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NEWS


News In Brief . . . • Government aid programme announced for British retailers affected by August riots


• Spain and Portugal export more • Timberland has double-digit growth • Italian shoemakers look at Turkey • YSL wins big legal battle • Brazilian firms get state aid against Asia


According to reports from Turkey, several important Italian shoe


manufacturers are contemplating a possible investment in the country, drawing on the local skilled manpower and the supply of high-quality materials and components. They are reportedly looking at areas in the regions of Bursa, Denizli, Kayseri, Trabzon and Samsun.


A private equity fund backed by LVMH Group has made its first


investment in India. L Capital Asia, which is also back by Groupe Arnault, has taken a 25.5 % stake in Genesis Luxury Fashion, a high-end fashion distributor that handles such brands as Jimmy Choo, Canali, Paul Smith and Bottega Veneta in India. The infusion will help Genesis expand, and the ties to L Capital’s global network and knowledge will give it a boost as well. L Capital Asia invests in consumer and lifestyle brands in fast-growing markets in South Asia.


Following up on the previously reported increase in leather


exports from China, the China Leather Industry Association said that exports of leather shoes rose by 11.4 % to $4.9 billion in the first six months of the year. Finished and semi-finished leather grew by 21.8 % to $228.8 million, and raw hides and skins were up by 37.5 % to $2.7 million. Leather apparel fell by 16 % to about $273 million. Overall, the leather sector had a 21.8 % increase in exports to $17.9 billion. Its imports in the same sector grew by 20.8 % to $4.5 billion.


Imports of leather shoes into Russia rose by 5.3%to 42.9 million pairs in the first five months of 2011, according to official figures, which may differ from the real ones +++ Vietnam’s exports for leather shoes increased in value to $3.6 billion in the first seven months of 2011 from $2.75 billion in the same period a year ago


Christian Louboutin’s request for an injunction forbidding the


sale of one of Yves Saint Laurent’s shoes has been denied by a federal U.S. judge in Manahattan. Acting on the basis of a trademark registration obtained in the U.S. in 2008, the designer filed a lawsuit against YSL last April, claiming that its own trademark rights were being infringed by a pump from YSL’s cruise 2011 collection. At issue was its use of a monochromatic red sole similar to those that Louboutin has been using as a distinctive mark in all its shoes since 1992.


"The articles above are extracted from Shoe Intelligence, the international business publication on the footwear market. If you want to receive a full sample issue or ask for a free trial, please send an e-mail to sampleft@edmpublications.com."


Aid programme for British retailers affected by August riots


U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron announced a £20 million aid


programme for British retailers affected by the riots in August, who will have 42 days to file their claims. They will also have more time to pay VAT and other taxes to the government.


Portuguese producers are in good shape


After a 19.8 % increase to ¤697 million in their exports for the first five months of 2011, compared with an increase of only 8.6 % in imports to ¤233 million, Portuguese shoe manufacturers expect to reach a positive trade balance of ¤850 million for the full year in the sector. Portugal exports about 95 per cent of its production to 132 different countries.


In terms of value, the official statistics show export increases for the five months of 10.8 % in France, 21.4 % in Germany, 22 % in the Netherlands and 77 % in Italy, partly offset by a 3.2 % drop in the U.K. Outside the EU, exports went up by 72.7 % in Russia, by 21.8% in the U.S., by 28.6 % in Japan and by 87.6 %in Canada.


On the import front, the statistics show increases in value of 47.6 % from China, 5.9 % from Spain and 22.4 % in Italy. In analyzing the figures, Apiccaps, the Portuguese shoe industry association, notes that the average price per pair of all imported shoes was ¤5.89, about one-fourth of Portugal’s average export price of more than ¤19 a pair.


Portuguese shoe manufacturers are reaping the fruits of considerable


investments in export promotion over the past years, including investments of ¤35 million made since 2008 with the help of the government. This year, 120 shoe companies will have spent about ¤11 million to participate in more than 70 international fairs.


This September, they will participate in 16 different events. Sixty firms will


show at the GDS fair in Düsseldorf, 25 % more than a year ago. More than 90 Portuguese companies will exhibit at the later Micam show in Milan.


The quarterly industry survey conducted by Apiccaps indicates a positive


development in orders and production volumes for the second quarter of this year.


The number of companies recording an increase in their order backlog


was 16 %age points higher than those that suffered a decline. Companies that don’t have their own collections fared worse than the others.


Apiccaps’ survey indicates that shoe production should continue to


increase in Portugal in the second half of this year, but the growth in orders will likely slow down. Prices will continue to increase, especially on the export front.


Average prices have continued to go up for the sixth quarter in a row, with the number of companies reporting higher prices overtaking those that charged less by 9 %age points. Stable prices were reported by 79 % of the firms.


6 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • SEPTEMBER 2011 www.footweartoday.co.uk


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