Castañer says creativity can combat “copying” retail chains
04/08/2011
Catalonia-based Ms Castañer won fame for making the traditional Spanish rural work shoe, the alpargata, into a fashion item. The firm also produces shoes and boots in high-quality leather and now makes handbags and other leathergoods too. She recently picked up a fashion industry prize in Barcelona.
It now exports shoes to 35 countries and overseas clients account for more than 80% of revenue. In a recent interview, Isabel Castañer said in a recent interview in Spain that she was conscious of a potential threat to sales of the entry into the fashion footwear market of large retail chains, including Inditex (parent group of Zara) and Mango.
“This could affect our sales,” she said, “but it presents us with a challenge too. We have to keep being creative. These chains, as a general rule, just copy.”
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