Micam celebrates sports shoe success
The Milan footwear exhibition Micam
added a new component for the
September 2019 edition. For the first
time, sports and outdoor brands were
able to show off their latest collections
in a dedicated space called the
Players’ District.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2019
Shoes help Kipchoge smash barrier
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge has said running a marathon in under two hours, which he
managed to do in October, sends a message to the world that “no human is
limited”. The special shoes he wore on the day helped overcome any human
limitations to such an extent
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2019
Writing on the wall
Messages of appreciation for its
products that safety and work footwear
brand Red Wing Shoes has received,
from millers, miners, loggers, farmers
and other workers who have to brave
challenging conditions, appear on a
special Wall of Honor that the compan
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2019
Online tools spark start-up success
The experience of a Berlin footwear start-up shows that a strong social media output
and securing the help of key influencers could be more important these days than
finding bricks-and-mortar stockists. Founded in 2015, Aeyde sold a higher volume of
shoes
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2019
A night that can launch careers
The 2019 Cordwainers’ Footwear Student of the Year competition took place in
London in June with a total of 15 footwear design students presenting their ideas.
Three universities at the forefront of footwear design education in the UK—London
College of Fa
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2019
Beautiful comfort
The chief executive of Manolo
Blahnik’s company explains the
designer’s aversion to athletic shoes.
The brand has always had comfort as
well as beauty at the heart of its
designs and believes it simply does
not need sneakers.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2019
Happy feet
When it comes to making shoes for the feet of a child, compromising on quality is
out of the question for Spanish brand Dechics.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2019
Futurecraft.Loop takes a stride
By creating a shoe from a single material, adidas claimed to have made a 100%
recyclable product – but it is still some way from a true ‘closed loop’.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2019
The king of shoes
Considered by many to be the greatest women’s shoe designer of the past century,
the career of eccentric genius Manolo Blahnik has been celebrated with a travelling
exhibition that showcased some of his finest work from the past 45 years.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2019
ISPO goes outdoors
The outdoor segment is growing in importance at the ISPO exhibition. World Footwear rounds up some of the footwear highlights from February’s show, with sustainability and technology high up on the agenda.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2019
There’s no business like shoe business
A number of diverse brands from the worlds of outdoor and fashion have suddenly decided that adding a footwear collection to what they already offer will drive growth.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2019
Lexus-inspired sports shoe
A new handmade shoe from sports brand Norman Walsh takes its inspiration from
automotive brand Lexus, including its use of upholstery leather in the upper.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2019
A shoemaker’s story
Master bootmaker Jean-Michel Casalonga of Berluti explains the appeal of seeing the process through from beginning to end.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2018
Mainstream shoes are not coming back
Received wisdom in the leather industry is that the price of hides always moves in a
cycle from cheap to expensive and back again. Prices reached historically high levels in
2014 and 2015 and shoe companies drastically reduced the
volume of leather they w
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2018
Billy Tannery steps into footwear
UK specialist goatskin tannery Billy Tannery has partnered with a fifth-generation
Northampton shoemaker to create its first footwear product, a sneaker made from
exquisite vegetable-tanned kid leather.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2018
The needs of the many
A number of UK footwear companies have come together with the British
Footwear Association (BFA) to launch a new nationally-accredited apprenticeship
standard that it is hoped will help train the next generation of shoemakers.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2018
Louboutin gets green light to protect its red sole
A recent ruling by the European Court
of Justice (ECJ) looks set to allow
high-end footwear brand Christian
Louboutin to continue to protect the
distinctive red sole with which it has
become synonymous.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2018
More to 3D than printing shoes
Deckers director of innovation, Chris
Hillyer, says the term ‘3D’ now makes
some in the industry think of “magic
3D-printed shoes” that may or may not
have an impact on the footwear sector
in the years ahead. But he says software
for designing product and
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2018
Every step they take
A commitment to using natural materials, well-thought-out design and confidence in
the skill of its shoemakers – these are the pillars on which Croatian children’s
footwear brand Froddo has built its success.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2018
Allbirds branches out
After a meteoric rise from crowdfunded
startup to Silicon Valley, wool footwear
brand Allbirds has turned to Lenzing’s
plant-based Tencel fibre to help it write
a new chapter in its story.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2018
A woman’s world
It’s more than geography that separates Mexico’s two main centres of footwear
production, Guanajuato and Jalisco. Unlike its more famous neighbour, Jalisco
devotes itself almost entirely to designing and manufacturing shoes for women.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2018
Footwear students step into the unknown
An exchange programme launched by the JM Weston Foundation gave four footwear
students, two from France and two from Japan, the opportunity to experience
shoemaking in their different countries.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2018
Initiative secures luxury shoemaking skills
Five European countries have joined together to ensure knowledge is retained and
that Europe continues to be the number one region for high-end manufacture.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2018
Because shrinking and pinking isn’t enough...
