Footwear Plus | July 2020 by Wainscot Media

JULY 2020 VOL 30 • ISSUE 6 • $10

COOL FOR FALL From Boho to Soho to Moto, a Plethora of Short Boots

Reopening Triumphs and Tribulations Kings and Queens of the Alpine Look Ritch Erani on Designing in the Age of Social Distancing

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An Industry First! Introducing Footwear Plus Market (FPM), a virtual trade show solution to bring multiple wholesalers and retailers together safely in an online setting. Live Event July 27-29, 2020 In these unprecedented times, our industry still needs to come together to conduct necessary business. At-once inventory purchasing and SS â&#x20AC;&#x2122;21 are upon us. Stores are re-opening, ecommerce sites never closed and millions of consumers itching to get outside want to do so in comfort and style. Created for you. Innovation, connection & opportunity. Shop FPM at your convenienceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from your office or the comfort of home.

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J U L Y 202 0 FEATURES 17 Reopening Reflections Eleven leading retailers from across America reflect on what’s gone right, wrong and unexpectedly, and what their strategies and expectations are going forward amid the pandemic-induced new normal. Edited by Greg Dutter 28 His & Hers Hikers On the trail and off, alpine looks rise to the occasion. 32 Short Story Ease through autumn with transitional boots steeped in Boho spirit.

Caroline Diaco President/Group Publisher Greg Dutter Editorial Director Nancy Campbell Trevett McCandliss Creative Directors EDITORIAL Lauren Parker Executive Editor Emily Beckman Associate Editor Kathy Passero Editor at Large Kirstin Koba Contributing Editor Melodie Jeng Marcy Swingle Contributing Photographers ADVERTISING/ PRODUCTION Jennifer Craig Associate Publisher Laurie Guptill Production Manager

D E P A RT M E N T S

Kathy Wenzler Circulation Director Catherine Rosario Office Manager

PA G E

4 Editor’s Note 6 This Just In 8 Scene & Heard 12 Trend Spotting 14 Trend Spotting 16 Trend Spotting 46 Shoe Salon 47 Trend Spotting 48 Last Shot

Mike Hoff Digital Director WAINSCOT MEDIA Carroll Dowden Chairman Mark Dowden President & CEO Steven J. Resnick Vice President & CFO OFFICES ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL

On cover: ankle boots with inside side zip by Dansko. This page: Patrizia slouchy Boho boots with rope detail and snake print collar. Photography by Trevett McCandliss; model: Rebecca Hanobik/Fenton Model Mgmt.

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FOOTWEAR PLUS ™ (ISSN#1054-898X) The fashion magazine of the footwear industry is published monthly (except for bimonthly April/May and October/November editions) by Wainscot Media, One Maynard Drive, Park Ridge, NJ, 07656. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Periodicals postage is paid in Park Ridge, NJ, and additional mailing offices. Subscription price for one year: $48 in the U.S. Rates outside the U.S. are available upon request. Single copy price: $10. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FOOTWEAR PLUS, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853-8548. Publisher not responsible for unsolicited articles or photos. Any photographs, artwork, manuscripts, editorial samples or merchandise sent for editorial consideration are sent at the sole risk of the sender. Wainscot Media will assume no responsibility for loss or damage. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. ©2008 by Wainscot Media. Printed in the United States.

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E D ITOR ’S NOT E

Let’s Dance

Do the Pandemic Pivot I WISH THE title of this column referred to a fun, new dance craze. After months of dystopian coronavirus coverage followed by renewed surges in infections (even before the anticipated second wave) and a body count that dwarfs several American wars combined, we could all use a break. Something to temporarily take our mind off the pressure cooker our country has become. The pressure gets ratcheted up a notch with each dreary passing week of 2020. As if the pandemic wasn’t enough, we’ve got racial unrest, political polarization, bends-worthy stock market plunges, record unemployment, a parade of postponements, cancel culture craziness and rumors of an impending murder hornet invasion. Can a swarm of locusts—already wreaking havoc in Africa—be far behind? For the millions of people who can’t afford to bury their heads in the beachfronts of their second homes until a cure/vaccine arrives, doing the pandemic pivot is the only way to try and survive in the new normal. But there’s nothing remotely normal when millions of jobs go poof and people can’t even go outside for a breath of fresh air without fearing it might kill them. It can be downright paralyzing at times. Yet, somehow, humans press on. We downsize, right-size, prioritize and reorganize. We learn to live with less and we discover what we value most. We react, act and adapt. We jig. We take one step up and two steps back. We jump around. We shake it off. We twist. Put the steps together, and you’ve got the pandemic pivot. We do our best to dance through the minefield of life and hope to stay in one piece. Over the past three months, our industry has seen its share of pandemic pivots, a few of which would earn a tip of the fedora from Michael Jackson himself. Retailers have built from scratch entire ecommerce operations, reconfigured their physical stores for safe shopping, shifted to new formats (think appointment-only shopping and curbside pickups) and embraced virtual shopping platforms like Zoom and Facebook Live. In mere weeks, they’ve reinvented business models that had been relatively unchanged, in many cases, for decades. In this issue’s feature, “Reopening Reflections” (p. 17), we profile 11 retailers nationwide about the lengths they’ve gone to in order to avoid becoming another grim Covid-19 statistic. Their refusal to quit is inspiring. Their ingenuity is impressive—because there is no how-to video for the pandemic pivot. Admittedly, not every strategy they’ve implemented has worked. But willingness to fail fast has been just as important as success, they say. Maintaining a sense of gallows humor helps, too. With traffic

at a trickle in the early days of the reopening, Beth Weingarten, owner of The Shoe Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, confesses to a recurring fantasy of launching a GoFundMe page as a possible lifeline. The fact that she and her son, Michael, have been navigating the business through this virus without their husband/father (John), who passed away in early April, is further testament to the family’s fortitude. Of course, retailers aren’t the only ones doing the pandemic pivot. Tradeshows are reinventing themselves in the age of social distancing. Laura Conwell-O’Brien, executive director of The Atlanta Shoe Market, goes into detail (p. 8) on how the Aug. 22–24 show is changing to ensure the safety of attendees. Already in compliance with the 21 safety protocols issued by the Georgia governor’s office, Conwell-O’Brien says the show is nearly sold out. Buyers and wholesalers crave some semblance of normalcy, she maintains, albeit their new normal will include masks, plexiglass dividers and plenty of hand sanitizer, to cite but a few of the safety features that will be in place. While we’re on the subject of reinvention, FDRA and FFANY announced plans to merge this October (p. 10). One of their first orders of business will be to “reimagine the entire experience” of the four annual Market Weeks held in New York, beginning with the Nov. 30–Dec. 4 edition, says Matt Priest, president and CEO of FDRA. (The Aug. 4–7 event will include only participating member showrooms.) For those unable to attend physical shows because they are immune compromised (or have family or work associates who are) and prefer to play it safer, there are various virtual tradeshows now in the offering. For example, the first-ever Footwear Plus Market (FPM) is slated for July 27–29. Unlike physical shows, which are at the mercy of the virus when it comes to green-lighting, FPM is a go. We are welcoming the entire industry back together—for the first time since February! Retailers can peruse exhibitors’ latest collections from the safety and comfort of their offices in a secure and dynamic virtual tradeshow setting. They can shop multiple exhibitors at one time without making appointments. They can partake in live chats with their reps, who will answer their questions in real time. Pertinent seminars, viewed at your convenience, will also be in the mix. Retailers can register, for free, at FootwearPlusMagazine.com. FPM is our pandemic pivot. We’ve been publishing Footwear Plus for 30 years (happy anniversary to us!) with the steadfast mission of bringing retailers and wholesalers together to find solutions that propel our industry forward. Our state-of-the-art virtual tradeshow for unprecedented times embodies that mission. We invite you to dance with us.

