Business News
Shoe designer takes first steps into exporting
A leading West Midlands designer of wedding shoes is hoping to expand her brand across North America and beyond after attending a major bridal fair in New York. Rachel Simpson (pictured), of
Midlands Pavilion is on centre stage
Greater Birmingham regions joined forces to showcase their leading investment offer at national real estate show MIPIM UK at Olympia, London, for the first time. The Greater Birmingham
delegation will then take to the world stage in March, as part of an inaugural Midlands Engine presence at MIPIM 2017, Cannes – the world’s largest, most influential real estate showcase in the world. This landmark collaboration will
see the Midlands come together on an unprecedented scale to exhibit £14 billion worth of investment opportunities, as the region introduces a new ‘Midlands Pavilion’ to MIPIM and its 20,000 strong delegate network. Throughout MIPIM UK, a range of multi-million pound development opportunities were highlighted by Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country, with connectivity forming the central theme. The event saw for the first time
Greater Birmingham’s £1 billion Curzon Investment Plan – designed to leverage the opportunities of HS2 being promoted among the
country’s leading investors, agents and developers. Cllr John Clancy, leader of
Birmingham City Council, said: “With a number of prominent development opportunities in the pipeline, MIPIM UK provided genuine investment prospects, capitalising on the potential of major schemes like Birmingham Smithfield and the Curzon Investment Plan, which will transform Birmingham in the wake of HS2. “By working in partnership
across the region, we can get in front of the right people; ramp up Greater Birmingham’s economic resurgence and drive forward the local economy.” Councillor John Reynolds,
cabinet member for city economy, City of Wolverhampton Council, added: “We’re casting the net even further with our presence at MIPIM UK this year. “MIPIM UK placed the Black
Country and Greater Birmingham in front of the most influential players from all property sectors, and secure the interest we need to reach our potential to the fullest.”
Rachel Simpson Ltd, took part in International Bridal Week, thanks to support from the Department for International Trade team in Birmingham. It follows a successful trip in
March to the spring edition of the bridal show in the US city, when she attracted the attention of more than four independent bridal boutiques, including stores in New York, Chicago and Ohio.
‘Exporting is becoming a very big part of our business’
From that one show alone, the company took significant revenue in orders, a substantial increase on their debut show the previous October. Rachel, whose headquarters is at
Kings Norton Business Centre where she employs 13 people, said: “We went to the bridal show in October last year for the first time, knowing that it would take at least three shows to really start to get decent interest. “The March show proved to be a
great second show for us and thanks to assistance and support from the Department for International Trade, we are able to attend the show again this year. “This is a key show, and a great
international platform, and we’re hoping to get even more orders.
“We’re focusing our efforts on
the North America market but there are also buyers from the Far East and Europe attending, so it could potentially introduce us to a number of new markets.” Since working with Jane Matty,
an international trade adviser (ITA) in the Department for International Trade team in Birmingham for the past six years, the company’s international profile has grown significantly. After taking advice on its
eCommerce platforms, attending masterclasses and learning export basics, the company now exports about 30 per cent of its shoes and accessories, which is worth approximately £300,000 a year. “Exporting is becoming a very big
part of our business and we are looking far more strategically so that we can attract bigger accounts that need higher volumes,” added Rachel. Any West Midlands company
looking for similar support can visit
www.exportingisgreat.gov.uk
8 CHAMBERLINK November 2016
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