>> Business News September 2010

TFL publishes every month business news with focus on the leather industry, on a worldwide basis.

True Religion launches women’s footwear

USA jeans brand True Religion is planning to launch a women’s footwear collection for spring/summer 2011. A relevant licence agreement has been signed with American footwear producer Titan Industries. The collection’s 30 models will be retailed at prices between 125 and 250 dollars a pair.

Shoes from Jeckerson

Italian leisurewear specialist Jeckerson is also poised to introduce a shoe collection for the spring/summer 2011 season. Production is in the hands of Italian shoemaker Pantofola d’Oro, while Jeckerson itself will be responsible for marketing.

Higher sales and profit for Sabu GmbH

Heilbronn-based Sabu Schuh & Marketing GmbH reports a sales increase of eleven percent to 167.8 million Euro in Germany for the first half of 2010. Higher sales, increased fee income and cost savings through synergies have increased the half-year result by a multiple versus last year to well over half a million Euro. Sabu expects this year’s positive trend to continue. More than 70 percent of the 1000-plus Sabu dealers have started using the marketing jingle “Lust auf schöne Schuhe” (Lust for lovely shoes) and the available goods concepts. Order numbers for the autumn/winter 2010/2011 season increased markedly under the conditions and early allocation programmes which allow large volumes to be bunched together very early in the season. Highly gratifying was the performance of the exclusive brand “Andiamo” with orders up by some 50 percent for autumn/winter 2010.

Kickers to launch kiddies’ fashion

Kiddies’ footwear brand Kickers is to introduce clothing for boys and girls. To start with there is to be a bio line for two to eight-year olds and a vintage line for eight to sixteen year-olds for the spring/summer 2011 season. Kickers is a member of the French Royer group. Marketing will be in the hands of Schwelm-based Royer Deutschland.

Columbia Sportswear buys OutDry Technologies

American outdoor specialist Columbia Sportswear Company is taking over the Italian firm OutDry Technologies S.r.l. A purchase agreement to that effect has already been signed. OutDry owns the property rights and other assets of the OutDry brand and appurtenant businesses. The takeover, to be finalized in the third quarter, will be effected via a cash purchase of Nextec S.r.l., domiciled in the Milan area. “The purchase of OutDry is the latest instance of our strategy to build up a portfolio of innovative techniques which will enable us to provide the performance and protective advantages most appreciated by outdoor customers”, says Tim Boyle, Columbia’s president and CEO. “We regard the proprietary processing methods further developed by OutDry since 1998 as a new standard for the production of waterproof, breathable footwear and gloves”. OutDry is to be used throughout the entire portfolio of outdoor products, including Columbia, Sorel, Mountain Hardwear and Montrail. Additionally it will be marketed to selected brands inside and outside the outdoor branch”.

1600 exhibitors at Micam

Some 1600 firms will be represented at the Milan footwear fair Micam on the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition ground from 19 to 22 September. Of these, 580 will be from abroad. Roughly 400 exhibitors are expected at the Mipel leather goods fair being staged concurrently.