Another order event is scheduled to take place in Düsseldorf on February 16th and 17th. Gudrun Fokkens, who represents the Spanish shoe brand Lodi in Germany, and Andrea Ristow, organizer of the Munich shoe fair Essenz, are organizing a new event called “Goodiez”.
Gudrun Fokkens explains the background to the project to schuhkurier: “Andrea Ristow and I joined forces because there was a desire in the industry to organize a different kind of customer/supplier interface that takes the state of our industry into account the costs of the event for the exhibitors are significantly reduced. We would like to offer an order event that has a new character. There will be good catering, a DJ and, if desired, a glass of champagne. We want to create a good mood.”
The new event is expressly not a trade fair, Fokkens continued: “We are organizing two order days. It is not a trade fair or a counter-event to Shoes.” The Düsseldorf location is important to the organizers. The new event should also be seen independently of the Essence in Munich.
The main reason for the project was the change of schedule for Shoes, Fokkens continued. “The beginning of February is too early for many companies. Some of the collections are not yet finished. We also believe that retailers will not go to Supreme in Düsseldorf at the end of January and then again to Shoes a week later.”
Registration documents have been circulating in the industry for a few days. A few brands have already agreed, explains Fokkens. The premises on Kaiserswerther Straße have a total of 3,000 square meters available on two levels. How much space the Goodiez Order Days will actually take up is currently still unclear. Fokkens adds: “We cannot currently say whether this event will take place as a one-off event or whether it will become established. We want to try our new concept.”
Aline Müller-Schade, CEO of the Munich Fashion Company (The Supreme Group), rents the premises on Kaiserswerther Straße to the new order event. “We have rented two floors in Düsseldorf all year round and also make these spaces available to other event organizers throughout the year. This is how we are now proceeding with the planned shoe ordering event.”
Müller-Schade does not see any overlap with Supreme, which will take place from January 24th to 27th: “Supreme appeals to buyers from the fashion retail sector. Of course, there are also some fashionable shoe retailers who take advantage of this offer. “I don’t see the new ordering event in Düsseldorf as competition to Supreme because it addresses other customers, i.e. the shoe trade.”
According to Müller-Schade, Supreme is a women’s clothing and clothing platform for fashion retailers and boutiques. “There are also some shoe suppliers at our events in Munich and Düsseldorf; However, their share only reaches around 15 to 20%. It is important to us that these are shoe brands that also match our range of textiles in terms of fashion.”
