Out on a Limb Dec 2010/Jan 2011

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Redundant team marches on and opens new store

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A SHOE shop team who have overcome recession redundancies by opening their own store are looking forward to a successful first Christmas.

The six women lost their jobs when their former employer the Faith Footwear chain went in to administration back in April.

The Faith name and remaining stock was eventually purchased by another company, but not before all 72 high street stores were closed and the majority of employees were made redundant.

However, former store manager Justina Pay, her deputy Roxanne Ransom and the rest of the team decided to fight against the prospect of unemployment by taking steps to open a new shoe shop in the very same premises.

Seven weeks after administrators shut their Chelmsford store, it reopened as a new independent business with new stock, a new look and a new name, ‘Hope’.

Justina said: “We have been on a really big learning curve. We’ve travelled the UK to visit old suppliers, rehired former colleagues, refitted a tired old store and launched a new brand onto the high street.

“When we opened Hope four months ago we did not know what to expect and we are so grateful to the people who have got behind us, both locally in store and nationally through our website.

“We’ve still got a lot to learn, but we are confident that we can beat this recession.”

So far the response to the store by customers shopping in the area has been very positive and the team now hope to repeat this success in a second store next year, and are already viewing empty shops in the nearby towns of Basildon, Colchester and Ipswich.

Roxanne said: “Being made redundant was one of the worst experiences of my life, but

reopening the branch has been one of the best.

“Where our previous employer struggled to meet local demand we’ve been able to respond and react, for example, Chelmsford is home of the ‘V Festival’ and for the first time in years we had enough wellie boots in stock for hundreds of unprepared festival goers.

“Right now we’re trying to source more shoes suitable for Christmas parties, we’re being challenged to keep up with demand.”

The team are now working on keeping one of the promises they made when they opened the store to help charity – and have identified a group of disadvantaged children in Romania to support.

To do this they have joined forces with the local Anglia Ruskin University ‘Raise and Give Society’ and are asking the public to bring in shoe boxes containing gifts or donate funds at www.christmashopeappeal.co.uk.

Adventure footwear brand Teva has launched a competition giving fans the chance to escape to paradise.

The lucky winners will be given the opportunity to visit Fiji’s Viti Levu Island, experience the Upper Navua Gorge and sail a luxury yacht in the south Pacific.

Liz Ferrin, Teva Global branded content manager, said: “Through the Teva House competition, we’re offering our tribe a chance to escape from their everyday lives and take part in something bigger.

“It’s about enjoying and participating in inspirational adventures and experiences.”

For your chance to make the trip with Teva visit: www.tevahouse.co.uk.

Liberty hunting out creative passion

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NEW designers are being given the chance to have their products sold at Liberty in the 2011 Best of British Open Call.

Now in its third year, the competition aims to recognise and support new and emerging British designs talent and is calling for new talent to come forward with their ideas.

A panel of experts including Liberty’s MD Ed Burstell and his

buying team, will pick the best designs to be sold in store, as well as offering support to help the designers get their product selling.

From handbags to hats and fashion to furniture, Liberty is encouraging anyone with a creative passion to bring in their designs for the panel to judge. Some of the stores current best selling products have been developed at previous Open

Calls including Michael Birch and Richard Weston scarves and Lost Property bags. The event will take place on 5 February and designers will have three minutes to pitch their products to the panel.

The successful candidates will then be invited back to the store for a formal meeting with the buying team to discuss becoming a supplier.

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Femme fatale wins through for student Alexa Chung, one of the British Style Award nominees

Looking to public vote THE British Fashion Council has announced it will be looking to the public to choose one of the winners at this year’s British Fashion Awards.

Based on the success of last year’s British Style Award, introduced last year for the BFC’s 25th anniversary celebrations and presented to Kate Moss, the award aims to recognise an individual who is an international ambassador for London as a leading creative fashion capital.

For the first time, members of the public who vote online at www.britishfashionawards.com/ britishstyle will have the chance to win tickets to attend the awards ceremony in December.

A list of suggested nominees including Alexa Chung, Emma Watson, Georgia May Jagger, Lily Cole, Stella McCartney and Tilda Swinton, has been drawn up by a panel of fashion opinion formers and all other awards are judged by a panel of leading fashion editors and retailers.

WORK has started on a design collaboration between footwear retailer Brantano and a competition winning Leicester College student.

The project came about following a contest set up for footwear design students at the college to design a shoe for one of Brantano’s top selling in-house ladies brands.

The students had to develop a shoe design as well as investigate if it would sell in volume, be comfortable and practical to wear and cost effective to produce.

In order to do this, they visited a local Brantano store to look at styling and prices, visited other competitors and worked on exploring different colours, materials and themes to decide what style would sell in stores nationwide. They also had to make a final prototype and decide on a realistic retail price, so that the winning design could be used to influence a style available in the brand’s new collection.

In January Leah Cox was announced as the winner, with her theme of ‘femme fatale’ and ‘gothic chic’ for the final winning shoe design.

She was also awarded Brantano vouchers and a work experience placement in the buying department at the retailer’s head office.

Paula Newman, ladies footwear buyer at Brantano, said: “Working with the footwear design students at Leicester College is a great opportunity to meet some new talent, and to have an insight into some fresh, creative ideas of new innovative footwear styles. There are very few colleges or students who specifically study just footwear, so at Brantano, we want to encourage and support this fantastic course and talented designers.”

Brantano Footwear is now keen to continue working in collaboration with Leicester College on an annual basis and is looking at developing a new project for the new intake of students for 2010/2011.

Best known brands distributed across the country BELSTANE are proud to distribute some of the best known brands across the equestrian and country market and cater for all footwear needs.

Muckboots:

The Full Monty Harlequins:

As well as being 100 per cent waterproof and very light and flexible, Muckboots offer more warmth, comfort and support than you will experience with any other footwear.

The neoprene will stretch to fit almost any calf and can be rolled down for ventilation in hot weather and for easy hands free removal.

A wide range of general and specialist wellies and shoes are available.

An incredibly fun, fashionable welly in a range of beautiful colours at an amazing price.

Superlites: Superlites are ideal for those who dislike the clumpiness of traditional wellies.

Greta

With a plain ‘hunting style’ top in black or brown, elastic insert and gently padded lining, the Harlequins inject something completely new into the footwear market.

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Clouds

They are made from one piece of EVA, a polymer that is waterproof, self insulating and highly durable but is also soft, flexible and incredibly lightweight.

With a range of heights, colours and soles to choose from, there is a style to suit every requirement.

For more information call: 01335 372600, e-mail: info@belstane.com or visit: www.belstane.com.

The boot will mould to the wearer’s foot over time and support it all day.

