COMPANY PROFILE The Florida Group
Tell us about your company history and your brands? The Florida Group (TFG) is a family company with roots dating back
to the early 1900’s. Founded by grandfather of the current Chairman, Adelman Goodman, we moved to our present site in Norwich in 1936. It’s a significant date as next year will be our 75th anniversary in the city, something we are hugely proud of! It’s both comforting, and more than little sad in truth, to know that
there were once over 30 shoe factories employing over 30,000 people in Norwich. In the mid 1960’s the city was making over 7 million pairs of shoes each year. Of course times have changed and whilst British
manufacturing has declined we are still proud to be flying the flag and making shoes in the city. Whilst Norwich isn’t our exclusive source of production we are none-the-less the last remaining company still keeping the tradition alive. Van Dal itself was launched by TFG in 1946 with a
This has clearly presented us with a challenge so in answer to the
question our range has developed phenomenally in less than three seasons. Equally it will continue to develop as the team gels and new influences have an effect. For my own part the focus remains on the customer, it has to, we have to be relevant. The brand has maybe stayed too still, for too long
remit to specialise in branded high quality, wider fitting shoes. The brand is still going strong today, in fact we are investing substantially. There is definitely a confidence that demand and the market conditions will enable us to grow. Today TFG remains a family concern with Chairman Simon Goodman representing the family legacy. Much like our consumer though the business has embraced change and there is a blend of heritage and progress. A new team is in place under the stewardship of MD Tony Linford and since his arrival Van Dal has since been joined by a host of new brands including Pikolinos, Marc and Filippa Scott. All under the TFG umbrella.
How have your ranges developed over the years? Van Dal remains committed to producing quality wider fitting ladies
shoes but there is a greater emphasis on styling than perhaps in recent years. If the brand is to attract a new audience and engage them then this is critical. The perception of Van Dal can, in fairness, be summed up in the phrase “my mother wore those”.
Editor, Cheryl Taylor, speaks to Head of Marketing, Jason Larke, to get the inside track on what changes are afoot in Norwich…
and in that time both the market and our consumers expectations have changed. Really there has been a substantive cultural shift in attitude and we aim to reflect that. Quality and fit remain prerequisites along with updated styling but we
are also committed to innovation. To improve the comfort credentials of our product lines with the introduction of the TLC concept. We are the only ladies footwear company to be using ion-mask™ protection for instance. For suede particularly it’s a fantastic technology, protecting them against water and dirt which would normally plague the material.
So what else is new? Given that it is our birthday next year we have pushed the boat out a little! Partly in order to raise awareness and provoke a questioning of
18 • FOOTWEAR TODAY
• SEPTEMBER 2010
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