Greg Dutter

Editorial Director

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Ferry Nice Fire Island weekenders sport easy-breezy, beat-the-heat looks. Photography by Trevett McCandliss

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SCENE & HEARD

Sneaker Startup Looks to Make the Grade

THE NAME IS School Footwear. The lesson plan is to breathe new life into a sneaker market dominated by a handful of billion-dollar behemoths that have let their grades slip when it comes to fresh designs, or says School Footwear CEO/Founder/Designer Thomas Young. “We at School believe that the sneaker industry has either forgotten or just left behind what made them such behemoths in the first place—timeless design,” says Young, a UK native who is now based in Dubai. “I compare it to ’90s Hip Hop and the garbage Thomas Young says School Hip Hop you hear now. For Footwear’s us, the winning formula is Marathon 1 debut returning to the heart of what shoe (above) makes great sneakers: great makes the grade. design, but it won’t cost you the earth.” Young, a lifelong sneakerhead, considers himself a student of the business. “I’ve always been in love with sneakers, and a particular era of sneakers from the ’80s and ’90s,” he says. Although, the idea to launch his own sneaker company didn’t occur to him until last year. “I felt that the sneakers weren’t as nicely designed as they used to be,” Young says. “And while there is a big market for retro sneakers, often they were way over priced and well under supplied. I felt I could change that, and have a hell of a lot of fun doing it!” Enter School’s debut shoe, the Marathon 1. The retro-inspired jogger features a distinctive design,

highlighted by wavy paneling with a mix of rubber, molded plastic, suede and classic mesh materials. “They’re bold and simple, taking cues from many models over the years and combining them into one sneaker—the best of everything but still forming a unique identity,” Young says, adding that the uniqueness extends from the design on through the colorways and branding. “Also, they’re much more affordable ($85) then most classic kicks out there.” To get School up and running, Young is launching as a Kickstarter funded online boutique. “We’re taking baby steps at first, remaining cautious,” he says. “But we don’t want to stay small for too long. As demand grows, so will we.” That includes plans for wholesale distribution, which Young believes School’s use of the #BlackBrandsMatter handle will help fuel. The way he sees it, there simply isn’t enough black-owned brands. “It’s important that black people become owners, not just for self-empowerment but also establishing ourselves in the Western world as bigger players and have a larger influence on society and change things from within,” Young says. “To help further the cause of Black Lives Matter, we hope our business gains a voice that will sound off continuously on issues that affect black lives in general. Not just in the streets, but in education and business relationships that help the movement to remove the black cloud of ignorance.” In the meantime, Young is doing what he loves: designing sneakers. It’s the favorite part of his job. “What I love most about sneakers is how a beautiful design makes you feel,” he says. “I believe great sneakers can literally put you in a better mood just by looking at them, like a new toy does with kids. School is looking to re-capture that feeling, and we feel we have with the Marathon I. Besides, haven’t you had enough of Nike?”

Matt Priest, president and CEO, FDRA

John Heron, executive director, FFANY

FDRA and FFANY to Merge A UNION HAD been discussed for several years. Now it looks to finally be an “I do.” The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) are set to officially tie the knot Oct. 1, 2020, pending the FFANY board’s (expected) approval. (Moving forward, the FFANY board will dissolve with FDRA to rebalance its board to reflect the expanded organization.) Why does this have the makings of a healthy marriage? Matt Priest, president

july 2020 • footwearplusmagazine.com 9

SCENE & HEARD

“The merger of the FDRA and FFANY will create a union that maintains the industry’s most important marketplace while forging an even stronger entity to promote the common interests of all the members of this new partnership.” — MATT PRIE ST, P RES IDE NT AND C EO, FD R A

and CEO of FDRA, says it starts with the longtime friendship between the two non-profit organizations. “We have a long and proud history of collaborating and working with FFANY,” he confirms. “A large portion of our current membership is based in New York and highly values a regular Market Week to showcase product and make key connections with buyers. Couple that with the fact that we have many of the same board members from a governance perspective and FDRA’s mandate is to serve as a platform to enhance the competitiveness of the American footwear industry at all levels.” Jim Issler, president and CEO of H.H. Brown and former FFANY board chairman, concurs that the union is a match made in shoe industry heaven. “The FFANY organization has always promoted a marketplace in America’s No. 1 city that brought our industry’s top brands together with the premium retailers in our country,” he says. “While the FDRA, comprised of a membership that represents over 90 percent of the entire footwear industry, has been a trade association that has allowed manufacturers, brands, retailers, importers and suppliers to form a coalition to work together on issues common to all members.” Beyond that, Issler says the merger is a sign of the times. “In the last three decades, we’ve witnessed retailers and wholesalers alike merging into much larger entities,” he says. “The merger of the FDRA and FFANY will create a union that maintains the industry’s most important marketplace while forging an even stronger entity to promote the common interests of all the members of this new partnership.” Priest believes what’s been working well for FDRA—a dynamic and robust communication and advocacy infrastructure—will benefit FFANY members as well. “We want to extend that to all FFANY members, particularly those who are not FDRA members,” he says, adding, “For our joint members, there will be cost savings and efficiencies that I

