NEWS


Expo Riva bets on accessories!


A


new and enhanced accessories segment of Expo


Riva Schuh & Gardabags has been announced by the show’s organisers – a new and improved format for Gardabags – starting in June this year. The carefully balanced


selection of exhibitors, identified not by product type, price or origin, but by the characteristics of their offerings and their interaction with buyers, will simplify the search for the ideal business partner. Organises said the revamped


Gardabags will boast a timely scheduling aligned with buyers’ needs; a dedicated hall for bags, small leather goods, accessories


and luggage; three distinct areas to help buyers find their most applicable suppliers; and an Identity Board for every exhibitor. A diverse range of companies


from the most important international manufacturing


districts for bags, small leather goods and accessories will be present, strategically positioned in Halls A2 and B2. Additionally, a dedicated aisle will focus on travel products and accessories. The project aims to offer


visitors a wide selection of collections over the course of two years, involving approximately 120 exhibitors across 2,000sqm of exhibition space. By June this year, organisers aim to host between 80 and 100 exhibitors, and then triple that at the fair in 2026. This new part of the exhibition will be structured into three areas


1 – GARDABAGS SOURCING – Low-range manufacturers catering to buyers operating in the mass-market or high street sectors. They interact with their suppliers to select models and define materials. These buyers are on the lookout for collections striking the right balance between design and price. Key values are production capacity, speed and reliability.


2 – GARDABAGS SOURCING4BRIDGE – Mid- range manufacturers with the infrastructure to work closely with buyers who require specific designs to be interpreted and developed. Suppliers capable of working more closely with clients. Experts in private label.


3 – GARDABAGS BRANDS – Manufacturers presenting their own branded products. They use the fair – which is the first to open each new season – as an opportunity to showcase previews of their collections, test new products and promote new offerings.


Cordwainers launches new ‘Craft of Shoemaking Award’ T


he Worshipful Company of Cordwainers is launching a new award to celebrate Britain’s shoemaking heritage, the


Craft of Shoemaking Award. The award was proposed and is sponsored


by Cordwainer members and award-winning bespoke shoemakers, Carréducker. The company has championed the heritage craft of handsewn shoemaking (cordwaining) for over 20 years, demonstrating at events such as London Craft Week, sharing tips and techniques via its YouTube channel and blog; and through courses and classes at its Shoemaking school in London. Applications are invited from shoemaking


students or recent graduates, apprentices and non-professional shoemakers. There is no age limit, but applicants must be UK-based. Entrants are invited to make a pair of shoes


or boots:  In any style, including orthopaedic or athletic  For men, women or children  Using any construction methods but with an emphasis on hand skills


 That are functional and wearable. The winning entry will receive specialist training of over 100+ hours at the Carréducker


6 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JANUARY 2025


School, covering pattern making, closing techniques and handsewn shoemaking. “With shoe and boot making listed as endangered by Heritage Crafts, we want to showcase and encourage the incredible shoemaking talent that is here in the UK,” commented the Master of the Cordwainers, Jonathan Church. “We have a worldwide reputation for excellence in British shoemaking, but there


has been a dramatic drop in people entering the trade. It’s putting our reputation and the industry’s future at risk. We want to excite the next generation of shoemakers about the craft and to encourage them to become part of this very successful billion-pound footwear industry.” The inaugural Craft of Shoemaking Award will be presented at a ceremony in London on 12 June 2025 and all shortlisted finalists will be invited to attend.


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