The Düsseldorf shoe fairs GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories – and GLOBAL SHOES – leading trade show for sourcing – draw to a close after three days on Sunday evening with a predominantly positive summary. According to still preliminary calculations over 31,000 buyers came to the fair grounds, this means approx. 2,000 visitors or 6% less...

...than a year ago. Of these 6,200 also visited GLOBAL SHOES. In view of the current market situation exhibitors, visitors and the organising trade fair company Messe Düsseldorf all rated the results positively.

Nearly one in two visitors to GDS came from abroad (91 countries, the top 5 next to Germany were the Benelux countries, United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, France); at GLOBAL SHOES the portion of international visitors was with 60% even higher (52 countries, the top 5 next to Germany were the Benelux countries, Greece, Poland, Spain, France). GDS also received good marks from visitors regarding quality. Nine out of ten visitors polled rated the trade fairs and the collections on display as positive to very positive, 85% stated in a representative survey that they had seen the latest trends in the industry at GDS.

Commenting on the event, Kirstin Deutelmoser, Director of GDS and GLOBAL SHOES, said: “The quality of our visitors was very high. All important buyers were represented but with smaller teams in terms of headcount. The atmosphere in the halls was very positive and characterised by constructive talks. The avid interest taken in our fashion shows and lectures was compelling evidence of the great demand for information retailers have at present.” Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, added: “Over the past year the situation in the international shoe business has significantly changed. In light of the current circumstances we can be more than satisfied with the outcome of the trade fair.”

“GDS has shown that the sector needs a constant in difficult times, a constant that brings together retail and industry as an effective and personal communication “enabler”,” explained Ralph Rieker, Chairman of the Central Federation of the German Shoe Industry (HDS). “And despite all the in-depth conversations and discussions retailers did not fail to place orders in Düsseldorf.

GDS has entirely fulfilled the expectations of the German shoe industry considering the overall economic climate. Three days of trade fair are now behind us and together we can build on it.” From 13 to 15 March 2009 a total of 1,110 exhibitors from 38 countries presented the latest shoe and bag styles. At GDS 1,870 collections were presented for Autumn/Winter 2009/10 alongside trends for the current season.

The next GDS and the next GLOBAL SHOES will be held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 11 to 13 September 2009.

(17/03/2009)