More than 9,000 people attended the fair, the 101st edition, marking significant growth compared to both January 2024 and last year’s June edition.

Buyers, whose voices met those of 1,300 exhibitors, brands and companies representing 40 countries, including the world’s major producers (80 per cent international, 20 per cent Italian), spread across a total exhibition area of 50,000sqm across 11 fully occupied halls.

The Gardabags area dedicated to bags, luggage and accessories was hosted by 47 companies from Bangladesh, China, Germany, India, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey.

“Over the past few days, we have seen a widespread and overall sense of satisfaction,” said Roberto Pellegrini, President of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi. “In particular, I think it is important to highlight the increase in visitors from Latin America and Europe, and especially the significant return of buyers from Germany and Italy, up from June 2023.”

Attendees spoke not only of the new collections for the upcoming SS25 season, but also echoed throughout the 19 events that animated the four-day fair. All aimed at offering a complete overview of the footwear, bags and fashion accessories market: from the analysis of consumer trends to the showcasing of several exhibitors’ models, carefully selected for the Highlights Area; from the in-depth analysis of markets in different countries through the Market Focuses to the celebration of the event’s 50th anniversary with the highly successful Summer Celebration Nights.

Organisers shared some of the voices recounting an event that solidifies its status as a global hub for the mass-produced footwear and accessories market…

“I never thought I would find such a varied range of collections and suppliers from literally all over the world. This was my first time at Riva del Garda, but I will do everything I can to return.” Viona Maulidia – Matahari (Indonesia).

“Transparency is a stylistic detail that will undoubtedly shift from the catwalks to next seasons’ best-sellers, from ballerinas to boots.” MariaCristina Rossi – Arsutoria (Italy).

“Following the huge success of e-commerce during the pandemic, the situation has now stabilised, but we are at the fair looking for new partners and suppliers able to stimulate the market with fashionable and well-priced offerings.” Beate Anna Rehm – La Colibrì (Germany).

GianPaola Pedretti, Exhibition Manager, concluded: “This year of record growth, in which we also celebrated 50 years of business and 100 editions, motivates us to further pursue internationalisation, ensuring the best possible matching of supply and demand.”

The next edition of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags takes place on 11 to 14 January 2025.

Tamaris is highlighting to millions of fans its position as a brand that celebrates, inspires and motivates women in all their diversity.

From 23 May to 12 June, Tamaris was part of the Pink Friday 2 World Tour by Nicki Minaj, which visited 14 locations in Europe. While fans eagerly awaited the arrival of their star, a screen on the stage was showing well-known Tamaris shoe ads.

“The real goosebumps moment before Nicki Minaj finally came on stage belonged to our emotive brand spotlight with the theme ‘superpower’, in which we used powerful images and moving words to motivate women to believe in themselves, to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and to allow space for their feelings,” explained Cathleen Burghardt, Head of Marketing at Tamaris.

“This allowed us to reach fans at the moment of maximum anticipation, also creating a powerful connection to the artist herself, who embodies self-confidence and individuality in a way that reflects the Tamaris brand positioning.”

Nicki Minaj’s concerts took place here in the UK as well as in Cologne, Berlin, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.

In addition, on 7 June in Berlin Tamaris brought to life the “Pink Friday” concert motto; selected styles from the current collection – from sneakers, to pumps and mules – transformed the Uber Arena and surrounding areas into a pink paradise. Visitors were greeted by Tamaris campaign imagery on various big screens, showcasing the pink shoes with the iconic hangtag.

Then, from 26 July to 7 September, Tamaris is going on tour again as part of Justin Timberlake’s Forget Tomorrow World Tour. In Germany, the brand will be displayed in a stunning 30-second feature immediately before JT’s main set begins. The film is entitled “Be yourself” and shows strong women who forge their own path, stand up for themselves, and won’t let anyone hold them back.

Ms Burghardt continued: “We are always looking for new ways to use media channels to make an emotional connection with our target audience and boost brand loyalty. Concert tours by international stars are an opportunity for us to bring an auditory and visual experience of Tamaris to a massive and highly involved audience, creating memories that will no doubt be with them for a long time.”

Nestled off the west coast of Scotland, the Isle of Muck is home to a tight-knit community of just 32 people who face wind, rain and mucky weather conditions every day. Among them are Magnus and his Granny, Jenny Macewen – whose family owns the island; they wear their Mucks every morning when they collect eggs together.

Then there’s Sandy, the island fisherman, who tends to numerous lobster pots surrounding the island and can often be found playing on the beach with his daughter, both sporting their trusty Muck Boots.

The island teacher, Mrs. B, takes her class down to the beach most days to clean it up and educate the children on the importance of keeping the surrounding environments in good order for future generations.