10 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2020

think will be appreciated in this environment. Beyond that, we highly value New York Market Weeks and want to maintain the heritage of FFANY while exploring ways to enhance the experience and represent our New York members to the city itself.” John Heron, executive director of FFANY, says the union, first and foremost, ensures the organization’s core tenets and heritage of regular Market Weeks in New York will continue. In addition, he says, “FFANY members will now have access to the robust communication platforms, the information and advocacy services, as well as all other programs that the FDRA has to offer.” One of the combined organization’s near-term challenges is holding Market Weeks safely amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Next month’s edition, (Aug. 3-7) will be member showrooms only while the concurrent Footwear Shoe New York Expo (FSNYE) is cancelled at least until the next show (Nov. 30-Dec. 4). “It won’t be a typical Market Week as New York is not looking to be ready to welcome business visitors, and indications from many retailers are that they will not be allowing buyers to travel to Manhattan,” Heron says. Still, he notes many member showrooms will be open and used as backdrops to present Spring ’21 collections as FFANY is working to bring the industry together through virtual Market Week activities. “The goal is to maintain FFANY’s relevance as the most prominent marketplace in footwear and promote the reopening and resiliency of New York City,” Heron says. Looking ahead to the December show, Priest says to expect lots of changes to meet the pandemic-induced new normal. “The entire industry is grappling with how to design, develop, produce and sell shoes in an environment where travel and in-person engagement is limited or prohibited,” he says. “There will be many new realities that emerge from this experience but a broader, more robust conversation needs to take place amongst the industry, via our FFANY members regarding dates, experiences and services.” Priest says such changes will be incorporated in due time and, once completed, it will represent a game-changer for FFANY Market Weeks. “The opportunity before us is to reimagine the entire experience for buyers and sellers,” he says. Phyllis Rein, president of FSNYE, believes FDRA’s involvement will be a win-win for all parties. “The muscle FDRA brings to the table is invaluable as it will lead awareness and strengthen the shoe industry’s marketplace,” she says. “FSNYE is delighted to collaborate with such an admired organization.” Beyond that, Rein says holding a tradeshow regularly in New York, where so many permanent showrooms are located, is a no-brainer. “Whether you’re a footwear buyer or seller, New York is the place to see and be seen,” she says. “It’s the fashion capital of the world!” As for FFANY’s Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation, organizers of the annual QVC Presents FFANY Shoes on Sale event in support of breast cancer research, that will remain a separate entity for legal purposes. The event, which has raised $58.5 million since launching in 1994, will go ahead this October, minus the in-person gala in New York. Heron reports QVC is committed to being the lead sponsor. “We will continue to work together with the entire industry on the mission and ambitious goal of eradicating breast cancer,” he says.

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REOPENING REFLECTIONS AS RETAILERS NATIONWIDE reopen amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic they are entering the new normal—one filled with high hopes, stark fears, many unknowns, enormous challenges, tectonic consumer behavioral shifts and a hungering for any port in the storm. Here, 11 leading retailers from across America reflect on what’s gone right, wrong and unexpectedly, and what their strategies and expectations are going forward. Edited by Greg Dutter

2020 july • footwearplusmagazine.com 17

J. Stephens Valencia, CA Gary Hauss, owner

b Why the staggered reopenings? We opened the first two locations—an Ecco concept store in Scottsdale, AZ, and a New Balance concept store in Summerlin, NV—because both states were opening and both locations had at least 70 percent occupancy around them. They were also open-air locations where we felt there’d be a better chance for success. How’s business? The first week, the Ecco location dropped around 60 percent over last year, whereas the New Balance store increased just over 30 percent. We also went down to six days a week

Closed: Mar. 18 Reopened: May 29 (two stores), June 12 (four stores), June 19 (two stores). Eight stores yet to open.

Business is tough in those stores for a couple of reasons. First, they are in resort areas and there are no tourists in those towns. They are also in desert areas, which makes them subject to extremely high heat. Overall mood of customers? Moods vary from different concepts to different parts of the country. Some customers in our Arizona locations are upset that our staff is wearing masks. Also, when the governor issued a mandate (June 17) for people to wear masks outside, we’ve seen a big drop-off in traffic. Our customers are a more mature and more cautious about going out in public. Other customers are just thankful we’re open, and are very patient with only one employee working in most of the locations. Practice safe shopping? Many of our stores have small footprints (1,200 square feet), so social distancing can be tricky. Our employees must wear masks and we have gloves if they want. We have hand sanitizer for employees and customers. We ask our employees to wash their hands thoroughly after every customer and we’re wiping down the shoes and hard surfaces of the stores constantly.

Full Hauss: Gary and his daughters, Bobi and Danie.

and from 74 hours to 40 hours. So the increase in the New Balance store was quite amazing. We also opened with only the manager working to keep payroll down. By the second week, we added the seventh day and a second person to the New Balance location. By the third week, we also added the seventh day to the Ecco location. The next four locations we opened also had stores around us open, and three were in open-air locations. We decided to open one enclosed mall store, because Las Vegas was pushing for us to reopen our New Balance store on The Strip. We now have all three of our New Balance locations reopened. Those locations have gotten mixed results. A couple have been pretty good and a couple haven’t. We’ve only reopened two of our seven multi-branded J. Stephens locations so far.

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Has ecommerce been a safety net? When we first shutdown our online business fell as well. Then, within a few weeks, it came back strong and continued that way for about five weeks. But it started to drop again when Amazon started putting all softgoods to the back of the pack and PPE products to the front. More recently, the challenges are vendors getting very aggressive with their pricing on their DTC sites, which has definitely impacted our online sales. Second wave preparations? We aren’t making any preparations for closing again because if it happens, we’ll do exactly what we did the first time we closed. We’ll furlough all employees of stores that close and wait for them to be allowed to reopen again. Dark clouds on the horizon? I think we have a very tough road ahead of us. Our first obstacle:

half of our stores are in indoor malls, and I believe they’ll be the last places to get the traffic back. Second, for older consumers it’s going to take a vaccine or at least something that will treat the virus before they feel safe to do normal shopping. We project for the rest of this year to do 50 percent less than last year. Thus far, we are doing much better than that, but we haven’t opened the stores that we feel will take the biggest hits. Plenty of challenges ahead? The biggest challenge now is navigating the needs of retailers, landlords and vendors. Everyone wants their monies and yet we just shut down for nearly three months with almost no income coming in yet having all these expenses due. How do we pay for that? Worse, in many cases vendors are selling that same product at anywhere from 30 to 75 percent off on their DTC sites. But keep in mind, vendors most likely haven’t been paid yet and have gotten a tremendous amounts of cancellations from retailers. Sitting on all that inventory and not getting paid by retailers forces them to drop prices dramatically on their DTC sites. Any solutions? Part of the solution would be for vendors to start the dating from when the retailer reopens and work with them on assisted margins. Now how does the vendor get rewarded? Since the retailer has limited access to cash and customers, first try not to cancel any fall orders. Vendors have already bought the goods and most likely will have to bring them in. Second, space out deliveries so you can manage your payments better. Third, make sure the vendors who play ball with you aren’t forgotten. Put their product to the front of the store and bring out one of their shoes to every customer. As for landlords, you know what you’ll need to survive from them, but how can you give to them without hurting your company? Maybe in return for rent concessions, you give longer terms on the back end, which they’re likely going to need. None of us—vendors, landlords and retailers—are out of the woods, and it can get worse before it gets better. So for the rest of 2020 we need help each other to get through this. The saying, “We’re all in this together,” has never been more true!

