NEWS
The British Footwear Association welcomes new Chairman Jane Wilson
Having joined the BFA Board of Directors in October 2021, Jane Wilson has succeeded Robert Perkins as BFA Chairman, effective immediately.
T
he British Footwear Association (BFA) is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced footwear professional Jane Wilson as Chairman of the BFA Board of Directors.
Jane succeeds Robert Perkins, who held the Chairmanship of the BFA for more than four years. Robert’s knowledge of the industry, strong leadership skills and enduring commitment have strengthened the position of the BFA during his tenure and have enabled the Association to thrive during the difficult times of the pandemic. BFA Chief Executive Officer, Lucy Reece Raybould, says: “I would like to thank Robert personally and on behalf of the Board for his contribution to the BFA. We have valued his knowledge and the continuity he has provided as a Non-Executive Director and as Chairman since 2016. Looking to the future, I very much look forward to achieving the BFA’s next goals and objectives with the support and guidance of Jane, whose breadth of experience in the footwear sector has been a welcome addition to the Board since she joined in October 2021.” Jane Wilson has worked her entire career in the footwear industry. Her previous roles include Chief Executive of Start-Rite Shoes, Group Product Director at Clarks International and Co-Founder of Moot Management Consulting, where clients have included brands such as ECCO and BATA. She is currently CEO of the William Lamb Group and an
legacy and to work with such an experienced and talented team of Directors. I am proud of how committed we all are to the sector. We are determined to be an outstanding voice for the British footwear industry and represent our members’ best interests while bringing the whole sector together to ensure businesses have sustainable and successful futures. As we say, the BFA is “building our future together”. On leaving the BFA Board of Directors, Robert Perkins says: “I joined the BFA to give something back to an industry that has been very generous to me, both in terms of the things I’ve learned and the friends I’ve made. I have known Jane for many years; she understands the shoe industry with as much breadth as I do. In her, the BFA is getting someone who can build on and develop the expertise and knowledge of the sector. And I expect the Association will go from strength to strength as its relevance to all businesses becomes increasingly evident in the coming times.” The BFA is also delighted to welcome a further new Non-Executive Director to the Board, Annette Cove. Annette, the Founder of specialist footwear recruitment agency Annette Cove Associates, has a rich and diverse footwear background with Clarks and The British Shoe Corporation, through to Directorship roles at the Pentland Group with both Red or Dead and the sports brand Ellesse. Annette comments: “I am delighted to take up this role, I am passionate and enthusiastic about our footwear industry, and it is a real privilege to use my skills, experience and connections to assist the BFA in achieving its purpose.”
Independent Consultant to the wider footwear industry. A Pattenmaker since 2001, Jane is a Court Assistant, Chair of the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers’ Charity Committee and has managed the Pattenmaker’s Young Managers Award for over 15 years.
Jane says: “It is an honour to build on Robert’s
Lucy Reece-Raybould says: “I am delighted to welcome Annette to the BFA Board, and not just for her vast experience and connections across the sector. But also, for the added perspective she brings as a BFA Partner, enabling us to reflect all aspects of business and deliver cohesive benefits for BFA members and partners alike.” Further information about the BFA can be found here:
britishfootwearassociation.co.uk.
Hush Puppies announce continued growth amidst major UK resurgence A
collaboration with Baz Luhrmann’s recent Elvis block buster bolsters expansion for the iconic casual
footwear brand. H1 Highlights: ¡ Hush Puppies UK revenue is up +27% YOY with gross profit up +31% ¡ Hush Puppies have acquired a further 214 new retail partners from 2021-2022 ¡ Hush Puppies UK is forecasting over 500k pairs sold by end of 2022, compared to 350k in 2021 ¡ Hush Puppies brand revenue is up +237% for H1 2022 vs 2020.
(July 2022) The iconic footwear brand, Hush Puppies has confirmed further growth following the close of the H1 trading period. The company reported +27% in brand revenue year on year with gross profit also up +31% in the UK. The
4 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
success follows an exciting period of momentum for the brand which has seen Hush Puppies reconnect with its eclectic brand history via a recent collaboration with Baz Luhrmann’s summer blockbuster, Elvis.
Celebrating over 60 years of brand history, Hush Puppies continuing success in the UK can be attributed to the addition of 49 new retail
partners in 2021, and sustained growth across all sales channels; Bricks (+ 39% YOY), Internet sales (+ 32% YOY) and drop shipping (+30% YOY). Online sales remain a major contributor to Hush Puppies’ growth with Very, Next and John Lewis serving as Hush Puppies leading sales partners in 2021.
Category leaders for H1 included sandals which were up +65% YOY across men’s, women’s and kid’s collections, indicative of a return to summer holiday planning. In addition, winter boots rose +59% YOY. Gardiner’s Director, Ben Gardiner commented, “Results at the close of H1 highlight continued growth for Hush Puppies in the UK, and we’re excited to see a clear affection for the brand amongst the UK customer base. Our recent Elvis collaboration saw Hush Puppies reignite its revered brand heritage and we’ve continued to
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