Sports shoe brands are beginning to realise that to develop footwear for women they need to do more than just adapt the products they have already created for men.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2018
Vivobarefoot puts the feet first
Footwear brand Vivobarefoot is on a mission to prove less is more when it comes to making shoes that complement the natural function of the feet.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2018
Changing times in China
An in-depth report in the December 2017-January 2018 issue of World Leather makes it clear that the China Leather Industry Association is optimistic about demand for leather and finished leather products, including shoes, in the domestic market. What is m
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2018
Walk this way
The latest footwear collection from Decathlon’s Newfeel brand includes, for the first time, shoes specifically designed for Nordic walkers.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2017
Clarks goes back to its roots
A little over a century since the birth of its creator, Nathan Clark, the iconic Clarks Desert Boot will soon be returning to British shores after the footwear group unveiled plans to bring some manufacturing back to the UK.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2017
Platform for change
Cameroon-based manufacturer OMES uses local wood to create clogs and soles for overseas brands, in an attempt to claw back some shoemaking to the African country.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2017
Shoe museum at the end of the road
The Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum closed for refurbishment in January. Recent events have put its reopening, promised for 2019, in serious jeopardy.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2017
Footwear fundamentals
Life in the footwear industry isn’t always rosy, admits shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood, but he says he “wouldn’t change it for anything else”.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2017
Esposito will help Geox keep its links to Italy
With 2017 proving to be a year of major change for footwear brand Geox, its work with designer Ernesto Esposito is helping it keep close contact with Italy and the highly desirable fashion connotations that are synonymous with its country of origin.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2017
Sportswear giants shoot for the moon
Following several years of intense product development and multi-million-dollar investment, Nike narrowly missed out on achieving the first sub-two-hour marathon. Rival adidas is planning an attempt of its own.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2017
Persistence pays off for Gore
A new Environmental Chamber at
WL Gore’s headquarters in Maryland
will help the company test new ideas
for using its membrane technology in
footwear and apparel.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2017
France fights for footwear future
France’s footwear industry is searching
for a new generation of shoemakers
to take over from those who are soon
to retire.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2017
Inspired by art
Australian footwear design student Kira
Goodey has won the fifth ‘Craft the
Leather’ prize in an annual outreach
competition organised by Tuscany’s
Consortium for Genuine Italian
Vegetable-Tanned Leather. A particular
piece of Tuscan art was the main
insp
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2017
Reebok breaks the mould
Sports brand Reebok is aiming to
revolutionise the way athletic footwear
is made with the help of a new liquid
material developed by chemicals
manufacturer BASF.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2017
Shoes at ISPO 2017
The once-a-year ISPO winter sports fair
was buzzing, as usual. Penny Leese
reports from Munich.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2017
End of an era
Stuart Weitzman is to step down as
creative director of his eponymous brand
as Coach begins to stamp its mark on
the brand it purchased in 2015.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2017
Pensole sketches a path to success
The Pensole Footwear Design Academy
gives aspiring young designers,
regardless of background, the tools they
need to have a successful career in the
footwear industry.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2017
In with the old
It may seem a contradiction but retro
shoes are in fashion; footwear brands are
counting on the popularity of reissued
models to boost their sales.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2016
Footwear’s front runners
A recent report ranked the top ten non-athletic footwear groups in the world by
their 2015 revenue; World Footwear examines how they are faring so far this year.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2016
Enda targets pacesetters of running shoe market
Kenyan start-up Enda believes the country’s reputation as a producer of world-class
runners means it should be capable of also producing world-class running shoes.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2016
Dreams can come true (with hardwork)
London-based shoe designer Sophia
Webster has enjoyed startling success in
the four years since she launched her
own brand, but she has a clear
recollection of long years of learning as a
student at Cordwainers’ College and even
has some advice for her yo
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2016
Time for change at sheepskin footwear brand
California-based Lamo Footwear has made its name selling sheepskin boots. Now it
wants to position itself as a brand that can be worn all year round.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2016
Best foot forward
Low-cost airline easyJet has
developed a prototype vibrating smart
shoe that could help tourists find their
way around cities more easily. The
company is urging travellers to “forget
your mobile and map, and get on
with enjoying the city”.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2016
In her shoes
Ashley Roberts made her name as a member of US girl group The Pussycat Dolls.
