ classic Mary-Jane style, Eclipse and boys’ criss-cross Velcro shoe, Jupiter.

Both are available in black and navyultra-soft leathers with contrastinglinings and feature the Podlers’playful monster characters rubberbranding. The new BTS collectionwill be shown at MODA Footwear onStand Y3.

For more information e-mail: [email protected]

or call: 01234 240440

Making the most of the cold winters gripping the UK, Austrianbrand Superfit are promoting a newrange of warm, lined waterproofboots. The brand has a large collection ofthese boots for boys and girls intheir autumn/winter 11 range. All boots are offered in sizes 21 to42, with wool linings and remov-able insoles combined with theGore-Tex Products waterproof mem-brane.Superfit will be showing at Moda inFebruary 2011 on stand S28.

Gearingup forwinterchills ...

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22 February/March 2011 Kool for Kids incorporating Kids @ Moda Features

‘People should bemore interestedin their feet ...’NEW research has revealed that,despite warnings from foot healthexperts, four million children in the UKare still wearing the wrong size shoes.

A study conducted at GlasgowCaledonian University has blamed neg-lect, budget constraints, convenienceand fashion for the problem.

Dr Gordon Watt, lead researcher, said:“People think of feet as smelly – theyoften just forget about them, whenthey should actually take much moreof an interest.

“Children's feet tend to grow rapidly inthe first four years of their life, but itcan take up to 18 years for the foot'sbones, muscles and ligaments toharden into adult form.

“So teenage feet need to be lookedafter as well as those of smaller chil-dren.”

Research has shown that one in 10parents say their children have contin-ued to wear shoes that are too smallfor them and half admit to only buyingnew shoes when their children com-plain their feet are hurting.

It also revealed that many neglect the

feet because they simply don’t under-stand the problems an ill fitting pair ofshoes can cause – only 40 per cent ofthose interviewed took into accountwhether footwear was well fitting andsupportive.

Cost is another issue, as two fifths ofparents admitted to buying shoes thatwere too big so their children couldgrow into them over time, savingmoney, and when it came to actuallypurchasing footwear, a quarter of par-ents said they based their decision onthe price.

Finally, children wanting to follow cur-rent fashion trends affect the choicesof one in ten parents, and the studyshowed that this is a particular prob-lem among older children andteenagers.

Dr Watt added: “Often fashionableshoes offer very little support. Takethe current trend for ballet pumpsamong girls. They offer no supportand are very flat.

“If you have an active child runningaround in them it could lead toAchilles [tendon] problems in thefuture.”

Froddo is an Italiandesigned, Croatian made,children's brand with 60years’ shoemaking experience. The companyprides itself on providinghigh quality children'sfootwear and fuses comfort, flexibility, and reliability with style. All Froddo’s shoes areleather upper and leatherlined with anatomic insolesand the autumn/winter2011 collection features awide range of colours andunique designs.

22 28/1/11 15:12 Page 1

23 Chris Marram 1/2/11 11:33 Page 1

24 February/March 2011 Kool for Kids incorporating Kids @ Moda Features

A NEW children’s shoe, that can beadjusted as the foot grows, hasbeen launched in the UK. Italian company, Magistep, has cre-ated the footwear which can bealtered according to foot growth,length and widths – covering twoand a half sizes. The collection, for two to six yearold children, features two patentswhich allow the shoe to extend withan adjustable key mechanism tolengthen the insole, and a rein-forced arch designed to supportgrowing feet. The designs are also producedusing only natural, non-toxic, hypoal-lergenic and recyclable materials. Leonardo Marras, brandspokesman, said: “Craftmanshipand a passion for style havebeen combined in such a waythat allows the harmoniousdevelopment of children’s feetas they grow. “Magistep shoes also helpthe family budget - parentsknow how quickly their chil-dren’s feet grow and it is for thisreason that the cost of shoesis a big chunk of their budget. “With Magistep, this cost can bereduced.” The shoes have been designed byAntico Calzaturificio Regoli and haveundergone detailed posture, podia-try and orthopaedic studies carriedout at the University of Siena. The first of the design’s patentsis a particular insole, which canbe extended to fit as the feet growand can be adjusted using a simplekey.The other is a specalised sole and

arch reinforcement, designed toaccomodate the proper develop-ment of the foot and prevent faultyposture. This has been created using amechanical drive in a containerinside the sole, under the heel. Matteo Modesti, UK distributor,said: “Magistep shoes are notorthopaedic, but rather preventiveof feet problems. “They are ergonomically createdaround the foot, meaning that theyhave been engineered to supportand improve child foot health.”

Shoes that‘grow’ withkids’ feet

Adidas and Disney have teamed upto unveil their Spring/Summer2011 children’s footwear collec-tion. The range features charactersincluding Winnie the Pooh, Tiggerand Piglet and will be availablethrough retailers and online. The shoes feature transparent out-soles with character applications,multicoloured Velcro fasteningsand embroidery.

Pete Brady, category manager ofAdidas Kids, said: “Winnie thePooh and his friends are synony-mous with good times, friendshipand trust. “Every child grows up with a closeaffinity to one of these mostbeloved characters and the prod-ucts that we offer are simple,believable and fun – a perfectmatch between Disney andAdidas.”

