Scene & Heard

Industry Veteran Greg Tunney to Lead Manitobah Mukluks

IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY he couldn’t pass up. Greg Tunney, most recently global president of Wolverine Worldwide, is now CEO of Manitobah Mukluks, which is under a new ownership agreement between the Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Seattle-based investment firm Endeavour Capital.

Tunney, who had spent the past 18 months working with numerous private equity firms advising on potential footwear acquisitions, was open to “one last rodeo,” but there were a handful of requirements that had to be met first. 1. Work with good people. 2. Partner with a private equity firm willing to invest in the business and not “leverage the hell out of it.” 3. Sales, marketing and product headquarters based near home in Park City, UT. 4. Manage a brand with a strong social impact purpose. The Manitobah Mukluks opportunity ticked all the boxes.

“Very few brands have a real purpose; the majority are in business to make transactions,” Tunney says. “Manitobah Mukluks has a real brand purpose that makes a social impact in the lives of Indigenous communities each and every day.”

Founded in 1997 by Sean McCormick (now Chief Impact Officer and a member of the company’s Board of Directors), Manitobah Mukluks is known for the social impact it provides through numerous community programs, including its Storyboots School, which teaches traditional mukluk- and moccasinmaking skills. The company also prides itself on Indigenous employment and vendors, in addition to its partnerships with Indigenous artists. “The fact that the brand was created by the Indigenous community and over 50 percent of the employees are Indigenous, including many artisans and craftsman who bring authenticity to the product every day, is inspiring,” Tunney says, noting that having grown up in Arizona, home to some of the largest Native American communities, he learned early on to respect those communities. “I’m excited to be able to give back. I also love the premium products that Manitobah Mukluks creates,” he adds.

Speaking of which, Tunney says the immediate focus for 2022 will be on new product creation. “We’ve brought in a best-in-class product team that will be launching three major new categories: Modern Mukluks (athletic-inspired bottoms with traditional moc toe uppers), Mountain Mukluks (functional hiker fashion looks) and an outdoor-inspired slippers,” he says. “We’ll create more new products this year than the company has in the past 10 years combined.” Helping in this effort is newly appointed board member, Connie Rishwain, former president of Ugg. “Connie brings a lot of expertise and experience to the premium shearling business. I don’t believe anyone else in the world has the track record and knowledge that she does,” Tunney says, adding that other key team members include Kenny Beaulieu, former head of

product at Timberland as Chief Product Officer, and Aaron Carpenter, former Chief Marketing Officer of The North Face, who will serve in the same capacity. Then there’s the financial muscle brought by Endeavour. The firm has a track record of being the first outside investor in privately held companies, providing capital and support to existing management teams so they can achieve their full visions. “We are the first one in their latest round of funding, and they want to invest in other footwear companies in this round,” Tunney says. Adds Bradaigh Wagner, a managing director at Endeavour: “Manitobah Mukluks is an exceptional company doing exceptional work. We’re honored to partner with Sean, Montreal Lake Cree Nation and the entire team at Manitobah Mukluks to help them navigate the growth of their brand and the preservation of their important social mission.” Since 1997, Manitobah Mukluks has grown from a single store in Manitoba, Canada to a global brand sold in more than 50 countries. Its luxury shearling footwear (average SRPs are $200-plus) combines traditional and modern design with technological innovations. Many of the styles are rooted from the past 10,000 years of inspiration from the Indigenous communities, but Tunney also credits the team for doing a “wonderful job” interpreting the past with modern styling that’s relevant, commercial and authentic. Along those lines, Tunney says the Manitobah Mukluks target customer is men and women, around 40 years of age, outdoor-inspired and desire authentic brands with purpose. As to where those customers will be able to shop the brand, distribution will be very focused to start: Dillard’s, Farfetch, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Zappos. The reason for the select distribution, Tunney says, is mainly due to current manufacturing capacities and the need to find additional factory partners for the new collections. “Even if we wanted to open 1,000 independents out of the gate, we don’t have the production capacity to do so right now,” he says, noting Manitobah Mukluks owns its factories Canada cool by Manitobah Mukluks; in Vietnam. “As we get more production opened new CEO Greg Tunney. up and can guarantee deliveries, we’ll open more accounts. Besides, the worst thing you can do is promise somebody delivery and then don’t deliver.” In the meantime, Tunney is brimming with great expectations for Manitobah Mukluks—an excitement generated by new ownership, new investment and new offices in downtown Park City that, when completed, will feature a flagship store. What’s not to love? “I’m doing what I love, which is my passion for the footwear industry,” he says. “I’m working with really good people in a purpose-driven brand that keeps giving back to the community. It’s such an amazing story that when people learn about it, they really desire to be part of this brand.”

