FOOT-JAN22-PG04-08 News.qxd:Footwear_Jan10_p30 27/01/2022 21:05 Page 4
INDUSTRY NEWS
BFA UPDATE: Lucy Reece Raybould, CEO, British Footwear Association
" T
he last 12 months have required all of us in the footwear sector to challenge our pre-existing attitudes and make bold decisions despite a quicksand-like landscape. Brexit, COVID-19, supply chain concerns, and
rising costs of raw materials and haulage have created an uneasy backdrop but, on the brighter side, I have been consistently impressed with the tenacity of BFA Members and their abilities to turn negatives into positives. Many of our Members experienced surges in Black Friday sales and have grown their portfolios with pop-up stores. Others have opened further permanent stores and are planning even further growth in 2022. At the BFA, we approached 2021 with the same attitude as our Members –
focusing on growth, change and hard work that’s buoyed by the economic and social climate, rather than being dragged down by the woes. We recruited new Directors to our Board, continued with our successful webinar series, welcomed new Members, new Partners and expanded the in-house team to drive our strategic vision forward. Personally, I have focused on advocating for the footwear industry at every available opportunity and have pressed Government officials, Members of Parliament, and representatives of the Department for International Trade and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to take the needs (and contributions) of the footwear sector seriously. Looking ahead to 2022, the BFA will rely on its new Board-led Working
Groups and more informal Networking Groups to facilitate change, conversation, and greater communication within the footwear trade. Fostering a sense of pride in our shared sector and making sure our network is a unified force will only strengthen our international and consumer outreach in the future. We will also continue to grow our membership base and bring those who were once active BFA Members back into the fold. One of the greatest strengths of the BFA is to facilitate mutually beneficial
relationships between Members and Partners, as well as finding the right contacts for business owners to talk to about duties, shipping, e-commerce, material sourcing, manufacturing centres and everything in between. This spider web of connections is growing on a daily basis and the future of the BFA will continue in this spirit of collaboration and communication."
NEWS
The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers launch new Podcast! T
he Worshipful Company of Cordwainers are thrilled to announce the launch of
their new podcast ‘In Their Shoes’. Featuring the brightest and
best in the footwear industry, the range of participants is vast from bespoke footwear and craft experts, to innovative entrepreneurs and influencers. Join their host Katie Greenyer, Cordwainer and Creative Director of Pentland Brands, for
4 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JANUARY 2022
refreshingly open and honest conversations allowing you to step into the shoes of the talent behind the brands. What drives and inspires them? What challenges have they overcome and what does the future hold? The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, whose members were originally
the shoemakers of the City of London, is one of the City’s oldest livery companies. Today, they work philanthropically to promote the British footwear industry, supporting footwear design and entrepreneurship in both education and fashion, nurturing young talent and promoting excellence via the annual ‘Shoe Oscars’, the Cordwainers Footwear Awards. The Cordwainers would love for you to join them on this
journey of inspiration, innovation, design and, of course, footwear. So, kick off your shoes, settle back and listen in! The podcast is available on a variety of platforms, including Apple and Google.
DOWNLOAD THE FOOTWEAR TODAY APP NOW SPONSORED BY
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