Since its inception, Muck Boot’s footwear has been built to take on the most adverse conditions, providing hardworking people with comfortable footwear they can rely on. The commitment to quality and innovation has remained unwavering over the past 25 years, driving the brand forward.

To mark its 25th anniversary, The Original Muck Boot Company embarked on a journey to the Isle of Muck to understand what the brand means to the community that lives and works there.

“The Isle of Muck serves as a poignant reminder of our mission to provide reliable and durable footwear for those who work, farm and live in these challenging environments,” said Eleanor Cornwell, Director of Marketing at The Original Muck Boot Company.

To further commemorate the anniversary, the Company is releasing a Limited Edition 25th Anniversary Chore boot, a tribute to the continued popularity of Muck Boot’s iconic design.

Featuring a quick cleaning outsole and XpressCool lining, the boot keeps feet protected and dry, ensuring comfort and confidence throughout the day with a 100 per cent waterproof design, 5mm neoprene construction, and easy-to-clean rubber.

Ms Cornwell said that the brand remains dedicated to crafting footwear that empowers individuals to conquer life’s muddiest challenges with confidence and comfort… “Here’s to the next 25 years and beyond, walking together through the muck, one step at a time,” she said.

This year was the tenth anniversary of the Awards, recognised by industry leaders as the most prestigious celebration of emerging student talent. International footwear designer Sophia Webster’s outstanding contribution to footwear was recognised by the award of the Sue Saunders Award for Excellence.

First place winner, George Nikiforakis

The 2024 student winners:

• First Prize (winning £3,000): George Nikiforakis (London College of Fashion)
• Runner Up (£2,000): Ethan Robinson (London College of Fashion)
• Sustainable Development Award (£1,500): Lu Zhou (London College of Fashion)
• Sneaker/Athleisure Award (£1,500): Joe Muir (De Montfort University)
• Commendation (£500): Sophie Perrett (De Montfort University)
• Commendation (£500): Therese Frank (London College of Fashion

The remaining 10 finalists each receive a prize of £100.

The winner, George Nikiforakis, said: “Winning first prize for such a prestigious award is honestly everything to me. It has given me the confidence to really forge forward in an industry that I truly love.”

Established in 2014, the Cordwainers Footwear Awards not only offer footwear design students significant cash prizes and the chance to earn industry recognition for their work, but finalists are also given the opportunity to gain mentoring experience from some of the best names in the British footwear industry.

In the past decade the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers has given away more than £100,000-worth of prizes and helped 150 students take the next steps in their footwear careers. They have gone on to work for some of the great names in fashion and footwear, Dr Martens, Alexander McQueen, Nike, Adidas, the Pentland Group, Trickers, to name a few.

Master of The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, Judith Millidge, with Sophia Webster

This year the Sue Saunders Award for Excellence is a prize awarded by nomination to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the footwear trade. Sue Saunders was an inspiring teacher and mentor, a shining light of the footwear world and this special award honours her memory.

Sophia Webster is one of the best-known shoe designers in the world, whose signature butterfly shoes have been worn by celebrities across the globe, from Michele Obama to Kim Kardashian, and even Barbie.

She said: “Sue Saunders, who was my tutor at LCF, left behind big shoes to fill and I am incredibly honoured to win this award. The importance of the prizes provided by the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers cannot be underestimated because they not only recognise talent, but also the commitment and hard graft that it takes to be outstanding.”

The area dedicated to bags, luggage and accessories hosts 47 companies from Bangladesh, China, Germany, India, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey. And a whole host of various events are taking place, with market focuses, fashion and trend talks, appointments with innovation and celebrations for the 101st edition.

Visitors at the show will enjoy the usual variety of offerings in terms of both product types and manufacturers with either their own brands or open to private labelling. The price ranges are also varied, spanning from €8 to €60, with a solid representation reaching up to €100 and above.

Sustainability is also a key focus: 18 per cent of exhibitors offer certified products. In addition, soft mobility, recyclable carpeting and ever-greener stands are just some of the initiatives put in place in favour of the environment.

The opening of the show’s 101st edition featured the presentation of “A step in history, 50 years of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags. 1974-2024, 100 successful editions” (produced by Foto Shoe 30, with graphic design by Edizioni AF), a monograph celebrating 50 years of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags (50 years because the show takes place twice a year!).

A book commemorating the birth and evolution of the first 100 editions of the event, spanning from 1974 to 2024; a retrospective aimed at creating momentum and directing our focus towards the future.

Celebrations for the milestone of these 101 editions involved the entire community; on Saturday, Sunday and Monday evening just gone, Olivi beach opened its doors for three evenings of music dedicated to the footwear community, but also to citizens and tourists.

“These initiatives underscore the team’s ability to innovate and the international stature of this trade fair,” said Roberto Pellegrini, President of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi. “So much so that by year’s end, Riva del Garda Fierecongressi will invest €25 million to expand the exhibition centre, which needs to grow to accommodate the many new exhibitors who want to join the event.”

