Shoe manufacturers have displayed “incredible innovation” recently, according to one footwear specialist.

Nigel Hamilton, the president of the Independent Footwear Retailers Association, said that this weeks CBI Distributive Trades Survey results, which revealed that the majority of footwear retailers reported growth in year-on-year sales, were unsurprising.

The survey showed that 32 per cent of respondents saw their sales volumes increase in the year to July, while grocers and footwear and leather were the only individual retail market sectors to report growth – with figures for footwear and leather being up 64 per cent since August 2007.

“There is incredible innovation in the footwear market,” said Mr Hamilton.

“There are a few brands that are reporting very healthy growth and the independents have been pretty strong in that sector.”

He added that while many shoe businesses had not budgeted for growth this year, they had managed to achieve it against the odds.

Add fashion and style to your wardrobe with a pair of shoes from shoe-shop.com