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Online firm on award shortlist

By Louise Cordell ONLINE footwear retailer Cloggs.co.uk has been shortlisted for Best Specialist Etailer in this year’s Drapers Awards.

The company has recently celebrated the one year anniversary of the opening of its flagship store and has been nominated for it success in adapting to the changes that have occurred in e-commerce over the past year.

Cloggs specialises in branded footwear and will be competing against a diverse range of other companies, including maternity clothes suppliers Seraphine and lingerie supplier Figleaves.

Damian Scarlett, Cloggs.co.uk director, said: “We began operating online ten years ago and since then we have never stopped growing.”

The online store now receives over 20,000 hits each day and stocks brands including UGG, Converse, Crocs, Dr Martens and Hunter Wellies.

Damian added: “All you need to do

is look at our position on Ugg Boots – we are in the top spot in the searches through Google and I think this is a reflection of our specialism in this area.

“Customers love shopping with use because we always have the latest styles from the latest brands and we are constantly looking for what will be the next trend.”

For example, the company made the decision to back the fitness footwear market throughout the summer, stocking brands including Reebok Easytone and FitFlop Sandals, which turned out to be some of the fastest selling products for the year.

Damian added: “Our ability to spot trends and act on them, highlights our standing as one of the leading footwear specialists.

“We are very pleased to be shortlisted for this award and are eagerly awaiting the results."

The company will find out whether they have been successful in the category at the final awards ceremony in January 2011.

The Jackson 5 are set to launch a fashion line in the spring that will include clothes, footwear and eyewear.

Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy Jackson, along with the estate of the lage Michael Jackson, have all collaborated on the range, which is to be called the J5 Collection.

Pieces will include t-shirts featuring iconic images of the band alongside replicas of the clothes and shoes worn by Michael in his Thriller and Beat It videos.

Landmark achievement for brand PERFORMANCE footwear brand New Balance has successfully reached ISO 9001 certified status after an independent audit.

The International Organisation for Standardisation, maintains ISO 9000 – a family of quality management systems which monitors quality control within companies.

Andy Okolowicz, New Balance’s factory manager, said: “The ISO News

9001 registration is an important and far-reaching accomplishment and stands as a landmark achievement for the brand. We are constantly seeking ways to improve the levels of production at our factory in Flimby, Cumbria and our European Headquarters in Cheshire and this certification recognises the significantly high standards we have attained.”

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Brit List proves industry is alive and well TO prove that the British-made footwear industry is still alive and well, the British Footwear Association has developed a Brit List.

The Association came up with the idea following growing demand for shoes to carry the ‘Made in Britain’ label and has been working to find those companies that contribute to the home grown footwear industry.

It has now identified a number of

small manufacturers who are producing a wide range of styles using British-made components.

Richard Kottler, BFA chief executive, said: “The BFA started this initiative as our members kept telling us that customers around the world, but especially in the Far East, are asking for premium level product to be genuinely made in the UK. “This not only applies to high quality men’s welted shoes, but casu-

al, sporty and elegant dressy ladies’ footwear as well.

“Apart from the marketing potential, this makes sound economic sense given the position of the pound against other currencies and with labour costs rising strongly in many footwear producing countries.”

The BFA has also been working to match customer need to UK manufacture and a number of the British companies involved in the

scheme are already producing for well known brands – all with the ‘Made in Britain’ endorsement.

Full details of the manufacturers involved with this initiative, including the type of constructions available and the specialities of each factory, are posted on the BFA website.

Brands that have already signed up include Daisy Roots, Norman Walsh, NPS Shoes and Chancery Footwear.

Envoy appointed JIMMY Choo founder Tamara Mellon has been appointed as a global trade envoy for Britain by David Cameron.

She will be joined by other style experts, including handbag designer Anya Hindmarch, in travelling abroad to promote the UK’s fashion industry by taking part in official visits, meeting foreign ministers and delivering speeches.

New collection THE Jacobson Group has released a new collection to cater for increasing market demand for high fashion ladies’ footwear. The Glitterati range is aimed at 18 to 24 year olds who are looking for catwalk inspired pieces at low price points.

Interactive shop pops up in Selfridges FRENCH sneaker brand Feiyue has announced the opening of its first interactive pop-up shop at Selfridges in London.

The shop will appear at the entrance to the Shoe Galleries and will be constructed from wooden building blocks, integrating benches, sales points and digital pads.

These digital pads will feature the Feiyue i-PAD application, offering customers the opportunity to customise their own shoes live and

direct in-store.

Visitors will also be encouraged to interact with the design of the shop itself and will be offered different coloured blocks, allowing them to change the existing building design.

The shop will stock an edited unisex selection from Feiyue’s autumn/winter 2010 range, aiming to display the best of the sneakers offered by the brand in a range of fabrics, including the original canvas style, leather and suede.

By George! Website announces new client FASHION business website TheRagtrader.com, which connects top designers with manufacturers and retailers, has announced a new client – George at Asda.

The retailer joins Marks and Spencer, Primark and New Look who have all signed up to the site, which is now also launching internationally.

The Ragtrader.com enables fashion manufacturers and retailers to commission projects from over 700

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fashion designers worldwide – on a flexible and cost-effective basis.

Steven Young, TheRagTrader MD, said: “We founded TheRagtrader.com because we could see that fashion businesses needed a way to connect to experienced designers worldwide on a flexible basis.

“The model has proved really successful, with some great British clients and we’re delighted to now be launching internationally.”

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bean with b ri a C e th sh in king a spla found out more. a m is r e n shoe desig tion Out On A Limb A Scottish c twear colle o fo t rs fi r e h

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Why Emily’s shoes get their first airing in the Caribbean

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EMILY Lamb has launched her first solo collection aged just 23, after graduating with a degree in fashion design technology from Cordwainers.

Following university, she spent some time working for custom-made shoe brand Emmy, before returning home to Glasgow to set up on her own.

She said: “Setting up my own label was something I had always wanted to do.

“My aim is to create shoes that are elegant and sexy, and also to come up with styles that can be worn year after year.

“I don’t want to follow trends, I want to produce something individual.”

Emily set up the company with the help of The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust and has already landed a contract to stock The Rock Shop at The Eden Rock Hotel on the Caribbean island of St Barths.

She added: “I was thrilled to sign up my first stockist – and a bit surprised that my shoes will be available in the Caribbean before my native Glasgow!

“I got in touch with The Rock Shop when I saw that they were great with taking on new designers, we met up in London a week after my samples were ready and they ended up ordering four different styles – it was so exciting.”

All the shoes in the Emily Lamb collection are handmade in the UK with Italian leather.

She uses materials ranging from patent and nappa to suede and the spring/summer 2011 colour palette includes emerald, red, nude, silver

and pink.

The collection is made up of 11 styles, with both high and mid heel heights, and each shoe has its own original toe shape, pattern and stitching features.

Emily added: “The shoes are really high quality and the fact that they are handmade gives them a high price point, which is why I wanted them to be something special that was created to last.

“My spring/summer collection is aimed at women who are looking for the very best quality footwear that combines wearability – they are designed to be suitable for every occasion, from work to the club – with real style.

“I want my designs to be simple and elegant, but with a contemporary edge that will appeal to women who are looking for original footwear that they won’t find on the high street.”

Emily is now working on a much bigger collection for autumn/winter 2011 in order to build up her product base before exhibiting at industry shows.

She is also keen get to get the designs stocked in more retailers around the world and in the UK. She added: “My aim is to stick with UK production – it is really nice to be able to produce and export from the UK rather than the other way around.

“I am also very hands on, so it’s good to have the factory close by and stay involved.

“My plan now is just to try and promote the brand and get as many people wearing the shoes as possible!”

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How Nicole filled a gap in the market ...

MULTI-talented Nicole Robinson runs two children’s footwear stores, designs all her own products and has now been named Student of the Year by the Society of Shoe Fitters.

She was presented with the award by the Society’s president Bernard O’Brien for her performance on the course.

Laura West, SSF secretary said: “Nicole was an outstanding student and wanted to learn as much as she could to make her own business an even greater success.

“She will make a great ambassador for the Society.”

Nicole and two partners design all the shoes themselves under their Papillon label and have two shops in London, one in Belgravia and one in Marylebone.

They came up with the idea of creating and selling their own shoes after finding it difficult to buy the styles they wanted for their own children.

She said: “We couldn’t find what we wanted from other brands, so we thought that the only way we would get exactly what we wanted was to design them ourselves.

“It was a big learning curve but we had the advantage that we could test out the shoes on our own children.”

They created their Papillon shoes in classic designs

with a contemporary edge in the full range of children's sizes.

However, they also expanded the collection into bigger sizes, due to popular demand.

Nicole added: “We found that more and more ten and 11 year olds were coming into the store with adult shoe sizes, but their parents still wanted to buy them shoes that were designed for kids.

“A lot of other shops and brands don’t cater for that – so we spotted the gap in the market and filled it!”

The brand produces a spring/summer and autumn/winter collection each year, as well as a core, year round range of school shoes and baby walkers.

The designs are also available wholesale and this is an avenue that has been very successful, as well as being a good way of introducing the brand to other stores in the UK and abroad.

Nicole added: “Our plans are now to expand and we hope to open up a couple more shops in the next few years.

“We have already come a long way since starting out, but we have had such a great reaction from customers and others in the industry, I hope we can take things much further.”

‘You can share best practice with others on the course’ Nicole said: “I was so proud to be named Student of the Year – I think that the SSF qualification is vital, especially if you are catering for children’s feet because it is so important to know what you are talking about.

“The course was really helpful because it covers fitting but many other aspects of the industry too – it would be interesting to anyone in the business.

“I think it is essential for success to learn as much as possible about what you are doing and there are great tips from the instructors’ long experience and you can share best practice with others on the course.”

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Editor’s comment

Louise Cordell Editor

Thinking outside the box works for many 2010 has been a challenging year for the footwear industry, but the overall impression from both brands and retailers is that this is set to change over the next 12 months.

No one is expecting a return to huge profits, but many are finding that by thinking outside the box they are managing to keep sales up and even maintain steady growth.

One example of this is Cowbridge store Liquorice Laces, which has been utilising events including fashion shows and food and drink festivals to drive sales – see page 14 for more details of their secrets for success.

This month our Issue of the Issue looks at the challenges faced by children’s footwear retailers when fitting shoes.

Many are encountering problems ranging from customers coming into store for fittings before leaving to buy the shoes online, to complaints from parents that styles are not offered in large enough sizes.

We hear from industry expert Laura West on what shops can do to tackle these issues – and get in touch if you have any ideas of your own.

In the meantime, keep following our tweets at www.twitter.com/OOALMagazi ne to keep up to date with the latest news and to contribute to our upcoming features.

Finally, we are proud to announce that OOAL will be sponsoring the Retailer of the Year category at the IFRA Footwear Awards in February – we look forward to seeing you there.

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Out on a Limb cover story

Exhibitor interest high ahead of the 111th GDS PREPARATIONS for the 111th GDS – International Event for Shoes and Accessories are well underway. From March 16-18 2011 the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre will once again become the sectoral meeting point and information platform for orientation in the international shoe business.

Some 780 exhibitors from over 30 countries will be presenting to the international trade audience their shoe, bag and accessories collections for the 2011/12 Autumn/ Winter season.

With its approximate 1,850 collections, GDS provides a comprehensive market overview of the progressive and classic premium segment, of the high-selling, colourful sports and denim wear segment while presenting design newcomers and brands with broad market acceptance alongside the latest in kids’ fashion.

New from March will be the altered sequence of days for the event, so as to better meet the needs of both trade and industry GDS and its sister event GLOBAL SHOES will in future now be held from Wednesday to Friday.

Kirstin Deutelmoser, GDS director, said: “We are once again expecting a varied and, more specifically,

broad-based event featuring an exciting blend of market leaders alongside smaller new labels.

“Even at this early stage the state of play is very gratifying: exhibitor interest in all range segments is high and demand is particularly great in the Premium and Young Fashion segments.

“And this is why we are looking ahead to the next event with great optimism.”

The next GDS and GLOBAL SHOES

fairs will be held from 16 to 18 March 2011 and from 7 to 9 September 2011.

A total of approx. 1,190 exhibitors from 41 countries will be presenting their shoe, bag and accessories collections for the 2011/12 Autumn/Winter season at the fair.

All activities relating to GDS and GLOBAL SHOES as well as numerous features like exhibitor contact data and collection descriptions can be found at: www.gds-online.com and www.globalshoes-online.com.

Features

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Lucy MacNamara, Richard Kottler and Kat Maconie

Footwear Friends award winners are announced THE British Footwear Association has announced the winners of the 2010 Footwear Friends Awards.

The ceremony took place at the London Canal Museum and big names from the trade attended to celebrate the achievements of the 18 nominees.

Those entered had submitted themselves to a Dragon’s Den type process to identify those who had the right combination of beautiful products and credible business plans and winners were finally announced in three different categories.