She has loved performing from a young age and now she is putting her energy
into something that she is even more passionate about - shoes. She spoke to
World Footwear about what
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2016
Young audience
Paris-based fashion consultant Jayne
Estève-Curé has clear ideas about the
questions footwear companies need
to address if they are to reach out
successfully to millennial consumers.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2016
Shoes with soul
Family-run business Melvin & Hamilton has been producing sophisticated shoes
since 1988 by adding unique twists to classic designs. It manufactures all of its
footwear in India, a strategy that more brands could adopt if labour costs in
China continue to
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2016
Impressions from ISPO
The once-a-year ISPO Munich sports fair is not just a trade fair, it is a meeting place, a place to have fun with physical activities and, of course, after-work parties. Outdoor and winter sports are the main focus of ISPO, but the words ‘hybrid’ and ‘sus
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2016
Dancing shoes back in the swing
The south of England is home to a number of the world’s most successful dance shoe manufacturers, including Strictly Come Dancing supplier International Dance Shoes and world-renowned pointe shoemaker Freed of London.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2016
Shoe ‘snob’ dreams of better-shod men
Justin Fitzpatrick started his blog to educate men on well-made shoes and provide a
portal for like-minded enthusiasts. His brand is based on dress shoes with a modern
twist and it’s beginning to make its mark in Asia.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2016
Kering kicks off its shoes
Paris-based luxury group Kering decided in mid-December 2015 to sell the only one
of its portfolio of brands to be devoted almost entirely to shoes, Sergio Rossi.
Industry commentators wasted no time in wondering aloud if this says something
about shoes f
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2016
Philadelphia story: small boutique flies the flag for Italy
Italy’s footwear manufacturers’
association, Assocalzaturifici, chose Blue
Sole Shoes, a small, independent
boutique in Philadelphia, US as the
winner of its 2015 overseas buyers’
award. Founder, Steve Jamison, travelled
to Milan to pick up the award at M
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2015
Artisans provide inspiration for new-season shoes
Autumn-winter 2016 will see burnished
leathers and military looks inspired by
the craft movement, styles will be
updated with new material combinations
and athleisure will have established itself
as a sector in its own right.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2015
Italy needs to tell its special story better
The appeal of ‘Made in Italy’ is the envy of the rest of the footwear world, and yet, when academic Dr Giuliano Noci addressed a group of young industry professionals from all parts of Italy recently, he had to warn them not to waste the opportunity affor
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2015
Haglöfs extends sustainability aims
The Swedish outdoor brand has set the bar high so there can be no accusations of greenwashing, and has introduced a set of criteria for footwear to carry its Take Care label.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2015
Athletic brands spin a new yarn
Adidas is launching a collection made from recycled from ocean waste, while Keen’s Uneek design uses 75% new manufacturing methods.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2015
Beauty is still a pain
Social media went wild when guests at the Cannes Film Festival claimed they had been turned away for wearing flat shoes, coinciding with an exhibition at London’s V&A examining ‘ever higher heels and dramatic shapes’. These events have brought the perenni
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2015
Street style offers inspiration
For autumn/winter 2015, classic styles will be updated with embellishments, woven materials and shine.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2015
Stuart Weitzman aims for the stars
In the past decade, the US brand has learned the power of celebrity endorsements. Regular appearances on the red carpet have propelled sales northwards, and new owner Coach plans to carry on the trajectory.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2015
Seventh-generation shoemaker is a barefoot believer
Galahad Clark’s family has been involved in footwear production since 1825, which lends a certain weight to his belief that all shoe designs should mimic the bare human foot.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2015
Vivier treasures unearthed
The expertise, determination and sheer hard work of footwear museum curators in Germany and the Netherlands have made it possible for a shoe exhibition to cast new light on some aspects of the work of legendary twentieth-century shoe designer Roger Vivier
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2015
German shoe fair reinvents itself again
Once upon a time, the GDS shoe fair in Düsseldorf led the world. However, it gradually lost ground to the more fashion led Italian fairs we see what was on display for the coming season.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2015
New York brand turns to Spain for supply of handmade shoes
Manhattan-based shoe start-up Jack Erwin appears to have had a remarkable first full year in business in 2014, cementing its reputation as a provider of affordable, high-class, handmade shoes for men and attracting investment from one of the biggest names
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2015
Outdoor and action all the way
The focus of footwear and apparel group VF Corporation is still broad, but in 2014 its senior management team has consistently said sports and outdoor are where all the momentum is.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2014
Better boots have a lower carbon footprint
As consumers become increasingly keen on knowing the environmental profile of all the products they buy, WL Gore has calculated the extent to which high quality hiking boots can help people keep their carbon footprint as low as possible.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2014
Arezzo means business in the mid-market
A group founded in Brazil in 1972 believes it has a great opportunity to make an impression on the US market thanks to its value proposition. There is fierce competition at the high end and at the very low end of the market, but in the middle, Arezzo is c
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2014
Kobi Levi to launch “factory-friendly” collection
Footwear designer Kobi Levi is famous for quirky shoe designs that often appear to have more in keeping with surrealism than with shopping, but he is in the process of preparing a new collection that outsource manufacturing partners will be able to make o
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2014
Who needs product diversity?
