The Düsseldorf Shoe Fairs GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories and GLOBAL SHOES – leading trade show for sourcing – drew to a close on Sunday with great optimism and more than satisfactory results. In total approx. 29,500 trade visitors used the three days of the trade fair to gather information on the 2010/11 Autumn/Winter season and place their orders in Düsseldorf. Prevailing in the exhibition halls was a concentrated working atmosphere...

...The unanimous mood amongst many exhibitors was that buyers were in very jovial spirits and the talks they held struck a basic positive note that had not been felt for quite some time now reflecting an avid interest in the new fashion details for the next season. So as to gear the shoe-fair duo to changing market conditions the GDS Advisory Board decided to adopt a different sequence of exhibition days on Sunday. From 2011 both trade fairs will be held from Wednesday to Friday.

Describing the situation Kirstin Deutelmoser said: “GDS was a key indicator for the sector. Retailers have substantially benefited from the long and cold winter. Their stocks are depleted and need to be replenished for next winter. We felt optimism and a good mood paired with a concentrated though relaxed working atmosphere on all three days.“ Commenting on the changed days of the week she explained: “Together with the Advisory Board we have decided on changing to weekdays. We are confident that this move will make GDS and GLOBAL SHOES even more attractive for retailers. Thanks to the new days we have avoided the day with the highest retail sales – Saturday. This means retailers no longer have to decide between visiting the trade fair and selling. Now both are possible. The 111th GDS will therefore run from 16 to 18 March 2011. For the forthcoming GDS the Friday to Sunday format will remain unchanged.”

Summing up the course of the trade fair Horst Wortmann, Managing Director of the Wortmann-Group, said: “We have had a really good GDS. Our various stands were very well attended on all days. We could virtually feel this spirit of a new beginning when talking to our customers. Now it is up to each retailers and manufacturer to make the best of this favourable initial situation. With its new running schedule GDS follows the needs of retailers and, hence, of our customers. It is the task and duty of a trade fair to identify and fulfil such needs. I assume that this decision will improve the position of GDS on the market even further.” Boasting such brands as Tamaris, s.Oliver, Marco Tozzi and Caprice the Wortmann Group is among Europe’s biggest shoe producers.

Having returned to GDS as an exhibitor Giancarlo Sonaglioni of the Italian brand Roberto Botticelli was also satisfied with the outcome of the fair: “After six years’ absence we have taken part in GDS again and are very happy. Thanks to the different segments buyers find what they are looking for fast and can work efficiently. We want a bigger stand in September.”

A larger stand is also the aim of Cleto Sagripanti of Manas: “GDS is indispensable for Central and North European markets. We meet many of our key accounts here. The mood prevailing in the halls was positive. For us GDS went very well.”

Almost one in two visitors of GDS / GLOBAL SHOES came from abroad (Top 5 apart from Germany: Benelux, France, Italy, United Kingdom and Austria). At the same time, the trade fair duo succeeded in widening its reach within Germany once more welcoming a noticeably higher number of buyers from Southern Germany. Visitors included such renowned retail firms as Alsterhaus, Amazon, Görtz, Karstadt, KDW, Prange, Tretter, Uli Knecht, Zumnorde (all Germany), SOK (Finland), Jones Bootmaker and Office (both UK), Humanic and Stiefelkönig (both Austria), Apollon & Afrodite (Norway), Betsy Palmer and Shoebaloo (both Netherlands) and Aleksi 13 oy (Finland). Three quarters of all visitors were buyers with a say in the decision-making process. 94% rated GDS as good to very good and were very satisfied with their visit to the trade fair. In addition to the versatile ranges on show visitors predominantly praised the “proximity to trends”, the information side events and the GDS fashion shows as being especially rewarding service options.

The GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories – and GLOBAL SHOES – leading trade show for sourcing – were held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 12 to 14 March 2010. A total of 1,120 exhibitors (GDS: 760, GLOBAL SHOES: 360) from 40 countries presented the latest shoe and bag styles. At GDS to the tune of 1,750 collections were exhibited for the 2010/11 Autumn/Winter season along with trends for the current season.

The next GDS / GLOBAL SHOES trade fairs will be held from 10 to 12 September 2010. For 2011 the exhibition dates are: 16 to 18 March and 7 to 9 September.

(21/4/2010)