Kat Maconie was presented with the Designer Award, a £5,000 bursary to further her business

expertise and a 12-month tailored mentoring programme with industry experts. The Meltzer Travel Award went to Northern Cobbler, who received £750 to help the brand attend key trade shows and a mentoring programme.

Finally, the FN/Platform Award, which gives three winners the chance to show at Magic in Las Vegas, went to Kat Maconie, Lucy MacNamara of Aspiga and Natalie Dean of Beyond Skin.

The Footwear Friends Annual Awards are now in their fourth year and are recognised as an important way of spotting and rewarding British talent in the footwear industry.

‘Playing to our strengths’

Lucy MacNamara set up Aspiga after visiting Kenya on holiday and falling in love with the country and its hand made sandals.

The company has expanded rapidly over the last few years and she now has six suppliers in Kenya, where the majority of the products are made by local communities.

This way the brand works to fight poverty in Africa, through trade, and also donates a percentage of its profits to a children’s orphanage in Nairobi to help them carry out their work.

She said: “I was delighted to win the awards - it is particularly nice to be recognised by the industry.

“Our sales are going really well and business is increasing each year, but it is also great that what we are doing has been noticed by people within the trade.”

Picture: Leslie Gallin, of FN Platform presents the award to Lucy Features

NATALIE Dean, the founder of Beyond Skin, said: “This prize has come at a great time for us because we are refocusing our whole business model.

“We have been online since 2003 and wholesale trading since 2008.

“However, we have now decided that wholesale in the US is just not our market at the moment, even though our retail sales in the States are still doing incredibly well.

“So we will are changing our model and will be focusing on online retail and UK wholesale for the foreseeable future – it is what makes the most sense for us. We will carry on brand building through our online store, continue expanding our popular wholesale in the UK and reassess at some point in the future.

“The brand is doing really well overall and in fact turnover has increased significantly over the last two years.

“We have just decided to sharpen our focus on where we can best invest our resources for the most return, and really play to our strengths.”

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Retailer Nikki Jones is using community spirit to drive sales at her new store in Cowbridge. She talks to Out On A Limb about how thinking outside the box has been the key to their success.

Community at the root of Liquorice

NIKKI Jones opened the doors of new venture Liquorice Laces just as back to school was reaching its peak in late August.

Nikki and her husband Jeff launched online in July before making the physical shop a reality the following month.

Located in the market town of Cowbridge, they found a property just off the main high street and set about transforming the run down unit.

fantastic response to these.

Festival.

“I am always looking for things that stand out from the crowd for secondary spend or gifting.

Here, they introduced liquorice tasting out in the street and held a shoe design competition for children – giving them the chance to win store vouchers.

“It gives people a good reason to come back to the shop and maintain a relationship with us, in between their need for shoes which might only be every six months or so.”

Nikki said: “We spent a lot of time on creating the right store identity because we wanted to have something different.

The store also has a range of gourmet liquorice in stock, which Nikki introduced as a way of anchoring the shop name in peoples minds – an unusual move away from footwear, but one that has been very successful.

“I think people need to feel that they are making a positive choice when they shop – it has to be a nice place to visit.

Many customers now regularly come in to stock up and a range of tasters are left out for customers and their children.

“I wanted it to feel funky – we have a fireplace and re-worked furniture that the shoes are standing on and products are displayed in lots of different ways.

Nikki added: “For us, it is about giving people a reason to come and support you – we need to do different things to what has been done before.”

“We also trawled the shows for quirky accessories, very retro looking things that reminded me of my childhood and we have had a

To take this further, the store took part in the town’s Fashion Week, using local kids to model their shoes and the local Food and Drink

Nikki added: “You wouldn’t think that shoe shops can get involved in things like this, but we found ways to take part and be supportive and it really worked for us.

we can try to find new ways to counteract it.

“It is going to be a hard grind, so we need to find ways to adapt and thrive.

“We need to be learning from each other – as independents shouldn’t see each other as the competition.

It is about respecting where you trade and complementing each other.”

“It shows that taking a risk and doing something different can have unexpected benefits – and the community element is critical.

“Being an independent in a small town it is important to make the effort to make contacts.”

Nikki’s plans for the future include expanding into adults’ footwear and eventually opening a second shop.

She is also keen on the idea of developing some own brand products, using ideas and feedback from her store experience so far.

She added: “You can’t ever stand still in retailing, you need to keep looking at what you are doing and why you are doing it.

“It is important to have the courage to try new things – the current economic circumstances are out of our control, but

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Interest from the BBC’S Watchdog programme looking at the issue of charging for children’s shoe fitting has got the industry talking – but what does it mean for independent retailers?

BBC Watchdog withdraws kids’ shoe feature RECENT news that the BBC’s Watchdog programme planned to air an investigation into children’s shoe fitting has resulted in an industry backlash.

Laura West, secretary at the Society of Shoe Fitters, was approached last month by a society member who had been contacted by the BBC. She had been told they wanted to cover the ‘cost of children’s fitted shoes’ and reveal how consumers were being charged for measuring services.

Laura West said: “When I heard about their plans I was confused as I had never heard of any of our members charging extra for the service. So I was concerned about what the programme might contain – there is already a lot of inaccurate information about shoe fitting out there and I didn’t want it to make things any worse.”

Sole subject FOR many retailers the issue is that, no matter how well they fit the shoes, often the sizes most in demand are not available.

This customer is calling on stores to put pressure on manufacturers to make sure that everyone is catered for: “Shoe fitters preach about children wearing the correct size shoes but perhaps they should direct their comments to the shoe manufacturers in the first instance.

I am now 58 and wear a size nine – can you imagine the problems my mother had in the 1960s? In the 1980s I had the same problem with my daughter and now, in 2010 my grand-daughter, who is only ten, wears an adult size five. What's wrong with this picture?

Even in this day and age, my grand-daughter has very little choice of ‘sensible’ shoes for school and for other occasions can only get ridiculous ballet pumps or heels.

What has been the point of us spending hundreds of pounds just to have still forming feet pushed into shoes that don't, can't and won't ever fit because they are mass-produced.

Give us parents a chance – please!”

Cynthia Burdon, Edinburgh Features

The programme was being advertised in the Radio Times, on the BBC website and in national papers, so, three days before it was due to air, Laura got in touch with the programme makers to make her concerns clear.

She added: “If they were going to go ahead then I wanted them to know the facts and not fall prey to the misinformation out there.

“I told them that as far as I knew none of our shoe fitters charged extra for their services and were not paid extra compared to other staff for achieving the qualification. I didn’t want to allow them the bliss of ignorance.”

Watchdog went on to withdraw the feature and said: “The story was not as strong as we had been led to believe, so an editorial decision was made not to go ahead with it.”

‘Fitting service should always be free ...’

