Interview
Darla-Jane Gilroy: the Global Footwear Future Coalition (GFFC) is uniting the industry
We spoke to Darla-Jane Gilroy, Founder of GFFC. In the first part of our interview, we talked about the creation of the coalition, its four main areas of action and the necessity of a collaborative, pre-competitive space to address systematic challenges within the footwear industry
New Generation: Inês Ferreira from Paradigma
Inês Ferreira, who has a degree in Management from Católica Porto Business School, is the second generation to lead the Paradigma company
Torben Schütz (HDS/L): the Barefoot European Shoe Fair is the beginning of a success story
We spoke to Torben Schütz, Deputy Managing Director at the Federal Association of German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry, to learn more about the upcoming Barefoot European Shoe Fair, the first of its kind in Europe. The preview takes place in the summer in Offenbach, close to Frankfurt
New Generation: meet Diogo Ribeiro from dportus
With a master’s in industrial engineering and management, Diogo Ribeiro is the grandson of the founder of the footwear company Campeão Português. He has recently launched dportus, a B2B shoe platform
Elizabeth Semmelhack from the Bata Shoe Museum: It has been a remarkable 30 years
We spoke to Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum, to learn more about the preparations for the museum’s 30th anniversary. Among other topics, we talked about current and upcoming exhibitions
New Generation: João Ferreira from Paradigma
With a degree in management, João Ferreira is at the helm of Paradigma, a 100% Portuguese brand owned by the second generation of a shoemaking family that has been in business since 1987
Maria José Ferreira from CTCP : BioShoes4All aims to position Portugal to lead in the development of sustainable solutions
We spoke to Maria José Ferreira, Director of Research at CTCP and Coordinator of the BioShoes4All project. We discussed some of the current environmental issues affecting the footwear industry and how Portugal is positioning itself to address these sustainability challenges
Paula Maestro from AIMPLAS: the ECOFAP project was born to give a useful life to the waste of the footwear industry
We spoke to Paula Maestro, a researcher at AIMPLAS and of the ECOFAP project, which aims to solve the problem of recycling leather offcuts in footwear manufacturing. We talked about the projects’ objective, partnerships and anticipated impact on the sector
New Generation: meet Carina Pereira
Carina Pereira has a degree in physiotherapy and has been working in the family business for 12 years. Founded in 2005, the Portuguese company Calçado Albano Pereira produces shoes for men, women and children
Nikolai Christensen: MOVV aims to build a loyal community of runners by creating products that bring joy and progress
We spoke to Nikolai Christensen, Founder of MOVV, to learn more about his new minimalist and functional Scandinavian footwear venture. We talked about the company’s mission, challenges and recent initiatives
New Generation: meet Osvaldo Mesquita
With a degree in product design from the School of Arts and Design and a specialisation in footwear design from the Lisbon School of Design, Osvaldo Mesquita is one of the new names to emerge in the Portuguese footwear sector. He recently launched his own brand, Liquito Mesquita
New Generation: Armando Cabral
He appeared as a model at an early age and walked the world’s most important catwalks. Now, he is taking his first steps on the business side, with the opening of his new store on Fifth Avenue in New York. This is Armando Cabral
New Generation: Artur Cardoso from Wagwan
With a marketing degree and a past linked to the art world, Artur Cardoso has recently launched Wagwan, a Portuguese footwear brand that combines art and sport
Katrin Ley from Fashion for Good: shifting the fashion industry towards circularity by championing innovations
We spoke to Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good, a global platform for innovation. Among other topics, we talked about how Fashion for Good is driving circularity in the fashion and footwear industries through a collaborative approach
Sergio Dulio: all UITIC gatherings are unforgettable, but the next congress will set new standards
We spoke to Sergio Dulio, President of the International Union of Shoe Industry Technicians (UITIC), to learn more about the next UITIC Congress in late August and early September 2025 in Shanghai, China. During our interview, Dulio delves into the significance of the event, its theme and what attendees can look forward to-
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Footwear Consumer 2030
A study reflecting on the main global consumer trends and the key changes for the footwear industry.
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World Footwear Public Calendar
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Media Partners
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UNIT Publishing House
ARS ARPEL
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