Looking at the event more generally, and revealing the secret to the success of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags, Mr Pellegrini added: “It all comes down to the vision of those who believed they could do business in a beautiful and relaxing location, and in recent years, the expansion towards international markets and the consistent effort to involve all major manufacturing countries worldwide.”

Alessandra Albarelli, Director of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, reiterated the same concept: “Thanks to our close cooperation with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), we have welcomed 150 new hosted buyers and journalists from 43 countries to the fair today.

“But we are not just focused on numbers; we are committed to being careful custodians of our community. To this end, we have developed demand and supply matching services such as the Market Focuses, Business Scout and an Artificial Intelligence-assisted Digital Platform. All tools that make it easier for buyers to find the products they are looking for by identifying their type, price range and style.”

The Summer edition of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags concludes tomorrow (18 June). Then, the show returns on 11-14 January 2025.

View the latest edition of Footwear Today here – or on your mobile device

Editor’s Comment: Power to the people!

Welcome to the June edition of Footwear Today, where this month we’ve got a really thought-provoking piece from the BFA (page 8) about the skills shortage in this industry and the struggle to attract young people into the profession…

A new trailblazer group is reviving a new manufacturer apprenticeship scheme to not only make it more relevant to the needs of today’s industry, but also universally applicable to all kinds of UK footwear businesses.

And it would seem this couldn’t come at a better time. Our sector faces an increasing challenge to attract young, skilled professionals who will revitalise the manufacturing workforce and bring fresh ideas and practices to develop this historic trade and take it forward for the future.

At the end of last year, the British Footwear Development Trust (BFDT) introduced a new grant programme designed to support individuals and businesses to reach their full potential within the UK footwear market. It aims to enhance skillsets, ignite creativity and fuel growth across the sector.

Competition is fierce nowadays from right across the world, but the UK can maintain its position as long as we are open to change.

And that applies on the retail side as well. Footwear retailers that have a passion for training and staff development will excel during challenging times. Consumers expect to be engaged by sales staff who know how to handle all kinds of purchase queries and customer needs. Without effective staff training, who’s to blame if a customer walks out empty-handed?

The responsibility as the employer is to equip your staff to be the best they can be. At the end of the day, these people could be ones taking your business forward in the years to come.

Jack Cheeseman – Editor – Footwear Today

jcheeseman@datateam.co.uk

Tel: 01622 699120

www.footweartoday.co.uk

Twitter: @FootwearToday  –  Instagram: @footweartodaymag

The initiative aims to promote foot health and comfort, emphasising the critical importance of properly fitting footwear. The campaign highlights Matt Barnes’ inspiring journey, a 39-year-old from St Albans who has faced significant challenges with diabetes and poor foot health.

Mr Barnes’ story is a poignant reminder of how crucial foot health is to overall well-being. Struggling with diabetes, he experienced severe foot health issues that made daily activities painful and challenging. Realising the impact of ill-fitting shoes on his condition, he decided to get involved with the “Joyful Strides for Wider Feet” campaign.

“Finding the right fit was a game-changer for me,” says Matt. “DB Wider Fit Shoes has provided me with the comfort and support I needed, allowing me to manage my diabetes better and lead a more active, fulfilling life.”

The “Joyful Strides” campaign is championed by businesswoman and star of Dragons’ Den, Sara Davies MBE, bringing her passion for foot health to the forefront of this campaign. Her personal insights into the significance of comfortable and well-fitted shoes underscore the campaign’s mission.

DB Shoes’ campaign goes beyond advocacy. It features heartfelt testimonials from satisfied customers, like Matt Barnes, who have experienced life-changing benefits from DB Wider Fit Shoes. The campaign provides a comprehensive fitting guide available online, helping individuals select the perfect shoes for their unique needs.

Charles Denton, Managing Director of DB Shoes, emphasises the campaign’s broader mission: “For too long, the footwear industry has neglected the needs of individuals with wider feet. With ‘Joyful Strides for Wider Feet’, we are starting a movement that celebrates diversity, promotes foot health, and empowers individuals to embrace their unique selves.”

The SHOES DÜSSELDORF exhibition will return on 1-3 September this year – serving as a reliable order platform for the footwear industry once again.

Kicking off the 2025 Spring/Summer order cycle and in the run-up to the trade shows, FASHN ROOMS and Neonyt Düsseldorf, Igedo Exhibitions is intensively engaged in preparations for SHOES DÜSSELDORF and decisively driving the portfolio of the Düsseldorf shoe and accessories trade fair.

“SHOES DÜSSELDORF stands for continuity, consistency and competence, uniting the protagonists in the footwear sector and providing orientation under rapidly changing market conditions, especially during challenging times,” said Ulrike Kähler, Managing Director of Igedo Exhibitions.