Adidas and Disney team up

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Features February/March 2011 25

FREEWATERS flip flops are madefrom progressive green materialsand, for every pair sold, the brandwill provide clean drinking water forone person for a whole year. The range is split into three pricepoints and offers men’s andwomen’s flip flops with biodegrad-able midsoles, PVC-free rubberstraps, recycled rubber soles andpremium denim with a solvent freebacking. Eli Marmar, brand director said: “Webelieve access to clean water is abasic human right. With over3,300,000 people dying every yearfrom dirty water and a lack of prop-er hygiene, we felt compelled to getinvolved – and what better way thanthrough creating great sandals. Webelieve we have created designsthat will not only change the way welook at fit, function and comfort, butalso provide a platform for bringingsafe drinking water to the worldthrough our ProjectFreewaters.org.”The brand’s founders, Eli Marmarand Martin Kim, are two industrialdesigners who have previouslyworked designing everything fromsnowboard boots for DC and wet-suits for O’Neill.Their aim is to make the perform-ance and styling of the shoes justas important as the clean waterethos and to do this they havefocussed on integrating patentedtechnical features as well as the lat-est green materials. Eli added: “Our approach aestheti-cally is very clean and sophisticat-ed, so as not to be pigeon holed

into beach or surf culture. “Our sandals are styled withstreetwear inspired designs andhave been created for people whoare looking for ‘FitPerfect’ engineer-ing and progressive fashion.” ‘FitPerfect’ is the brand’s name forproviding a customised, broken-infeel, straight off the shelf, by usingspecialised ergonomic support. This is achieved through threedesign features – a dual densitymidsole with arch support and cush-ioning rebound foam in the forefoot,a seamless stretch strap designthat eliminates any pressure whilewalking and a dual density rubberstrap with a gel toe post.Eli added: “Our sustainabilityapproach can be summed up by our‘Green Ninja’ outlook – eco is notjust something that we claim, butsomething that we do quietly andstrategically. “As well as the green materialsused throughout our range, theshoes are packaged in biodegrad-able, corn based poly bags and ourdesign studio runs on solar power.” The first project to be funded by thebrand’s ProjectFreewaters.org initia-tive is the creation of a fresh waterwell in Dago, Kenya – a place thathas some of the highest rates ofwaterborne diseases and HIV/AIDSin Sub-Saharan Africa. In the future, they also plan tolaunch on the ground projects inother developing countries, and alsoin places where Freewaters aresold, including in the US, the UKand Europe.

Freewaters is the latest new eco brand to hit UK shores –combining a sandal collection with a humanitarian initiative. The brand is launching a range of flip flops thatalso provide a platform for bringing safe drinking wateraround the world. OOAL found out more.

Flip flop saleshelp providedrinking water

25 28/1/11 15:13 Page 1


LOUISE Jones launched TwoShoes, her mobile shoe shop,after becoming frustrated with theexperience of shopping forfootwear for her own children.

Her business idea, whichlaunched in the New Year, was toprovide parents with the opportu-nity to buy their children’s shoesfrom their own homes, or fromtheir kids’ schools and nurseries,saving them a stressful trip intotown.

Louise said: “I know it is veryimportant for children to have cor-rectly fitted shoes, so I wouldalways take them into the shoeshop to be measured and fitted.

“However, it was a job I alwaysput off until the last second, as Igenerally found the school shoeshop, with two young boys, quitestressful.

“So I thought the idea of a mobileshop was fantastic – as a busymum I couldn’t see a better wayof getting kids fitted and shoesbought, and I was sure that otherparents would feel the same.”

The schools and nurseries thatTwo Shoes visits receive a dona-tion for every pair bought and arepresented with a cheque towardstheir fundraising efforts at theend of each term.

An additional incentive for parentsmeans that they can get a 25 percent discount on every third pairof shoes they buy with Louise’sloyalty card scheme.

Louise is also in training for hershoe-fitters qualification andadded: “I believe it is very impor-tant to take good quality shoesinto schools, and they have beenvery receptive to the idea.

“Teachers are always very inter-ested in getting involved, becausethey see the high quality of theshoes I stock and they are awareof the damage that can be causedto children’s feet by poor quality,ill fitting shoes.

“I hope that by offering this serv-ice, I can help both schools andparents encourage their childrento wear better fitted shoes thatwill benefit them now and in thefuture.”

Louise currently stocks brandssuch as Petasil, Ricosta, Start-Rite and Geox, as well as Hi-Tec trainers and footballboots, in a range of sizes andwidths.

She is planning on expanding thisrange in the future to offer morechoice, while continuing to caterfor the traditional, high quality,school shoe market.

When she visits schools andhomes, her supply of shoes goeswith her in her Two Shoes van.This means that parents can takethe shoes away there and then,there is no wait for order or deliv-ery, and this is particularly popu-lar with parents who have left newterm preparations until the lastminute.

Louise added: “I will be visitingthe schools that I work with everyeight to ten weeks and hopefullythis will give parents the chanceto have their children’s feet meas-ured, and also have their existing

shoes checked.

“I will also be teaming up withindependent and private schoolsfor their uniform days, where par-ents stock up on supplies for thewhole term –- and this will be agreat opportunity to get theirfootwear buying done at the sametime.

“Really it is all about personalservice, and making it as easy aspossible for parents to buy wellfitted shoes – putting the wellbeing of children and their feetfirst.”

Retail review

As a working mum with two young children,Louise Jones knew all about the challenges of atrip to the shoe shop. So she came up with theidea of removing the stress for parents, by bringing the shoe shop to them. OOAL found out more.

THERE is no disputing Gore’s mar-ket leadership position in the hikingand climbing markets. Footwear featuring their technologyhas helped many an expert as wellas weekend walkers conquer theirmountains in complete waterproofcomfort. Now they are also making the com-mute to work or the walk to schoolan equally comfortable experienceand an increasing number of Gore’s60 plus brand partners acrossEurope are from the lifestyle sector. These brands have men’s,women’s and children’s collectionswith the same level of durably

waterproof protection that their out-doors footwear offers. From contemporary designs to casual or traditional styles thechoice of shoes and boots using Gore-Tex product technology is vast and each pair carries thecompany’s unique promise‘Guaranteed to keep you dry’.Today, Gore-Tex brand insistence isat an all time high with researchshowing that more consumers thanever specifically requesting thebrand by name. This growth has been achievedthrough an integrated communica-tions strategy including advertising,

sales promotions, direct responsemarketing and PR. By having theright mix, Gore provides clear, consistent messaging for the consumer. Retailers report that customers areincreasingly demanding a perfectcombination of value, comfort, performance and style, so lookingat the selection available fromGore’s brand partners for AW11 –some of which are showcased in anew catalogue inserted in thismonth’s issue – the brand is poisedto capture an even wider audience.For more information visit:www.gore-tex.co.uk.

‘Guaranteed to keep you dry’

Louise takesshoe shopon the move

26 28/1/11 15:13 Page 1

Features February/March 2011 27

Issue of the issue ...

The future forindependent retailers?Technology:It is important to accept that inter-net shopping will continue to growand will be the biggest threat tobricks and mortar retailers.

You either have to join in by offeringa significant internet presence, oroffer something that can't be doneonline – or both!

Internet-based shopping will need tobecome a lot more interactive, mak-ing use of augmented reality, 3-Dviewing options and live InternetMessaging.

However, there are also experiencesthat can't be had on the internet,and this is what retailers need tofocus on.

These would include:

� Creating shopping experiences.The look, feel and ambience of yourstore needs to have something spe-cial, unique and noteworthy aboutit.

� Use the senses. Smell, taste andfeel are all things that cannot beaccessed through the internet -make the most of them.

� Create a community of peoplewho are passionate about yourstore and what you sell. Too manyretailers focus only on how to cre-ate connections between them-selves and their customers, but youalso need to find ways to createconnections between your cus-

tomers themselves, so that you canbuild a fan base, a tribe, a commu-nity of passion around your storeand your brand.

� Create reasons for people tocome to your store.

� And give them someone – a realperson – to connect to when theycome. Your social media presenceshould be linked to real individuals,not a just a corporate presence.

� Surprise people. The best recentexample of this is what KLM did atSchipol airport during the recentholidays. They watched online forpeople using social media check-inswith geo-location sites likeFoursquare, Gowalla and FacebookPlaces. They then did a quicksearch of that person's socialmedia profile to find what theyliked, bought an appropriate smallgift for them and then, using theirpicture, scoured the airport to findthem, wish them a good trip andgive them a personalised gift. Itcost very little but made a bigimpression. (Seehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqHWAE8GDEk)

Demographics:Many retailers are youth obsessed,and it is good to be focused on get-ting the next generation into yourstore – your long term survivaldepends on it.

But don't forget about older

generations.

Besides the fact that most of themare much more likely to want tocome and shop in a high streetretail store, there are very good rea-sons for having a specific strategyfor older shoppers.

More than half of all the people whohave ever turned 80 are still alive,and the Baby Boomer generation(born after World War II and into the1950s and 60s) are about to startretiring.

Except they won't retire – most ofthem are planning to continue work-ing in one way or another.

The 50 to 70 year old age groupalso own about half of the wealthand control over half of the dispos-able income of this country.

So you must not ignore this agegroup – and remember, they are agroup that is used to having thingsmade especially for them. You needto do that too.

Ethical Consumers:The age of transparency is arrivingand retailers need to prepare them-selves.

Your customers will increasingly bedemanding to know the ethicsbehind your products and your com-pany.

You need to make sure that you andyour supply chain are as ethical asyou can possibly be, have this infor-

mation available and make sureyour customers know about it. For more information and advicevisit: www.graemecodrington.com.

� What do you think? Will thesestrategies work for you? Let usknow by e-mailing OOAL at:[email protected].

2011 looks set to be another challenging year for independent stores and retailers are looking for the best ways toprotect and future-proof their business. To provide some essential advice, OOAL hears from Dr Graeme Codrington,futurist and strategy consultant from international consultancy company,TomorrowToday. Here, he takes a look atthe future of the retail industry and what changes and trends are likely to directly impact the independent highstreet stores:

Dr Graeme Codrington

‘You need tomake sure thatyou and your supply chain areas ethical as youcan possibly be,have this information available andmake sure yourcustomers knowabout it’

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28 February/March 2011

product showcase product showcase product showcase

INSPIRED by the sheepskin trend at the Milan and Paris fashion shows,Chatham Marine’s winter 2011 collection features the lining across a

range of cabin slippers, ankle boots and deckshoes.

Philip Marsh, MD, said: “Our sheepskin cabin shoeswere big sellers this winter, exceeding all expecta-

tions. Originally designed for wearing on boardyachts, they work just as well indoors

as luxurious slippers. Now, we haveextended the range to includeboots and deck shoes, offeringboth style and comfort whether

the customer is on deck or walkingon the street. This collection gives

us and our retailers an opportunity foreven greater growth in our winter business.”

Luxury collection finds its land legs

BRAZILIAN lifestyle brandHavaianas has announced thelaunch of its first wellie collectionat Selfridges Shoe Gallery in April. High street chain Office will thenstock the range exclusively until midJuly, when it will be available toother retailers. The brand’s range already includesflip flops, trainers, high tops andespadrilles and the wellies havebeen created for men and women,in eight colours and patterns, tocomplete the collection. Richard Shetliffe, UK country

manager, said: “Wellies willform an important categorywithin our brand extensionproduct mix. “We are launching with oneclassic style in eight vibrantcolour combinations andprints, including our ‘alwayssummer’ advertising campaign image. “The UK has a well established retail networkfor wellies and is thereforestrategically importantand right for theglobal launch.”

