Political choices are reshaping the world and have an impact on how and where products, including fashion and footwear, are going to be manufactured and sold. Hard earned international trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal which has been abandoned by the new US administration are in jeopardy while new ones are being negotiated. What impact will these decisions have on employment and social situations worldwide Will consumers benefit or suffer
These issues as well as tax reforms, new trade and customs regulations and geopolitical influences will be explained and debated at the coming APLF Limited organized Global Footwear Retail Conference (GFRC) due to take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 30 March 2017.
Claude Eric Paquin, President of the French Federation of Footwear will summarise all these technologies and will explain how they are successfully applied in France.
Sergio Dulio, Manager of ATOMLab Research and Innovation unit of the Italian ATOM Group, one of the world's leading companies in the field of shoe machinery, will describe brand new scenarios where the physical and virtual worlds as well as purchasing and manufacturing merge in a whole new format of retail.
Shirley Saylor, Vice President of International Business Development, Fashionmii will depict how digital platforms such as fashion mii, can help brands to tell their fashion story. Shirley is a well-rounded business leader in the Footwear industry who has held executive roles with Le Saunda, Mirabell, Skechers China, Caleres and Florsheim China.
Last but not least, GFRC's experts will demystify new footwear trends from Athleisure to Smart shoes.
Featuring 3 main themes
For its third edition, a rich programme has been put together which includes three sessions featuring:
- Political choices reshaping the world: what impact on the footwear retail industry
- Disruptive technologies in footwear retail: Virtual Reality, Live streaming, 3D printing. Will they bring customers back to the stores or keep them home
- Footwear consumer's preferences: key trends from Athleisure to Smart shoes distilled by GFRC's experts.
