January’s edition of INDX Kids will see the exclusive UK launch of new premium children’s footwear brand, Fairground Shoes. Ahead of the show, CWB’s Laura Turner speaks to Aranvir Singh, director of the well-established parent footwear company behind Fairground Shoes, to learn more. 

 

Laura Turner: Can you tell me about the history behind Fairground Shoes’ parent company, AMH Brands?

Aranvir Singh: We are a family business that began manufacturing high-quality footwear in 1974 and have three successive generations of family working within the business. We work globally with established customers across EMEA and the Americas and have a global supply chain. With Fairground, we are going back to our roots and passion for high-quality craftsmanship, hand finishing and Great British design.
Historically we have focused on the women’s market, offering white label and stock solutions for both multiples and independent retailers globally. Over the last 46 years, our business has navigated numerous geopolitical events, most recently the Coronavirus pandemic, allowing us to fastidiously refine our supply chain and operational requirements. We maintain a flexible and consistent supply chain with speed, transparency and clear communication at the heart of what we do.

 

 

LT: What led you to branch out from women’s footwear into children’s shoes?

AS: We have been making children’s footwear for the last 10 years as a white label wholesale solution with production in the Far East. After some time and visits to European factories, we saw a gap in the market. On one end, the established high fashion houses are using high-quality leathers and hand finishing but pass a hefty price premium onto consumers and retail partners. The products are well made, but a large markup is applied purely because of the weight of the brand name. The other end of the market focuses on using synthetic textiles for injection-made mass production with a low price point and high MOQs.
We believe there is an opportunity between these offerings – we use the same Italian and Portuguese factories, leathers and components as high fashion houses but at a mid-market price point. We focus on making timeless designs in extremely high-quality materials at a price point that is accessible to buyers and consumers alike. So far, the interest in the products we have been selling has been positive and we are already represented in select retailers around the UAE as well as British household name retailers such as Debenhams.

LT: What inspired the brand name?

AS: The brand is all about capturing the feeling of play and having fun with friends as a child. Memories of fairgrounds instantly evoke feelings of joyfulness, freedom and excitement in both parents and children. For adults, the name captures the nostalgia of being young, with the styles bringing a retro and timeless feel to the brand. For children we want to provide shoes that are durable and fun to wear: made to play, run, dance and splash through puddles.

 

 

LT: Can you give us a taste of what will be on offer at INDX Kids in January?

AS: We will be presenting our a/w 23 collection at the show, offering kids’ shoe sizes ranging from EU 25 to EU 35. There will be both seasonal styles and all-year essential styles on display, including boots, shoes and sandals. As an indication of price, shoes range from £20 to £30, boots from £30 to £50, and sandals from £20 to £30, with a suggested retail markup between 2 and 2.5. You can find us at the INDX Diamond Suite in booth D130.

LT: What are your plans for wholesale, both in the UK and internationally?

AS: We are looking to do both. As a British brand with classic British designs, we naturally will begin within the UK market and look to secure long-lasting partnerships in our home country. We also know that there is strong demand for Great British design overseas and we have already begun selling across EMEA with a handful of retailers. Over the next 24 months, we are looking to work with more partners across EMEA, Asia and the Americas to establish a global presence.

 

 

LT: Will Fairground Shoes be adopting any measures to support sustainability?

AS: Yes, absolutely. First and foremost, we are creating products that are made to last and pass on. The starting point is a high-quality product that wears very well over time, from here landfill wastage is naturally reduced. The only reason a pair of Fairground shoes will stop being worn is that they have been outgrown and
haven’t been passed on to another child yet.
Secondly, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint in a number of ways. In particular, we are working with suppliers within Europe rather than Asia, which reduces the number of air and road miles between the factories and our warehouse in the UK. Additionally, all the cardboard and tissue used for our packaging are made from recycled materials. We also avoid using plastics wherever possible. We are at the beginning of our sustainability journey and are continuously looking for new ways to improve processes to protect our planet

 

 

LT: What is the short and long-term vision for the brand?

AS: In the short run, our focus is on building lasting relationships within the childrenswear industry and marketing the Fairground brand digitally via social media and influencer activity. We are looking to the UK and Europe primarily and are wanting to select key partners to work with. The initial focus will be providing a made-to-order service for our partners from our a/w 23 range.
In the long run, the goal is to be a household name in children’s footwear. Fairground should be a brand synonymous with Great British design with second-to-none material and build quality. We want to have a global presence in all the major luxury retail stores, whether online or bricks and mortar.

For further information on Fairground Shoes, please click here.