After listening to hundreds of retailers and manufacturers from several regions of Brazil, management of Couromoda and of Fenac S.A. decided to change the date of FENAC 2003 - International Footwear and Leathergoods Fair, held in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul. New dates will be September 16th. 17th, and 18th featuring the ultimate collections for the summer season.

Francisco Santos, president of Couromoda, explains that the Fenac''s new date meets the enormous amount of requests from footwear manufacturers who were asking for an event on the third week of September. As for the retailers it will be the opportunity to order the summer and high summer collections, to supply their stores with the latest novelties for year-end.

Retailer Antônio Espolador (Planeta Pé chain), president of the Brazilian Association of Retailers of Leathergoods and Footwear (ABLAC), fully endorses the new date and declares it was a great switch. "A good fair in September is everything the retail market wanted; it is much more commercial and efficient, because it is during that same period the retailers settle their purchases for October, November and December".

With this decision, the trade show changes also its profile. Instead of opening the launching season (in June), now it is enhanced commercially, as it fosters the signing of purchase orders when the summer collections are already perfectly defined.

Fenac 2003 Summer edition will also incorporate complementary activities such as a retail seminar, fashion shows and workshops. But, the stars of the fair continue to be the exhibitors; expected number: 300 companies. Side by side with the leading Brazilian brands, about 200 small companies will also participate in the fair, with the support of their municipal governments, trade associations and the government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul.