June 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:

Anne Meerboth-Maltz
Tel. (312)781-5185
Fax (312) 781-5188
email: ameerboth@mdna.com

Messe Düsseldorf North America
150 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 2920
Chicago, IL 60601

MORE EXCITING BRANDS AND IMPROVED TREND CONCEPT AT GDS 2010

The most important trends and looks for the Spring/Summer 2011 season will be on display at GDS 2010, International Event for Shoes & Accessories. From September 10 - 12, 2010, some 760 international exhibitors with approximately 1,750 collections will present a comprehensive range of progressive and classic premium brands, fashion quality brands, street and sportswear brands as well as the latest kids’ fashion. First-time exhibitors will include exciting brands such as Antichic, Badgley Mischka, Betsey Johnson, Carlos Santos, Cesare Paciotti, D.A.T.E., Debut, Four Leather, Franca, Ikks Shoes, King, Mac Dugan with Carlo Ventura and Koxks, Mika, Luca Mode, Luciana Cavalli, MCM, Orquídea Negra, Premiata, Prima Ballerina, Santandrea, Sofia Costa, and Swiss Line.

For the September edition, GDS will improve its “Follow the Trends” concept even further. “As an international fashion and trend trade fair we want to do our best to satisfy our visitors’ great information needs without overburdening them. This is why we are now fine-tuning our trend concept,” explained Kirstin Deutelmoser, Project Director of GDS. This trend concept acts as a “visual guide” at GDS, directing visitors through the different halls. Starting with the September GDS, visitors will already be able to see in the entrance area where each trend theme is located.

The trend fashion show will present the new looks and styles while trend installations will provide product details and inspiration for store displays. In addition, experts will inform about long-term lifestyle trends and their impact on shoes and accessories as well as key fashion and ordering trends. To help attendees to be better prepared for their visit, the GDS website will in the future include considerably more information in advance of the show.

Descriptions of selected new exhibitors:

Behind the fashion label Badgley Mischka is the duo Mark Badgley and James Mischka. These two designers had a vision in 1988: they wanted to bring the glamorous fashion style of the 1940s back onto the red carpet. According to Vogue, they now rank among the top ten U.S. designers. The style of their creations is sophisticated and is not only geared towards younger consumers but towards all women who prefer modern, wearable couture. The first shoe line came on the market in 1999. Celebrities such as Madonna, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, Sarah Jessica Parker and Ashley Judd value the timeless designs of Badgley Mischka. The brand’s signature style is simple yet perfectly elegant. The finest materials and highest skilled craftsmanship characterize the design. www.badgleymischka.com

With her unique and original creations, New York designer Betsey Johnson has been a key impulse generator in the fashion industry since the 1960s. After designing for other brands for over ten years, she launched her own label in 1978. Today her creations can be found in over 65 stores worldwide. In 2003, Betsey Johnson started to focus on new target groups and extended her portfolio to include shoes and accessories. Since then she has been considered not only a pure fashion designer but also a first-class U.S. lifestyle brand. Numerous awards honor Betsey Johnson’s work in American fashion (ex. Fashion Walk of Fame). Her flamboyant styles are evidence of attention to detail, enthusiasm, limitless creativity and great talent. www.betseyjohnson.com

In 2004, two talented young designers and two marketing students decided to combine their skills and experiences for an ambitious project: with great creativity, expertise and fashion focus they designed their first D.A.T.E. sneakers. The result is a label that meets the high standards of the “Made in Italy” tradition and convinces customers with carefully chosen materials, high quality and skilled craftsmanship. D.A.T.E. was originally inspired by the London street markets: styles from the early 1970s and cheerful colors influenced by the nightlife of the British metropolis. www.date-sneakers.it

With its bags and accessories, German brand MCM has stood for luxury, elegance and skilled craftsmanship since its founding in 1976. Over the past few years, MCM has evolved into an international fashion brand with a range of extraordinary product lines. The brand opened new branches in over 25 countries including Germany, Italy, Great Britain, China and the U.S., rapidly winning new markets in the global luxury segment. With the MCM New York Collection and the opening of 15 departments in the best Saks Fifth Avenue stores, a new era started for the company in 2009. This collection picks up MCM’s old values of prestige and quality and combines them with a more modern, luxurious lifestyle. Lydia Hearst, Coco Rocha, Heidi Klum, Cindy Crawford, Veronica Webb and Patricia Field are among the fans of this label. www.mcmworldwide.com

The collection by Mika from Japan is exceptionally striking and artistic. 30 year old designer Mika Mochizuki considers herself a “perfectly normal girl with a passion for shoes”. She sees designing footwear as a way to live her creativity. The styles were originally just meant for her personal use. But since the brand launch in 2006 they have been available in selected boutiques and online. With her designs, Mika addresses the current generation of the fashion community: feminine, freedom-loving and elegant young women. Mika is part of Aoi Footwear, a company founded in central Japan in 1953. www.mika-footwear.com

In addition to the newcomers, the following brands will again be represented at GDS 2010 (selection): Baldinini, Greve, Heinrich Dinkelacker (Prime²), Alberto Fermani, Ash, Bikkembergs, Diesel, DKNY, Free Lance, Jean-Baptiste Rautureau, Liebeskind Berlin, N.D.C. Made by Hand, Pantofola D’Oro, Red Wing Shoes, Robert Clergerie (White Cubes), Floris van Bommel, Franceschetti, Magnanni, Stuart Weitzman (Upper Style), Art, Ca’Shott Copenhagen, El Naturalista, Feud London, Fly London, Pepe Jeans Footwear, Replay, Tiggers, Wrangler (Urban Authentic), Buffalo, Camel, Chiemsee, MBT, Pikolinos, S.Oliver, Skechers, Tom Tailor, Vagabond. (Urban Fresh) Kamik, Lowa, Tatonka (Urban Active), Ara, Birkenstock, Finn Comfort, Gabor, Högl, Josef Seibel, Lloyd, Meindl, Mephisto, Rieker, Sioux, Wortmann (Essential), Alfiere, Cinque, Donna Carolina, Gritti pas de Rouge, Hispanitas, K&S, Kentucky Joe, Manas, Marco O’Polo, Mjus, Pons Quintana, Progetto Alto Gradimento, Scholl, The Seller, Unisa (Superior), Cherie, Däumling, El Naturalista Kids, Falc Naturino, Moschino Kids, Primigi, Richter and Ricosta (Kidwalk).

At the concurrently held GLOBAL SHOES 2010 – leading trade show for sourcing, some 360 exhibitors will present the entire range of the global volume business in Halls 8a and 8b. “GLOBAL SHOES is a strong platform which will also attract large numbers of key buyers and producers,” stated GLOBAL SHOES Project Director Kirstin Deutelmoser. After a market adjustment due to the global economic crisis, this trade fair has stood its ground as a key business-to-business platform.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at GDS or GLOBAL SHOES 2010, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601. Telephone: (312) 781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit our web site http://www.mdna.com; Subscribe to our blog http://blog.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mdnachicago

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