Footwear association hand-picks six emerging brands for PR support
04/10/2012
Cow PR, under a newly launched fashion and lifestyle division, Cow Boutique, will be developing campaigns for Julian Hakes, Miista and John White Shoes. Wingfield PR will be representing Northern Cobbler, Red by Wolves and Coco Rose London to create brand awareness and exposure.
One of the emerging footwear designers involved, Julian Hakes, is an architect. He first developed his shoe concept, the Mojito (because the shoe is shaped like the twist of lime that traditionally goes into the cocktail of the same name) in 2009. The design comprises a single piece of material that coils around the foot, providing support for the heel and ball of the foot. According to Mr Hakes, the foot itself provides the bridge between the two. The shoe is made from carbon fibre which is covered in leather on the side that touches the skin and rubber on the side that touches the floor.
Richard Kottler, chief executive of the British Footwear Association, said on making the announcement: “PR and marketing programmes are often out of reach for start-ups and smaller brands, yet it is one of the most beneficial forms of business development. We’re looking forward to working with Wingfield and Cow PR over the coming years.”
The association represents more than 130 footwear companies, employing a combined total of 9,000 people. Member companies represent manufacturers, importers, designers and sourcing specialists. The companies range from major international brands to smaller innovative labels.
With £6 billion of shoes sold annually in the UK, plus exports in excess of £500 million, the footwear industry is a substantial part of the UK economy, the BFA has pointed out.
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