Moda appoints director of footwear

Fashion trade show Moda has confirmed the appointment of Lisa Govier to the newly created role of director of footwear.

Moda, which takes place in Birmingham bi-annually in February and August, is looking to boost its footwear credentials, following the announcement that the spring/summer 2020 edition will offer visitors the “largest and most diverse footwear collections in the UK” including Fly London, Rieker, Alpe, Peter Kaiser, Moda in Pelle, Hotter, Superga and Sebago.

Commenting on her new role, Lisa Govier said in a statement: “With responsibility for all footwear exhibitors, my aim is to cement its position as the national footwear show, to build on this reputation, and take it to the next level by attracting more exhibitors and buyers from the best footwear retailers.”

Prior to joining Moda, Govier headed up sponsorship and marketing solutions for footwear at Drapers with commercial responsibility for the Drapers Footwear Awards. In addition, she also has over 20 year’s experience in the media industry, having worked for a diverse range of companies from British Airways Media, Caspian Media and Seven C3 agency.

Govier added: "I have an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the industry and having these insights has helped me to build trust and understanding. It is no secret that there have been a number of challenges in the fashion retail sector in the last few years; from business rate in increases, footfall down on the high street, ongoing uncertainty about Brexit and trading tariffs, currency devaluation and the impact this has on sourcing and manufacturing; all squeezing the margins of brands and retailers.

“It is not all doom and gloom, however, as there are still a number of great success stories that need to be celebrated. At Moda Footwear, we want to work with brands to ensure more success stories going forward! What we do is not rocket science, brands want to meet as many relevant buyers as possible, and buyers want access to the best brands, and both want a return on investment.”

Martin Arnold, fashion portfolio director at ITE Group, said: “Lisa joins us with a wealth of experience and knowledge of the footwear industry. She can hit the ground running and we are delighted to welcome her to our growing Moda team as we build and adapt to the changing marketplace and continue to make the customer experience as rewarding as possible.”

The next edition of Moda takes place from August 4-6 at the NEC in Birmingham.

Image: courtesy of Moda