Laura West, Society of Shoe Fitters Secretary, said: “I really believe that a fitting service should always be free – but independent retailers are facing a lot of challenges to keep it this way.

What is happening is that many people are getting measured in shops and then telling staff that they don’t want to buy the shoes because they can get them cheaper online.

This is very daunting for stores, when they have spent time and effort carrying out the fitting – sometimes for several children.

But what customers don’t understand is that the sizing won’t work for every style of shoe.

One possibility for the future could be for stores to make a charge for fitting, but to drop that charge if a shoe purchase is made.

However, this is a risk for shops, as it might put people off coming in in the first place.

Another idea is for stores to not pass on the exact size and fitting measurements to the parent.

They are not obliged to and they can explain to customers that their reasons are partly to stop them using the service but buying elsewhere, but mainly to help prevent harm to their children’s feet – because just knowing the sizing, with no other information or experience is no guarantee of a well fitting shoe.”

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product showcase product showcase product showcase

Sweeney steps into heritage THE spring/summer 2011 collection from Oliver Sweeney has been inspired by British heritage detailing, sculpture, holidays and the brand’s 20-year archive.

Leathers used range from Italian calf for formal shoes to brightly coloured suedes for casuals and colours includes pastels, canary yellows, blues and reds.

The Spring season also sees a expansion of trainers featuring low profile cupped soles, new colour ways and a mix of leathers including calf, suede and exotics such as eel and stingray.

Whilst Oliver Sweeney is famous for a lime green flash, this season there are also a range of new soles, including the Sweeney London, which has this season taken inspiration from the recent Ron Arad exhibition ‘Restless’ at the Barbican. The angular sole in the mainline collection has been inspired by the twenty-year archive and focus on angular shapes.

Dishevelled elegance

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J SHOES has focussed its spring/ summer 2011 men’s collection around the idea of dishevelled elegance, using style treatments and rich, natural materials.

The dirty and dressed down look has been created to give an unstructured look for formal and casual styles and key features include burnishing, mopping and hand stitching detail.

A harbour feel is combined with classic shapes in soft wrinkled leathers/canvas mix, teamed up with crepe soles for a natural comfort.

Toes are distressed and worn down, and encompassed within this is the new heavier welted unit in a mixture of canvas and leather materials.

The colour pallet for men includes dusky greys and stone, vintage tans and browns and classic navy and white.

Brazilian brand ‘an instant classic’ AT Anatomic and Co, design and comfort are equally important.

The Brazilian brand has been using the latest shoemaking technology for over 20 years to develop ‘the most comfortable shoe ever’ and yet have never compromised on style. Luxurious full grain leathers, timeless designs, stylish yet traditional shapes and natural colours make the Anatomic and Co collection an instant classic.

For the younger generation contemporary suede and waxy styles have been introduced to adapt to current trends.

Anatomic and Co has been present in the shoe market for over 20 years, their shoes are available in over 60 countries, including Europe, the Middle Eas and China and the brand has just started its new stock operation in the United States gaining further international recognition.

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product showcase product showcase product showcase Modern and stylish with great materials and quality ...

OVER the last six years Petasil school shoes have established an enviable reputation for superb fitting and great quality.

Now stocked in most of the best independents the new collection from Petasil has strengthened its boys’ offer as well as adding new fashion relevant styles to the hugely popular girls’ range.

Entirely made in Portugal, Petasil manages to combine a modern stylish collection with great materials and genuine high grade manufacture.

Remember the days when the ‘big’ brands were made in Europe instead of relabelled factory collections from the Near and Far East?

Well with Petasil you can relive those good old days at a price that is both reasonable and commercial and enjoy all leather product that is made the time honoured way.

Remember leather linings?

All Petasil school shoes are leather lined for optimum foot comfort and health.

Petasil shoes also come with arch supports, heel cups and light but durable soles, so mum can be satisfied and retailers can be confident that the children who wear Petasil are being given the best.

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Brand makes mini versions

of its main lines

Footwear brand Ash have taken inspiration from their main lines to create a new children’s range for spring/summer 2011.

The designers have utilised their successful sportswear line by reproducing kids’ versions of one of their most popular styles, the high top trainer.

Style elements include canvas, metallic leathers and studded detailing with tie-die, camoflage and chains.

The new line has a European size range of 18 months to eight years and the one mid-wedge style within the collection is available in sizes for four to eight year olds.

The Superfit 2011 Back to School collection has been launched this month, available in sizes 25 to 43. There are seven styles for boys and six styles for girls with a white unisex gym trainer also available.

All styles are produced in nappa uppers with PU outsoles and four styles include the Gore-Tex product membrane which is guaranteed 100 per cent waterproof and breathable.Orders can be placed now for delivery from the beginning of June 2011 and the brand will be showing at MODA in February 2011 on stand S28.

Product showcase

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BRAND SPOTLIGHT

GARVALIN are a family company established in 1968 and based in the famous shoemaking city of Elche near Alicante, Spain.

Making nearly two million pairs of shoes a year with a choice of approximately 300 new styles annually and distributed to over 40 countries worldwide, they continue to build on their success year on year.

The company produces three core brand names - Garvalin, Agatha Ruiz De La Prada and Biomecanics; all of which are completely different to one another.

For any shop wanting an ‘all round’ brand that has something for most children, offering all the expected attributes - quality, good looks and value for money, look no further.

The mainstream brand Garvalin offers children's boots, shoes, trainers, school shoes, casual and formal wear - with a wide range of colour-ways, fastenings and trims, all in outstanding quality that is not too expensive - and great profit margins too.

The full range of school shoes have been an extremely popular collection and for 2011 have had new styling and sole units to keep them looking fresh and up to the minute.

Boys and girls both need something rugged and hard wearing to cope with the playground.

But this age group is now more discerning, they demand ‘the look’ too and Garvalin gets full marks as they tick all the boxes.

Agatha Ruiz De La Prada is one of the most famous designers on the continent.

Known for her bold use of colour and form her clothing range quickly diversified into many other areas including home furnishings and perfumes.

Made under license but with the approval of this doyen of fashion, Garvalin produce a range of beautiful, eye-catching, quality shoes for girls.

In bright, vibrant colours they are a ‘must have’ for every fashionable young lady.

Biomecanics is the latest addition to the Garvalin stable.

This brand focuses on the healthy attributes of each part of a child’s shoe and on the physiological development and mobility of small children.

As part of the Biomecanic range (which includes school shoes), a sub-range called Biogateo has been created for early walkers.

Working with the companies skilled technicians, the podiatrists and technicians from the Biomechanical Institute of Valencia

involved at every step of their inception.

