Your GDS Itinerary

If you’re heading to Germany for GDS later this month, you can expect to encounter more than 740 international footwear brands, plus an additional 170 exhibitors at the concurrently held Tag it! Private Label Show. The events take place from July 26 to 28 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, CEO at Messe Düsseldorf, is pleased with the exhibitor numbers despite the current market climate. “740 brands will showcase their new collections at GDS,” he says, adding, “This means we continue to offer a unique range where retailers can gather comprehensive information on all market segments.”

Alena Gerber opens the STUDIO Show

The three GDS segments (Studio, Highstreet and Pop Up) will be reflected in the catwalk show program at GDS. For the first time, visitors will be offered shows every day featuring collection items from all three divisions. The show opens on July 26 with “Re:Luxe” at 11:00 a.m. with leading Studio styles and a star catwalk guest: German model and actress Alena Gerber.

Where to Go

GDS and tag it! will be held in Halls 1 to 5. In front of Hall 4, there will also be a Pop-up Market in a bumper car arena with additional exhibitors. The three lifestyle worlds offer a perfect overview of the international collections. “It is about variety—retail needs impulses through new brands but also via established exhibitors,” offers GDS DirectorKirstin Deutelmoser. “They have to face challenging issues like sustainability, customer service, social media and future trends, which is why these are exactly the themes we reflect.”

STUDIO

With high-quality collections and perfect craftsmanship under one roof, the Studio World at GDS is exclusive and style-defining. New in this segment will be brands such as Amsterdam’s rock chic label Goosecraft and ShoeVita from Frankfurt, Germany, where women’s shoes can be custom designed using a 3D configurator. In addition, GDS will welcome many new exhibitors from Italy including Schoshoes, Ernesto Dolani, Andia Fora, Reptile’s House, Dabliu, Giulia Taddeucci and Ducanero as well as the two handbag brands Heartentry and Ztudio 8b. Other GDS newcomers will be the Spanish label Indaiá with its customizable flip-flops as well as the Portuguese brands Hombra and ELL.

HIGHSTREET

Renowned labels from top shopping streets around the world will be part of the largest area at GDS. Featured here once again will be Birkenstock, Brunate, Camel Active, Gaimo, Galizio Torresi, Gant, Ganter/Hassia, Finn Comfort, Gabor, Högl, Kangaroos, Kanna, Jack & Jones, Lloyd, Lowa, Mephisto, MTNG Originals, Nero Giardini, Peter Kaiser, Pikolinos, Sioux, Skechers, Tamaris, TBS, Teva, Timberland, Unisa, Vagabond and Wonders.

New companies attending this season will include the Evita label with a selection of pumps, ankle boots and sandals from continental size 34; Italian label Shi’s; and Rylko, the active Polish label presenting a women’s, men’s and children’s collection. Further new exhibitors are the Spanish labels Humat and Olé Mallorca, Antica Cuoieria from Italy, the Dutch shoe brand Durea and the traditional labels Cabani Shoes as well as Belgium’s Allan K. and Tigha from Germany.

POP UP

Urban and alternative, the Pop Up segment will highlight individual styles from the street and fashion scene. New exhibitors include Missy Rocz, Easy Aw’s, Louiz & Lou, Lei é Cozy and Havaianas. A.R.T., Blackstone, Dr. Martens, El Naturalista, Fly London, G-Star Raw Footwear, Levi’s Footwear, Nobrand, Panama Jack, Replay Footwear and Superga will be among returning brands. 

GDS Ancillary Program

Catwalk shows, Trend Spots, Trend Codes and the Trend Talks are offered for all retailers. In Hall 2, several daily fashion shows will showcase the trends of the three theme worlds. While the GDS Trend Spots offer retailers the perfect blueprint for exceptional visual merchandising, the Trend Codes answer one of the most important questions when assisting customers at the POS: What shoes go with what outfit?

In cooperation with Styleranking magazine, fashion bloggers Anais Eleni and Tamara Cuevaa have been enl

isted as “trend detectors”. They will view the latest shoe trends and highlights during the show and share their personal impressions on the GDS Instagram account.

FashionBloggerCafé shoedition & Social Media Consulting

Together with the onlin

e fashion magazine Styleranking, GDS will offer over 100 fashion bloggers a comprehensive program at the FashionBloggerCafé shoedition. At the Bloggers’ Runway Show on July 28, five fashion bloggers will style the models with fashion complementing the shoes from well-known labels to present them on the catwalk. In addition, Styleranking will organize a comprehensive workshop program on July 26 and 27, presenting information on topics related to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and blogger relations.

tag it! – The Private Label Show

Parallel with GDS tag it! will present the trends from the private label segment. This sourcing show focuses on shoes and accessories, international diversity as well as a large range of product, price and quality segments. New collections from the private label segment will include exhibitors from China (Nanjing FJA and Quanzhou Esin), from Bangladesh (Tropical Shoes and Sonali), from India (Trading Places and Raj Shoes) as well as from Pakistan (Shafi Lifestyle and Firhaj).