Sipiel welcomes more than 18,600 visitors

At the 19th edition of Sipiel, held from March 23-25, visitors gained an insight into the trends and new features that will shape the latest fashions in leather footwear and accessories for the Autumn-Winter 2007/08 season. Sipiel, made up of Modacalzado, the International Footwear Fair, and Iberpiel Marroquinería, featured the participation of nearly 700 companies from 15 countries throughout the world. The event welcomed some 18,677 professionals, 3,099 of whom came from overseas including 1,400 from Portugal and others from Estonia, Lithuania, Turkiye, Gabon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Lebanon and New Zealand. International brands such as Givenchy, Sonia Rykiel, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Kenzo, Moschino, and footwear brands of international stature such as Farrutx, Pedro García, Pons Quintana, Sara Navarro, Castañer, Jaime Mascaró or Pura López were represented. The power, magic and passion of flamenco provided a key theme for the 'Zapateando' exhibition organised in homage to Antonio Gades. The exhibition presented eleven pairs of shoes used by eleven dancers on different stages throughout the world, along with a series of photographs of these models and of the flamenco dancers themselves. The Fashion Show entitled "Dance and Footwear Exhibition by Begoña Cervera" was also linked to the flamenco theme and presented a number of dance shoes made by manufacturers from Elda. The same catwalk provided the setting for another two daily fashion parades organised by the Spanish Association of Footwear Components (AEC) and the companies from the town of Elda. Modacalzado also exhibited the winning creations from the International Competition of Young Footwear Designers, the 'Lápiz de Oro' (Golden Pencil) Competition, and the work of the award-winners at the CalzArte National Photography Exhibition of the City of Elda. The next edition of SIPIEL, which will present collections for Spring-Summer 2008 season, will take place between September 27-29 at Feria de Madrid.