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GDS - The "Trends in Progress Lounge": New Lecture Programme in Hall 7.0

With its supporting programme focused on fashion trends, product news and sectoral know-how GDS from 12 to 14 March 2010 is an innovative pioneer on the market. Located in Hall 7.0 for the first time now the Trends in Progress Lounge as a central lecture area offers a both exciting and varied programme of events. Here the retail trade can be inspired by trends, network with young designers and gather key information from lectures on new market trends like eco footwear, the wellness segment or erotic shoe fashions. Experts will also explain the latest developments in online retail and demonstrate new options for presenting goods.

The Amsterdam agency Y Trends specialising in young fashion footwear and sneaker trends will be celebrating its 10th anniversary at the forthcoming GDS. All-new is the first Footwear Designer Networking Drinks event. Alongside expert discussions with designers, visitors here will be able to meet young design talents just graduating from the new "Industrial Footwear Design" course in the Netherlands. This means companies will have the opportunity to find designers for their brands. The concept for the event is totally unique and was inspired by a Japanese lecturing technique called pecha kucha. Selected students at the event will hold brief, off-the-cuff talks and then afterwards discuss with participants about their ideas on shoe design at a Creativity Talk. (Friday, 12 March 2010, 6.00 pm).

Informative, exciting and amusing are the various "trend tweets" from Nicoline van Enter at Y Trends. In her talks she provides a complete overview of trendsetting design principles. Here she will be shedding light on both the 2010/11 Autumn/Winter and 2011 Spring/Summer seasons. The seminars will be held in English (Friday, 12 March 2010, 10.00 am, Saturday, 13 March 2010, 11.00 am) and in cooperation with the trade journal Schoenvisie also in Dutch (Friday, 12 March 2010, 1.00 pm and Sunday, 14 March 2010, 11.00 am).

"Join the Early Birds" is a trend seminar for the 2011/12 Autumn/Winter and 2012 Spring/Summer seasons (Friday, 12 March 2010, 4.30 pm). The event is particularly aimed at designers and developers in search of trend information for the more distant future. For this reason the seminar is not free. In addition to her trend lectures Nicoline van Enter will be talking in other seminars on current sectoral themes and innovative approaches in shoe design and marketing. The "Developments in Eco Footwear" lecture deals with the latest ecological materials and sustainability principles (Friday, 12 March 2010, 3.00 pm). The erotic market is booming and proving crisis proof. How the shoe trade can tap into this niche area is demonstrated in the seminar entitled "Growing Opportunities for Erotic Footwear" (Saturday 13 March 2010, 3.00 pm).

In his lecture entitled "Value for Money" Professor Roberto Gusso from Italy‘s Ars Sutoria School will be explaining the most important criteria when comparing price and quality. Buyers and retailers will be familiarised with the materials relevant to, and used in, today‘s shoe manufacturing processes thereby enabling them to assess the value of the end product (Friday 12 March 2010 and Saturday 13 March 2010, on both days at 2.00 pm). Those interested in attending can register online on the GDS website. As an incentive the first 50 trade visitors will receive a free six-month subscription to the Ars Sutoria online magazine. Ten lucky visitors will also win an annual subscription to the magazine Ars Sutoria.

The wellness sector is considered the largest growth market of the 21st century. More and more people are seeking products that not only boast aesthetic but also functional aspects. GDS also shows just how fashionable wellness can be by reacting to this international, long-term trend with a green wellness icon in the exhibitor index for suppliers in this segment. Furthermore, an information event on the topic of wellness and sustainability will also be held. The "Roundtable: Shape your Business" shows the new opportunities arising for retailers in this segment. (Saturday, 13 March 2010, 1.00 pm).

How online retail and environmental protection go hand in hand is evidenced in the cooperation between RICOSTA and Gaxsys in the roundtable "From E-Commerce to Eco-Commerce". The e-commerce GAX system stands for "global article exchange". This is a kind of goods exchange that passes on orders from the online shops of cooperating brand manufacturers to local specialist retailers. These can then secure the order and send out the merchandise. Thanks to the e-commerce GAX system local retail can be incorporated fully automatically into the online business of participating brand manufacturers for the first time now (Saturday, 13 March 2010, 4.00 pm). schuhkurier editors Karolina Landowski and Helge Neumann will be providing valuable tips on creative decorative ideas for the point of sale in their Deco Design Lecture "Beautiful Designs for Shop Windows". They will also be presenting the most imaginative shop windows from the most important fashion cities. (Sunday, 14 March 2010, 2.00 pm). The forthcoming GDS - International Event for Shoes & Accessories and GLOBAL SHOES - leading trade show for sourcing will be held at Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 12 to 14 March 2010. Altogether approx. 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries (correct as of 17 February) will be presenting the latest shoe and bag collections for Autumn/Winter 2010/11 and trends the current season.

All activities related to GDS and GLOBAL SHOES as well as numerous features like exhibitor contact data and collection descriptions can be found on the Internet at:
www.gds-online.com link
www.globalshoes-online.com link

Press release
Düsseldorf, 17 February 2010