Wellies make a splash ...

CROCS has announced newfootwear lines for men, women andchildren for Autumn/Winter 2011. The range includes a suede andfaux fur Cozy collection and a moretradition Cobbler collection. There are also Crocs Tone shoeswhich feature leg shaping technolo-gy and a specialised footbed to pro-vide more comfort for feet. Finally the brand is introducing anew line of sneakers, for adults aswell as children, including hi-tops,lace ups and slip ons and stylesjust for kids, featuring water resist-ant Kosmoboots and Hello Kittydesigns.

Cozy Crocs ...

Italian brand combines fashionedge with technical features THE innovative and stylish ScarpaLifestyle collection hits stores thisspring and is bound to set anyfootwear display alight with itsvibrant colour pallet. Scarpa have broken out into thelifestyle sector after being at thehelm of the outdoor world for manyyears. The Italian brand has recognisedthe opportunity to combine techni-cal features with a fashion edge tocreate a collection which will fulfilthe needs of the high street. Three styles adorn this cocktailinfused range; the Mojito,Cosmopolitan and Caipirinha whichall draw on Scarpa’s footwear expe-rience while using on-trend stylingand colourways. The popular Mojito heads up thecollection and is the perfect choicefor men and women.

Combining a Vibram sole unit with asuede upper ensures support andcomfort at all times, while its fronttoe rand not only provides greatstyling but protects the shoe fromthe elements meaning the Mojitocan be worn for many seasons tocome. For Autumn 2011 the Mojito is

transformed to stand up tothe plummeting winter temperatures. A luxurious furry lining willkeep toes cosy warm at alltimes while the upgraded nonslip sole unit means icy condi-tions aren’t a problem.

To see Scarpa’s current collection please visit:

www.scarpa.co.uk or callthe Mountain Boot

Company on 0191 269 0121for further information.

A cross between atrainer and a shoe

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Celebration forCalifornian brand

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Product showcase

New collection isputting comfortfirst

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product showcase product showcaseproduct showcase

OUTDOOR footwear brand Scarpa has launched anew lifestyle range for autumn/winter 2011. Thedesigns feature warm winter linings and non slipsoles. Each design comes in a range of colourwaysfrom the brightest, eye catching colours for an individ-ual look to more subtle shades for understated

appeal. Scarpa’s aim with this launch is to create acollection that is designed not only for style

and quality, but to appeal to people whowant something more from a casual shoe.

Scarpa launches new lifestyle range

LOMER has been making high quali-ty, affordable footwear for over 35years. Though not that well known at themoment, Lomer shoes have previ-ously enjoyed a stellar reputationamongst walkers, trekkers andthose who just want to escape tothe country. In 2011 Lomer are going to beworking hard to re-establish them-selves in the UK. Having just signed off on a new dis-tribution deal, everyone involved isexcited at the prospect of bringinghigh-quality, comfortable footwearback to the feet of Britain.Having only recently signed up towork with the brand we asked DaveBrown, of UK distributors DB

Outdoor Systemsto tell us what

makes Lomer sospecial?

He said:

“I think, what’s so great aboutLomer is that they put comfort first,everything about Lomer boots isdesigned to provide a good fit anduse only high quality materials. “That makes a big difference, thecustomers we already have here inthe UK have been reallyimpressed.”The Lomer range encompasses avariety of comfortable, handmadeand sturdy leather shoes startingfrom just £69, through to waterresistant leather walking boots from£99.The highlight for 2011/12 looks setto be the Atos (pictured), a lovelynew après and winter boot with astitched nubuck leather upper and acosy sheepskin lining. In addition it will feature a grippyVibram sole unit and weighs in atjust 790g per pair.

The RRP is £129 inc. VAT and itwill be debuted at

Munich’s ISPOshow.

For more infor-mation call DB

Outdoor Systemson: 01539 733842,

e-mail: [email protected] or visit:www.lomer.it/uk.

New collection putting comfort first

Californian eco-sneaker brand Simple Shoes has announced it will beshowing its autumn/winter 2011 collection at Pure. The range highlights at the show will include the E.Benedict, an eco cer-tified suede desert boot made with organic cotton and biodegradable out-soles; and a range of cold weather inspired sneakers that feature oiledleather, thermal insoles and outdoors style details. To celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2011, Simple will also be showing itsoriginal skate inspired O.S Sneaker that has been reworked to incorpo-rate a new retro printed lining designed by the cult artist Andrew Holder.

Onitsuka Tiger and Berlin-based fashion label Reality Studio havejoined forces to create a limited edition women’s high top trainer.The Fabre Light RS will be available in the UK exclusively throughAuthor Shoes and AuthorShoes.com.The style has been created by Reality Studio designer, SvenjaSpecht, who has used multicultural and androgynous influences asinspiration. Features include fringing, laser cut stripes and goldenrivet detailing combined to create a cross between a trainer and aleather shoe.

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32 February/March 2011

THE Healthy Back Bag Company hasannounced it will be launching threenew ranges at Moda. Joining the collection is a ‘StuddedLeather’ design, made from fullgrain, hard-wearing leather and a‘Biker Bag’ style in black leatherwith chrome zips. The brand is also continuing is collaboration with award-winning,woven textile designer Margo Selby,with the release of a new, limitededition collection. This range will consist of four differ-ent XS sized bags in a variety of

bright designs. All the new styles come in thebrand’s specialised teardrop shapewhich coutours to the body to makeheavy loads feel lighter. Priscille Chase, MD, said: “Our new ranges offer something foreveryone from the chic glamour ofStudded Leather to the striking,innovative and unique Margo SelbyCollection. “Our bags are not only practical andfunctional but also offer fashionappeal and desirability giving themthe edge over other competitors.”

Practical and functionalwith fashion appeal

This year the Lexus collection breaksmore fashion boundaries, launching abrand new fashion range based onplatforms, with styles helping youstand out from the crowd as well asmatch the shoes with your outfit. On display at Moda in Birminghamand the British Bridal Fair inHarrogate will be a new handbagrange focused on the same type oflook. The usual range will also be on display with more new styles withhandbags to match, available to buyin cartons or single pairs.

ITALIAN car brand Alfa Romeo has unveiled two exclusive limited edition bags, designed bystudents from Central St MartinsCollege of Art and Design inLondon.

The specially-commissioned bagswere created as part of Alfa's cen-tenary celebrations this year and tohelp support young British fashiontalent.

Fifteen students from the Collegesubmitted bespoke designs for consideration, taking inspirationfrom the Alfa MiTo model and thecreations from students TamaraElliot and William Hendry were cho-sen to be produced for a limitedrun.

Tamara said: “I wanted to design abag that worked with the car andthe requirements of travelling.

“I was inspired by classic garmentsand boot bags and I developedthese ideas into a bag that changes shape and function to beversatile enough to use in every sit-uation.”

The two bags are prototype designs for Alfa Romeo UK who will now look at producing alimited range of both in the nearfuture.

Italian car brand gearing upto produce exclusive bags

Gossip Girl actressshows new range

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Future’s brightin acccessories

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Accessories

X-Factor’s Cherylcreates collection

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Accessories February/March 2011 33

Amishi will be exhibiting its collec-tion of luxury evening clutch bagsat this season’s Moda. The bags, which are made in India,are intricately beaded using semiprecious stones such as rosequartz, rubies, jade, emeralds andyellow amber, as well as Swarovskicrystals imported from Austria. The brand will also be showing its‘Luxury’ bespoke range, consistingof more structured clutches inMother of Pearl and crystal, madein America.

Designer AmishiDhanuka, said:“Amishi hand-bags are hand-crafted usingthe finest crystals, shells,mother of pearland semi precious stones.“Inspired bynature, Amishiclutches createa spiritual balance usingthe elements ofthe world:

water, fire,earthand air.”

MARC Ecko has announcedthat the marketing campaignfor its new handbag collectionwill feature actressAnnaLynne McCord – star of90210.

Marc Ecko said: “AnnaLynneis a proper bombshell. She makes my heart skip abeat – she’s got a greatsense of style and a goodvibe.”

In the campaign, she poses while wearing only the hand-bags, and the images will belaunched in March.

Anna Lynne added: “I had so much fun shooting the Marc Ecko campaign, wearing noth-ing but the amazing handbags– the ads are going to be so sexy!”

Brand bags actress forsexy marketing campaign

Singer rings the changes ...CHERYL Cole has collaborated withcreative jeweller de Grisogono tocreate a new capsule ring collec-tion. The first model from the linehas been released to coincide withthe launch of her single ‘PromiseThis’.

The ring is designed to be worn onthe little finger and features rosegold and blackened silver, delicate-ly cut to the word “Promise”.Cheryl said: “I love my promisering, I’ve always loved pinkie rings,they’re cute, trendy and so cool.”

Dutch fashion label Bagsac has launched‘Heritage Handbags’, its autumn/winter 2011

collection. The designs have been based around the

motto ‘Style is Forever’and the range includesa wide range of styles, materials and luxury

details. Nanda Hofman, designer, said: “With its

strong lines combined with pale and rose goldluxury clips, chains and other accessories

these bags are here to stay. “Even if you were to dress in a simple pair of

jeans and top, a Bagsac bag from the newautumn collection will make it a celebrity out-

fit every time.”

Fatlip is looking forward to the bestaccessories trendsfor spring/summer2011, with keycolours includingreds, pinks, purplesand turquoise. Other trends featuredrange from blockcolours and strips tooversized patters andflorals. The brand’s Saskiacollection includeschunky bangles andcuffs, large pendantsand hand paintednecklaces.

Gossip Girl actress Kelly Rutherford hasdesigned a new handbag range for QVC. The TV star has created a five-piece collection of clutches and totes for theshopping channel and said: “The bags aretimeless and affordable.“I designed them for the chic workingmum as well as the sophisticated urbangirl on-the-go.”Another member of the show’s cast, BlakeLively, has recently been announced as thenew face of Chanel and will appear in theFrench fashion house’s campaign for itsnew Mademoiselle handbag line.

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December/January 2010/11 734 February/March 2011

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Top retail technology companies have been displaying their latest and greatest inventions atthe National Retail Federation’s 100th Annual Convention. The event attracts exhibitors frommore than 74 countries and provides seminars, a show floor and networking opportunities forthe biggest names in retail. OOAL takes a look at the best new products and ideas that will bemaking their mark in 2011.

A MOBILE selling assistant that lets storeworkers complete entire transactions withcustomers without leaving their side waslaunched by Starmount.‘Engage’ aims to help retailers provide amore efficient, personalised store experiencefor customers, from point of interest to pointof sale. Jerry Rightmer, Starmount’s chief technologyofficer, said: “With the advent of the smart-phone as a personal shopping device, retail-ers are now faced with customers that are,in many cases, better equipped and moreknowledgable than staff. This technologygives stores the chance to extend the powerof their web systems to a mobile platform –helping staff have more meaningful and per-sonalised interactions with customers andleading to more effective selling.”