Lucky Shoes Akron, OH

John Luck, president Closed: Mar. 20 Reopened: May 12

Define closed? Our stay at home order was from Mar. 20 to May 12, but around Apr. 20 I got sick of sitting at home. I started calling customers, making shoe deliveries and scrapping for every sale I could make. We applied for and given permission by our county health departments to open a couple of stores for curbside pickup and appointment-only beginning May 1 to service essential workers and medical referrals. I emailed HR departments at hospitals and local Chamber of Commerce departments. We also called our referring doctors. So, we were able to do some business while we were “closed.” Pandemic pivots? We got a temporary ecommerce site up and running around May 11, and we’re happy with the results. Our permanent site should be ready by early July. We also put some clearance stuff up on some third party sites as an additional revenue stream. Reopening grand? The first couple of weeks were pretty scary, but business has improved every week. I’m writing this on a Friday (late June), and we are currently up for the week. I had better find some wood to knock on. What’s selling? Athletic is through the roof for men [up 24 percent] and women [up 79 percent] since reopening. Oofos and Revere are new brands for us that are doing surprisingly well. Keen kids’ sandals are strong. Another bright spot: Vera Bradley face masks. We have a 37-time turn! We just received 500 or so more today, and that’s not enough! On the flip side, sandals, dress and casual are all very tough for us right now. How would you assess the general mood of your customers? Most have been an absolute pleasure. They’ve been supportive, friendly, patient and tolerant. Some have been a little grumpy about this or that, but that’s a small percentage. We are seeing a strange combination of pent-up demand mixed with zero need. No one is going on vacation, having big weddings or

buying new outfits. All of these are hurting sandal sales, especially. Practice safe shopping? We rearranged seating areas to ensure proper distancing and we require customers to wear masks like we are. We’ve also limited the number of customers in the store at one time. Our sales team is under orders to protect themselves and our customers at all times. We are going through a lot of hand soap and cleaning supplies! What has been the hardest aspect to getting the 16 stores up and running again? It is all hard. Our buy was great when we made it, but it is wrong for today’s reality, so we have to take some lumps in certain categories. We have had to cancel shoes this year, and I hate that! We have to be very careful with our marketing, because we need a controlled stream of customers for safety’s sake. The hardest part emotionally has been leaving some employees furloughed longer than others. We simply do not have the work to bring everybody back right now. Second wave fears? I believe we are headed for a rise in cases this fall. So we are raising as much cash as we can. Hopefully, we as a society can attenuate it so it doesn’t become a spike and we don’t have to close. You have reasons to be optimistic about your business going forward because? From an internal perspective, I think these tough times have made our organization stronger. We have had some truly heroic efforts from our team. Externally, we’ve had an influx of younger customers that are being very accepting of the way we do business, and I’m pretty excited about our ecommerce site. What’s your outlook for the rest of the year? Originally, I was thinking 30-40 percent decreases, but now I am thinking 10-20 percent. I think we are in for a rough ride for fall, though. I believe that next spring will be better for retailers, but vendors may still have a tough time due to the amount of product that will not get cleared this spring. Fall 2021, hopefully, we’re back to normal. Parting shot? Change is constant, and it can be violent. Accept the new circumstances, adapt quickly and do the best you can. It’s all you can do.

b Schuler Shoes, Minneapolis, MN John Schuler, CEO

Closed: Mar. 16 Reopened: Mid May

Pandemic pivots? We focused on online sales with free shipping and/or curbside pickup, plus live chat was how we kept some cash flow during that time. Our online sales were up considerably. Reopening grand? We’re encouraged as business is about 65 percent of last year and growing steadily. We’re bringing back more employees to our nine locations every day and hope to continue as sales increase. And that’s a bit difficult to achieve with 50 percent of max capacity and all the safety concerns. The BLM protests were another hit to our progress and set us back a day or two, but not significantly. I’m very happy to be open again. What’s selling? Athletic styles by New Balance, Brooks and Hoka One One, and Birkenstock have definitely been our hottest sellers. General mood of your customers? Customers are very pleased that we’re open again, even though it’s a whole new way of doing our sit-and-fit model. We have hosts at the doors controlling the number of customers, people are asked to wear masks and sanitizer hands etc., etc. Second wave fears? We’re ready to deal with the next wave, if it comes, as we have learned a lot. I just hope and pray it does not happen.

2020 july • footwearplusmagazine.com 19

casual look. Our sandal business, of course, continues to be very strong.

b Rack Room Shoes Charlotte, NC Mark Lardie, CEO

Closed: Depending on the 34 states and local ordinances, stores were closed from four to eight weeks beginning in late March.

Pandemic pivot: We rapidly increased our focus on our online business and our customers reacted. We saw weekly increases of 200 to 500 percent. Reopening grand? We are surprised and delighted that our customers feel safe in the trusted Rack Room Shoes environment; our reopened stores are delivering double-digit comp gains in June. All our center types—malls, strip centers, outlets and free standing stores—are positive comp. Certainly, our larger tourist stores have continued to suffer from a lack of traffic due to the continued downturn in overall tourism. What’s selling? With most of our families in some sort of stay-at-home mode, our business has taken on more of a decidedly athletic and

b Comfort Plus Shoes & Footcare Leawood, KS Matthew Gold, president Closed: Mar. 24 Reopened: May 11

Coping in Kansas? The response to the virus has been hyper-local. The shopping center where our store is located is practicing tremendous social distancing, mask wearing, etc. People walking in and out of the nearby grocery store,

20 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2020

Is there a pent-up demand, or are shoppers holding back? After the extended lockdown, many of our families are in need of new shoes. The balance between this and safety can likely be seen in our lower traffic counts. The trips they make to Rack Room Shoes are clearly buying trips, as opposed to window shopping. Practice safe shopping? Our marketing team created a complete in-store sign package with social distancing guidelines, floor and window clings to identify traffic patterns and appropriate spacing. We also observe strict capacity limitations, on-going cleaning and mask usage by all our associates. What has been the hardest aspect of getting hundreds of stores up and running again? Ensuring a safe environment for our associates and customers. We have taken an unwavering stance that these two issues override any business concerns. Proper levels of cleaning, capacity limits and reduced hours are all sales limiters; however, they are necessary to protect everyone’s health.

drug store, etc. almost all have masks on. But the grocery store near my home, about 15 minutes from my store, is about 40:60 mask, no mask. Reopening grand? Some days it feels like the old normal and some days customer flow indicates we’re clearly experiencing a pandemic. Overall, we’re at about 60 percent of normal. This is our trunk show season, which are some of our best days of the year, and we’ve had to cancel those events. That’s a big hit. But it’s been heartwarming to interact with our customers again. Many said that our store was the only place they’d been, other than the grocery store, in months! They expressed how comfortable our sanitary efforts had made them feel and, in turn, they didn’t hesitate to keep trying on and buying. What’s been really touching is how much folks just want to chat. It’s so unnatural as humans to be so distant and not socialize. There’s clearly a pent-up demand for socializing.

