S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No4 April 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- The R-CTFL Masterplan, 5 years on – Part III: It’s not enough to say ‘please buymore from us’, says NCRF.
05 Exports & Trade
- APLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: It was good to be back, exhibitors said.
- Fathima Khan Luxury: Good leads.
- NTE Company: Boost for agents.
- Thurling Investments: In many ways, back to the old glory days.
- Zambezi Grace: Good market for our leather and our bags.
- SAFLEC: As world output exceeds demand, SA is still an attractive source of footwear.
13 Travel Goods
- Growth for top end as business travel returns to normal levels.
16 Profile
- Alfonso Smerilli of Make My Shoes Store Lab and Smerilli Design Manufacturing: Direct to consumer AND supplying mini-chains with European quality footwear.
14 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Shoe brand The Weekend Boot opens doors to its secrets.
20 Influencers
- Beyoncé Bounce: Western boot sales jump more than 20% week over week since ‘Cowboy Carter’ launch.
- UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ‘ruins’ classically cool sneaker, while Barack Obama looked ‘tasteful, playful and on-point’.
23 Trade Statistics
- South Africa: January imports and exports of footwear and accessories, provided by SARS.
Advertisers in this Issue
All China Leather Exhibition (OFC), Arena Trim (04), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), Haesloop Agencies (09), Kaytex Belts (12), Leather Finishing Products (15), Leggenda Sport/Diadora (03, 19), Saddler Belts (07), SAFLEC (10), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (14), Seadoone Shoes (06), Shotland Packing (17).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 15 May 2024.
- APLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: Fathima Khan Luxury: Good leads : Exotic leather handbagsWas this your first overseas exhibition? No, I have done 5 other exhibitions, but this was my first time in Hong Kong.Did you do any confirmed business? – No.Did you come away with realistic leads? – Yes, I did.Are your current products appropriate for export? – Yes, they are.Because of your participation at APLF, are th ...moreAPLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: Infix Creations : Handmade handbagsEast London, E. Cape, SA – Infix Creations won the best traditional handbag award and was chosen to feature in the trend area, positioning South Africa as a trend leader. This was a very big achievement with world buyers present. ...moreAPLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: Thurling Investments: In many ways, back to the old glory days : Exotic leathersCape Town, W. Cape, SA – We found the fair to be excellent and, in many ways, back to the old glory days where everybody that we do business with around the globe attended. We had current and past customers visit us from North America, South America, Europe, Australia and of course the East (which included Japan, Korea, etc).T ...moreSAFLEC: As world output exceeds demand, SA is still an attractive source of foowearSAFLEC executive director Nerisha Jairaj took part in session 1 of the Global Footwear Executive Summit, which covered footwear production and its supply chain.The theme of the session was to discuss the current scenario where the demand for footwear is significantly lower than the available supply, and finding a balance for the supply ch ...moreGrowth for top end as business travel returns to normal levelsGeorge, W. Cape, SA – The luxury end of the travel goods market “is doing better than more affordable alternatives”, FrontierCo group merchandise executive Kennith Barlow said this month.“I know that sounds odd in the present economic climate, and we’re not oblivious to the fact that the target market is a ve ...moreAlfonso Smerilli of Make My Shoes Store Lab and Smerilli Design Manufacturing - Direct-to-consumer AND supplying mini-chains with European quality footwearAlfonso Smerilli has had a long and varied career in the South African footwear industry and now, just shy of his 52nd birthday, and in a sector which is mostly struggling, he’s embarked on his most challenging role yet – as a factory owner, blazing a different trail.His start in the footwear industry was with a factory owned ...moreShoe brand opens doors to its secretsConcerns About the Eco-Friendly Footwear Market and Thesus's Unconventional Approach. The Weekend Boot™, retailing at about $200, has sold over $3M worth in 3 years. Made with 96% renewable materials, its maker, Thesus, now reveals the manufacturing process and intellectual property behind the boot to the world. ...moreBeyoncé bounce: Western boot sales jump more than 20 percent week over week since ‘Cowboy Carter’ launchQuoting Circana, which produces reports on U.S. consumer behaviour, news channel CNBC reported on 12 April that Western-style boot sales climbed more than 20% the week after Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” was released late last month.It said that “though cowboy boots may typify the Western look, other pieces, inc ...moreLook of the Week: The UK Prime Minister just ‘ruined’ this classically cool sneakerIn a graphic demonstration of how one person can be ‘cool’ while another, in very similar circumstances, is ‘uncool’, a report 09 April on CNN contrasted UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with former U.S. President Barack Obama – on their shoes. ...moreThe R-CTFL Masterplan: It’s not enough to say ‘please buy more from us’, says NCRFCape Town, W. Cape, SA – The group monitoring the progress