Footwear Plus Magazine | July 2015

SOUND ADVICE FROM A BRAND PSYCHOLOGIST

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WORK BOOTS GET A ST YLE RAISE

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ATHLETIC PREVIEW : MILLENNIALS AT PL AY

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J U LY 2 0 1 5

Greg Dutter Editorial Director Nancy Campbell Trevett McCandliss Creative Directors EDITORIAL Tara Anne Dalbow Fashion Editor Kirby Stirland Associate Editor Laurie Cone Associate Editor Kathy Passero Editor at Large Melodie Jeng Contributing Photographer

PA G E

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Judy Leand Contributing Editor ADVERTISING/ PRODUCTION Jennifer Craig Associate Publisher Capri Crescio Advertising Manager Tim Jones Deputy Art Director Production Manager Allison Kastner Operations Manager Bruce Sprague Circulation Director Mike Hoff Digital Director

14 On The Retail Couch Brand psychologist Karen Reuther weighs in on how to meet your muse and more retail success strategies.

By Kathy Passero 16 Here’s the Story Solomon Dabah, president of Vida Brands—makers of Jambu, André Assous, Kensie, XOXO and Carter’s, among others—on how the family-owned company has become a go-to resource. By Greg Dutter 22 Work It The new crop of work boots for Spring ’16 appeals to Millennials and the broader workforce alike with fresh technologies and a fashion-forward focus. By Laurie Cone 26 Anchored in Anchorage How Skinny Raven’s spot-on selection, unbeatable customer service and host of community running events has made the specialty running store a star attraction in Alaska’s biggest city. By Tara Anne Dalbow

30 Millennial Muscle The sneaker-loving “Fit Generation” inspires versatile, stylish athletic footwear for Spring ’16. By Kirby Stirland 34 On Track Elevated design details give classic hi-tops a rush. By Tara Anne Dalbow 38 True Colors Clean monochromatic kicks paired with sporty brights look chic in the heat.

By Tara Anne Dalbow 8 10 12 54 55 58 60

Editor’s Note Scene & Heard This Just In Shoe Salon Kids E-beat Last Word

On the cover: Giuseppe Zanotti zip-up hi-tops, Wesc sweatshirt, bikini by Enjoue, Nooka watches on left, blue watch by Nooka on right and green watch

by G-Shock.

This page: croc embossed slip-ons by Ash, dress by Muehleder.

Photography by Trevett McCandliss; Fashion Editor: Tara Anne Dalbow; stylist: Alejandro Garcia; hair and makeup by Tara Campbell: model: Elizabeth B./APM Model Management.

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 Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 36 Cooper Square, 4th fl., New York, NY, 10003-7118. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Periodicals postage is paid in New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Subscription price for one year: $48.00 in the U.S. Rates oustide the U.S. are available upon request. Single copy price: $10.00. 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. Symphony Publishing NY, LLC, 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 Symphony Publishing NY, LLC. Printed in the United States.

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E D I TO R ’S N OT E Off- target Marketing

GRIPES AND GRIEVANCES Junk mail, charitable shakedowns and stepping beyond one’s bounds—retailers have been getting on my nerves of late.

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big deal? We should all pony up a few bucks for worthy causes.

Fair enough. But I’m in these stores multiple times a week buying essentials, so it adds up. What’s more, these retailers have no idea how generous (or not) I am when it comes to charitable donations.

It’s not their business. They would be better off sticking to their savings premise or finding another way to contribute to charitable causes. For example, why not give shoppers the option of transferring their rewards points dollars to a charity instead? The contribution wouldn’t come directly from the customer’s wallet and it could be a relatively seamless transaction. It’s just a suggestion.

This brings me to gripe No. 3: unsolicited suggestions that go beyond a retailer’s bounds. I’m referring to the recent campaign

by Starbucks that had its baristas write “Race Together” on select cups to spark conversations with customers about race relations.

Worthy intentions aside, encouraging people to vent when receiving their Ventis brewed up unnecessary controversy, pardon the puns.

Apparently, a lot of people—many of whom are probably already agitated awaiting their caffeine fix—just want their coffee. Is that so much to ask these days?

All this suggests that many retailers are falling into the trap of trying to be everything to everybody. Call it Amazon or Alibaba syndrome. In an online retail age where inventories and customer reach can appear limitless, retailers are losing focus.

Perhaps they’re afraid that if they don’t expand exponentially, they will become irrelevant. I say the opposite holds true. The ability to curate combined with expert product knowledge trumps a watered down, all-everything format. Online or in-store, helping to take the guesswork out of the equation and improving shopping efficiency are worthy points of differentiation against these behemoths.

What’s the alternative? A landscape where everyone becomes a mass purveyor and price is the only point of differentiation. Such an utterly bland dystopian retail world would take the joy out of shopping entirely. Now that would be something to gripe about!

Greg Dutter

Editorial Director

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM JONES

NOT TOO LONG ago, I received an e-mail at 3 a.m. on a Monday from a nationwide discount retailer alerting me of a special offer on patio furniture. While it was the onset of summer, this apartment-dwelling New Yorker—who doesn’t have much room for a fold-up chair, let alone chaise lounge chairs, dining sets, an umbrella and a gazebo—hit the delete button. That’s what I do with so many daily e-mail offers from retailers, regardless of whether it’s of the slightest interest or use to me. This shotgun barrage of advertising seems based on the assumption that eventually there will be a match—and a sale. However, it’s a relatively cheap and crude algorithm that has scant hope of ever producing a sale.

I could just unsubscribe (and I assume many people do), but I cover the retail business, so such e-mails are a job requirement. I’m also curious to know whether this retailer (one of several sending me similar daily scattershot pitches) will ever put any analytics behind their marketing effort. The fact is, I’m a regular shopper for a handful of specific items, yet the e-mails never include offers for those items or even related ones. Why not target me with an offer I’m more likely to buy? Wouldn’t that significantly increase the odds of me going into the retailer’s actual store?

As if that wasn’t bad enough, this particular retailer and a growing number of others now make the in-store experience uncomfortable through their incessant charitable donation requests at checkout. Good intentions aside, it counteracts the shop-for-savings premise of mass marketers. Consumers shop there to extend their dollar, not to feel obligated to donate with each purchase, regardless of whether they donated the last time they shopped.

I feel cheap and uncaring if I decide I want that extra dollar or two in my wallet. Perhaps they don’t intend to shame customers, but the approach makes the in-store experience less pleasant—at least for me. Can’t I just shop for cat food, napkins and laundry detergent without a guilt trip?

Many of you might be thinking, what’s the

SCENE & HEARD

Animal Charm JOY & MARIO has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on two limited-edition capsule collections that will be available for delivery beginning next month. The collabs are in step with the Los Angeles, CA-based brand’s mission to make the most fashionable, comfortable and sustainable footwear. The partnership with WWF showcases Joy & Mario’s commitment to supporting conservation organizations (in the form of a $75,000 yearly license agreement, in this case) and lets customers—via the vibrant animal print uppers and outsoles that feature respective paw/hoof prints—“walk in their footprints.”

“We emphasize sustainability throughout our manufacturing process—from the materials story to how our shoes are made to how we contribute to organizations like WWF to help make a greater difference,” says Mark Chen, marketing director, noting this is the first time the organization has partnered with a footwear company.

The first collection consists of canvas espadrille slip-ons decorated in panda, zebra, gorilla and tiger patterns. Each animal was chosen to represent a different region of the world. The second collection features several iterations of leopard print. Chen notes the jute-infused rubber outsole is comfortable and carries the sustainable materials story. “We wanted something really unique which involved, literally, a bottom-up approach to design,” he explains. “Customers can leave tracks behind as a way to remind others that we are sharing the planet with these animals.”

Suggested retail for both collections is $80 and will include special packaging with information about WWF inside. Chen reports the feedback from buyers at the recent FFANY show was strong, not to mention from WWF representatives who can’t wait to get pairs for themselves. “We want this to be an ongoing partnership so we can introduce additional capsule collections,” he says, adding that the plan is to expand the distribution globally next year. “We want all of our customers to know that we are true to our mission of sustainability and are stepping up to help.”

Toms Shifts into Audi Collab A NEW CAR in the garage and a new pair of shoes in the closet—what could be better than that?

Customers who buy or lease a new or certified pre-owned Audi during the company’s Summer

10 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

of Audi Sales Event (running through August 4, 2015) will have a chance to grab a pair of Toms’ limited-edition Alpargata slip-ons.

The exclusive collab, available in women’s, men’s and children’s sizes, is made of gray coated canvas and accented with red stitching. The inner lining and outside tag bear the four-ring Audi logo.

“We are excited to be partnering with Audi, a company that shares our passion for progressive ideas and positive impact, to create a unique giving experience for Audi customers,” states Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms. With the partnership this summer, Toms will provide 55,000 shoes to children in need via its One for One program.

ZAPPOS POP-UP TEES OFF FOR THE FIRST time in its 115-year history, the U.S. Open golf tournament came to the Pacific Northwest—Chambers Bay, south of Seattle, WA, to be precise—and Zappos marked the occasion with a pop-up shop at nearby Westlake Center. Shoppers grabbed last-minute gifts for Dad (it being Father’s Day weekend and all) from brands like The North Face, Kenneth Cole, Merrell, New Balance and Under Armour while also finding time to practice their swings with on-site golf pros and enjoy snacks from local purveyors.

