GDS Wellness Show. ©Messe Düsseldorf, René Tillmann

Furthermore, the latest wellness styles can be marveled at on the runway at the “Easy to Go” Show presented daily at 1.30 pm at the showcenter TRENDS ONSTAGE in Hall 2.

We look forward to seeing you there!
Your GDS Team

The Six Wellness Worlds at GDS

Shoes with a comfortable fit are today part and parcel of collections addressing a wide variety of target groups. GDS visitors will find their bearing easily thanks to the clear segmentation in six Wellness Worlds. The Wellness icon – a stylised agave – identifies all wellness labels as a colour-guide in the catalogue, the Quickfinder and on GDS-ONLINE.com.

Wellness Classic
For these collections comfort is key. Suppliers here include Berkemann, Betula, Birkenstock, Fidelio, Giesswein, Grisport, Hassia, JJ Shoes, Lugina Waldläufer, Mephisto, Rieker, Rohde, Sledgers, Steptronic and Vital Schuhe, to name but a few.

Wellness Fashion
is the headline for trend-oriented collections with functional features: here we find Ara, Barth Shoes, Caprice, Clarks, Daniel Hechter, Hispanitas, Josef Seibel, Joya Shoes, Marco Tozzi, Marc Shoes, Minnetonka, Sanita, Softwaves, Swiss Line, Vabeene and many more.

Wellness Couture
is the Premium segment featuring high-fashion lines in particularly high-quality finishes. Exhibitors include Arche, Arcus, Barrats 1890, Brunate, Cydwoq, Thierry Rabotin, Quarvif Wolline, Scholl and Vialis.

Wellness Nature
stands for ecological and socially responsible manufacturing with such labels as Amishoes, El Naturalista, Go Green, Hickersberger, Loint’s of Holland, Meisi Schuhfabrik, Pikolinos, Snipe, Think, Waldi Schuhfabrik, Duckfeet Wiema ...

Wellness Shape
collections promote fitness and improve body posture. Featured labels encompass biodyn, Fitx2, rollingsoft by Gabor, Ganter, MBT, Ramon King, Reebok EasyTone, Romika, Sano by Mephisto, Skechers, Xsensible and more.

Wellness Therapy
Manufacturers in this segment focus on specialist shoe retail and include the likes of Aetrex, Alex Ströber, Fidelio, Imnotec Turm-Schuh, Solidus, Stuppy, Xignal and others…

>>> All Wellness Exhibitors at GDS

©Thierry Rabotin

Thierry Rabotin
Aesthetics and Function Enter a Symbiosis

Italian shoe firm Parabiago Collezioni Srl was founded in 1999 by Giovanna Ceolini, Karlheinz Schlecht and Thierry Rabotin with the conviction fashionable and high-quality shoes must be manufactured with a focus on consumers’ right to a perfect fit.

With the Thierry Rabotin label they have succeeded in designing and manufacturing a shoe line that captures us with both looks and excellent wear properties and is described by the company founders as a “synergetic symbiosis of aesthetics and function”.

>>> Thierry Rabotin

©Vialis

Vialis
A Trivial Success Formula

The high-quality Spanish women’s shoe label Vialis was established by Jaime Serramalera in Barcelona in 1996. His basic idea: “It sounds trivial but I want people to fall in love with our shoes.” The debut collection consisted of four sandal styles and back then everything from design to packaging was taken care of by Serramalera himself.

Today, he has a team and the product portfolio includes footwear for all occasions – including the sneaker line Aro.

>>> Vialis

©Biodyn

Biodyn Human Footwear
Invisible balance technology for upright posture

Launching the young shoe label Biodyn Human Footwear the German comfort shoe company Biodyn GmbH & Co. KG from Ermengerst now targets a clientele that so far never considered functional footwear for either aesthic or career reasons. The special feature here is the patented balance technology incorporated into the soles in such a way that the shoes do not look like utility shoes.

>>> Biodyn Human Footwear

Biodyn will be hosting the GDS panel discussion on the theme “How much Function can Fashion take”. The expert roundtable discussion featuring science, industry and retail insiders will be facilitated by Dr. Claudia Schulz, Press Spokeswoman of DSI (German Shoe Institute).

