An extraordinary event with fashion shows and talks about the Spring-Summer 2019 collections kicked off the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Francal, the world’s longest-running international event for footwear, which continues to be a source of inspiration for the entire chain of sector businesses.
The Francal Preview programme of celebrations was opened by the celebrated designer Walter Rodrigues, Coordinator of the Design Centre of Inspiramais, who presented the inspirations for the coming 2019 summer season. Next, the Francal Preview catwalk featured 79 well-known national brands of footwear, which wanted to participate in the celebrations by presenting a preview of the collections that will be the protagonists at the fair. There were then two talks, with the first dedicated to the inspirations for the fashion season with Silvia Rogar and Ricardo Cruz, respectively the directors of the editorial board of Vogue and GQ magazines, as its protagonists. The second talk instead explored the “new routes of the fashion market” with the contribution of speakers Dudu Bertholini, Meline Moumdjian and Eloisa Artuso from the Istituto Europeo di Design.
The grand finale of the event was entrusted to Francal President Abdala Jamil Abdala, who could hardly contain his emotions while recalling the 50 years of history of Francal: “It is 50 years working for the market: since the beginning, in Franca, until the transformation into an international fair, which is also the oldest in the world. We will continue to be at the service of the market”.
With the Preview ending on a successful note, Francal now gets ready for its 50th edition, announcing a brand new concept: from 16 to 19 July at the Expo Center Norte, it will propose a new layout based on the formula of “a fair resembling a mall, with stands that seem to be boutiques”. Thus, retailers will have the opportunity to do business, while renewing their store windows with the latest Spring-Summer collections proposed by top brands in shoes and accessories, as part of a complete and innovative experience. Francal will also present the new Francal Kids area, which will highlight the kids’ proposal and increase the number of opportunities for business at the fair.
Last, but not least, the Francal Forum arena is reconfirmed as a place for dialogue between trend experts in the field of fashion and retail, with a rich programme of meetings, including the one dedic
ated to seasonal inspirations and staged by fashion guru Walter Rodrigues.
All these contents and more will make the 50th edition of Francal an unforgettable one.