For the past ten years every aspect of an infant's gait and the shoes they wear has been examined, tried and tested.

From the flexible uppers and fastenings, ribbed forefoot to maximize flexion and prevent slipping and sliding, to the new ergonomic sole units that spread at the heel to give greater stability and reassurance to young walkers when they have a ‘wobble’.

The new sole units ensure that no shoe is heavier than the proportional age-appropriate weight for the child's body weight too.

These early walkers are something fresh to offer as they will reassure young mums keen to give their children the finest possible start.

Compass footwear is delighted to be working with Garvalin on all aspects of development, sales, marketing and ensuring distribution throughout the U.K. and Ireland.

There are four agents covering Scotland and the North, Midlands, Wales and the West Country, the South East and both Northern and Southern Ireland all of whom can be contacted through Nick West, Agent, on: +44 (0)1953-851190 or mobile: 07792 037370

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product showcase product showcase product showcase Rio scores with a passion for fashion

UK manufacturers Funky Feet Fashions have been commissioned to create a new design to celebrate the year of the tiger.

The company was contacted by a distributor in China to design and produce an exclusive tiger design complete with the Chinese year of the tiger character.

Jane Hannan, founder of Funky Feet, said: “China is an important economy and is seeing an ever growing middle class with a sense of taste, style and an interest in foreign brands such as Funky Feet Fashions.

“China’s population is amongst the highest in the world and continues to grow rapidly, so we are confident that China will continue to be an important market for us.”

Product showcase

FOOTBALLER Rio Ferdinand has taken time off from Old Trafford to design a new range of footwear created specifically for men.

The Manchester United star launched his collection, Five by Rio Ferdinand, at Selfridges this month.

The range consists of shoes and boots in classical and casual styles and accessories including man bags, wash bags and wallets.

Rio said: “I am always looking for opportunities to expand my interests outside football, and fashion is a passion of mine.

“I have been

involved in the development of some other major fashion brands, so when I was approached with the concept for the Five brand, it was a perfect fit for me.

“I am delighted to be involved and I am looking forward to building the brand for the long term.”

Ian O’Connor, LXY brands founder and designer, added: “We are thrilled to be involved in this exciting project with one of the most famous sportsmen on the planet.

“Not only is Rio a great ambassador for the game of football, he is also a fashion icon in his own right with a clean-cut style that people wish to buy into.

“I have been really impressed by Rio's enthusiasm and his involvement in the design process, and he certainly has taken a hands on approach to the collection rather than just putting his name to it.”

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product showcase product showcase product showcase Expert children’s fitting service available nationwide BRANTANO Footwear’s expert children’s fitting service is now available in every store nationwide.

The service is handled by professionally trained fitters in-store who have to perform 25 supervised fits before they start to work alone.

The fitting specialists are trained to

EDI standard, an accredited awarding body and learning international education company.

EDI works in collaboration with professional bodies around the world to ensure its qualifications and assessments are relevant and that parent’s can rest assured that their children’s feet will be in the right hands to be measured and fitted correctly.

Peardrop style increases flexibility and comfort HUSH Puppies have a unique set of precisely calibrated foot beds for each shoe, allowing each foot to be fitted individually for both width and depth.

Paralleling Hush Puppies adult collections, which contain a number of built in technologies, this also transcends to many of the children’s shoes.

A child’s foot evolves from a toddler to an adult by the age of 18 and during this growth period, the soft bones must be carefully supported and allowed sufficient room to grow.

The Peardrop style in particular contains wave reflex, a patented technology which increases flexibility and comfort for the wearer, by the use of reverse action waves used on the sole of the shoe.

All of Hush Puppies children’s shoes come in whole sizes and selected styles in half sizes, with E, F and G fittings.

As a direct result to the changes in the market Hush Puppies offer most of their fitted back to school shoes in a size 7 for girls and size 8 for boys.

Firm launches Gold and Silver collection LEICESTER-based baby shoe manufacturers Early Days continued their strong sales performance through 2010.

All Early Days shoes are made totally in the UK using only quality materials sourced through the UK and Europe.

The company’s range of christening, special occasion and everyday shoes from birth to three years have been market leaders since the family business was established in 1952.

This year sees the launch of a gorgeous Gold and Silver collection decorated with diamante trims and bows in both pram shoes and first walkers.

The boys’ classic range sees the addition of a new boot to sell alongside their ever-popular Gibson styles.

For a catalogue and price list call: 01162 716944, e-mail: sales@earlydays.ltd.uk or visit: www.earlydays.ltd.uk.

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‘Never out of fashion’ THE motto of the Chesterfield Brand is ‘honour your success’.

The bags and gloves, diaries and cases of the brand’s accessories line are a true hit thanks to the original mix of obstinate chic and English upper-class design.

Koos Hoving said: “Demand is so great in the shops that we had to produce extra units for the last winter collection. A very good sign in these times.”

The brand's spring/summer collection promises to raise eyebrows. Contrasts play a big role. We see a clear penchant for nostalgia and authenticity, but with Chesterfield's famous edgy fashionable twist.

Designer Viona van Dijk said: “My designs are rough

Caribbean twist

but rich, tough and feminine, classical yet modern. That makes the collection exciting and never out of fashion. The collection must suit the desires of young women.

“A woman who achieves her first success often wants to seal it with a timeless style icon. Making her want to honour her success with a Chesterfield is my challenge.”

Italian style

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FOR its spring/ summer 2011 collection bag brand Bagsac takes a trip to the Italian jet set island of Capri.

Inspired by the island's unspoilt nature and the sophisticated elegance of Italian style icons of yesteryear, the creed less is more applies. The collection includes striking evening bags and clutches inspired by the rich and beautiful of Capri. The smaller, square evening bags are ideal for long saunters along the boulevard.

The colour pallet mainly includes natural tints like beige, a new olive green and terracotta. The Bagsac collection also includes the colour blue, the trendy colour of 2011.

Everyone knows that Italian prima donnas are not afraid to show their inner glamitude.

Keeping this in mind, Bagsac designer Nanda Hofman paid a lot of attention to accessories this season. She said: “Accessories are the finishing touch. Executed in mainly light gold and gunmetal they give the bag a luxurious look that will make a real fashion statement this summer.”

FOLLOWING previous success, Axel David, the youngest fast-fashion bag label, has created another playful and attractive collection for spring/summer 2011.

Axel David distinguishes itself with trendy colours and special fabric treatments in combination with the simplicity of its collections.

This season's collection was inspired by the world of the Caribbean.

Axel David translates the underwater world by including bright colours like fuchsia and coral in the collection. The collection's flowing lines and natural shapes contribute to this. Pleats, plaits and all-over stitching represent shell and corallike shapes. With this combination of colour and shape, Axel David capitalises on the predominant trend of 2011.