Second wave fears and contingency plans? Unfortunately yes, we have a road map now for that process and, in the very unlikely event that does come to be, we are prepared to follow all federal, state and local guidelines. Reasons to be optimistic? We believe our trusted brand, Rack Room Shoes, is well positioned for the current situation as well as the complete return to normalcy. The efficiency of our shopping experience and the simplicity of our Real People messaging clearly resonates with the families we serve. Outlook for the rest of the year? We are guardedly optimistic that while the content and mix of our sales are altered, our business should become more predicable throughout the year. Biggest takeaway from this reopening process? We have a great team of very dedicated associates. Our store management group remained with us on payroll throughout the closure and this gave us the ability to reopen as soon as it was deemed safe by state and local officials. Their focus and positive attitude amaze me daily.

And a pent-up demand for shoes? Yes! The folks that are coming out are coming out to buy. It’s a “while I’ve made the effort to get out, I’ll buy another pair or two” mindset. They aren’t window shopping. It’s more necessity shopping. Surprises? Returns are way down. People might think it’s unsafe to return product or are not enthused about risking to go out again. Also, weekdays are the new Saturday. We’re consistently having peak days midweek while normally our top day, Saturday, has been quite a bit down. Working from home allows one to simply take an hour break and go shopping, and I think folks are also focusing on friends and family time on the weekends. What’s selling? New Balance, Brooks, Finn Comfort, Birkenstock and Joya have been really strong. The brands that aren’t as ‘online-able.’ Birkenstock is certainly simple to buy online, but it seems like folks are just more eager to

get them immediately, and they also want to buy local. Practice safe shopping? We removed most of our seating and set up six fitting areas designed to maintain distance. We wear masks and we highly, highly, highly request that our customers wear masks. We have a lot of high-risk customers and veterans. We find that the inconvenience of wearing a mask is worth it than taking a risk with the unknown. The hardest aspect to getting up and running again? Projecting what things will look like in a few months, or even a few weeks. It’s a highly volatile time and things can change on a dime. The shutdown happened so fast. The rug was

b Lori’s, Chicago, IL Lori Andre, owner

Closed: Mar. 16 Reopened: June 9.

Pandemic pivots: Initially, we didn’t do anything because we were under a major lockdown. But as the city went into Phase 1 and allowed for curbside pickup we decided to do virtual shopping at our three stores. We went through our clientele book and invited people to shop online or on the phone. They could request curbside pickup or we would ship it to them. Every day, from 12 to 4, two people staffed our stores to manage this. It went fairly well. Customers appreciated the fact that we were in touch and offering a little retail therapy, so to speak. We had expected to do 30 percent of our business once we reopened, but we are at 37 percent. And we just experienced our best day (late June) since reopening. So I’m feeling really hopeful that we’ll continue to increase our sales. It may not be full swing, but I feel at least in Chicago we are seeing movement in the right direction, and that makes us hopeful. How were your online sales during the store closures? We saw pretty substantial increases, especially in the more casual category. Easy footwear and comfortable clothing have sold well. How would you assess the overall mood of your customers? Super happy to be back and out and about. I think Chicago has done a really good job of getting this city back.

22 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2020

pulled out from underneath us, and it’s just very difficult to bring in a lot of inventory when we don’t know what things will be like in the future. Second wave fears? Beyond minimal fall prebooks and tightening our open-to-buy, it’s very difficult to prepare for a fall spike. But we can weather another shutdown, and better than the first one. Regrets? Closing was the right thing to do. It was a social responsibility and our staff was simply not comfortable helping customers with so much unknown. But we were wrong on the timing of our ecommerce launch. It’s been in the works for a long while and we missed out not having it up and running during lockdown

Practice safe shopping? We’ve followed the CDC guidelines for a safe and sanitary store. We require all sales associates and customers to wear masks. We also require customers to sanitize their hands once they enter. We’ve also put up plastic shields around our entire wrap desks, and throughout the day we are continually disinfecting surfaces. Any clothing items that are tried on are steamed before being put back on the floor. Lastly, we’re doing contactless payment. It’s not really a big deal because there’s not just that much cash circulating out there anyway. Hardest part of getting the stores up and running again? I wouldn’t say hard, rather stressful because we don’t know what to expect. It’s the fear of the unknown. Closing in the heart of our spring season was also challenging. Unfortunately, we had to cancel a lot of orders, or we pushed them back a lot. The good thing is we really don’t expect to sell a ton of spring styles in Chicago in March, and even part of April, because the weather is still horrible. As a result, customers have been exhibiting a buy now/wear now shopping philosophy. That’s been helpful. Second wave fears? Just be prepared as much as we can be. We know the drill now and what we’ll have to do. But I don’t think there’s going to be another complete shutdown. I don’t think the economy can withstand that. It would just be too tough. I don’t know for sure, but I’m not expecting another shutdown.

as consumer behavior changed. Biggest takeaway? That many of our vendors really care about us little guys. The response has run the gamut from extended terms and special buys to zero accommodations and no shipping to independents during peak season. Is this pandemic your great challenge ever? Absolutely! I don’t think any business is prepared for such a significant decrease in revenue for such an extended time. Better days ahead? Optimism is high as the appreciation from our customers has been immense. It makes it easier to feel optimistic when you feel the love from customers.

Reasons to be optimistic? We are fortunate in that we’ve been in business for 38 years, we have a great reputation in the industry and we have a very loyal customer base that is evidenced by seeing them walk through our doors again. We also have a strong online presence and we’re well capitalized. Also, we still have plenty of merchandise in our stores so when people come in there’s something to buy. I think we’re one of the fortunate ones in terms of small, family-run businesses. While this is going to definitely take some time to work through, I feel as long-time independent retailers we’ve been through a lot of crises over the past few decades. We’re always up for a challenge, I guess, and we’ll take on whatever comes our way the best that we can and hope for the best. Biggest takeaway from this whole ordeal? First off, I’m glad I’m a person with a lot of perseverance and fortitude, because you need a lot of strength and positive energy to get through something like this. Beyond that, these past three months allowed us to look closely at our business and decide which vendors are the shining stars and which ones we need to cut back on, as well as what categories are we missing going forward. Like sneakers, casual slip-ons, casual clothing and tie-dye—things that are more of an emotional purchase right now. People want to feel good, and I think they need to go out and shop. It’s such a part of our culture. So having the right merchandise, at the right time, has helped us, and we’ll continue to listen to what our customers have to say.