Mobile assistant improves efficiency

HOW and why retailers should bemaking the most of video was thesubject of one of the keynote ses-sions at the NRF Convention.Craig Wax of Invodo taked abouthow one of the biggest challengesretailers face today is knowingwhich technologies are worth invest-ing in and which aren’t.He said: “In 2010 30 per cent oftraffic on the internet was driven byvideo and by 2013 many predictthat this will rise to 90 per cent. “So if people are watching video for

entertainment and news, isn’t it log-ical that retailers should see it asan essential tool?” Craig pointed out that 65 per centof people learn visually, while only25 per cent learn by what they hear,so someone who sees a video ismore likely to buy and less likely toreturn a product. He added:“Putting sight and sound togetherjust makes sense. Instead of relyingon text product descriptions, onlineretailers can move to videos,which not only drive conversion, butalso cut down on the need for cus-

tomer service.” He also offered some top tips toretailers interested in adding videoto their websites:� Pick your products – rely on the80/20 rule and choose your top 20per cent of products to displaythrough video. � Pick more complex products,because simple ones don’t needvideo display as much. � Be wary of product lifespans andbalance this with the investment putinto the videos.

Making the most of video technology

A new kiosk designedto help customersshop seamlesslyacross multiple channels was showcased by theNCR Corporation.

The SelfServ provides customers with an interactive, self service user experience – whilethey are shopping instore.

Lyle Sandler, NCRCoporation vice presi-dent, said: “It hasbeen designed forconsumers who nowwant to be able toconnect with a retail-er out of the store –for example on theinternet at home oron a smartphone –and then continue shopping in store.

“It can also makeuse of applicationsuch as ‘EndlessAisle’, where retailerscan bring their onlineshopping into thestore and ‘CustomerLoyalty’, whichenables stores toextend the reach offrequent shopper programmes.”

SHOPPERS are over 50 per cent more likely topurchase from retailers that have mobile specificwebsites, according to industry expert WilliamRosen.Speaking at the NRF Convention, the chief cre-ative officer at Arc Worldwide gave his wake upcall to the many retailers that don’t yet haveone. He went on to describe the main focus areas forlaunching a successful mobile initiative. He said: “Even though half of all mobile phoneowners are mobile shoppers, they are not allequal. “A very small group are actually driving themajority of mobile shopping - and these ‘heavymobile users’ generate ten times more shoppingthan ‘light users’.So far, the heavy user group has led the way, butfuture growth will come from lighter users whowill have a different outlook.”He also pointed out that categories of productneed to be considered individually, as someshoppers’ purchases will be more suited to pro-motional activities like receiving money offvouchers whereas others, particularly lowerpriced items, are more suitable for earning loyal-ty reward points. Finally Willam added that there is a need for bothmobile sites and apps, as having to choosebetween the two can rob users of the experiencethey are looking for. They can then be used to cross promote eachother and, combined, they can offer a more fluidand functional shopping process.

Shoppers engagewith mobilespecific websites

Why music can hitall the right notes

Page 36

Motivatestaff inthesetoughtimes

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Business andtechnology

Receipt servicecan cut clutter

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Business and technology February/March 2011 35

A LONDON-based company hascome up with a new retail servicethat aims to change the waystores and customers usereceipts.yReceipts have created an applica-tion that allows customers toreceive their receipt via email,rather than on paper – reducingclutter and the likelihood of losingimportant information.The system gives shop assistantsthe option to email or print areceipt, or both, by working withthe store’s existing EPoS system. Every emailed receipt can also betailored to include the store’sadvert or relevant marketing mes-sage to drive traffic to an online

store, encourage customers backto the high street stores or gener-ally give the brand and productsfurther exposure. Alexander Stegmann of yReceipts,said: “Another benefit is that youcan get your store talked aboutand win new customers by havingsatisfied shoppers telling theirfriends on Facebook and Twitterabout your brand - all through oneclick on the paperless receipt. “You can also receive real timecustomer feedback, sent directlyfrom the email receipt, and gainadditional information about whatshoppers think about your serviceand products. Many large retailers such as Apple

already offer emailreceipts and the marketis growing at a fastpace. The yReceipts systemalso offers featuresincluding automaticnewsletter subscriptionsfor customers.Alexander added:“Having a purse stuffedwith paper receiptsseems rather antiquatedin our digital world today. “Shoppers trust and rely on emailreceipts for online purchases anda system like this can give themthe same convenience for theiroffline purchases as well.

“Our vision is to revolutionisereceipts and change their rolefrom crumpled bits of paper to anew marketing and communicationgateway.”

Email receipt service can cut the clutter

Applying the footwearfranchise opportunityto new marketsBy Danielle McCormick, Solicitor,Thomas Eggar LLP

MOST women I know have apassion for shoes and handbags,but few turn such passion into asuccessful business venture.

Sarah Fitzgerald, owner of ‘In TheseShoes’ is one of those few whohave not only achieved this, butdone so at a time when the econo-my has not proved to be the idealenvironment for new entrants intoany market.

The shoe and handbag retailer, InThese Shoes(www.intheseshoes.co.uk) whichwas launched in 2008, has takenthe traditional party sales model toa new level.

It provides its customers with a rea-son to celebrate their purchasinghabit through its core business of‘party shoes’, both as a conceptand a product.

By offering its customers the oppor-tunity to indulge their passion forshoes and handbags, over theirfavourite tipple in their own home,‘In These Shoes’ have found a greatforum for women of all ages to havefun and purchase.

It is testament to its success that‘In These Shoes’ was recently voted‘Best New Business’ in the NewForest Business Partnershipsawards and a finalist in the‘Everywoman in Retail Awards’.

So successful has the business

been that ‘In These Shoes’ is nowoffering an exciting franchise oppor-tunity to the market by providingthose with a passion for ‘BSH’Business, Shoes and Handbags,with the opportunity to run their ownfranchise.

