Ladies, very exciting news: I was invited last week by the lovely Victoria to visit the shoes showroom she works for in Milan. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to understand once for all what are these famous showrooms about, how they work… and learn a few interesting facts re the shoes industry! Interested? Follow me..
The showroom Victoria works for is Spazio2. It was created by a former buyer and a former sales manager. Together with their happy team, they now represent several niche shoes brands which they sell to retail businesses a bit everywhere in Europe.
The showroom is the place where they expose the various shoes collections they represent and where they receive their (retail) clients. Their office are amazing: very spacious, full of light and a little industrial style which reminded me a bit of downtown NYC. Lucky girl to work in such an office!
The shoes models that they receive usually come in with a little leaflet showing all the different sort of leathers or materials the models can be ordered in. Personally, I loved this model.. and would have wanted it in absolutely every single colours/materials.. not you?
Then depending on their clients’ order, the showroom place the order to the factories for such and such models. Talking about factories, I also learnt that it can totally happen that factories produce the same models but for different brands.. so at the end, the leather/model/realisation is absolutely the same.. the only difference is the brand (and hence price!).
I also learnt that the margin that retailers make on a pair of shoes seemed to me quite high compared to the margin that the designer, factory and showroom are making.. but I guess the retailers are the ones who pay for the models in advance.. so cover the risks of not selling them.. so I guess there is a reason why..
Anyway, going back to the sales process, it happens sometimes that it is the showroom that comes to their client’s office to present the models (instead of them coming to visit the showroom). In that case, here is the shoes case they use.. So cutissimo, I am dreaming of a mini-model of it for my holidays ;)
I was also very interested in this other object: a board representing all the (most common) shoes form that exist! I never saw shoes from this perspective.. so interesting!
And just in case you were (like me) wondering: yes, they can potentially get to keep the models of the shoes at the end of the season (you just have to be lucky and fit into a size 37.. cause this is the size models come in). Dream job, no?
My favourite brands over there? Catarina Martins, Paula Mendez and Fabio Rusconi. Go check these out if you are in need of new shoes brands. Happy Monday everyone!
I’m a size 37! I guess it would be great to work there :))
You’re so right about the New York, industrial feel of the place, it’s really cool!
http://fashionthorughtravel.blogspot.com/
I need the shoecase!!!!!
et il faut absolument que je m’achète de nouvelles shoes…
Wow! looks like you had a great day!
My goodness i would have fainted at the sight! Thankfully you possess better composure than I do to be able to share this with us. Love love love seeing the inner workings of a shoe showroom!
Lots of love from Sydney,
x Kel
the spring awakening
wow! How I wish that I get to visit there too!
Hi! Thanks for stopping by to the blog… i guess we are on the same page about VB, still can´t understand the fuzz about her and her designs.
Anyway… i used to work in a shoe company… quite an interesting job.. thank god i´m not a shoe addict or i would´ve blown my entire salary in there!!! Apparantly size 37 is an international standart.
Love the art they did with the shoes forms.
xx
Ah! Almost forgot.. we can do something togheter of course! i´ll be reaaly glad ;)
Sympa ce show room.
Bisous gros ma belle
Sylvie
Wow, this is So cool. How exciting you got to take a tour and it was fun to follow along and read about it. I agree with your pick for your faves too. I was trying to “follow” your blog…where do I click? I couldn’t find it. I like all your travels too and it looks like you’re always having fun little adventures. Nice style!
xoDale
Thanks so much for stopping by mine too :)
Thanks for the comment on my blog…Sure we can follow each other…I followed please do the same.
Piksty :-)
Thanks for you comment, dear! I think it’s really amazing when people actually start giving their opinions on a certain collection and defending their point of view with such intensity. That’s why I started my blog, to be able to talk with other people and share opinions.
Concerning Victoria Beckham, nobody says she is an haute-couture designer, nor has she ever said she pretends to be one. Her collections are good compared to other designs presented this past week at the NYFW and that’s why she’s on my list. Her style is simple and chic and I think I could see myself wearing some of her designs. If we start talking about Dior or Chanel… then that’s another story ;)
Have a great day!
Great pictures! The shoes are amazing!
Hearts,
Nicole http://www.vantagepointvintage.com/blog/
You are one lucky girl to have been invited into this fascinating side of the shoe industry! Thanks for helping us to feel like insiders! How nice to be invited too. When is that going to happen to me? “Cutissimo” is going to be my new catch-phrase by the way!
http://www.inherentstylela.com/