WSA witnesses 42% growth in children's footwear section
27 Mar '06
3 min read
“There are all kinds of reasons why the children's category is growing,” noted WSA's Chief Operating Officer Diane Stone. “Some moms go for the mini-me look, others want their kids to look more like kids. Kids, 'tweens, and up want to make their own decisions, often influenced by what big kids are wearing, although some are still drawn to younger looks.
Higher-end designers know that brand affiliation begins at a very early age, so even though kids' shoes may not be a huge part of their sales, they're thinking ahead. Whether consumers want Barbie or Tonka shoes, Keds, Sean John or Baby Phat offerings or miniature versions of the adult Birkenstocks or Merrells, there's something for everyone.”
WSA is the best place to meet children's footwear buyers Gina LaRossa, director of marketing at PRIMIGI-Italy stated, “This year, we expanded our presence at WSA to accommodate our growing needs. WSA draws people from all over the country and is a terrific venue for us to meet with our western and midwestern retailers.”
Elisa Gangl, vice president of licensing and marketing at SGFootwear, agrees that the WSA Show attracts the buyers her company needs to reach. “The majority of our buyers attend the WSA Show. I don't believe there is one major retail partner that does not attend the WSA Show. WSA provides a fantastic opportunity for retailers to see the scope of our company and who we are.”
The next WSA Show will be held August1 – 4, 2006 in Las Vegas. For further information, or to register for the event, please visit: www.wsashow.com.
marketing@alchempro.com