The handbags and clutches in the Axel David collection are perfect for sultry summer evenings near the water. The collection has been expanded with new laptop sleeves and compartments that provide optimal functionality.

The Healthy Back Bag Company is going green with the launch of a new range of bags made from recycled plastic.

The Earth Collection has been created to combine ethical features with the brand’s traditional ergonomic design which reduces stress on the back, neck and shoulders.

The bags are made from PET, a polyester material which can be woven and used for fleece clothing or tough textiles.

Priscilla Chase, company MD, said: “By using recycled PET in our latest line extention was have produced a collection that is up to date and will appeal to those consumers with a ‘green conscience’.”

Firm secures armed forces contract BRITISH leather specialists Pittards has agreed a new seven figure contract which will see the UK’s armed forces issued with some of the most technically advanced leather gloves available.

The company has secured a deal to supply the leather to Otto Kessler, glove makers based in Pecs Hungary, in support of a four-year MoD military contract.

The contract follows the launch of a new camouflage leather developed at Pittards’ major research department in Yeovil,

Somerset.

George Stent, Pittards’ sales director, said: “For the first time, the armed forces will be issued with just one pattern for both desert and woodland terrain, meaning they will have ultimate camouflage wherever their operations take them. Our new military leather is based on this but also includes a number of required additional key technical benefits such as resistance to water, perspiration and oil plus long life, flexibility and robustness.”

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Accessory designer Coco Barclay has brought together her own ‘tribe’ of UK based craftspeople to create her ethical collections.

She has now come up with a new range designed to save money, as well as the planet. Out On A Limb found out more.

COCO Barclay has taken a roundabout route to her current career as handbag and accessory designer.

After originally training in fashion design she went on to specialise in millinery and then worked in interior design before settling on bags.

She said: “For years I loved making hats and my designs were sold in stores like Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

“But after taking time out to have children I changed my focus - I decided that hats were too limited and fewer and fewer people were wearing them.

“I started doing bags in response to demand and I soon realised that there are a lot of elements that are similar to making hats, but I loved the fact that they are an essential element of people’s lives and something that they use everyday.”

Coco has drawn together a group of skilled, UKbased craftspeople who produce her designs.

All the products are made in the UK - many of them just a few miles from the brand’s London base with the aim of supporting local businesses and reducing the environmental impact of unnecessary transportation.

The brand’s leather is also sourced from tanneries within the EU to ensure that the tanning and dying processes meet European environmental standards.

Coco added: “Making the brand ethical and responsible is very important to me.

“I know a lot of designers talk about the benefits of working with the tribal women of Africa or Tibet, but I say why not make the most of the skills of the tribal women of Deptford and Greenwich! It also means fewer air miles!

“There is a lot of knowledge out there and it is also great to be part of a tight knit community, rather than sourcing things out and not being a part of the process.

“I wouldn’t want to work any other way.”

Coco pops with bags of colour ...

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Coco’s bags have been described as being as original as they are wearable and one of her latest creations is a product designed to help women make it through the recession in style.

The bag is an outer leather shell, with replaceable, washable material linings, which will come in a range of different colours and fabrics.

The lining ties into the shell of the bag, making the attachments the design feature.

Coco added: “I was thinking about the recession and how it was affecting people and wondered - if women haven’t got much money to spend, what are they really going to want to buy.

“A bag that can be re-created to match different outfits and seasons, resulting in a different look each time, seemed to be the ideal solution.

“I also hope that the idea will show that things don’t necessarily need to be discarded at the end of each season, instead they can just be updated.”

She is also experimenting with the same concept in reverse, creating a bag with one lining and interchangeable leather covers.

She will be showing both new ideas in Paris later this month and then launching the designs to trade in January.

Coco added: “I think the designs will be popular because more and more people are looking in that direction, they want to be more eco friendly, for their benefit as well as for environmental reasons.

“We also create necklaces, bag charms and corsages, all using leather that is left over from making the bags - for example our Anne Marie necklace which features tiny leather flowers.

“Customers love them not just because they match the bags, but because they are part of a wider effort to reduce waste - that has always been our ethos and that is what is important to me.”

Accessories

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business + technology

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Leather company offers mould inspection and testing services BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd are mould experts and offer mould inspection and testing services to help identify and prevent potential and recurring issues with leather and finished products.

The company is currently receiving a high level of enquiries about mould and mould-related problems from all areas of the global leather supply chain.

Mould can be particularly problematic, affecting footwear and leathergoods and it is often seen after shipping where products have been stored for longer periods of time.

Mould needs a source of food and a source of moisture to grow: leather acts as an ideal food source for mould or mildew, therefore it is vital to ensure moisture is controlled at all stages of manufacture, storage and shipping.

Mould can be present in the leather prior to the goods manufacture and microscopy and histology techniques allow the origin of the mould to be determined.

One of the most serious concerns with mould is that certain types can

be toxic and pose a health risk to people who come into contact with the spores – it is therefore important to handle mouldy goods with care.

Knowing which species of mould you are dealing with is important in understanding how to deal with the problem and mould inspection and

testing using both light and high magnification scanning electron microscopy (SEM) can allow the species to be identified.

Mouldy leather can be prevented.

BLC can help to eliminate mould problems in leather which can be both costly and cause delays in production. www.blcleathertech.com

Contemporary, new look for Gola website GOLA has revamped its website to provide a new, contemporary look for its international customer base. The simplistic new design has been created to make it easier to navigate the extensive product database, which is now split into focussed sub categories.

The site, www.gola.co.uk, also now

features a redesigned hompage with the previous flash content removed to optimise the brand’s online search presence.

Other new features include an extended history section detailing the brand’s heritage, an integrated blog to keep customers up to date with the latest news and streamlined Facebook and Twitter

accounts.

Donna Hill, Gola’s marketing manager, said: “The Gola website’s contemporary new look and improved naviation will enhance the customer’s online experience and the updates that have been applied will also have a positive impact on our online search presence.”

CEX ensuring hardware stands up to the challenge BUYING and selling a range of technology and entertainment products such as mobile phones, video games, DVDs and computers, CEX were founded in 1992 in London and now have stores across the UK as well as in Spain and the USA. Choosing to standardise on receipt and label printers from Star Micronics and barcode scanners from Honeywell across all of their UK stores, CEX are ensuring their hardware stands up to the challenges a busy Retail environment provides.

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Identifying the need to move forward with a USB-based EPOS system, CEX decided to replace their in-store receipt and price label printers.