Sarah Fitzgerald said: “In a marketwhere everyone is looking to standout from the crowd by putting theirbest foot forward, we believe weare putting together a blueprint tostay ahead of the competition byapplying the franchise model towhat we believe is a winning formu-la.”

With real excitement being generat-ed already it will not be long beforethis innovative offering is in all ofour backyards.

THE European Confederation of theFootwear Industry (CEC) has confirmed it will not seek a renewalof EU anti-dumping duties onChinese and Vietnamese shoeimports.

These tariffs – 16.5 per cent onChinese and ten per cent onVietnamese shoes – are due toexpire on March 31.

The decision has been made as theCEC has obtained strong guaran-tees that fair trade and competitionwill be respected.

This includes guarantees from the EU Commissioner that allimports will be carefully monitoredon a day to day basis to see

whether no new dumping and/orother unfair trading practices re-emerge, again causing damage tothe European industry.

In that case, the CEC has confirmedthat it will immediately initiate newactions.

Vito Artioli, CEC president, added:“While the EU industry has not yetcompletely recovered, we are pre-pared to accept unrestricted tradeand fair competition and give third countries importing into the EUa fair chance, but will remain vigi-lant.

“We are satisfied that the EUCommission will take up all theseissues at the highest level in its

quarterly bilateral meeting with boththe Chinese and Vietnamese author-ities.

“The Chinese and Vietnamese producers and exporters must now act in accordance with international rules and their authorities must guarantee fairtrade and competition as well asunrestricted access to their respective markets for Europeanshoes.

“Our members are strongly commit-ted to trade in accordance withinternational standards and regula-tions and this decision reflects thiscommitment.”

THE International GolfChampionship of the Shoe,Leather and Allied Trades in2011 is to be held inCheshire at the De VereCarden Park, on June 15, 16and 17 2011.The Championship inKillarney last year was verysuccessful with 130 competitors, which raisedand increased amount for the Trade Charities of£15,250, (Footwear Friendsand LHTBI). Manufacturers, retailers,agents, wholesalers and dis-tributors from the footwearand leather industries com-peted for trophies, alongwith numerous visitors andguests.The main Championship isplayed over 36 holes; thisincludes the LadiesChampionship and the visi-tors and guests competingfor the Marlone Trophy. There is also a Start-ritesponsored competition opento all competitors, and likethe main Championship isbased on full handicapStableford format.The main social event of the Championship is thebanquet, which is held at the hotel on the Thursday evening, with JohnMartin as the guest entertainer.Entry forms are being sentout now and the entriesclose in April with the drawbeing notified to all competi-tors in May.

Industrypreparesfor golfingcompetition

CEC not to seek renewalof anti-dumping duties

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36 February/March 2011 Business and technology

By Ian Tomlinson,executive chairman, Cybertill

2011 LOOKS like it may be anothertough year for retailers and toensure that they flourish in challeng-ing times, they should look toemployees as their most importantasset.

By motivating employees and pro-moting a sense of shared owner-ship everyone will pull in the samedirection.

Hold frequent briefings and sharemanagement information with yourstaff.

Give them the opportunity to askquestions and have the confidenceto open the business to them.

Make its workings and financestransparent, and remove any senseof ‘us and them’.

Being candid with them, treatingthem as adults not children who

can’t be told harsh truths, will makethem more loyal.Highlight areas that need to change,demonstrate how you plan to man-age the business through toughtimes and work together on strate-gies. Make sure staff understand theeffects of their actions on the busi-ness. Encourage candour and give themchallenges and the chance to comeup with ideas and tactics based ontheir front-line experience. Employees need to be recognisedand compensated for their expertiseand for going the extra mile. Lack of recognition is damaging, somake sure to single out star per-formers and let them to enjoy theadmiration of their peers or positivecustomer comments. Maybe it is time to return to a worldwhere goods were sold, not simply

displayed for self-service – staffpassivity should be a thing of thepast.

Train your till-point operators to askcustomers whether they foundeverything they were looking for.

Have a member of staff on theshop floor, gently asking browsingcustomers the same question.

All these approaches will unearthinterest or unfulfilled purchases thatcan be acted upon. Build feedbackmechanisms, formal or informal, forstaff to report their impressions onwhat works and what doesn’t.

Put to good use observations onwhere customers linger and handlegoods, then buy or don’t buy.Monitor how customers react to pro-motions and record any anecdotalcomments they make.

Working more closely with employ-ees can engender a greater senseof solidarity and enable owners and

managers to dip into a pool of tal-ent and ideas. As staff become more empoweredand driven to do a better job, theywill become better informed andmore motivated. Customers willnotice the difference, and this willmake it easier for you to turn cus-tomers into ‘loyal customers’.

Ian Tomlinson

Good employees are a vital asset

By Phil Darby, Immedia Broadcast Ltd

IN our increasingly competitivemarketplace every retailer is keento gain the edge on theircompetitors and today in-store,music is a cornerstone of manymajor retailers’ marketing strategy.

Most retailers now know they caninfluence their customers withmusic and 78 per cent say theywould recommend others to adoptin-store music too.

Results speak for themselves.

The use of music alone frequentlydelivers sales increases of over tenper cent – add announcements,commercials and editorial commentand results can be many times that.

You shouldn’t underestimate thedraw that good music represents toshoppers.

Over 70 per cent say that a storewith music is more inviting andnearly a quarter claim they wouldpay up to five per cent more forgoods in a store with music.

However, like everything else, thereis good music and bad music.

Immedia Broadcast provides liveand AsLive workplace radio for highstreet stores including like Game,IKEA and HSBC.

