Preparations for the 111th GDS – International Event for Shoes & Accessories are well underway. From 16 to 18 March 2011 the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre will once again become the sectoral meeting point and information platform for orientation in the international shoe business. Some 780 exhibitors from over 30 countries will be presenting to the international trade audience their shoe, bag and accessories collections for the 2011/12 Autumn/Winter season.

With its approx. 1,850 collections GDS provides a comprehensive market overview of the progressive and classic premium segment, of the high-selling, colourful sports and denim wear segment while presenting design newcomers and brands with broad market acceptance alongside the latest in kids’ fashion. New from March will be the altered sequence of days for the event. So as to better meet the needs of both trade and industry GDS and its sister event GLOBAL SHOES will in future now be held from Wednesday to Friday.

“We are once again expecting a varied and, more specifically, broad-based event featuring an exciting blend of market leaders alongside smaller new labels,” said GDS Director Kirstin Deutelmoser commenting on the event. “Even at this early stage the state of play is very gratifying: exhibitor interest in all range segments is high and demand is particularly great in the Premium and Young Fashion segments. And this is why we are looking ahead to the next event with great optimism.”

With its thematically staged lifestyle universes, its unique trend concept under the “Follow the Trend” umbrella brand and its comprehensive supporting programme GDS has established itself as a generator of impulses and a key trend platform over the past few seasons. “The supporting programme to accompany the trade fair is particularly aimed at preparing the retail trade for their ordering negotiations and daily business,” explains Kirstin Deutelmoser. Over three days visitors will have the opportunity to take a look at the new looks in four different shows staged on the catwalk. Matching trend installations will present to them the details in greater depth and in some 20 seminars international speakers will impart important know-how on key ordering trends and sector-specific themes.

New in the Premium Segment – the Designers’ Area
Demand in the premium segment at GDS continues to grow. Which is why visitors will now be able to enjoy the Designers’ Area located in Hall 4 in a prominent position directly adjacent to the Upper Style Zone and White Cubes. In cooperation with the British Footwear Association (BFA) eight select design labels will be presented here in uniform stand design featuring collections such as Esska, Five By Rio Ferdinand, House of Harlow, Miss L Fire, Modern Vintage, One True Saxon, Shellys, Strutt London, Ted Baker and Unleashed.

GDS steps up its Online Activities
Already in the run-up to the event GDS has numerous innovations in store for visitors and exhibitors. At the familiar www.gds-online.com address GDS’ new online presence will go live as from December 2010. The new web presence will soon boast not only a new design but also exciting new content. Already on the landing page there will be regular news for visitors to discover. Whether lifestyle news, trendy labels, the trends of the coming season or the chance for interactive exchange with the shoe community via Facebook and Twitter, the online presence will offer users all sorts of news on the fair and the latest from the sector even in between trade fairs. Also new this season is the revised visitor admission management system. When visitors register online ahead of the fair they receive a free eticket. The September GDS also saw the start of another new online service, the GDS Matchmaker. Using this free contact and cooperation exchange producers, retailers and agents can quickly and easily find suitable business partners even outside trade fair times.

GLOBAL SHOES – leading trade show for sourcing
Held at Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre in parallel to GDS will be GLOBAL SHOES, an independent communication and order platform for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and volume suppliers. This leading fair for the sourcing segment will once again present a broad-based range of shoes and leather goods for the bulk market. Expected at the forthcoming event will be approx. 410 international suppliers from 20 countries. Those highly commercial suppliers already confirming their participation include the likes of Hong Kong Carlo Rossi, Mad Mad as well as Michel Axel, New York Group and Y. Yessi.

The next GDS and GLOBAL SHOES fairs will be held from 16 to 18 March 2011 and from 7 to 9 September 2011. A total of approx. 1,190 exhibitors from 41 countries will be presenting their shoe, bag and accessories collections for the 2011/12 Autumn/Winter season at the fair.

(12/1/2011)