Thought by many commentators at the start of the century to be a one-season wonder, Crocs now claims to be the eighth biggest footwear brand in the world and is still growing. It wants to keep finding new styles of shoe in which it can use its proprietary
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2014
Double benefit for Re-Cut project
Puma and Saitex are helping children close to their Vietnamese bases by donating all profits from recycled-denim footwear collection Re-Cut to the Be Tho Orphanage in Bien Hoa.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2014
Gore claims “all-round breathability” breakthrough
WL Gore has announced its first major footwear development in more than a decade. It involves incorporating a new version of its membrane technology into a specific shoe construction to deliver what its says will be breathability under as well as above th
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2014
Chagall-inspired shoe collaboration
In a new twist to an old partnership, Brazilian designer Sarah Chofakian has recreated an updated version of an old Repetto shoe, the Tango.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2014
Sporty gets fashionable
ISPO 2014 in Munich clearly demonstrated how much the lines between sport and fashion are blurring.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2014
Shoe man, not show man
He rarely gives interviews, believing that his track-record in the athletic and outdoor footwear sectors speaks for itself, but it’s clear from recent comments that Deckers Corporation chief executive, Angel Martinez, still thinks deeply about the best wa
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2014
30 years in shoes, and counting
Innovators–a new series of features in World Footwear will aim to tell the stories of people, ideas and companies that have had a lasting effect on the industry. We aim to highlight outstanding thinking and practice, from groups or individuals, that still
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2014
Quality demands drive designer to do her own thing
What she describes as a dearth of high quality, stylish shoes for children has inspired UK-based designer Louise Shill to launch her own luxury children’s footwear brand, Young Soles London.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2014
Heart and sole
The wedding shoe market might lack the volumes of other market segments, but those involved in the design and manufacture say there is something special about contributing to the big day.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2014
A fair for the family
Footwear fair GDS took place in Düsseldorf in September and has something for the entire family, or family retailer. It covers high-end Italian footwear from brands such as Fratelli Rosetti, trendy young styles from Nat-2, mainstream sneakers from KangaRO
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2013
The battle for the beautiful game
July 2014’s World Cup in Brazil will be a lucrative opportunity for all sports brands, and Nike and adidas have thrown down the gauntlet with their latest football boots.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2013
Swimming with the tide
Footwear brands are shunning regular materials and turning to salmon, cod and other fish to add texture and strength to their designs.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2013
Sendra stays the course
A trip to the US at the start of the twentieth century provoked a lifelong passion for cowboy boots in Spanish leather expert Andrés Sendra. A hundred years later, his grandson, Javier, is keeping the passion alive.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2013
A solution to size confusion for online shoe shoppers
New technology for capturing 3D images of consumers’ feet can help footwear companies deliver the right size first time, cutting down on the expense and inconvenience of returns from dissatisfied customers.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2013
Shoe Innovations
The big brands are in a race to bring the latest footwear innovations to consumers and are discovering new ‘concepts’ along the way.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2013
Cremona’s creativity commemorated in Kobi Levi shoes
Israeli footwear creator Kobi Levi was one of eight artists commissioned by the city of Cremona to mark a moment of great significance in the history of the city and its artisan traditions.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2013
Trends for autumn-winter 2013-14
Brands and designers are preparing for a bright winter. Penny Leese reports on some of the most eye-catching styles on show at GDS in Düsseldorf in March.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2013
True grit
Away from the glitz and glamour of the high-profile commercial battles between big-name sports shoe brands, a much quieter footwear revolution has been taking place amidst the mud and rocks in the United Kingdom where fell runners run free.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2013
Heels without pain
Former nurse Julie Lopez had such a struggle finding shoes she could wear to her daughter’s wedding that she gave up her job and devoted herself to sourcing stylish but comfortable high-heeled shoes that she has now launched under her own brand name.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2013
Deckers aims to outgrow sheepskin boots
There’s more to Deckers Outdoor Corporation than UGG, and there is more to UGG than the classic sheepskin boots synonymous with the name.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2013
Tenson marches on
The Swedish brand has spanned the product spectrum from swimwear to skiwear and its new line of footwear showcases the innovative nature that keeps it fresh after 60 years.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2013
Out of Africa
Ethiopian footwear brand soleRebels’ powerful message has helped it grow from a community enterprise into a multimillion dollar company, and it is setting its sights on a global invasion.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2013
Bouncing back
KangaROOS shoes have suffered mixed fortunes - from leaping off the shelves in the early 1980s to heading towards a crash a decade later. But true to the name, it is on the way back up, and its managing director Julia Hummel tells World Footwear about its
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2013
New parents, old values
Children’s footwear brand Start-rite has been a by-word for quality shoes that fit young feet well for decades. It is now working harder than ever to get its message across to new generations of parents.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2012
Technical turns for Merrell
Outdoor footwear brand Merrell knows it faces new in-house competition from Saucony since parent group, Wolverine World Wide, moved to acquire the performance and lifestyle group of Collective Brands earlier this year. Merrell’s immediate response has bee
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2012
The real message communicated by those red soles
Christian Louboutin’s recent legal victory in protecting his signature red sole was an important first for the fashion industry.
