Exports increased by 45.1%, 2010 raised new hopes in footwear industry

Connecting the industry to the world, AYMOD, the third biggest footwear fashion fair of Europe, pleased manufacturers. The fair grew 40% when compared to the previous year and also attracted great attention from visitors. Totally 33.295 visitors 2.268 of whom were from foreign countries had contacts with exhibitor companies. Representatives of the industry which increased its export in the first four months of the year were more hopeful in 2010 through dialogues developed in the fair.

43^rd AYMOD 4.International Footwear Fashion Fair, was organised by Pozitif Fuarcılık, a group company of CNR Holding, at CNR Expo Fair Centre between the dates of May 27-30, 2010 and gathered the footwear industry of the world. 300 local and foreign companies participated in the fair which was supported by Turkish Footwear Industry Sector Research, Development and Education Foundation (TASEV), Footwear Industrialists Association of Turkey (TASD), Federation of the Turkish Footwear Manufacturers (TUAF), İstanbul Chamber of Footwear Tradesmen and Manufacturers (İAESO), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organisation (KOSGEB) and Under-secretariat of the Prime Ministry for Foreign Trade (DTM). Participants of the fair stated that the exports increased by 45.1% in the first four months of the year and they are hopeful for 2010.

First Overview to the Trends of the Season
During 43^rd AYMOD 4.International Footwear Fashion Fair, organised in 50 thousand sqm area, 2010/2011 Fall-Winter footwear models were displayed for the first time in Turkey. During the fair, significant firms of the industry exhibited their newest models. There was also a sports shoes hall in AYMOD this year.

By the support of chambers of commerce, associations from leather and saddlery industries and related institutions, purchase delegations from seven regions of Turkey visited the fair. Also, purchase delegations were brought to the fair from foreign countries by the cooperation of Pozitif Fuarcılık and Under-secretariat of the Prime Ministry for Foreign Trade (DTM). Visitor countries of the fair were Germany, Albania, Austria, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Morocco, France, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Lebanon, Macedonia, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Syria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkic Republics, Ukraine, Jordan and Greece. Members of European Confederation of Footwear Industry (CEC), who attended its general assembly held in İstanbul, 2010 European Cultural Capital, also visited AYMOD and were given brief by the representatives of Pozitif Fuarcılık and shared their views about the fair.

Exhibitor countries of 43^rd AYMOD 4.International Footwear Fashion Fair, were Spain, Italy, Iran, Syria, Russia and China.

Footwear Parade of Celebrities...
During the fair, shoes and bags designed by students of Footwear and Saddlery Department of Aydın University for Turkish and foreign celebrities attracted great attention. Models inspired by and representative of the lifestyles of celebrities were displayed in the fair. Impressions of art trends like surrealism, impressionism, expressionism, gothic, baroque, pop-art, and romanticism were observed in the project.

At the 43^rd AYMOD Fair, plaques were presented to those who completed their 40^th anniversaries in the industry. 44^th AYMOD 5. International Footwear Fashin Fair, during which 2011 spring-summer footwear trends will be exhibited, will be organised by Pozitif Trade Fairs at CNR Expo Fair Center between the dates of December 02-05, 2010.