The company has now also

launched Dreamstream – live musicstreams that retailers can tailoronline to suit their customer base.

Bruno Brookes, Immedia founderand CEO, said: “A well designedmusic stream will create the rightatmosphere, make customers feelmore relaxed, enhance your brandand motivate your sales staff.

“Surveys show that up to 90 percent of customers prefer a shopwith music, but it has to be right.“Retailers who pay for their PPL and

PRS licences just to play the radioin their stores could be wastingtheir time and may even bedamaging their business. Insteadthey should tailor their offering totheir brands, customers andemployees.”

Why music can hitall the right noteswith shoppers

Bruno Brookes

What do you think? Hasintroducing music to yourstore increased sales or is itan unncessary extra? E-mailOOAL at: [email protected] your thoughts.

New eventfor retailindustriesTHE Retail Business TechnologyExpo is a brand new eventfocussing on business solutionsand technology for the retailindustries.

As well as a comprehensive rangeof solutions, it will feature aninformative and interactiveeducation programme, incorporatingseminars and workshops, plusnetworking opportunities.

Nick Field, event director, said:“When we were in the planningstages of the event and started toengage with the retail industry, it became clear that there was agreat demand for an event of thisnature.

“The Expo has clearly hit a nervewith the UK’s huge and highlyinfluential retail technology industry.

“Many of our early supportersstepped forward to serve on theSteering Committee which willensure the show delivers whatretailers are after.

“We’ve had an excellent sign up forregistrations, with senior peoplefrom a range of job titles, fromoperations to business analysts, aswell as IT, from tier one retailers tounique specialist companies acrossthe globe.”

The Retail Business TechnologyExpo will take place on 16 and 17March 2011 at London’s EarlsCourt.

For more information visit:www.retailbusinesstechnologyexpo.com.

36 1/2/11 11:17 Page 1


� More designers thanever are coming up withstyles that combinecomfort and fashion. Inour Comfort feature wetake a look at thebrands that are doing itbest, together with themarket’s most up todate innovations.

� Men are catching upwhen it comes to

demand for trend ledfootwear – so we explore the most popularlabels, style predictionsand the secondary spend potential of accessories.

� Tools like Facebookand Twitter can beinvaluable to independ-ent retailers – but only ifthey are used correctly.

In our Social Marketingfocus we hear from theexperts and get top tips from business whohave made it work forthem. If you have any news orviews you’d like toshare, get in touch bycalling: 01226 734694or e-mail:[email protected].

Coming up in the nextissue of Out On A Limb:

SalesTony Barry – Sales & Marketing Director([email protected])Beverley Green – Sales Manager([email protected])

Advertising ContactsTel: 01226 734333 Fax: 01226 734477

EditorialAndrew Harrod – Group Editor

Judith Halkerston – Group Deputy Editor

Louise Cordell – Editor

Christina Eccles – Reporter

Dominic Musgrave – Reporter

Editorial ContactsTel: 01226 734694Email: [email protected]

Design & ProductionStewart Holt – Studio Manager([email protected])

Kyle Wilkinson – Design & Production([email protected])

Circulation01226 734695 (24 hour hotline)Email: [email protected]

Contacts

Danish clog brand Sanita has launched anautumn/winter 2011 collection designedaround five different themes. The ranges are Forest Life, Tailored Nature,Fairytale Utopia, Nordic Cowboy andHeritage Retro. Design details include embriodery, animalprint, suedes and fur, all on traditional wood-en soles. Two designs that look set to be particularlypopular are the 70s clog boot in butt leatherand real lambskin and the traditionalComfort Boot, recreated for a new season.

Tous and Manolo Blahnik haveannounced the launch of an exclusive jewellery collaborationfeaturing the designer's iconicshoes.The ‘Campari’ shoe design charm,hanging from a gold chain with adiamond button, will be launchedin March in 300 Tous boutiquesworldwide.Manolo said: “I love Tous becauseI feel we have many things incommon. “We are family-runned businesses,we share Spanish roots and weare both keen on surprising andinnovating.”Rosa Tous, brand founder, added:“I am delighted with the agree-ment. Manolo Blahnik shoes arebeautiful and an amazing mixbetween trends and classicism.”

Manolo Blahnikand Rosa Tous

A NEW platform shoe is being released this year which has a huge nine-inch heel.

The Sky Heel will be the tallest shoe availableto regular high street customers – who havestarted to demand higher heels.

The 'Sky Heel' will cost under £40 when itgoes on sale next year in sparkly red or goldat shoe shop Parmars.

A spokesman for the firm said: “The Sky Heelwas fuelled by customer demand to mimicthe celebrity look.

“We've seen the five-inch and six-inch, and we've even seen the seven-inch heel.

“The trend is bigger, bigger, bigger – and the Sky Heel is the biggest of them all.”

Heels continue to reach for the sky ...

diaryddaatteessISPONew Munich Trade Fair Centre, 6-9 February 2011 www.ispo.com

PureOlympia and Earls Court, London, 13-15 February 2011 www.purelondon.com

Stitch Menswear13 - 15 February 2011 Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Londonwww.stitchmenswear.com

GDS/Global ShoesMesse Dusseldorf, Germany, 16-18 March 2011www.gds-online.com

MODANEC, Birmingham20/02/2011 - 22/02/2011www.moda-uk.co.uk

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365 RETAIL SOLUTIONS

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

TRAININGFOOT CARE

AGENTS REQUIRED

From as little as you can advertise your products and services.For further details contact:Bev Green on 01226 734456 email [email protected]

£365 per year

To advertise inclassifieds please

contact Bev Green on:01226 734 288

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Out on a Limb Feb/March 2011

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Transcript of Out on a Limb Feb/March 2011