It cements the idea that branding can be defined through more than just words or logos, and that the message it conveys dictat
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2012
The long and short of it
Footwear brands are worried that last winter's mild conditions will deter retailers from ordering high volumes of winter boots this year - but designers have other plans.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2012
Barefoot shoes, Danish style
There has been a lot of talk about the barefoot revolution, in both trade and consumer press over the past couple of years. With the launch of the BIOM collection in 2009, Ecco had already integrated the trend into its sports footwear, but it has added to
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2012
China’s domestic footwear market is good news for all
Figures show that shoe imports into the country are growing at a phenomenal
rate, and cost seven times more than those that are exported, while exports of
leather shoes declined. What does that say about consumer demand, and how
will it impact the domesti
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2012
A stroll down memory lane...
Highlights in fashion, music and lifestyle over the past 25 years have all influenced footwear and styling. Some of the trends really set the ball rolling. At the time we covered them; five pages of timeline might jog your memories. Of course, you may hav
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2012
Sports trends – colourful, retro and luxury
There are many seemingly contradictory trends in winter sports footwear, but they can complement each other too. Very obvious trends at ispo 2012, the international sports fair in Munich, were colourful, retro, luxury, barefoot, and family winter sports.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2012
Only the best will do
Chennai-based footwear brand Gaitonde has gone through various phases in its development. Now, based on a complete commitment to the finest quality raw materials and technological innovation, it is poised to re-invent itself once again, this time as a pro
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2012
The natural way?
As the barefoot running trend grows ever more popular, experts argue the pros and cons of cushioning, muscle tuning and whether ‘natural’ really is better.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2012
Against the odds
Once considered by many to be just another passing fad, the Crocs brand has made it through its financial hurdles and recently announced that revenue for 2011 will have exceeded $1 billion.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2012
The sexiest shoes of 2011
A contest in the US to find the ‘sexiest shoe’ of 2011 saw Valentino take the accolade for a pair of lacy, leather peep-toe pumps, showing a turn towards elegant sophistication in women’s footwear.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2012
Patrick Cox is back with a bang
Italian footwear brand Geox asked former high-profile shoe designer Patrick Cox if he knew anyone it could work with to build up its presence in the UK market. It didn’t have to look too far.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2012
Fantasy footwear
Footwear designer Kobi Levi creates imaginative and humorous shoes which look just as much at home on the catwalk as they do on display in an art gallery.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2012
Sporting 150 years of heritage
Stuburt footwear may not be a household name that can be mentioned in the same league as Nike and adidas, but in terms of heritage, it has over 150 years of tradition. Situated outside Manchester in the suburb of Salford, Stuburt currently specialises in
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2010
Magical footwear at the Harry Potter exhibition
Warner Bros had special leathergoods and footwear considerations to take into account
when setting up its itinerant Harry Potter: The Exhibition event. High-profile and
popular companies exist in the wizarding world of JK Rowling’s books and in Warner
Bro
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2010
Putting men back on the platform
New York-based footwear designer Steve Madden says he longs for the return of platform shoes for men. He said men's shoes these days are more conservative and less interesting and that a revival of platforms would liven up the world of men's shoes once mo
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2010
The simpler the better
Simple Shoes has been associated with eco-friendly products since it was established in 1991 by Deckers Outdoor Corporation. The company is constantly looking for new ways to reduce the impact of its manufacturing processes and of its finished products on
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2010
The changing retail picture
The former president of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), Peter Mangione, has made some acute observations on changes to the way footwear is selling in the US since the global economic downturn.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2010
Jimmy Choo gives heels to the trainer boot
The brand is releasing a high-fashion sneaker line with the designer range now including eight sneaker styles for women. The most luxurious model is the purple Tokyo, made from embossed leather and exotic elaphe snakeskin. Elaphe are medium to large, non-
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2010
The speed of lightness
Lightweight sports shoes have rocketed this year, accounting for nearly a third of sales in the running category in the US.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2011
The bare necessities
Footwear brand Merrell recently teamed up with a professional barefoot runner to promote its first range of 'barefoot' shoes, showing that the old proverb is true - if you can't beat them, join them.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2011
Another string to the bow
VF Corporation, which owns outdoor brand The North Face, recently added Timberland to its list of acquisitions, prompting questions about how two companies with a similar product offering can co-exist in one conglomerate.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2011
Sandals with soul
Swedish brand Haglöfs has created a new series of outdoor sandals featuring mouldable footbeds from Sole; a development which it claims places it ahead of the competition.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2011
Brands put footwear first
With Under Armour launching its biggest ever footwear advertising campaign and more and more brands reporting increases in footwear sales, we consider why so many companies are putting footwear first.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2011
Going global
US retailer Genesco recently bought UK-based footwear retailer Schuh, in a £125 million deal. International expansion is a bonus for both companies, as business practices and trends predicting are shared across the Atlantic.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2011
