Q&A
Q: Have you managed to get out and about to various exhibitions and trade fairs in the past few months to get to see your customers? John and Maria Feeney: Absolutely! We’ve been all over the place! Our highlights in the second half of 2023 were Footwear Today Live in Birmingham, the London Shoe Show, and travelling to Milan for Micam and of course visiting Dublin and Cork, Ireland to present in our own stockrooms. The wider industry has been very welcoming. The other agents, the team at Footwear Today and all the exhibition organisers across the sector have all helped us transition very well.
Q: Would it be fair to say you had some big shoes to fill (pardon the pun) taking over from Carl Robinson before you? J&M: We cannot talk about our first few months in the industry without mentioning our predecessor, Carl. He was an industry stalwart with over 40 years in the industry and a fourth generation shoe man! After taking the decision to retire from the industry, he was a great support for us and assisted our move to work with the Lorenz group. Although this is a very new industry to us it is proving to be a very respectable and a very friendly and social one to be involved in; it’s been exciting and extremely enjoyable!
Q: What are your thoughts on the footwear sector generally and how your brands have fared in the past year? J&M: Last year was a good year for all three brands in the UK under somewhat challenging circumstances, but it was mixed across Europe. It feels like we are all still in a period of change with
L-R: Walter Bruer (Högl Global Sales Director), Carl Robinson, John and Maria
the legacy of COVID still impacting our day-to-day living and therefore the shopping and spending habits of many.
However, more importantly, the financial impact of the decisions taken in that period still have far-reaching affects across the economy. There are certainly challenges being felt in the retail sector and we understand how hard it is for many retailers right now, but we maintain a positive approach. As is always the case, there are many potential opportunities, particularly
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for those who focus on the online and digitised space, while adapting for changes in the expected customer experience and demand for even more convenience in the physical space. It is a hard balance to achieve.
Q: What developments have you seen and how would you like to build on these with the Högl, Hassia and Ganter brands? J&M: I think like most industries, we will continue to adapt to the changes in technologies. Of course,
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