Shoe shopping

January 26, 2012 - 1:05 PM by Jessica

Need shoes? Then again, does one ever, really, need shoes?

After years of not enough shoes in Israel, unattractive imported shoes or too-familiar, Teva Naot, Nimrod and other sandal-focused shoes — Israeli shoe designers have been multiplying at a welcome rate, joined by their brethren in spirit and style, accessories designers.

In fact, there are so many shoemakers, so to speak, that shoe and accessories man Jonathan Proim — whose wife Michal Miller is one of the designers — is hosting the second Zugot (Pairs) shoe fair this coming weekend.

Held at Beitan 10 of the Tel Aviv fairgrounds — Ganei Hataarucha — there will be 40 brands, 30 of them shoes, selling their wares at end-of-year prices. Most of the designers are local, but there are some imported brands, such as Fly London, which carries a certain Israeli sensibility, says Proim.

Last fair, some 8,000 people attended over the course of two days, and he says the designers have learned to up their inventory before setting up for the fair, and will have enough shoes to meet demand.

The fair will also include accessories, bags, socks and tights, and shoes for men, women and children. But no Crocs.