Saturday 11 September 2010, 1.00 pm in Hall 07/speakers corner (Languages: German/English).

©Sioux

Sioux
Tradition-rich Trendsetter in Terms of Wellness

Did you actually know that the German shoe manufacturer Sioux from Walheim has already started specialising in special styles in the 80s and has been setting trends with wellness footwear since the 50s?

In the late 50s the company launched Autoped – shoes especially developed for car drivers – and the Intarsia style – a pioneering urban loafer with bobble soles. In the 60s the range was extended to include the revolutionary anatomically shaped mocassin Grashopper.

Currently, the collection will be rejuvenated and given a more fashion-driven and attractive design. The new brand campaign will be launched at GDS in September.

>>> Sioux

A talk on “Consulting Competence through Style Know-How” will be delivered by Reiner Pfeiffer of Sioux.
Friday, 10 September 2010, 12.00 noon in Hall 7 speakers corner (Languages: German/English).

©Piccadilly

Piccadilly
Trend meets Technology

What is special about the Brazilian shoe label Piccadilly is its wide variety. Whether it is fashion styles, classic comfort shoes or orthopaedic footwear – the firm caters to virtually all wellness segments. In the trend-focused part of the collection designs for Spring/Summer 2011 centre on a romantic mood, a touch of the 50s and folk influences combined with soles boasting ingenious comfort technology. The result is high-fashion styles that can be worn as “everyday shoes without any problem,” says the company.

>>> Piccadilly

Shoe models Photo/Copyright: Loint’s of Holland

Loint’s of Holland
Timeless Style with Lasting Spirit

"Loint’s are comfortable which is why people enjoy wearing them for so long" – this is how the Dutch manufacturer Loint’s of Holland headquartered in Sprang-Capelle describes the spirit of the women’s shoe line. Key company principles are natural style, simple and purist design, superb fit plus a marked sense of environmental responsibility. Only tested materials from European suppliers are used here.

>>> Loint’s of Holland

Ramon King
Energise

“Energise with Ramon King Shoes!” This is the slogan used by the young Swiss company. Ramon King styles are meant to ideally complement sports and fitness. Their built-in Right Walk System is said to ideally adapt to each person’s gait, to have a vitalising effect and to offer an effective physical work-out, body posture and sense of balance.

GDS editors interviewed CEO Dr. Patrick Pfister about the success formula of this young firm.

GDS: Dr. Pfister, what is so special about Ramon King shoes?

Pfister: The motto "Italian fashion meets wellness" is our recipe for success. Our casual-sports look with an Italian touch will make us a lifestyle product – so say our customers. They particularly appreciate that we offer a perfect wellness shoe that is fashionable nevertheless.

>>> Ramon King - Interview with CEO Dr. Patrick Pfister

AMIDA in Haan
Wellness in Nine Courses

Coming in third in this year’s "tour de menu" AMIDA. is one of the few gourmet destinations to offer an 8-course “green menu”. Gregor Marx from the "Alter Speicher" restaurant in Solingen acts as chef here along with his wife as service manager. The cuisine at the "Alter Speicher" has been famous beyond Solingen’s city limits for many years now and the eatery is a fixture in Gault Millau & Co. Their new restaurant in Haan comes with a gorgeous view of the Neander Valley from window seats and the terrace while the dishes served here deliciously fuse German and Asian elements. Apart from the “green” menu there is also a 9-course tasting menu – wellness for a long and relaxed evening.

>>> www.amida-restaurant.de

Legal disclaimer

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH
Messeplatz, Stockumer Kirchstr. 61, 40474 Düsseldorf, Deutschland
Telefon: +49 (0)211 / 4560-01, Fax: +49 (0)211 / 4560-668
www.messe-duesseldorf.de
info@messe-duesseldorf.de

Amtsgericht Düsseldorf HRB 63
Board of Managers: Werner M. Dornscheidt (CEO)
Wilfried E. Moog, Joachim Schäfer, Herbert Vogt, Hans Werner Reinhard (Dep.)
Chairman of Supervisory Board: Dirk Elbers

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