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Tip Top Shoes and West New York, NY

Lester Wasserman, owner

b Pandemic pivots? We pivoted to focus more online. Both stores saw an increase in online sales during the shutdown. We furloughed employees. We took the PPP money. We also took a long hard look at our advertising campaign and where we wanted to spend more based on whatever key word searches we were thinking about. Reopening grand? It’s gone better than expected, but not near what June business normally is. Of course, anything is better than zero. We’ve been getting a mix bag of customers. I waited on an older lady on the street the other day and sold her five pairs, and she didn’t seem concerned at all. Meaning, she wore a mask and was very understanding of the situation. She certainly wasn’t living like she was Anne Frank. Practice safe shopping? We’ve ordered plexiglass dividers and a ton of sanitizer. We are all wearing masks and requesting customers do so as well.

Closed: Mar. 16. Reopened: June 7, curbside pickup; June 14, limited, in-store capacity

to closeouts, DTC or a deal to be had with a big chain…whatever the reason, it’s not easy getting some inventory right now. What are you looking to buy? I’m looking for some freshness now at West. New merchandise in addition to reorders on classics like Air Force

less dress shoes. Also, the number of people who can gather together for formal events will likely remain relatively low. Nobody is going to need those kinds of shoes. What’s more, who even knows if half the stuff we booked is going to get made for fall. Not everybody has sent out confirmations yet. Second wave fears? I don’t think anybody can stomach another shutdown. But we’re prepared, because we know what the virus does. And we can still sell online. Reasons to be optimistic going forward? Because we know how bad it’s been and hopefully it can’t get any worse. We were literally doing $0 in our stores. I mean, if we’re open, we’re going to at least do some business. Customers are saying hello. We’re getting a lot of, “Wow, it’s great to see you open again. I can’t wait to buy shoes.” That’s more of what’s happening right now. Some don’t want to try on just yet because they are a little afraid still, and that’s ok. But they do want to at least say hi. In the meantime, we just have to get narrower, leaner and meaner and work on those bottom line numbers.

What’s selling well curbside? We have a couple of tables on the street showcasing what’s best and bright, and we redid our windows to reflect the current season. We Lester Wasserman taking Tip Top Shoes’ sit-and-fit service to the streets. had to freshen that up. As for Outlook for the rest of the year? what’s selling, basically what would It’s still very negative, but it’s going to be greater 1s, Stan Smiths, etc. And in Tip Top, we’re lookhave been selling this time of year, anyway. Lots than zero. ing for more of what’s already selling—more of Birkenstock, Ecco “Yuccatan” sandals, Reef, Birkenstock. OlaKai, Worishofer and New Balance. At West, Biggest takeaway from this whole ordeal? You lots of Nike, Adidas, New Balance and Vans. don’t know how lucky you are until it’s taken away Are you even concerned about buying for from you. Also, how fragile the world economy Spring ’21 right now? That’s not even on my Challenges to getting up and running again? is when it comes to something like this virus. radar right now. But fall is a concern because Getting shoes delivered right now is very difOnce that tsunami comes, there’s nothing you I don’t think we’re going to see any normal ficult. A lot of our orders were cancelled, but to can do, other than be diversified in the sense customer volume until September or October. get shoes from a lot of larger manufacturers—for that you have a solid online business. You can’t And once they do return, many are still going to them to turn the machine back on—is hard to do. have all your eggs in any one basket. be working out of their homes and will require Maybe those (cancelled) orders got reallocated

24 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2020

The Shoe Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Beth Weingarten, owner Closed: Mar. 23 Reopened: May 10

Pandemic pivots? We moved up our annual clearance sale that normally runs July through October to when we reopened. A lot of snowbirds who normally would be gone are still here, so we thought maybe they’d take advantage of the sale. To that end, we’re doing a lot more social media advertising than before—Facebook Live spots. Other than that, it’s been tough to focus on the store as my husband, John, passed away on Apr. 11. He received a double lung transplant fourand-a-half years ago and his body rejected them. So I wasn’t “worrying” about the store much. Thankfully, our son, Michael was in the store every day taking care of any online sales and everything else.

price, but the majority of our store is on sale right now.

How’s business since reopening? Initially, we were open by appointment, but we didn’t get many. A lot of people were really afraid to come in at first. Some called and ordered a pair for curbside pickup. But then, slowly, we’ve been trending a little bit better. There have been a few days where we had to lock the door to maintain social distancing as we’re only allowing six people in the store at a time. We”re fortunate in that we have some very loyal customers. One woman duplicated five pairs of shoes she bought for another home she owns. It was just to be nice; she wanted to be supportive of us. Overall, though, it’s been pretty scary. March traditionally is our busiest month, and even though we closed late in the month, everything going on before that really hurt our sales.

In terms of challenges, where does this one rank? Over our 14 years in business, this is definitely No. 1. Not only that, there was my husband’s passing and a BLM rally on our corner. We had to close early that day because we didn’t know if it was going to peaceful or not. And now there’s a resurgence of cases in Florida—that can’t be good—and we’re heading into hurricane season…I mean, what’s next? I’m not sure we could survive another long shut down, unless the government wants to bail us out again? The PPP funds were helpful, but that’s not a long-term answer.

Practice safe shopping? We are wearing masks and require customer to wear them as well. I don’t want them to wear gloves because I don’t know where they’ve worn them before entering. So we let them clean their hands with sanitizer. In fact, I’ll squirt their hands for them so I know it’s done. Some say they just did that but I ask to just to it again—please. Mood of your customers? I think the fear factor

Outlook for the rest of the year? Are you kidding me? I’m taking it one day at a time. We’ve cancelled orders for fall and plan to do business with our vendors who do open stock and makeup. I’ll probably bring in some items for fall, but only if we need it. I’m not planning to attend the Atlanta show in August. But that has more to do with my husband’s passing than business reasons. We always had so much fun shopping that show together, and I’m just not ready yet for that. Besides, I have plenty of inventory right now and if I could sell all of it, that would be lovely.

Michael, Beth and John Weingarten

is still out there, but not as much. Many are just fed up with the whole thing, really. Some are either annoyed because I ask them to take their gloves off or to put on a mask. While others are just grateful that we’re being so cautious. Are they buying or just browsing? They are here to buy, mostly. A gentleman just stopped in to buy two handbags that I had recently placed in the window. He bought them as a birthday gift. That was a pleasant surprise. In general, customers aren’t buying dressy shoes—they aren’t going anywhere. Even when they do buy heels, they say, “I don’t know where I’m going but they’re really pretty.” Sneakers are the most popular selling styles, and Naot is still our No. 1 brand. Some people are buying on regular

Any reasons to be optimistic about your business going forward? Yes, because people like what we do. We’ve built a very strong and loyal following over the years that I’m extremely grateful for. So, I’m perennially optimistic. But we’ve also got to be realistic. Sometimes I catch myself fantasizing about launching a GoFundMe page that says if you’d like The Shoe Spa to be here for years to come, buy a pair right now. But I’m not willing to go that far just yet. In the meantime, I hope our country becomes colorblind and we create a more loving, peaceful world to coexist in. It may sound trite, but I think these crises is God going ‘knock, knock’ and telling us to change our ways.

