NEWS
Statement from Assocalzaturifici Chair Siro Badon “I
want Assocalzaturifici’s position regarding the participation of Italian footwear companies in the Moscow trade fair to be perfectly clear: the trade association complies with the sanctions imposed by the international community against the country that started this war, but I cannot help sympathising with these companies, because the task of our association is supporting all our companies, even those that could not withdraw their requests to participate in the trade fair due to contractual obligations undertaken before the start of the war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine, now practically inaccessible due to the war, account for more than 50 percent of the sales of many of these companies.”
Assocalzaturifici Chair Siro Badon invites us to consider the matter more closely. “We’re talking about shutting the door on two very important markets, right after a two- year pandemic. Companies that do business in the countries now involved in the conflict find themselves dealing with a very difficult situation. Footwear companies that work with Russia and, of course, Ukraine are not violating any European sanctions. They have worked and continue to work in compliance with international law, courageously facing the consequences of a conflict that has had a devastating economic impact on a number of Italy’s industrial districts. Districts our association represents, and for which it must speak up.
Assocalzaturifici, under the wing of Confidustria Moda, is working with the institutions to ensure that no-one is left behind at this dramatic time in history. We are asking the government to pass a number of essential measures to address this exceptionally critical situation. We are equally aware of the need to promote mechanisms for structural growth of our SMEs in order to support companies’ international growth, the diversification of their products, and therefore their approach to new markets abroad. Having only a few destination markets, or depending heavily on certain highrisk countries, cannot guarantee stability and growth, as we are seeing not only in our own case but on the energy market. When
Cordwainers Footwear Awards returns as a live event in 2022 as part of the Company’s 750th Anniversary celebrations
I
n 2022, the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers are celebrating an incredible 750 years of existence. Established to oversee the trade of shoemaking, today the company continues with a strong charitable ethos, and a primary focus of nurturing and supporting young talent in the fashion and shoemaking industries. As one of the oldest Livery Companies in the City of London, the Cordwainers have a full schedule of celebratory events for their anniversary year, including a new podcast series ‘In Their Shoes’ and the highly acclaimed Cordwainer Footwear Awards in June.
Since 2014, the Cordwainer Footwear Awards have been supporting next generation footwear talent from three undergraduate footwear design courses in the UK: at De Montfort University, the University of Northampton and London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, London. Previous winners, including Helen Kirkum, Meta Cunder
and Ganor Dominic, are making their mark in the industry, having used their prize money to fund further education in footwear design, or start their own footwear design businesses. “I am delighted to announce that the 2022 Cordwainer Footwear Awards will be back as a live event this year, coinciding with the 750th Anniversary of the Company. The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers remains dedicated to promoting excellence in footwear design and shoemaking and I am thrilled that we continue to seek out and support the next generation of talent through this competition. Our future is our trade” comments Master of the Company, Peter Lamble.
He continues, “We look forward to welcoming many recognisable names from the footwear industry on the night. Our exceptional panel of judges, led by Cordwainer Liveryman Katie Greenyer also comprises Freemen, Beatrix Ong, Charlotte Olympia Dellal and Joachim
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Sedelmeier, as well as Michael Atmore, Editorial Director of Footwear News. They will have the unenviable task of awarding almost £12,000 in prizes”
The awards evening will be a spectacular event with the best of the footwear industry coming together to celebrate the students work. The awards will be presented by special guests including Charlotte Olympia Dellal and a highlight of the evening will be an inspirational talk by guest speaker Scott Emerson who is the Head of Footwear Design at Dunhill.
The 2022 Cordwainers Footwear Awards will be held on June 9th at The Clothworkers Hall in London.
¡ For further information about The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers and the Cordwainers Footwear Awards, for images or interviews please contact
josie@felicities.co.uk ¡
www.cordwainers.org
MAY 2022 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • 5
the biggest supplier is out of the picture and you have no alternative, you risk a crisis. This is why we say it is time to put a stop to the controversy and invite everyone to imagine what our member companies are going through every day. They have been protecting their business relations with important customers, like so many other Italian companies that are continuing to work in the country, simply because they cannot stop, and they hope to resume their business relationships again as soon as possible. Now this is resilience, not an attempt to get around the sanctions, as some people have been implying in the past few days. And this represents my own personal hope. What we are going through is not only a time of economic difficulty, but a humanitarian tragedy. Widening or continuing the conflict would result in even greater and more dramatic economic damage not only to the footwear industry, but to the country as a whole. The increase in raw materials and energy costs is obvious to everyone, and I know that Confindustria continues to be in contact with the Draghi government, that they are aware of what we are going through. This is why I insist that this is not the time to fuel controversy in the industry, because we are facing some very important challenges.” ¡ ASSOCALZATURIFICI ITALIANI Via Alberto Riva Villasanta, 3 I-20145 Milano
Tax Code 80027170150 Tel: + 39 02 43829.1
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