Positive outlook for German leather accessories
Whilst the French powerhouses of leathergoods and accessories such as LVMH and PPR continue to expand their global presence and Italian companies look for new ways to compete, the German leathergoods industry is quietly flourishing.
According to figures released by the Federal Association Leather Goods and Synthetic Products e.V. (BVLK) at the recent I.L.M. show in Offenbach, the positive economic situation for leather goods is set to continue. The bag, leather goods, and travel articles sector achieved growth rates of just under 11% for the domestic market and of more than 24% overall for the first six months of 2007 (January to June).
Meanwhile, estimates from the Federal Association of the German Leather Goods Retail Trade e.V. (BLE) in Cologne cited a 4% improvement in leather goods retail trade up to August 2007.