2020 july • footwearplusmagazine.com 25

b Market Street Shoes Seattle, WA Ryan and Alanna Stauffer, co-owners and founders Closed: Mar. 25 Reopened: Early June

Reopening grand? The first week we reopened our sales were about 30 percent of last year’s figures. The second week we were hitting about 50 percent. What’s selling? Dansko, Hoka One One and Birkenstock have been our top brands. Apparel and accessory sales have been a surprise, selling more than we expected. Have the reopenings differed between your Seattle and Redmond locations? Seattle, our

more established location of 14 years, has been busier to start, with our Redmond location trailing a bit. But Redmond is also in an outdoor lifestyle center and many other businesses there haven’t reopened yet. What’s been the hardest aspect to getting up and running again? The expense and stress of reconfiguring both locations layouts to meet our county’s guidelines for healthy distancing, i.e. sneeze guards, distancing markers and signage, PPE for customers and staff, cleaning/disinfecting equipment, etc. The ongoing expense of procuring PPE, disinfectant and sanitizer, and the difficulty ensuring an adequate supply to meet our disinfectant and sanitization needs. Second wave fears? Our goal is to continue to develop and grow our web business, which we did not have prior to our mandated closure. While online sales have only been a small percentage of what our typical in-store sales are, they’ve been crucial to maintaining a revenue stream, staying connected to our customer base and retaining all of our employees.

Brown’s Shoe Fit Grand Junction, CO

Gregg Palmer, managing partner of five stores Closed: Mar. 25 Reopened: May 1

Pandemic pivots? We did some appointment-only business with our local Veterans Affairs office the week before we reopened. I also manned the phone during our regular hours. It was mostly to answer questions, but we did manage to make a few phone sales, so we had a trickle of income. The PPP funds were of great help in re-establishing cash flow. Kudos to my locally owned bank for being very easy to deal with—little paper work to muddle through and a quick turnaround in getting funded. Without that, credit issues would have plagued us well into the fall delivery season. Reopening grand? We expected to be off about 50 percent, but were off about 20 percent the first week. We showed an increase over last year’s figures several days into the second week and have posted increases over last year consistently since. We are currently up about five percent for June. What’s selling? Because we were closed so long during the heart of our spring season, I expected business to be slow and customers to be bargain shopping since many had been out of work for more than a month. But that was not the case. We had marked most of our spring merchandise on sale, but found customers didn’t care. If it was on sale, great, but they were buying what they wanted,

26 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2020

Outlook for the rest of the year? Trepidatiously bullish. We’re feeling positive and are excited to be open, if only partially. We’re currently in Phase 2 of our state’s plan, allowing us 30 percent capacity in each store, which averages to about 15 customers at a time, and 15 customers almost starts to feel like pre-Corona times. Biggest takeaway from this whole ordeal? That we’re fortunate to have kept all our 25 amazing employees on our payroll during this time. Frankly, they’ve been amazing through all of this, quickly pivoting with us to build out our website; continuing to work with management on customer service skills, sales techniques and product knowledge while stuck at home; and now providing continuity and familiarity for customers who are courageously coming back into our stores. Also, that our customers count on us for shoes as well as a place to meet friends and bring out-of-town relatives to—that the relationship is important. So making sure we continue to communicate with them—through email and social channels—is another key takeaway—that our involvement in our customers’ lives and in our communities is as important as the products we sell.

regardless of price. Birkenstock, Chaco and Teva sandals have sold well. Athletic styles have also done especially well. Hoka One One has been phenomenal, as well as Altra, Brooks and New Balance. Fashion shoes have been disappointing; the interest has been in casual, everyday footwear. Practice safe shopping? To comply with our local health department, we reduced the number of seating, spaced the chairs six feet apart and have continued constant cleaning of counters, displays, measuring devices and surfaces. Staff is also required to wear masks. Biggest challenge to get back up and running again? Getting fill-ins on the SKUs that are selling. Our inventory balance is difficult since our fashion shoes are languishing, but casual footwear has evaporated due to demand. Many companies still had warehouses closed, sales reps furloughed and limited staff available when we reopened, so getting shoes placed and coming in a timely manner produced a lot of temporary shortages. Credit issues had to be addressed with a few folks because of business interruptions, but it is slowly working itself out. Just having the right shoes at the right time has been the biggest issue. Second wave fears? A second shutdown would be tough to weather, and more difficult than the first closure. To get in fall deliveries, only to sit on them for another five weeks, then not be able to sell them at a regular mark up...that would be more than difficult. A second closing would be devastating emotionally as much as businesswise. We’d survive, but it would leave a significant dent.

b Embellish Collection Chattanooga, TN Terri Holley, owner Closed: Mar. 30 for approximately eight weeks

Virus fallout? Business literally crashed as soon as the residents in our area heard about the impact of the virus and the shelter in place suggestion. Pandemic pivots? We ramped up our ecommerce options. The results have been disappointing, though. At the same time, we also significantly increased our social media presence, particularly on Instagram, including videos of myself and other staff members modeling and discussing outfits. Our clients have responded very well to this, but it’s quite labor intensive keeping up with all the dialogue on social media. We found that we were

working just a hard to make a $100 sale as we used to work for a $1,000 sale. We also had to manage curbside pickup and delivery, as well as offer free shipping, which was a huge added expense. Reopening grand? Business has been very slow. Our numbers are still down significantly compared to last year. This time of year, we typically have a lot of tourist business and that‘s not happening at all. A significant number of clients are scared to go out and shop. They’re not getting out at all. Of those who do go out to shop, how would you assess their general mood? They’re so pleased we’re open. They’re glad to be out and happy to spend, although they are looking for sales and spending conservatively. What’s selling? Casual shoes and apparel is all that is selling. We have literally sold one dressy dress in the past four months. T-shirts and casual pants in soft fabrics have particularly sold well. I’m not really surprised by this. Practice safe shopping? We conducted a gradual reopening, starting with appointment-only options. We all

Better days ahead, possibly? I’m very optimistic about fall due to several factors. One: The enormous support we are receiving from our local community for locally owned businesses has helped tremendously. Two: The resurgence of business itself. People want to go out shopping, and many are looking for better quality, rather than lower price. Three: Many retailers, myself included, used the down time to scrutinize our fall orders and fine tune them. So I’m excited about what fall could offer in foot traffic, buyer excitement and the desire to shop local. If we are allowed to do business, I’m optimistic that I can erase much of the volume loss incurred during the five weeks of closure. Biggest challenge ever? While this challenge has been unique and confusing at times, it’s not the biggest obstacle we’ve overcome. Western Colorado has a long history of energy booms and busts. When we opened here in 1980, we were riding a boom and expecting decades of economic growth, only to be surprised when the oil companies stopped all activities almost overnight. As a new business trying to establish a foothold, it was devastating. The local phone book lost a third of its business listings in one year! So surviving that was more difficult because it lasted so much longer. During the Covid-19 closure, we knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Any parting advice? The biggest takeaway for me in reopening—and doing so successfully—is just do it. Don’t over think customer safety, you know what to do. Don’t worry about what lies down the road, there is time to address changes and challenges as they present themselves. Just sell shoes. Do what you know how to do best. Help your customers, take your cues from them and sell shoes.

