NEWS
Student from De Montfort University to design shoe for Duchess
BFA News
Report from Richard Kottler, CEO, March 2012
The show season is over and the results were mixed. Overall attendance at the key events was down – including UK retailers – but the majority of our members succeeded in taking a good level of export orders spread over the globe. Export is fundamental in many companies’ business plans and initial bookings for next season’s shows are encouraging. The BFA if offering more support than ever and probably for the first time is contributing more money on export activities than the industry is receiving in Government grants !
Richard Kottler CEO BF
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Apprenticeships This is the hot ticket at the moment with lots of initiatives/pronouncements
Last month saw six De Montfort University (DMU) Footwear Design
students competing for a high profile commission by designing a pair of shoes for the Duchess of Cambridge. The designs were presented to the Duchess and The Queen when they visited the DMU campus in Leicester to celebrate the beginning of the Diamond Jubilee Tour of the UK. The University has credited its association with Moda Footwear, the UK’s
largest footwear exhibition, for its increased profile within the industry which contributes in making unique opportunities such as the Royal visit happen. After meeting with all six finalists, shortlisted from more than 100 applicants by lecturers at the university, the Duchess announced second year student Becka Hunt as the winner with a design based around the Duchess’ engagement ring. The winning shoe will be created and worn by the future Queen and will be seen by millions of people across the world. This exceptional opportunity confirms the renowned Footwear Design course as one of the best the country has to offer. Moda’s continued support of the University has presented the work of
its talented alumni in front of key decision makers in the footwear industry and next year will see Becka taking part in the Moda Footwear and DMU ‘History in the Making’ collaboration project in which students will design and develop a shoe range using a key period in history as inspiration. Designs from six finalists will be displayed at Moda Footwear with an overall winner being announced during the show. With an already glittering start to her career, the industry can look forward to seeing more outstanding designs from Becka as she continues to establish herself as a design force of the future. Sam Sawkill, one of the six finalists to design a shoe for the Duchess was also a finalist in this year’s ‘History in the Making’ project, which is a great testament to the range of design flair the course and Moda nurtures.
Moda is the UK’s national trade show covering the five fashion sectors of womenswear, accessories, menswear, footwear and lingerie & swimwear. The next edition takes place from 12-14 August at the NEC Birmingham.
6 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • APRIL 2012
coming from several Government departments, from Skillset, from Commons Select Committees etc. We are in the process of compiling an idiot’s guide to what is really achievable and what funding is available and from where. This will be with you soon. In the meantime, many of the Northamptonshire manufacturers and
representatives of the BFA, Skillset, local colleges and the National Apprenticeship Service met with the Duke of York on March 20. His Royal Highness has a genuine interest in bringing industry and training agencies and providers together to encourage more skills training for youngsters and was well briefed on the particular situation of the footwear industry – and was even better briefed as a result of the meeting! Undoubtedly there will be progress on manufacturing apprenticeships
and several of the members were already advanced in their own plans. More news on this later.
Anti Dumping Duty There is now a process by which companies who have paid out ADD over
recent years can claim back sums paid. We are working with a Belgian law firm and with Kevin Starr at Hexagon Consulting to provide a format for doing this and already we have several expressions of interest. As a result, we will shortly be announcing a London located presentation for all interested importers from China and Vietnam.
China A growing number of our companies are taking advantage of the BFA’s membership of the China-Britain Business Council as a route to market in this enormous country. We are now trying to gauge the level of support for a second Seminar
focusing on placing footwear brands in China and – if the demand is sufficient- then to look at a possible subsidised Trade Mission to the country.
Please let me know your views
British Footwear Association Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1933 229005 Web:
www.britishfootwearassociation.co.uk
www.footweartoday.co.uk
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