The Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY), the non-profit organization that leads FFANY Market Weeks in New York and the organization’s NY Shoe Expo Tradeshows, and Informa PLC, organizer of FN Platform, MAGIC, Coterie and PROJECT, announced a joint collaboration to promote the development and growth of the footwear industry in the United States.
Recognizing the two groups faced a date overlap during the upcoming February 2019 shows and understanding the need for a consistent market calendar based on industry demand, FFANY and Informa have embraced it as an opportunity to address the emerging needs of the footwear industry.
The FFANY/INFORMA collaboration will include developing research and recommendations for footwear brands and retailers on the optimal omni-channel paths to market, in addition to providing complementary and coordinated trade show calendars for platforms in New York and Las Vegas. The result will be greater opportunities to allow brands and retailers connect, do business, network and understand industry trends.
“We look forward to collaborating with Informa to collectively serve the footwear industry,” said Ron Fromm, president & CEO of FFANY. “Informa’s policy of transparency in scheduling, and our mutual commitment to serve the needs of footwear brands and retailers with a thoughtful calendar is a development that will benefit all.”
As part of this effort, FFANY and Informa will coordinate their respective trade show calendars to ensure that the timing of footwear trade shows matches the needs of brands and retailers, and that industry players can participate both in FFANY events and in Informa events without logistical barriers. For the February 2019 shows, FFANY and Informa will work with affected brands and retailers to develop personalized recommendations and programs that will enable brands and retailers to participate in both events in order to maximize their sales and marketing efforts during the crucial first quarter of the year.
“We are appreciative to be working alongside FFANY on this forward-thinking planning initiative and collaboration,” Mark Temple-Smith, commercial director, Global Exhibitions of Informa, adds. “We support FFANY’s service to the industry in charity and education and look forward to working on our joint commitment to ensure all footwear brands and retailers have the necessary opportunities to succeed.”
FFANY and Informa are collaborating on the creation of a footwear industry roundtable that will address the future needs of the industry. A date and location for the industry roundtable will be announced separately.