wear masks and clean before and after each client, sanitizing every touch point. But it’s difficult to communicate with clients while wearing a mask. What has been the hardest aspect to getting up and running again? The lack of traffic. The decreased sales. We brought our staff back when we received the PPP funding, but we honestly don’t have enough business to keep everyone busy. Second wave fears? I’m moderately concerned about that happening and, in light of that, I’ve cancelled a lot of orders for later deliveries and I’m not sure if I will buy any new merchandise for delivery before the end of the year. If I do buy anything new, it will be quite conservative. On the bright side? I’m cautiously optimistic, primarily because traffic does seem to be getting a little better each week and June sales are not down nearly as much as May. So at least we’re moving in the right direction. I also believe that this situation has increased awareness with consumers about the importance of supporting local businesses. If I continue to see traffic and sales improve each month, then I’ll continue to be somewhat optimistic. Although, the future is unknown right now, and that makes me somewhat anxious.

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For over six decades, ara has been crafting shoes that combine attractive design with the perfect fit. A familyowned, German company with the highest quality standards and leading designers, ara combines traditional craftsmanship with innovative technologies to take you

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Works Works EasyWorks by Easy Street is Celebrating 30 years in January 2021, it is our passion to develop beautiful and

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Comfort starts with fit. For 35 years, Propét has perfected its product line to

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At Naot, we are passionate about creating a better world by making people feel comfortable. Crafted by hand through the combined efforts of people from different cultures and backgrounds, Naot shoes are ethically made using sustainable methods with materials of the highest quality. Fine Italian leathers combined with our signature cork insoles, make for an unparalleled combination of quality, fashion

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EDITOR’S PICKS

MOD S QUAD Groove to a swinging ’60s vibe in these Twiggy-approved boots.

Naked Feet

Azura

D E S I G N E R C H AT

RITCH ERANI BEGAN cutting his shoe teeth at the tender age of 16, working in the retail trenches as a co-founder, along with his older brother (Chuck), of the now iconic boutique, Chuckies New York. Since opening its doors, first in Brooklyn, NY, in 1980, Erani steadily built a cult following, introducing cutting-edge designers long before they opened Big Apple flagships of their own. Celebrity clientele has included Madonna, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, along with a legion of other A-listers and trendsetters who continually looked to Chuckies (now with two outposts on Manhattan’s Upper East Side along with an online component) for the latest in designer footwear. So perhaps it’s only fitting that Erani crossed over to designing an eponymous collection, which he’s been doing now for about a decade. For starters, he possesses intimate knowledge of what his target customer craves—and a decades-long track record of success as proof. And in today’s online-driven retail world, some level of product exclusivity is critical for survival, not to mention where the thrill for Erani increasingly lies. Asked what he loves doing more these days, being a retailer or a designer, and Erani, in classic New Yorker bluntness, says: “Most retail is online these days so the satisfaction of styling and helping someone is almost gone.” Answer: designing. Erani’s latest collection, for Fall ’20, is all about minimalism— literally. “The factory couldn’t produce new patterns to turn over fast enough,” he says, accounting in part for the tight selection. The season’s focus on classic shapes, soft leathers and trusted hues is also in step with the ongoing fallout of a global pandemic and its related social distancing rules. “We don’t believe it’s profitable to go overboard with new styles, colors and silhouettes when no one is really going anywhere,” Erani says. “Nobody is looking closely at six feet apart, anyway.” The fall collection also includes a smattering of carryover best-sellers, like soft leather styles that hug the foot and calf paired with acrylic heels. “It adds to any look,” he says. That includes Erani’s personal favorite, the Terminator, a tall boot with an acrylic heel. “It’s vintage and modern at the same time, and it makes almost everything look better,” he explains. Here, Erani discusses muses, golden design rules and why a Cheryl Tiegs sighting dating back nearly 40 years ago still resonates as strongly as ever in his overall approach to design. Hint: think chic, not flashy. —Greg Dutter 46 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2020

Ecco BC

Where do you look for design inspiration? I always like old movies and vintage styles, and then modernize them. My Terminator boot, for example, came from the movie Nine about film director Guido Contini. The scene where Kate Hudson sings and dances to Cinema Italiano has great styling. I love her boots!

want to be able to wear the shoes they buy for any occasion to justify their purchase. They should be able to wear the shoes for weddings and running around town. So avoiding severe shapes is a golden rule, because those are always the toughest sellers and ones with the largest markdowns.

Who is the Ritch Erani woman? She’s chic yet understated. Someone who wants something classic with a little twist.

Who are some designers you admire? I took my first design inspiration from Giorgio Armani’s clear pumps from the ’80s. I remember as a kid starting out in retail and seeing Cheryl Tiegs walk down 3rd Ave. wearing those clear Armani pumps paired with a linen suit on a Sunday. So chic! It stuck with me.

What does she want/need from her shoes? Aside from the obvious comfort and great design, versatility! What makes a shoe a “Ritch Erani” one in terms of style and vibe? Great question! It must be multifunctional, like removable ankle and instep straps, day-to-night styling, PVC, clean lines, not over designed. Any golden design rules gleaned from your decades running Chuckies? Woman

What do you love most about designing shoes? Seeing them come to fruition and hearing woman say they love them and can’t take them off! Do you have plans to take the line further into wholesale distribution? Very possibly. Stay tuned.

E D I TO R ’ S P I C K S P H OTO G R A P H Y BY N A N C Y C A M P B E L L

RITCH ERANI

T R E N D S P OT T I N G

PH OTO G RAP HY BY NA NCY C AMP B ELL

BIKER CHIC Choose your ’tude, from subtle nods to road warrior-esque. 1. L’Artiste 2. Naot 3. Emmshu 4. Soft Comfort 5. Biza 6.Bearpaw

2020 july• footwearplusmagazine.com 45

L A S T SH O T

Tipping the Scales

Musse & Cloud

Aetrex

REPTILE HOUSE

Naot

All Black

Hot for cold-blooded prints.

Naked Feet

Seychelles

Emmshu

48 footwearplusmagazine.com â&#x20AC;¢ june 2020

Andre Assous

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY N A N C Y C A M P B E L L

Restricted

Bella~VitaÂŽ in-stock & available for FALL 2020

1-800-970-VITA

Featur ing Aetr ex or thotic suppor t and me mor y foam cushioning for supe r ior comfor t

H e a l t h y C o m f o r t S t a r t s H e r e !â&#x201E;˘