Get your passport ready! The next concurrent staging of GDS (Global Destination for Shoes & Accessories) and Tag It! (The Private Label Show), will take place from July 26 to 28 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. This is the first time that the events will be held on new show dates, from Tuesday to Thursday.
As a kick-off event for the new season, GDS will feature the most important new 2017 Spring/Summer footwear collections along with groundbreaking trends and innovations. The hall structure will be more compact, so expect to find both GDS and Tag It! in Halls 1 through 5. In addition, there will be an outdoor area near Hall 4 where the Pop Up Market will be located. The concept of the three lifestyle worlds—Highstreet, Studio and Pop Up—will once again offer an overview of international collections.
HIGHSTREET
The Highstreet area will house leading mainstream international fashion brands—from classic, lifestyle and young fashion to sport and comfort shoes. This wealth of collections represents the largest area at GDS, featuring such brands as Birkenstock, Camel Active, Gant, Ganter/Hassia, Finn Comfort, Gabor, Högl, Kangaroos, Jack & Jones, Lloyd, Lowa, Mephisto, Peter Kaiser, Pikolinos, Sioux, Skechers, Tamaris, TBS, Teva, Timberland, Unisa and Vagabond.
New exhibitors include dress-brand Evita, Italian label Shi’s and a Polish label, Rylko that offers men’s, women’s and children’s shoes. New children’s brands include Ecco Kids, Indigo and Panda from Germany, Billowy from Spain and W6YZ from Italy.
STUDIO
High-quality collections boast premium craftsmanship show the highlights of the next season. New brands will include Goosecraft from Amsterdam—with rock ‘n roll men and women’s shoes—Schoshoes women’s shoes from Milan with a women’s line and Andia Fora handmade leather shoes and sneakers. Returning brands include Abro, Arche, Ash, Pertini, Calvin Klein, Candice Cooper, Chie Mihara, Dinkelacker, Donna Carolina, Kennel & Schmenger, Kenneth Cole, Moma, Porsche, Primabase, Profession: Bottier, Pura Lopez, Silvano Sassetti, van Bommel and Zinda.
POP UP
Urban and alternative is the motto of the Pop Up area, home to individual street and fashion-scene styles. Missy Rockz will present a unique sneaker look high heels while
Easy Aw will showcase summer sandals which comfortably cling to any foot shape due to stretch straps. Traditional exhibitors will be A.R.T., Dr. Martens, El Naturalista, Fly London, G-Star Raw Footwear, Havaianas, Levi’s Footwear, Nobrand, Panama Jack, Replay Footwear and Superga.
GDS Trend Program
The GDS Trend Program offers catwalk shows, Trend Spots, Trend Codes and the Trend Talks for additional inspiration and a wealth of information for retailers. The GDS Fashion Shows will present seasonal looks daily in the separate Catwalk Area in Hall 2 while the GDS Trend Spots will display key styles of the season.
Fashion Blogger Cafe
For the fifth year, GDS will feature the Fashion Blogger Café, shoedition. In cooperation with the online fashion magazine Styleranking, GDS will offer over 100 fashion bloggers an extensive program of events. On Thursday, five style-conscious fashion bloggers will create their personal looks to match the shoes of well-known labels and present them at the Blogger Runway show.
Tag It! The Private Label Show
Held concurrently with GDS, Tag It! will present the trends in private labeling. The sourcing trade show will focus on shoes and accessories, international diversity as well as a wide variety of product, price and quality segments. It opens up new business opportunities for the growing market of price-sensitive shoppers. Visitors interested in sourcing can also look forward to new private label collections from exhibitors hailing from China, Bangledesh, India and Pakistan.