With relevant collections by high-quality brands, the event will be showcasing all need-to-know trends for Spring/Summer 2025 and providing the sector with valuable order-related information and inspirations. Numerous trend lectures and talks on key industry topics held as part of THE STAGE will provide valuable input for the season.

Prior to this, on 27-29 July, the FASHN ROOMS show will ring in the next season’s round of orders in fashion terms at Areal Böhler. Already one day before the official start of the trade show, 26 July will additionally see the Showroom Concept kick off with collections by renowned agencies. As a B2B platform for sustainable fashion, Neonyt Düsseldorf will be held on 27 and 28 July 2024 at “Bilker Bunker” for the first time and admit end users on both event days at specific times.

Through additional workshops, panel discussions and keynotes featuring industry pioneers, Neonyt Düsseldorf will deliver relevant insights related to sustainable fashion.

Ms Kähler added: “My team and I are actively involved in driving continuous growth, acting in line with market activities and constantly developing our events further. Our aim is that everybody is satisfied!”

Show dates:

• FASHN ROOMS: 27 to 29 July 2024
• Showroom Concept: 26 to 29 July 2024
• Neonyt Düsseldorf: 27 to 28 July 2024
• SHOES DÜSSELDORF: 1 to 3 September 2024
• SHOES DÜSSELDORF: 23 to 25 February 2025
• SHOES DÜSSELDORF: 24 to 26 August 2025

This is according to the latest data from Fact.MR, a provider of market research and competitive intelligence.

It reported that the expansion of the sports footwear market is predominantly propelled by several pivotal factors, including the evolution of fashion trends, heightened global awareness of health and fitness, and a surge in physical activities. Technological advancements in footwear design and materials, with a particular emphasis on elevating comfort, support, and performance capabilities, also play a significant role in driving this growth.

The market in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5 per cent during the forecast period (2023 – 2033). This is attributed to the growing participation in outdoor recreational activities like rafting, skiing, trekking, and more.

Elsewhere, football’s massive popularity in Europe is a key driver of growth in the European sports footwear market, spurring demand for high-quality shoes among players and fans alike.

Technological advancements in footwear design, increasing health and fitness awareness, and the expanding middle-class population in emerging markets are the three main factors driving the market – said a Fact.MR expert.

In this exceptionally competitive market, leading footwear manufacturers are prioritising the expansion of their product range through the introduction of innovative offerings tailored to meet the changing preferences of consumers. Top players include Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Puma and Under Armour.

The Fact.MR experts also said that in this industry it is important to combine online platforms with physical stores… “This way, you can cater to a wide range of customers and make shopping easy and convenient,” they said. “By offering both options, you reach people who prefer browsing in-store and those who like shopping online.”

Why is the American market for sports shoes profitable?

The world’s top manufacturers of athletic footwear, including Nike, Under Armour, Skechers, New Balance Athletics, etc., are based in the United States. The growing popularity of outdoor persuits has created enormous growth potential for the manufacturers of athletic footwear.

Also, manufacturers’ efforts in R&D to produce the greatest sports footwear goods are promoting market expansion. Additionally, it is predicted that the US would have an advantageous situation due to the existence of a high-end sports footwear retail infrastructure as well as the expanding popularity of basketball shoes, lifestyle sneakers, and training shoes.

Grubs is a family business which has evolved through nine generations of the Foster family and can trace its history back to 1776 making shoes for the local community, specialising in the new sports springing up in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. This was the springboard to a global brand.

The Quest is a new vegan, unisex, fitness walking boot offering a perfect blend of performance, protection, and all-day wearability, making them ideal for most outdoor adventures. These boots complement the hugely popular lightweight Explore walking boots.

Both models are fully waterproof with a Hydra-Fuse lined upper and Vibram RGS Hiker sole that gives superior grip on a variety of surfaces. The Quest offers a plethora of comfort, grip, and insulating technologies to ensure the wearer is kept warm, stable, and dry. The cushioned footbed gives a trainer shoe feel and insulates feet from cold surfaces, and the hydra-fuse lining wicks moisture away from feet.

The boots also have RollinGait technology which allows the boot to roll with the action of walking rather than the wearer using the effort of flexing the foot – this reduces fatigue resulting in daylong comfort.

Grubs Discover walking shoe is an exciting and revolutionary new concept of shoe packed with technology and powered with a Vibram sole for the ultimate footwear that can be worn all day in comfort and style. Grubs spent a year developing the Discover, which is packed with features such as RollinGait, which is a new technology that helps the wearer move with more fluidity making them super comfortable and helps to prevent aching limbs.

The shoes also boast a Vibram Speed Hike sole which has tremendous grip making the wearer confident even on steep, slippery slopes. Feet feel fully supported and incredibly comfortable thanks to the Stability Cradle and dry due to the completely waterproof Hydri-Fuse breathable bootie lining.