New numbers for China’s shoe requirements
The China Leather Industry Association caused a stir last year when it predicted that
footwear consumption in China will double in the coming years. Obvious questions on
detail were less than easy to answer. Now, new information has come to light on thi
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2011
Stepping out
Warm tones of brown, khaki, camel and deep red are all key colours for the autumn-winter 2011 women's footwear season. We can also expect to see some interesting contrasts, says expert Claudia Schulz.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2011
The Royal Wedding: footwear highlights
The Royal Wedding in April was surely the biggest fashion event of 2011 and, with this in mind, we take a look at some of the fabulous shoes worn by the guests.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2011
Running against the trend
Puma claims its new performance running shoe, called Faas, is the best running shoe on the market. And the German brand took a different approach when it came to designing the Jamaican-inspired footwear.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2011
Prize boots
Until the advent of mass-produced boots and shoes in the late 19th century, even small villages in the British Isles would have had some form of shoemaker. Some were naturally better than others and the method they used to demonstrate their superiority an
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2011
Imelda’s artistic licence
Imelda Marcos’s love of shoes had an impact on her commitment to leave a legacy of beauty for her people.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2011
Bright colours and barefoot running
Regular contributor Penny Leese reviews the footwear offerings on show at the ispo 2011 exhibition in Munich in February and notes that, in shoes at least, sport is differentiating itself from fashion in a very colourful way.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2011
Stone age inspiration
A footwear brand inspired by shoes found on Europe’s oldest mummy is using cork technology to create fashionable, design-led sneakers.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2011
Louboutin looks east
Headline-grabbing shoe designer Christian Louboutin has pledged to set up an own-brand
retail presence in China in the course of 2011. Some commentators believe the plan might
bring bigger commercial success if the focus were on cities other than Beijing
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2011
The height of fashion
Reports that sales of skyscraper heels have quadrupled for one UK retailer confirm what history has been telling us all along: high heels are high fashion.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2011
A warm and cosy winter ahead
Putting footwear in a fashion environment is here to stay. Trade fairs that mix shoes and clothes in the same areas, in carefully selected, hardly renovated old industrial buildings are attracting customers away from some of the more traditional shoe fair
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2010
The old ways are best
Children’s footwear brand Kavat is still producing shoes in Kumla, Sweden’s traditional
home of footwear manufacture, with the founder’s granddaughters now heavily
involved in leading the company. A focus on traditional methods and local materials is
now
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2010
Technology idea helps Callaghan go sporty
Spanish footwear brand Callaghan has waited a while to build a footwear technology
idea it calls Adaptaction into its collections. But the extremely sporty range it will offer
for spring-summer 2010 suggests there is now no holding back on the innovation
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2010
Oh Carole
The Italian Footwear Manufacturers’ Association
(ANCI) has once again put together a trends report
for the spring-summer 2010 season with the help of
Aldo Premoli, fashion consultant to Milan’s top
footwear brands.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2010
Art at the heart of GDS
Art and craftsmanship were important themes at the most recent edition of GDS, held September 11-13 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2010
Date with destiny
The range of new leathers on offer to footwear manufacturers
at the most recent edition of the Lineapelle exhibition in
Bologna included a few surprises, as Penny Leese reports.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2010
Now say hello to the £100,000 shoes
Luxury jewellery brand House of Borgezie has created a shoe made almost entirely from gold and diamonds that it plans to sell from £100,000 ($156,000) per pair. The new shoes, the Eternal Borgezie Diamond Stiletto, come with a 1,000-year guarantee.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2010
Bringing Brazil up to date
Sarah Chofakian came to the end of her psychology degree in Brazil around 15 years ago and decided to take a few weeks off to travel in Europe. Her 30-day break took her, among other places, to Paris, a city she instantly fell in love with. She found herself totally caught up by the culture and ended up staying longer than she had expected. One of the things that really impressed the young Brazilian was the elegance and style of Parisian
women. She noticed there was a focus on unique design that simply didn’t exist in Brazil and she decided to do something about it.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2010
These feet were made for walking
Why sports and outdoor footwear brands are going back to nature. The popularity of products such as the Reebok EasyTone, Nike Free and Vibram FiveFingers is challenging the idea that running shoes need to have high levels of cushioning.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2010
Desert inspiration for Portuguese brand
North African inspiration has helped Atelier do Sapato to earn plaudits at GDS in Dusseldorf. Now it hopes for further international expansion with an entry into the UK market.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2010
Crocs are here to stay: Part two
Since its launch in 2002, Crocs has certainly made its
mark across the globe. It is rare to go a whole day
without seeing a pair of the distinctive looking shoes
on the feet of a child, mother or even an office worker.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
Crocs are here to stay: Part one
Since its launch in 2002, Crocs has certainly made its mark across the globe. It is rare to go a whole day without seeing a pair of the distinctive looking shoes on the feet of a child, mother or even an office worker.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
Cindy says: Detail is everything
Cindy Traub has been in the shoe selling business for
35 years and believes she knows exactly what
customers and retailers want when it comes to
footwear. Having dreamed of setting up her own business
for many years, Ms Traub established Cindy Says in 2004.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
Here comes the bridal shoe
Awalk through Charlene Clay’s house quickly reveals
what’s on her mind these days: her youngest
daughter, Karen, is getting married. Hanging in one
closet is the billowing ivory wedding gown, zipped carefully
into a transparent bag; hanging in another is a row of four
small ivory dresses and a tiny black tuxedo – each of her
five grandchildren will be in the wedding.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
INSOLE SECRET IS OUT
Footwear brands are finding insole technology an effective and
affordable way to offer product innovation and win consumer loyalty.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
CLEVER IDEAS FROM DESMA
The term ‘Wellington’ boot appears to have been first used by the North British Rubber Company sometime in the late 1800s. Boosted by their use in the trenches of the 1914-1918 War they became the essential item of footwear for millions of people wanting a reliable method of keeping their feet dry. Indeed, by the late 1900s, they had become a fashion icon in the form of the green ‘Hunter’ wellie.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
South of the border
Mexico’s footwear industry has high hurdles to climb in 2009, but
companies that can survive may find they have obvious and powerful
advantages over Asian competitors as sourcing and supply chain strategies begin to change in the US.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2009
On tour: Via Montenapoleone, Milan
What an experience, to walk in spring sunshine along the street at the heart of Milan’s high fashion scene, Via Montenapoleone, looking in the windows of the shops and listening to the views of a real expert.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2008
Footwear industry reaches a crossroads
Because of its dependence on the retail sector, the global footwear industry can learn a lot from listening to the views of Marshal Cohen of analyst firm the NPD Group.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2008
A splash of Sixties colour
High-end Spanish brand Fluxa has launched a line called Twiggy Twiggy in honour of the model who made the Sixties swing.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2008
Brazilian brands charm China
How a number of footwear brands from Brazil have begun to carve a niche for themselves in the growing domestic market in China.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2008
Second line makes sense
Top New York designers Sigerson and Morrison prepare to launch their second-line collection, Belle, in Europe.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2008
Trend talk
ANCI trends consultant, Aldo Premoli, shares his view of the styles that will be in fashion in spring-summer 2009.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2008
Splash of colour
A review of the shoes on show at European OutDoor in Friedrichshafen this year.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2008
Shoes for fitness
New footwear technology ideas that could make a real contribution to wearers' fitness.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2008
Footwear for the new rebels
Amsterdam-based trends consultancy talks about moves in the youth footwear market and the new (old) ways in which they will set themselves apart from their parents.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2008
Super-rich shopping list
Which brands made it onto the Luxury Institute's survey of the men's footwear tastes of US millionaires?
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2008
Small details make a big difference
Penny Leese reviews the style ideas on show at the Barcelona exhibition for the spring-summer 2009 season.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2008
Women and Children first
How social change will open up India's domestic footwear market.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2008
Oriental Elements give Vienna-based brand an edge
Designer Yuji Mizobuchi now calls Austria home, but he and his partner, Simone Springer, have allowed lots of influence from his native Japan to permeate their work.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2008
Eco-friendly footwear at ispo
Penny Leese reports from Munich on the impact eco-consciousness is having on designers of winter footwear.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2008
Ginza gets new Italian touch
Tokyo's most famous luxury shopping district is now home to one of Giuseppe Zanotti's flagship stores, adding to the presence he has already built up in Paris, London and New York.
World Footwear - 02 - Mar/Apr 2008
Slicker supply chain will pay off
A project to revitalise the supply chain of footwear brand Payless ShoeSource is coming towards its conclusion and, by the summer, the company will have its new distribution strategy completely up and running. Underpinning this new supply chain set-up is a doubling of its distribution centres.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2008
Today’s typical shoe shopping experience is relatively universal
Today’s typical shoe-shopping experience is relatively universal. A consumer enters the store, quickly scans its entire contents in a single gaze, identifies and moves towards his or her preferred selection, then fingers three or four sample shoes while awaiting the help of a salesperson.
DSW, a US specialty branded footwear retailer, has created a very different experience with a unique business model that has brought the company 16 years of success and growth.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2008
Athletic appeal
Fashion and consumer demand: The $55 billion US market has become the Camelot of the footwear industry, and athletic shoes are king; NPD figures show that 45% of those shoes fall into the athletic footwear category.
World Footwear - 01 - Jan/Feb 2008
Midec continues to grow
This September’s Midec international shoe show in Paris attracted 10,790 visitors of which 8,728 were from France and 2,062 from abroad. Although this only represented an increase of 1.09% compared to the February show, it continues the steady upward trend of the past two years.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2007
GDS: Something for everyone
As the GDS Fair in Düsseldorf becomes smaller overall, the area devoted to imported footwear becomes ever bigger, with particularly large contingents from India, China and Taiwan. Many of these suppliers now use their own European designers directly, rather than relying on European agents to supply shoes to copy or adapt.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2007
Cowboy Boots the art and sole
The 20th century saw cowboy boots develop into more of an art form than a working essential, with both bootmakers and their customers vying with each other in producing the most individual and complex designs possible. The 335 pages of Cowboy Boots the art & sole is devoted to some of the very finest ever produced.