Having previously used the Star Micronics TSP700 and the TSP400, CEX were looking for a ‘drop in’ replacement for their old printers.

Initially looking at the direct replacement for the serial TSP700 they were using, the TSP100 printer was mentioned as a possible option instead.

Offering a low purchase cost, low running costs and all accessories in one box, including the power cable, CEX decided it was an excellent replacement for the TSP700.

Jo Leslie, First Line IT support

supervisor at CEX, said: “The TSP100 is very popular due to the low running costs and its ability to use the same paper as the TSP700 that we previously used.”

For more information call: 01797 320636, e-mail: sales@ded.co.uk or visit: www.ded.co.uk.

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Timberland looks to liquid-repellent technology THE Timberland Company has signed up to use P2i’s ion-mask nano-coating to create a new generation of footwear.

The liquid-repellent technology works by applying a nanoscopic protective layer to the whole shoe, on which water forms beads and rolls off instead of being absorbs.

The fact that it coats every part of the shoe, including different materials, seams and fastenings means that it stops external water getting in as well as encouraging evaporated perspiration to flow out.

The ion-mask lasts as long as

the shoe itself and also helps to guard against stains and dirt residue.

John Healy, general manager of Timberland’s Invention Factory, said: “As a leader in waterproof and water resistant footwear, we are constantly searching for new technologies to improve our products and the way they perform in the outdoors.

“Ion-mask hit our radar as we were looking to expand our canvas offering for spring 2011 and means that we are able to offer truly breathable, summer weight canvas shoes that are super water and stain repellent.”

Relaxed yet business-like THE Blackpool Show takes pride in its more relaxed yet business-like approach and the chic ambience of the Barcelo Imperial Hotel, which is in refreshing contrast to the more sterile atmosphere found in major exhibition halls.

Now entering its second year, since the decision was made to bring all suppliers under one roof, it has

proved to be popular with exhibitors and buyers alike ensuring its status as a major wholesale exhibition for years to come.

Perfectly positioned at the start of the exhibition calendar Blackpool offers retailers an informal setting to start planning their ranges, in relative calm, before the rush of the larger exhibitions.

Chic 2011: bigger and better than ever CHIC, commencing January 30 2011 will be bigger and better than ever before, filling the largest column free space in the Midlands at the fabulous Ricoh Arena in Coventry with the biggest choice of handbag and luggage brands to be found at any UK show.

Chic is unique in many ways. It was conceived at the request of the major UK handbag and luggage brands when no other show suited the specific buying/selling season of the industry, it is organised by family members who have owned businesses in retail and wholesale within the sector with an understanding for the expectations of visitors and exhibitors.

The mission throughout the years has been to provide a relaxed and enjoyable buying experience where everything can be seen together without walking through multiple halls of merchandise of no relevance to your business.

To celebrate the 30th Chic show, there will be a ‘catwalk with a difference’ hosted by major celebrities (to be announced soon), an Eco-Friendly fashion zone, seminars on leather production and other interesting topics which will enhance retailer’s knowledge of the products they sell. There will also be a fresh new look for 2011 making the buying experience at Chic even more enjoyable.

Trade show highlights latest products and innovations ISPO is the leading international trade event for the sporting goods industry.

Every year around 2,000 international exhibitors attend this global trade show in Munich to present their latest products and innovations to more than 60,000 trade visitors from over 100 countries.

For over 40 years ispo has provided a comprehensive preview of the complete selection of sporting goods, athletic footwear and style, as well as highlighting the latest trends in all segments.

Outdoor is a key part of ispo, with this community having its own

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entrance at the East of the showground.

Here you have direct access to the halls featuring the key players and hot new names in the outdoor industry.

Features include: ispo Outdoor Awards, Eco Responsibility Awards, show seminars, fashion shows and all the social events such as the famed Outdoor Party (February 7, Hall A6 at the Snow Ice and Rock Summit). Check out other relevant special features throughout ispo such as Textrends (technical fabric innovations) and Wearable Technologies (smart kit) as well as the annual Brand New competition.

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IP law review could be good news for designers FOOTWEAR designers could be set to benefit following news that David Cameron intends to hold a review of intellectual property in the UK. The Prime Minister used a keynote speach to the business community of Shoreditch to announce: “We are reviewing our IP laws to see if we can make them fit for the internet age. I want to encourge the sort of creative innovation that exists in America.”

The review, which will report next April, will recommend changes to UK law, as well as long-term goals to be pursued by the British government on the international stage.

Dids Macdonald, ACID’s CEO said: “The IP review is a welcome initiative which I hope will focus on a relevant and robust framework to encourage IP creators and ensure that protection and enforcement are

Business and technology

key priorities.

“For the majority of the UK’s SME’s the costs and difficulties associated with enforcing IP infringement are prohibitive.

“Bringing IP to the top table as a significant contributor to the UK’s growth and recovery will be a welcome boost for UK businesses.”

The review will look at: Barriers to new internet-based business models, including the costs of obtaining permissions from existing rights-holders.

The cost and complexity of enforcing intellectual property rights within the UK and internationally.

The interaction between IP and Competition frameworks.

The cost and complexity to SME’s of accessing services to help them protect and exploit their IP. It will also look at what the UK can learn from America’s ‘fair

use’ rules, covering the circumstances in which copyright material may be used without the rights-holder's express permission.

IP Minister Baroness Wilcox, said: “This review will look at what changes can be made to our intellectual property system to ensure it helps firms grow.

“The internet has fundamentally changed the business landscape.

“Some sectors, such as the creative industries, have been transformed by the internet.

“The intellectual property framework must keep pace.

“An IP system created in the era of paper and pen may not fit the age of broadband and satellites.

“We must ensure it meets the needs of the digital age.”

David Cameron

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diarydates

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

Expo Riva Schuh Riva del Garda trade fair centre, Lake Garda, Italy 15 - 18 January 2011 www.exporivaschuh.it/eng/default.asp Bread and Butter Airport Berlin-Tempelhof, 19-21 January 2011 www.breadandbutter.com Blackpool Shoe Event Imperial Hotel, Blackpool 22-24 Jan 2011 Chic - Ricoh Arena, Coventry, 30 January - 02 February 2011 www.chicuk.com ISPO New Munich Trade Fair Centre, 6-9 February 2011 www.ispo.com Pure Olympia and Earls Court, London, 13-15 February 2011 www.purelondon.com Stitch Menswear 13 - 15 February 2011 Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London www.stitchmenswear.com GDS/Global Shoes Messe Dusseldorf, Germany, 16-18 March 2011 www.gds-online.com

FOOTWEAR

RETAIL SOLUTIONS

FOOT CARE TRAINING

30 ISSUE 62 DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011

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