Clarks Originals Dishes ‘Sweet’ Collab Propét Positioned for Growth Under New Ownership

CLARKS ORIGINALS ALREADY has a Greek diner-sized menu of mouthwatering collabs and related drop events to its credit, but the one just cooked up with Sweet Chick, a cult Brooklyn-based chicken and waffles chain, is loaded with many firsts. Those include: the Clarks Originals x Sweet Chick Wafflebee making its debut over a week-long tour around Los Angeles, in a co-branded food truck, that culminated at ComplexCon, a two-day pop culture festival held, last month, in Long Beach, CA. The activation even featured Clarks’ first-ever Wallabee hunt, where ComplexCon attendees, following clues social media clues, searched for a hidden, one-of-a-kind pair created by Dominic Chambrone, a.k.a. the Shoe Surgeon.

“It marked the first time Clarks Originals exhibited at the festival, and we were the only retail brand to do so outdoors in the First We Feast Food Lagoon,” says Tara McRae, chief marketing officer, noting that ComplexCon served as the ideal setting because it draws young creatives from around the world. “The style-forward, experiential elements offered there were a way for us to bring a new experience to our fans, where they got a first look at the Wafflebee collection, plus the chance to take home a pair, along with exclusive on-site giveaways of custom Sweet Chick collectables.” Not to be overlooked, fans could also get a serving of Sweet Chick’s ice cream in a waffle cone.

As for the Wafflebee, a play on the brand’s classic Wallabee silhouette, the limited-edition style (SRP: $200) comes in light and dark brown suedes, embossed with a waffle pattern and dusted with light green and pink speckles inspired by Sweet Chick’s house-made herb and raspberry butters. Pretty tasty. The collection is available this month in select national retailers and at clarksusa.com.

“It’s crafted with the premium materials and attention to detail that Clarks Originals is known for, with a nod to Sweet Chick’s famous Chicken & Waffles,” McRae says, adding that the chain has the exact ingredients Clarks is looking for in a collab partner. “We wanted to partner with the beloved bicoastal chain, known for delicious creations and devoted customers, to develop something wholly unique and identifiable that our shared fan base would appreciate,” she says. “They’re an incredibly creative and collaborative partner, and that shows through in the final product.” WITH THE DISRUPTION comes opportunity, so says Rick Wang, president of Propét, the Auburn, WA-based sizes-and-widths specialty comfort brand recently acquired in a joint venture between Aiglon Capital and Merit Capital Partners. Wang says the deal provides a financial shot in the arm that will benefit the business now and going forward.

“In the near-term, our new ownership provides a solid footing to build upon what we’ve started,” says Wang, who was named president in 2015 and has been with the company since 1998. “But the real excitement is around the future. The Propét brand is very well received by those who already know us, and now we’ll be able to broaden our presence. Our new ownership will provide new insight into all facets of where and how we can grow our brand.”

That includes more investment in infrastructure to best serve its growing customer base. “We also plan to increase marketing and advertising at national and local levels to drive traffic to both our ecommerce and traditional retail partners, emphasizing the size inclusive nature of our brand,” Wang says. In addition, the message will be that Propét, founded in 1985, is much more than about sizes-and-widths. “We want everyone to know that sizes and widths aren’t the only differentiation of a Propét shoe,” he confirms. “We’re committed to offering more features and benefits—all at an unexpected value.” Wang says achieving greater brand recognition requires a commitment to sell-through marketing, including co-op arrangements, store events and a fully accessible sales team. Such investments are what its retailers deserve and will now get more of, he adds. Meanwhile, Propét’s investRick Wang, president, Propét ment in a larger assortment is already paying dividends, as evidenced by its solid 2021. “It’s been a great year overall,” Wang reports. “We’ve seen a return of consumers to brick-and-mortar, which for a sizes-and-widths brand is very important. And we have many new retail partnerships this year that have been very successful. It’s also quite encouraging to hear customers’ excitement about our new styles in work/safety, athleisure and outdoor.” In fact, Propét’s retail sales are up 50 percent over 2020, Wang says.

Propét’s outlook for 2022 is equally bullish, despite supply chain woes. Progress, though, has even been made on that front. “We’ve dedicated many resources to this, and I’m happy to say that we’re now receiving more inventory than is going out,” Wang says, adding that the company’s ability to increase production and purchasing will carry into future development, marketing and sales. “We’re approaching 2022 with great enthusiasm and energy! I’m confident that we’ll look back this time next year and share another year of growth for Propét.”