Vivienne Westwood celebrates a Premiere at GDS show

03 Sep '12

5 min read

From Wednesday, 5 September to Friday, 7 September 2012 some 860 exhibitors will be presenting the trends and looks for the 2013 Spring/Summer orders season at GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories. Visitors can look forward to many exciting collections from 44 countries coherently presented as different segments within eleven GDS themed worlds. Add to this 360 exhibitors at GLOBAL SHOES held concurrently at the exhibition centre.

This season GDS also presents a stable picture posting a 1% plus in exhibitor numbers over the previous year. This means the trade fair is consolidating its position as an international platform for the shoe and bag business. These stable figures are not self-evident, as Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, CEO at Messe Düsseldorf, explains: “The current uncertainty in the Eurozone and the economic situation in Southern Europe, in particular, also impacts the shoe sector. It is therefore all the more gratifying to now even post a slight rise in our exhibitor numbers.”

The number of Premium brands at GDS has risen by 4%. The new brands featured here include BB washed by Bruno Bordese, Civic Duty, Coach, Kalliste, La Bottega Di Lisa, McQ by Alexander Mc Queen, Rachel Zoe, Silent People, Versus and Visconti & du Réau.

GDS Director Kirstin Deutelmoser is delighted with this positive development: “We offer our visitors inspiration on various levels. This means you can draw inspiration in one hall from luxury brands like Vivienne Westwood or from cool sneaker brands like Ishikawa and at the same time be convinced by exhibitors and events with other focuses like Snipe with its sustainability concept. It is exactly this variety of content that has set GDS apart for so many seasons.”

Visitors to GDS can look forward to collections from a total of 44 countries. Most brands coming to Germany are from Italy (newcomers include Barleycorn, Ciaboo, Dondup, Kinner Italia, Rossano Bisconti, The Seller and Valentino) and Spain with new labels like Destroy, Flavio Menorca, Paco Herrero, RAS and SOM.MITS.

Furthermore, an increasing number of French manufacturers are discovering GDS such as the charity label MaïProject or the designer brands Yves Desfarge and Francois Najar.

Interest in GDS from children’s shoe manufacturers is growing. Compared with the previous year 16% more exhibitors are taking part in the exhibition. What is particularly attractive for many: in addition to the chance to present kids’ collections alongside grown-up styles (as preferred by brands like Napapijri, Pepe Jeans Footwear and Polo Ralph Lauren Kids) GDS and kidwalk also offer an area boasting attractive new brands such as Atlanta Mocassin Kids, GBB, Mitik Children Shoes, Petit Nord and Venettini. Alongside this the Federal Association of the German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry (Bundesverband der Schuh- und Lederwarenindustrie – HDS) will also, for the first time, be presenting its WMS Award to specialist children’s shoe retailers at GDS (Friday, 10.00 am, Hall 7.0).

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