Stylish, elegant, well made and fashion-able. According to United Footwear, which manufacturers and markets what has been called the most sophisticated and talked about range of shoes to emerge this season, that’s the best way to describe the new James Bond Footwear Collection. The brand, which is backed by some of the industry’s most respected developers and producers of quality footwear, will be launched at the GDS International Shoe Fair, which will be held in Düsseldorf in March. 

Behind the venture lies the United Licensing Company, the parent company of United Footwear, which has entered an agreement with Eon Productions Ltd. in London, the producer of 17 Bond films to date, easily the most successful franchise in cinema history. Eon owns and controls the licensing of the James Bond name. The agreement is the first of its kind and calls for an up-scale brand with quality workmanship to match the image of James Bond.
Available from early autumn in stores across central Europe and Scandinavia, the brand carries shoes for both men and women in a variety of styles.
”The Bond Girls play an important part in heightening the image of the suave super agent and it is therefore natural that the brand should carry shoes for women”, says Per Magnuson, President of the United Footwear Company. ”The design program has been kept intentionally wide and caters for the work and leisure time activities of the up-market buyer of quality footwear.”
Surveys carried out by the licensee during 1996 showed that the James Bond Footwear brand appeals to all ages, from
teenagers to adults who have one thing in common; their appreciation of the universal appeal of the James Bond character.
”Younger customers will be attracted to the brand for its trendy, up-beat status while others will be drawn to the timeless quality, fine design and excellent workmanship of the products”, says Per Magnuson.
The shoes will be available in a range of categories including business, formal and casual footwear in the mid to upper price range.
A team of international designers and shoemakers was commissioned in 1996 to give the shoes the up-market appeal the brand name calls for. Working in close liaison with factories in England and Italy, production will begin in the spring for early autumn deliveries. Quality assurance and logistics offices have already been established, and a London office will open shortly.
”Behind the project lies many years of international design, manufacture, marketing and distribution experience”, says Per Magnuson. ”To assist in our brand building and global marketing efforts, we have assigned HLR & Co./BBDO in Stockholm which is part of the BBDO World Wide advertising network.”
Roll out is planned for the autumn 1997 in England, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Scandinavia. Plans also call for the brand to be established in the United States, Canada, Russia, Eastern Europe and Japan in the very near future.
National distributors and agents have been carefully selected and approved before marketing of James Bond Footwear begins./ins

For further information contact:
United Footwear UK, Mr. Derry Kunman
Dene House, Harlestone Road
Chapel Bramton, Northants NN 6 8 AW
Tel: +44 1604 - 84 70 98
Fax: +44 1604 - 84 70 98

or

United Footwear Company
Per Magnuson or Claes Höglund
Öregrundsgatan 3
115 59 Stockholm
Tel: +46 8 - 663 55 50,
Fax: +46 8 - 665 70 51