of the R-CTFL Masterplan – the PMO Core – “does not have a mandate to engage with the media”, according to Michael Lawrence, who represents the National Clothing Retail Federation of SA (NCRF) on the PMO Core.He was responding last week to the report ...moreAPLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: It was good to be back, exhibitors said21 businesses from Africa exhibited in Hong Kong in March. Of those, 4 were from Ethiopia and 3 were from Egypt.The SA exhibitors were divided between finished goods exhibitors on a sponsored national pavilion in the Fashion Access hall, overseen by the SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC), and 3 leather chemicals and leather ...moreAPLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: NTE Company: Boost for agents : Tanning chemicalsPietermaritzburg, KZN, SA – We had a very successful APLF and were busy on all 3 days. We use these fairs to fly the NTE flag but also to meet many of our agents from the region as travel in and out of Hong Kong is very convenient for them. Some don’t attend ACLE in Shanghai as they see it as a Chinese fair and travelling ther ...moreAPLF Leather, Materials+, Fashion Access: Zambezi Grace: Good market for our leather and our bags : Exotic leathers, exotic leather handbagsUmdloti, KZN, SA – How did you do at APLF? We exhibited as a tannery and as a luxury exotic brand in finished goods. Sales on our finished goods was surprisingly good and we have confirmed orders from Japan, Korea and China for belts, wallets and luggage. We met existing customers for exotic leathers and met new cu ...moreDiadora: An introduction to athleisureAthleisure, transcending traditional fashion norms, resonates with a diverse audience across the globe, symbolising a shift towards versatile attire that effortlessly blends fashion and utility. This cultural influence is mirrored in the broader trend towards relaxed dressing, as seen in the ascent of athleisure. Championing comfort and a ...more
Footwear Industry Articles
- Obituary: Shan Pillay – Eddels, Jaguar Shoes, Divine Shoes (19/01/1936-28/05/2024) The quiet, ever-present photographerPietermaritzburg, KZN, SA – In the first place, my deepest condolences to Nellandran and Pritha and Uncle Shan’s five grandchildren. His passing on, as I’m sure you know, is not just a loss to your immediate and extended family and his close friends and colleagues, including in the media sector – but to all of us i ...moreAI is putting an end to counterfeit sneakersOsmo’s AI-powered scent authentication machine in action, revolutionizing the fight against counterfeit sneakers by detecting unique chemical profiles with remarkable precision.As the sneaker resale market continues to boom, counterfeit goods remain a persistent concern for both luxury and mass-market brands. Counterfeiters have bec ...more2025 FORECASTSBy common consent, 2024 has been a difficult year for almost all businesses, organisations, government departments and people in the SA leather value chain. The main exceptions would have been successful exporters, because the domestic market has been getting poorer year after year. The underlying reasons are mostly to do with the policie ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- LULUC: Explaining the link between deforestation and the leather industryLand use and land use change (LULUC) refers to the study area in general – that is the study of how global land use change (commonly through human intervention) results in increased atmospheric emissions. The obvious emission is that if the forest is burnt, the emissions are directly released into the atmosphere. However, the change ...moreAgency company changesCape Town, W. Cape, SA – Gert Bosch and Arné Husselman left TST Agencies earlier this year.Bosch started Bosch Technical Services (Pty) Ltd (BTS), which began trading on 01 March, servicing the tanning industry. He represents a number of principals including some formerly represented by TST.Husselman has left the industry and ...moreThe power of partnership…This month we are delighted to announce the beginning of a new programme, being funded by the Leather & Hide Council of America as part of the US Regional Agricultural Programme. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- MBA North members place in top 4 of every category in MBSA National Safety Competition – againMaster Builders Association North (MBA North) members have continued their multi-year winning streak by being placed in the top four of every category in the 2024 Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) National Safety Competition (NSC) – the flagship event for health and safety in the building industry.Gerhard Roets, Health and Safety ...moreMastering contractor management for safety, business efficiency and growth in the mining industryJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (13 November 2024) – The mining industry operates in a complex and demanding environment characterised by rapid technological advancements, stringent safety regulations, and escalating cost pressures. To compete in this context successfully, mining executives must prioritise operational efficiency, cost-eff ...moreHow dangerous is Radon?Radon is estimated to cause 3% to 14% percent of all lung cancer cases in the world, depending on where you live and how much radon you are exposed to.Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible and odourless gas that enters homes and workplaces unnoticed. It can pose a serious health risk at elevated levels for a prolonged period. But what ...more
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