Gallery Shoes still on course for April
The general manager of Germany’s main footwear and leathergoods industry association HDS/L, Manfred Junkert, has issued a statement in support of a return to face-to-face industry events.
Mr Junkert said the industry urgently needs some semblance of normality in the form of face-to-face meetings and direct contact with new products and collections. He said this in reaction to confirmation from the organisers of the Gallery Shoes event in Düsseldorf that they will go ahead with plans to host a special edition of the show from April 18-20 with all mandatory physical distancing guidelines in place.
“As it stands, the event will be taking place,” organiser, Igedo, said. It explained that there would be at least one metre between stands and aisles three metres wide at the Areal Böhler venue. Catering will be limited and outdoors only. Igedo encouraged visitors to make fixed appointments in advance with brands that will showcase their latest footwear collections at the event.
“Live, face-to-face encounters take communication to a whole new level compared with digital meetings,” said Manfred Junkert.