World Footwear - 06 - Nov/Dec 2007
The strength of opposites and contradictions
Designers are forecasting opposing colours, shapes, prints and details, with contrasting matches, lines and patterns—a wardrobe of opposites and contrasts for autumn winter 2008/2009, and chemical company TFL has taken all these comments on board in producing its most recent Colour Trends & Fashion Inspirations for the leather industry.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2007
Out with the old and in with the new
Bright, vivid, psychedelic and metallic colours are a fresh addition to the dirty, ‘second hand’ and ‘used’ look we have all got used to. At the Bread and Butter fair in Barcelona, there were lots of colours, and silver and gold metallic shoes even for men. Shiny metal studs and Swarovski crystals are no longer just for dressy fashion shoes and also appear on espadrilles and trainers.
World Footwear - 05 - Sep/Oct 2007
Love those shoes
The United Kingdom appears to produce more than its fair share of influential footwear designers who are making waves both at home and in the global markets. Among them is Georgina Goodman who, in just a few years, has established an international reputation for creating seriously glamorous shoes.
World Footwear - 04 - Jul/Aug 2007
Fashion: The golden touch at Lineapelle
It was said in Greek mythology that everything King Midas touched turned to gold. And you wouldn't be blamed for thinking that King Midas paid a visit all around the Lineapelle fair in Italy.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2007
Fashion: Appeal guaranteed at GDS
Winter shoes and boots were comfortable, in nice, rich leathers, with the essential touches to keep them fashionable and up-to-date at GDS in Germany.
World Footwear - 03 - May/Jun 2007
Marc inspires Sergio and Carmen
When it comes to inspiration and musing about the trends,
colours and textures for spring/summer 2008, Italian design
consultants Sergio Belloni and Carmen Rimoldi obviously had flowers in mind, according to the latest forecast
presentation issued by leather specialist chemical company TFL.
World Footwear - Nov/Dec 2006
Midec — a major event for minors
As one of the largest consumers of footwear in the world—said to be second only to the USA—France seems an obvious choice of location for an international footwear exhibition, and this was highlighted with the success of
Midec, which was held in Paris in September.
World Footwear - Nov/Dec 2006
Natural themes at GDS
Fashion, wearability and commerciality were the overriding concepts at GDS. This well organised fair offers all these ideas for buyers from around the world in a sound buying environment.
World Footwear - Nov/Dec 2006
Footwear fashion: Trendy textiles at Lineapelle
'Lovely leathers' in the May/June issue of World Footwear covered the leathers on show at Lineapelle. This article deals with the textiles and other fashion items that were on display.
World Footwear - Jul/Aug 2006
Lineapelle: Lovely leathers
Leathers at Lineapelle were exquisite, with an ultra-soft feel and sensual handle.
World Footwear - May/Jun 2006
Young fashion inspirations for summer 2006
International trend watching agency Y-trends, which works with names such as Mexx Footwear, K-Swiss, Timberland, and Royal Elastics offers an insight into the youth fashions for summer 2006.
World Footwear - Mar/Apr 2005
Footwear Focus: You can't keep keep a good show down
The PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando is still the world's most influential golf trade show. Shoes were a hot item this year with cutting-edge styling and biomechanical technology - especially on the women's side of the market.
World Footwear - Mar/Apr 2005
Street scene
The sporty street look at Bread and Butter in Berlin.
World Footwear - 0
Sports shoes for summer
Comfort, lightweight and increasing breathability are the key words for technical sports shoes.
World Footwear - Sep/Oct 2005
A carnival of colour
Visitors to Francal in Brazil were left in no doubt as to where they wer in the world with colours reflecting the country's famous carnivals.
World Footwear - Sep/Oct 2005
Trends: Gosh - it's 2007
International chemical supplier TFL's colour trends for leather for spring/summer 2007.
World Footwear - Jan/Feb 2006
Swarovski adds a sparkle to next winter
Many autumn/winter 2006/2007 collections are set to sparkle with the help of Austrian crystal company Swarovski that recently launched its Crystallized collection for footwear.
World Footwear - Mar/Apr 2006
Streetwear looks back to its European roots
The dominant infuence of American sport and music on European street fashion finally appears to be fading. The look at Bread and Butter in Barcelona, and in Copenahagen, was very much home grown.
World Footwear - Mar/Apr 2006
Stepping into a bright future
Elastogram Italia has developed a spectacular fashion trend using PU foam, TPU foils and a new production technology for coloured shoe soles.
World Footwear - Mar/Apr 2006
