GDS are committed to providing exhibitors and visitors alike with more added value to their participation. Following a damaging clash of dates with Micam at the last edition they are back with more user friendly timing and extra benefits, along with new themed areas, concentrated Trend Spots, fun events and extraordinary art highlights. The 102nd event will take place in Düsseldorf from September 15-17.
‘white cubes – contemporary shoe design’ provides the platform for Topstyle/Exclusivity in Hall 9, making an unmistakeable fashion statement with a new, select Premium Area. White Cubes will only be open to progressive, high-quality shoe brands and international designer labels. Trade buyers and visitors will only be granted access by personal VIP invitation. This new Premium Area will be visibly characterised by a high-end, clean-cut chic.
Herren-Special: GDS is a strong and important platform for the international men’s shoe market. More than 250 exhibitors with international names will be represented here. The 102nd GDS will target this important market specifically. An exclusive fashion forum will be staged as well as fashion round tables dealing with interesting topics. At the forthcoming event the Fashion-Plaza in Hall 9 will focus exclusively on hand-welted men’s shoes in conjunction with exclusive men’s fashion providing a concise brand overview with the relevant luxury labels at GDS. The Fashion Talks will address relevant themes entitled ‘Welted Shoes – A Curse or Blessing’ and ‘Men as Dull Dressers – Can this Change?’ Two roundtable discussions with representatives from the industry, trade along with end users and VIPs will ensure a new exchange of ideas here.
Kids’ World: children’s footwear will be one of the many ‘competence centres’ at GDS. There will be more than 250 kids’ shoe collections including the likes of Kenzo, Moschino, Primigi and Richter. ‘Kids’ World’ will be the name of the new sector presented in Hall 10 where all kids’ shoe manufacturers present will be grouped and presented in a special setting with their own ‘Action Plaza’.
High Fashion Show: New and exclusive, the 102nd GDS will see the first ‘High-Fashion-Show’ present top-flight brands and trends. It will officially open GDS as a ‘Special Guest Event’ and be repeated over the three days of the exhibition as part of the show calendar. Furthermore, the GDS Fashion Shows and special shows organised by individual exhibitors and associations will display what is up and coming in other sectors.
‘Design Attack’: Geared to trend scouts from retailing and industry but also to ‘headhunters’ seeking promising new talents, ‘Design Attack’ is now entering its 5th round and is already becoming an established platform for up-and-coming designers, newcomers and lifestyle products bearing trendy labels. Here young and hip trends are ‘live’ – the atmosphere at Design Attack is perceivably different – be it in terms of products, stand construction, hall atmosphere, visitors or exhibitors. This is a microcosm in its own right – limited to just 100 exhibitors though very much with an ‘alive and kicking’ feel about it. The 102nd GDS will instil the Italy of the 60s and 70s with new life under the heading ‘Mambo Italiano’. Still true today, the celebrated glamour, parties and ‘dolce vita’ of the Italian Riviera of those years captivates just as does Federico Fellini’s cult movie of the same name starring Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni. Romantic beach styling with little beach huts lining those sandy beaches is spiced up with mambo fever! The daily Mambo Italiano show features the latest trends. ‘Mambo Italiano’ is the motto for the 102nd GDS presented in all its varied facets and serving as a perfect backdrop for the collections proposed for spring/summer 2007.
TrendVision: Arranged as a walk-in to Hall 10, ‘TrendVision’ will stage shoes in an appealing setting, in a sensual and artistic way and in a stylish manner – inextricably intertwined with fashion, lifestyle and art. This zone is not only a ‘must-go’ destination to see the latest tendencies but also an oasis to re-charge your worn out batteries. Mambo Italiano is the 5th edition of ‘Design Attack’ powered by the sensual Italian style of the 60s and 70s. This successful platform is limited to 100 exhibitors for young designers, newcomers and the lifestyle products of well-established hip labels.
‘Quadriennale06’ is a huge art highlight being staged by the city at the time of the fair. There will be a series of exhibitions ‘Bodies in Art’ featuring Caravaggio, Francis Bacon, Bruce Nauman, Juan Muñoz etc, launched at numerous Düsseldorf museums in time for the 102nd GDS. Admission is free with tickets to GDS.
The 102nd GDS will kick off with new vigour into the forthcoming spring/summer season 2007. The new dates from September 15-17. 2006, now from Friday to the Sunday, expects approximately 1,300 exhibitors from 45 countries with around 3,000 collections.
GDS is not only about targeted exhibition and footwear business. After-show socialising and the international get-together rank just as highly. Absolute highlights for the forthcoming GDS will be the ‘Quadriennale06’ and the re-invented GDS on Stage Party.
‘GDS on Stage’ will also be exploring new avenues as from the 102nd GDS. Instead of its traditional get-together at the exhibition centre this event will now culminate in a hot beach party for insiders and the party crowd at the Düsseldorf bathing beach Lörick. It will also be geared to the Design Attack motto ‘Mambo Italiano’. Here the infamous party life of the Rivieria in the 60s and 70s will herald a comeback – truly authentic with mambo fever and limbo dancing.
The GDS admission ticket, subject to a 30% discount when purchased in advance, includes: Free admission to all museums of the Quadriennale06; Free admission to the new “Mambo Italiano” beach party ; Free admission to all trend events, fashion shows and trend forums; Free exhibition catalogues; Free hall plans for perfect planning of your exhibition circuit; Free use of all public transport in the network of the VRR/VRS transport authority within a 100 km radius; Free shuttle-bus transfer from the airport to the exhibition centre.
Beyond this, [http://www.gds-online.com] provides comprehensive information services on exhibitors, programmes and shows alongside general news on the shoe market, the industry and fashion trends.
