Outdoor footwear is getting lighter and lighter

Presseinformation
Press release
Communiqué de presse
Informazione stampa
23rd European Outdoor
Trade Fair
July 13 – 16, 2016
Friedrichshafen, Germany
23. Europäische
Outdoor-Fachmesse
13. – 16. Juli 2016
Friedrichshafen, Bodensee
29/06/2016
Multifunctional and urban outdoor footwear outperforms
hiking boots and shoes - OutDoor reveals the latest trends
Outdoor footwear is getting
lighter and lighter
Friedrichshafen - Footwear is probably one of the
most irrational products groups when it comes to
consumer goods. People often get really excited
about what to wear on their feet. No surprises then
that footwear sells so well in the outdoor sector.
Outdoor footwear is functional, technical, looks good
and is also comfortable to boot. At the OutDoor 2016
(July 13 - 16) in Friedrichshafen, the world’s leading
footwear manufacturers will be presenting the latest
trends for the coming season.
Outdoor footwear, not mountaineering boots or hiking
shoes, is now the second-most important product category
in the industry. And when it comes to the latest looks,
leather and wax belong to the past. These natural materials
are still widely used, but flatter, more colourful and crazier
shoes that can be worn both for outdoor activities and
everyday use are the order of the day.
"The urban outdoor trend definitely has plenty of growth
potential,” says Selim Say, Product Manager Keen. Merrell’s
Country Manager for Germany, Thomas Kamm agrees:
"Multi-functional and urban outdoor footwear are definitely
2016
Abteilung Kommunikation
Wolfgang Köhle
Phone: +49 7541 708 - 307
Fax: +49 7541 708 - 331
E-Mail: [email protected]
1/4
Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH
Postfach 2080
88010 Friedrichshafen
Neue Messe 1
88046 Friedrichshafen
GERMANY
www.messe-friedrichshafen.com
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Friedrichshafen
Amtsgericht Ulm, HRB 631179
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender:
Oberbürgermeister Andreas Brand
Geschäftsführer: Klaus Wellmann
Presseinformation
Press release
Communiqué de presse
Informazione stampa
23rd European Outdoor
Trade Fair
July 13 – 16, 2016
Friedrichshafen, Germany
23. Europäische
Outdoor-Fachmesse
13. – 16. Juli 2016
Friedrichshafen, Bodensee
on trend. Take the Moab FST, for example, it’s an extremely
versatile shoe that offers all-day comfort and is fun to run in
and comes in a fresh, young design. At the same time, it’s a
multifunctional shoe that is stable enough for rugged
terrain and off-trail use.” This is what customers want as
they pursue a wide range of different outdoor activities
which could involve hiking, mountain biking, bouldering and
urban exploration, all in the course of the same weekend.
At OutDoor 2016, Dachstein is presenting a new and
interesting model - the Skylite Thermocolor. "Heat-sensitive
colour pigments change colour as the temperature alters,
making this shoe a real fashionable highlight”, explains
Dachstein CEO Oliver Wieser.
In addition to urban outdoor footwear, sporty
multifunctional shoes are proving very popular. "People
want lighter, sporty products that cover a wide range of
activities,” comments Marc Fischer, Senior Director Adidas
Outdoor Europe. American brand, Columbia, is of a similar
opinion: "Multisport remains the major trend and will
continue to be an important focus in the future,” announces
Dana Eichinger, Marketing Germany. Jack Wolfskin,
Germany’s biggest outdoor brand doesn’t use the term
trend, instead it talks of an institution. "Trail running and
Outdoor Training are more than trends, they have become
compulsory categories for all serious outdoor companies,”
says Footwear Director Markus Baum.
Lighter, faster - and more secure? Not without proper
expert advice, says Jürgen Siegwarth, Brand Manager
Hanwag. "A lightweight design may determine whether a
customer makes a purchase or not. When somebody buys a
pair of shoes, they hold them in their hands and
2016
Abteilung Kommunikation
Wolfgang Köhle
Phone: +49 7541 708 - 307
Fax: +49 7541 708 - 331
E-Mail: [email protected]
2/4
Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH
Postfach 2080
88010 Friedrichshafen
Neue Messe 1
88046 Friedrichshafen
GERMANY
www.messe-friedrichshafen.com
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Friedrichshafen
Amtsgericht Ulm, HRB 631179
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender:
Oberbürgermeister Andreas Brand
Geschäftsführer: Klaus Wellmann
Presseinformation
Press release
Communiqué de presse
Informazione stampa
23rd European Outdoor
Trade Fair
July 13 – 16, 2016
Friedrichshafen, Germany
23. Europäische
Outdoor-Fachmesse
13. – 16. Juli 2016
Friedrichshafen, Bodensee
immediately feel the difference. However, providing expert
sales advice also means explaining that hiking boots and
shoes are always going to weigh slightly more as they need
to provide a certain amount of stability. And stability is
where classic shoemakers come in. There are plenty of
them in Europe from Lundhags in Sweden, via Hanwag,
Lowa, Meindl in Germany to AKU, Scarpa and Zamberlan in
Italy or Bestard in Spain.
In addition to the trends urban outdoors, multi-functionality
and trail running, there is another important issue.
"Sustainability has been on the agenda for a while now and
will continue to become more important in the future,”
predicts Alex Nicolai, Head of Design & Development at
Lowa. Recycling is difficult, as shoes are often made of over
200 parts that are stitched and glued together. Instead
durability is key. This is particularly important in times
where consumers often look very carefully at the price tag.
"We are seeing an important development on the market,
people are actively asking for hard-wearing, long-lasting
products,” confirms Jürgen Siegwarth. This is one area
where the outdoor footwear industry can really set itself
apart from the fashion sector, explains a pleased Johanna
Rastner, Head of Sales at Scarpa: "A further important
factor that influences purchase decisions is that all Scarpa
footwear is resoleable.” However, only footwear with a
high-quality construction can be resoled. Only this will
enable customers to build up a long-term relationship to
their boots or shoes and ensure that outdoor footwear
remains a success.
The OutDoor trade show is open to industry visitors only
from July 13 to 16, 2016. For more information, please visit:
2016
Abteilung Kommunikation
Wolfgang Köhle
Phone: +49 7541 708 - 307
Fax: +49 7541 708 - 331
E-Mail: [email protected]
3/4
Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH
Postfach 2080
88010 Friedrichshafen
Neue Messe 1
88046 Friedrichshafen
GERMANY
www.messe-friedrichshafen.com
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Friedrichshafen
Amtsgericht Ulm, HRB 631179
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender:
Oberbürgermeister Andreas Brand
Geschäftsführer: Klaus Wellmann
Presseinformation
Press release
Communiqué de presse
Informazione stampa
23rd European Outdoor
Trade Fair
July 13 – 16, 2016
Friedrichshafen, Germany
www.outdoor-show.com
www.facebook.com/OutDoor.Show
23. Europäische
Outdoor-Fachmesse
13. – 16. Juli 2016
Friedrichshafen, Bodensee
and
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2016
Abteilung Kommunikation
Wolfgang Köhle
Phone: +49 7541 708 - 307
Fax: +49 7541 708 - 331
E-Mail: [email protected]
4/4
Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH
Postfach 2080
88010 Friedrichshafen
Neue Messe 1
88046 Friedrichshafen
GERMANY
www.messe-friedrichshafen.com
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Friedrichshafen
Amtsgericht Ulm, HRB 631179
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender:
Oberbürgermeister Andreas Brand
Geschäftsführer: Klaus Wellmann