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• 04/06/2007

  SIPIEL walks tall

  • 

    Inside the fair

• FACT FILE

  Exhibitors: 681

  Total net surface area: 33.700 square meters

  Location: Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I, Madrid

   

  CONTACT

  Feria de Madrid (IFEMA)

  28042 Madrid

  Tel.: (+34) 91 772 30 00

   

  modacalzado@ifema.es

  iberpiel@ifema.es

  www.semanapiel.ifema.es

   

  NEXT SHOW DATES

  September 28-30 2007

The 19th SIPIEL International Footwear and Leather Goods Week was held at the Feria de Madrid Convention Centre from March 23 to 25. A total of 681 exhibitors from, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK presented their autumn-winter 07-08 collections over an area of 33,700 square metres. SIPIEL is a chance to see the very latest in footwear at Modacalzado and the hottest trends in leather goods at Iberpiel Marroquinería, the two sections that make up the show.

Modacalzado, a step ahead

The 588 exhibitors at Modacalzado mounted spectacular stands in an area covering 29,400 square metres. Patent leather, longer, more rounded toes and platforms in all shapes and sizes set the pace for a walk-tall winter where heels rule OK.

 

Pedro García was a case in point. Patent leather was a key feature in the collection of this high-stepping footwear brand. Black dominated, but room was also found for thick-heeled ankle boots in beige. Platforms are still in, though this time with rounded toes, while velour ballet shoes sparkled with Swarovski crystal appliqué. Chocolate brown, black, grey and pink will be the colours to go for.

Castañer rides roughshod over any notion that espadrilles are a summer affair. Metallic shades and patent leather provided a new angle on winter footwear. The brand also presented a new line in sports shoes and a range of ballet pumps. Outside Spain, Castañar is still a resounding success. It has recently opened shops in Japan, Italy, and Mexico, as well as at home in Madrid. As if that weren’t enough, Paris boutique Colette has voted its espadrilles one of the ten mainstays of any woman’s wardrobe.

Jaime Mascaró, another traditional brand, offers designs of couture inspiration reminiscent of the 70s and 80s. Low and medium heels, rounded or square toes and evening stilettos are all part of the range. Most striking of all was an original boot with an animal pattern. Mascaró’s youngest brand Prettyballerinas, which now has a shop in London, has also launched a collection for girls and one for women with narrow feet.

After six decades in the trade, Pons Quintana is no newcomer to this fair, where it presented ultra-high wedges, and lined and crêpe platforms. Its Carmen range has been given a facelift, and now sports rounder toes and higher wedges, whilst moccasins make use of striking fabric combinations like suede and patent leather or fur.

 

Majorcan footwear experts Barrats presented a retro collection with flat ankle boots and shoes and asymmetric wedges, designed for a city woman. Its men’s line stays true to good old English style, where comfort dominates classic designs in brown and black in a slim fit with a detailed outer sole. The brand has just updated its boutique in Majorca (Jaime III, 5) and recently launched Barrats.net, a full e-catalogue.

Lottusse presented two new lines for winter: Barock’n’folk and Comme un garçon. The first is an unusual combination of the styles its name suggests, with hand-finished shoes and metal trimmings. The second offers classic men’s casuals with a British feel. Black is the colour of preference.

 

Square-toed ballet shoes and boots with crinkle-effect legs are the Pikolinos choice for next winter. Its range includes the casual comfort line La Palma, hand-sewn for extra flexibility. For him, Pikolinos has created Fuencarral, with sporty designs awash with split leather detail, metal rivets and Velcro on shoes and short boots.

The Hergar group is putting the finishing touches to three shops due to open in China in the second quarter of 2007. It presented its comfortable but innovative brand CallagHan at one of the most spectacular stands at Modacalzado. Also on show was kids’ brand Gorila, with its new Gorila Adaptaction model. Specially designed to withstand plenty of stick and to cope with any movement, it combines insoles to cushion impact and outer soles that change size and adapt to any surface.

Patricia presented its three different brands at separate stands: namesake Patricia, geared to comfort, the bolder young brand Tigrisso, with a natty pink display, and its cutting-edge PTC. An opening in China is also on the cards for June.

 

Jocomomola by Sybilla exhibited its colourful Sixties styles alongside a varied range of shoes and boots in aged leather, with less rounded toes. Etched with Peace & Love slogans, they sported metal appliqué and natural shades of red, black and ochre ideally suited to its ready-to-wear collection.

Comfort, ecology and technological innovation were some of the watchwords at this edition of Modacalzado, and Biostep was a case in point. Its natural footwear range in leather tanned with plant extracts shies away from chromium salts and heavy metals in the search of greener options. With extra wide-fits, anatomic insoles and ultra-flexible outer soles in natural rubber, its ergonomic shoes guarantee comfort. ATF Biotecnosoft offers classic designs with rubber wedges made from 100% soft natural leather for state-of-the-art comfort in a modern style.

 

Some of the brands on show at Modacalzado are proving unstoppable. Fluchos is in the midst of a global bid that is already paying dividends. It was recently voted “Brand of the Year 2006” at the L’Escarpin de Cristal awards at MIDEC France. For its part, Fluxá took part in the Oslo Fashion Show on February 1 and is now at Russian Fashion Week. The brand has just opened shops in Poland and Slovenia and has moved its Moscow boutique to a more vibrant shopping location. Brako (Calzados Évori) has signed a Japanese designer and is all set to expand in the Land of the Rising Sun. The brand already exports 70% of output.

Iberpiel Marroquinería, a head start in accessories

With 4,276 square metres of exhibition area, Iberpiel Marroquinería presented the autumn-winter 07/08 collections of 93 exhibitors from Germany, Spain, India, Italy, Portugal and Morocco.

Olimpo went for bovine leather belts lined with suede and crocodile etching. Backstitching and brass or shiny nickel fittings add detail. Its travel line includes suit carriers, trolley cases and leather bags in black or brown leather, also bovine, with metal fittings in a steel finish.

Rusted gold and metal detail are the key features of the Puntotres range. The company, which exports 75% of its output, takes a classic approach. This collection includes big, urban-look designs in patent leather with a gold metallic finish. Puntotres is in the process of setting up retail corners around the world, Japan and Russia in particular.

 

Mo by María Roca makes another tempting offer with vintage bags in velvet and patent leather that takes you back to the roaring twenties. Cats goes for red and black, and patent leather is again in favour, while Drap uses red in a satin finish and an infinite variety of sizes and shapes. In leatherwear, Munper has gone for an understated elegance but bright colour, whole Monreal opts for coats with fur cuffs, lapels and hems ideal for the colder temperatures.

Much more than a tradeshow

But SIPIEL is more than a trade fair and a series of events were organised to coincide with the event. Zapateando was an exhibition organised by the Elda Footwear Museum to pay tribute to flamenco dancer Antonio Gades, who died three years ago. The display included eleven pairs of dancing shoes worn by other great bailaores (Sara Baras, Joaquín Cortés, Eva Hierbabuena, María Pagés, Cristina Hoyos, Antonio el Bailarín...) and pictures of them performing taken by top photographers like Ouka Lele, Javier Salas, Gyenes and Outumuro.

 

Other events included an exhibition featuring the winners of the Lápiz de Oro competition for designers, also organised by the Elda Footwear Museum, the Modacalzado Trend Showcase – which exhibited some of the best collections presented at SIPIEL – and the 2nd Modacalzado Catwalk.