NEWS BFA News
Update from Richard Kottler, Chief Executive, British Footwear Association Despite all the bad news about the UK, being a British footwear brand is
proving to be a real asset in today’s difficult worldwide economy. The demand for British made products is well documented and continues
to expand – especially high end men’s welted shoes. Discerning stores in the Far East and the USA continue to buy these in ever increasing quantities and the UK factories are working flat out to satisfy this interest. Over and above this, however, is the growing enthusiasm for overseas
exhibitions wanting to feature British labels. The BFA is taking an increasing number of companies to GDS (Germany) and MAGIC (USA) and in each case features a British section, strongly themed and with support staff supplied by the BFA. The contemporary stands are designed to showcase the best of British talent. The BFA is having to work more creatively to support the brands and this
season we have produced micro-sites for each show, an e blast and international PR campaign and generally generating a lot more “noise” about the exhibitions. At the Magic show, the 30 UK exhibitors in every case took orders and a
record $2.2m was booked, agents were appointed and Miss L Fire was selected as part of Brit Week in LA late April sponsored in part by Top Shop. In MICAM, still the premier international show, the BFA has this Autumn negotiated a larger stand in a prominent location to host the 70+ UK exhibitors. Again supported by BFA staff trained to maximise the British presence there. It is fantastic that, in this grindingly tough trading climate, being British is a major advantage and one the whole UK industry should work to their advantage.
British Footwear Association Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1933 229005
Web:
www.britishfootwearassociation.co.uk
Footwear Today Magazine Best Sellers Panellist wins £35k from Scottish Edge Fund
Shooze With Sole, a
children's and adults footwear company from Ayrshire, has won 35k as one of 20 finalists in the Government’s Scottish Edge Fund. The award was opened in
November last year to companies who had the potential to expand, increase sales and employ staff.
Shooze With Sole began in March 2012 and currently has stores in Ayr, Kilmarnock and Troon. The company now employs 13 staff, 2 of them who were previously unemployed through the local council modern apprentice scheme. Over 250 companies applied and Shooze With Sole then had to go
through two rounds of pitching their business for three minutes and were then questioned by a panel which included some of Scotland's top entrepreneurs including Sir Tom Hunter, Willie Haughey, Gordon Merrylegs of RBS and representatives from the Scottish Enterprise. 17 companies
4 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • MARCH 2013
received Scottish Edge Funding and the fund has been increased by the Government for 2013/14. For more information visit the Scottish Enterprise website.
Owner Donna Read puts most of her companies’ success down to the 20
years she has worked in retail with major companies including Scottish power retail and home serve plc. Donna also joined the highly successful business start-up organisation Entrepreneurial Spark last May and she has received business mentoring and support to help her accelerate and build on her existing skills. Shooze with Sole works with the biggest names in adult and children's
footwear including Rieker, Gabor, Fly London, Rocket Dog, startrite, Lelli Kelly, Vans and Converse. They provide a full fitting service for children and all staff are currently undergoing a year-long programme in conjunction with Dr Vicki Fiddess podiatry to enhance the teams knowledge on foot care and development. The Scottish edge fund awarded Shooze With Sole £35,000 to invest in
the town of Irvine giving her stores now in each of the local council areas. Donna says "Winning the Scottish Edge Fund award is a massive personal and business achievement especially coming from the retail sector where we are very often overlooked"
More information on the company can be found by visiting
www.shoozewithsole.co.uk or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Global Footwear Conference
to be held at the University of Northampton March 20-21st 2013.
A two-day global academic conference on footwear is to be held at the
University of Northampton, Avenue Campus on Wednesday and Thursday 20th and 21st March 2013, from 9.30 am to 5pm. The conference is in collaboration with The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and has lead on from the successful World at Your Feet Exhibition
Confirmed speakers include: • Chris Hill, FdA Cordwainers Footwear & Accessories Design Course Director Cordwainers @ London College of Fashion
• Katie Greenyer, Creative Director, Red or Dead, Pentland Plc • Dr Natalie McCreesh, The University of Manchester Vivienne Westwood shoes: concepts of design and their role in street fashion subcultures
• Prof. Yuniya Kawamura, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York
• Rebecca Shawcross, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery • Cuiqiang Lu and Qingli Zhong, Zhejiang Textile & Fashion College, Ningbo, China
• Alexandra Sherlock, University of Sheffield The world footwear conference at the University of Northampton is a two
day conference, which will see a variety of esteemed speakers explore the diversity of world footwear from a historic perspective including shoe design and wearing across the world. Northampton is the home of shoe making. The influence of Northampton's
heritage is captured in the footwear collection at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery which houses, one of the largest collection of shoe heritage in the world run by Northampton Borough Council and which is designated as being of national and international importance.
Contact:
Jane Seddon on
janeseddon@northampton.gov.uk or on 01604 838111.
Or Vicki Dean on
vicki.dean@
northampton.ac.uk www.footweartoday.co.uk
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