Feet first

Next month a host of international and domestic buyers will descend on Sydney with cash to burn. But what can they expect when they get here? Tracey McEldowney previews the one event where almost everyone is well heeled.

About this time last year Australian Exhibition & Conferences (AEC) managing director Marie Kinsella was feeling a little out of sorts.
The venue was booked, the invitations sent and the caterers briefed.
True to form Melbourne's most prolific party planner had organised an event the likes of which had never been seen before. Outwardly she appeared confident but behind closed doors she had her moments of doubt. Would the event be a success? Did the guests share her vision?
She needn't have worried.
Last year, more than 3,000 buyers and 150 exhibitors made their way to the inaugural Australian Shoe Fair at Sydney's Darling Harbour. A similar number made the trek to Melbourne for the bi-annual event's Victorian version.
This year, AEC expects to host even more.
Set among prime real estate at the Sydney Exhibition and Conference Centre, the impending fair will see more than 200 companies exhibit in excess of 1,000 labels.
These include leading brands Birkenstock, Ecco, Alex & Alex, Thomas Cook, Urban Originals, Windsor Smith and Crocs together with new collections by Denmark-based label Malene Birger and Spanish labels Jaime Mascaro, Dorothea, Belen Donate, Kiruna and Ramon Tenza.
Reflecting the boom in its apparel counterpart, children's footwear brands are expected to have a large presence at the event with Queensland brand Moo Moo Kids, Scruffy Dog, Betula and Bubblegummers all making an appearance.
But it's not just exhibitors helping to boost numbers.
Drawn from an impressive domestic and international base, the February 15 to 17 drawcard will also see international buyers from the UK, US, Canada, Japan, Fiji and New Zealand compete against local counterparts in an attempt to be the first to secure exhibitors unique new trans-seasonal ranges.
Owing to the popularity of the inaugural event - which last month helped earn Kinsella and her team the 'best new show' award at Exhibition and Event Association of Australia's Awards for Excellence - observant return visitors should notice a number of changes introduced to this year's program in an attempt to help grow its profile.
These include a new leather, bags and accessories fair to be co-located alongside the main event. Having helped draw a wealth of new exhibitors who would otherwise not have a presence at the footwear fair, this has led to organisers having to double the space set aside for the event with the combined fairs requiring 7,500 square metres of exhibition space.
Kinsella expects the new fair to help broaden customer traffic into the fashion and accessories categories.
"We did independent research on site at the footwear fair and found retailers were asking for accessories and bags to put in their stores. Many are now expanding into bags, shoes and belts to extend their selling range."
Kinsella says the new fair will complement the ranges of existing stand holders with Condura, Nika and Mink and Urban Originals among the big name brands booking space at the event.
While she has opted against displaying accessories or bags, exhibitor Scarlet International director Michelle Koh, showing for the first time in Sydney, has high hopes for her appearance at the event.
Showcasing around 30 styles of her English-based ballet flat label French Sole, Sydney-based Koh says she will use the fair to trial new shapes and colours introduced into this year's collection.
"Summer will be our second season so we are still fairly new in this part of the world. My intention in coming to the fair is really for brand profile."
For shoe fair 'veteran' Carl Greco, of Melbourne-based label Jimmy Dexta, the approach is slightly more clinical.
Greco, whose company will show five labels - Hound Dog, J Dexta, Jetta, Jimmy Dexta and Texas Rose - says his purpose for exhibiting is to help extend the brands' reach as well as sniff out potential international interest.
Already stocked in more than 400 boutiques and department stores domestically, Greco says the three-year-old brand will shortly be ready to begin exporting.
"This is the second time we've shown at the Sydney fair and because we got such a good reception last time, we were keen to exhibit again. We've got a pretty open mind about who we get to the stand. Once we get our house in order for Australia, then we can set about entertaining the idea of exporting. If you're going to do something, you have got to do it right."

International presence*
Democrata Calcados E Artefatos De Couro Brazil
Middle East for Imports and Trade Egypt
Gay Giano International Hong Kong
Private Sector Development Project Mongolia
Composite Retail Group New Zealand
Deejay's Shoes New Zealand
Federated Pacific New Zealand
Gen-X Global New Zealand
Texas Radio and The Big Beat New Zealand
The Hat Shop New Zealand
Dept Sports and Rec South Africa
Yorkland Business Enterprises South Africa
Scrape Di Gio United Kingdom
Ogilvy and Mather United States
*Correct as at January 19, 2007