Experiential events like this are a great way to bring the Zappos brand to life while tapping into potential new business, according to Cat Cook, company spokesperson. “In

order to make moves it’s really important to explore these things,” she says, adding that the in-person shopping experience allows people to get hands-on with product before they buy. Plus, pop-ups let consumers see Zappos’ renowned customer service in action.

Cook notes that Zappos has produced a handful of successful consumer-facing shopping events recently, including a holiday pop-up and another with the site’s couture team featuring an appearance by Sarah Jessica Parker, both in the company’s hometown of Las Vegas. “The goal is awareness.

It’s bringing the brand to life and getting in front of people,” she states, noting that more pop-ups and promotions that let shoppers experience Zappos in person are planned for the near future.

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THIS JUST IN

JEAN POOL Denim, the most democratic textile, lets fashionistas put the focus on their footwear, from boots to sneakers to sandals.

Photography by Melodie Jeng 12 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

FOOTWEAR NETWORK SERIES PRESENTED BY DECKERS BRANDS

On the Retail Couch Brand psychologist Karen Reuther weighs in on how to meet your muse and more success strategies.

BY K AT H Y PA S S E RO

CALL IT A new twist on “retail therapy.” As brand psychologist and creative director for Cast Collective, a design consulting firm specializing in creative visioning and business strategy, Karen Reuther helps her clients delve into their business’ psyche to find the real reason for being. In other words, why does a particular brand or store exist? Once they’ve found that “essence,” Reuther helps her clients express it in product and design that makes an emotional connection with consumers.

The term “brand psychologist” sprang from a client’s comment several years ago. “Every time I talk to you, I feel like I’m lying on the brand couch analyzing my company,” he told her. Reuther liked the title and put it on her business cards.

“I help my clients find the nugget of inspiration, differentiation and uniqueness that makes them who they are, and then help them tell that story,” explains Reuther, who draws upon her years in product development in her current role. Her background includes 12 years at Nike, where she 14 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

served as global creative director. Past and current clients include Puma, VF Corp., Pantone and Dunstan Surfwear.

She has also been a featured speaker at TEDxBerkleeValencia.

Below, Reuther shares five actionable tips to help retailers do the kind of self-analysis that sets the stage for boosting profits and building loyalty.

STYLE FILE: KAREN REUTHER How would you describe your personal sense of style? Modern classics, interesting fabrications, materials and details are what I look for. Currently my favorite place to shop is COS. They have found a magic formula!

What is your go-to shoe style?

Black ankle boots, colorful flats and—after the past Boston winter—flip-flops in every color!

What are you reading right now? Simple Rules: How to Thrive in a Complex World by Donald Sull and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt.

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not working? I love to travel. Beaches in Greece are my absolute favorite spots. I just visited Valencia, Spain, to take part in TEDxBerkleeValencia and cannot wait to return. I’m also still dreaming of being on Dancing with the Stars.

Do you have a personal motto?

Yes. It’s a quote from legendary coach John Wooden: “If I am through learning, I am through.”

1) Get to Know your Muse: That’s the core of consumer-centric thinking, says Reuther, who teaches college courses on the topic. “It’s surprising how often I’ll ask a new client, ‘Who is your core customer? Who is walking into your store?’ and the owner will answer, ‘Everybody.’ That’s a hard story to tell through product and marketing, and it’s usually not the case. Every store has a core customer—the one they really want to come in and buy, the one who is going to drive traffic.” But many retailers are afraid to identify that customer for fear of alienating other potential customers, she says.

Unfortunately, if you don’t identify your muse—your true core consumer— and figure out what’s driving them, you don’t develop the clear perspective you need to connect with them on an emotional level, she explains. “Without it, you can’t create an environment or a collection that will get them over the threshold, convince them to buy and keep them coming back.”

Your core might not be a demographic group; it might be a psychographic group, Reuther points out. Your target shopper might not be based on a particular age, ethnicity, income level or educational background but on favorite activities, interests, lifestyles or values. “Ikea is a great example of this,” she says. “It’s a store for a wide variety demographically, but psychographically it’s very focused.” Ikea shoppers are, by and large, middle class, aspirational and budget-conscious. The chain’s stores are filled with fully furnished room settings at affordable prices to help customers visualize the end result and reassure them that they won’t need a decorator to achieve the look.

“Do a deep dive into who you are and who you really want in your store,” Reuther advises. “Who is your brand muse?” Once you’ve identified that muse, focus on making an emotional connection with them on every level at every point of their experience in your store, from the collection to the décor to the music.

2) Edit to Amplify: If you’ve ever walked into a restaurant and been handed an eight-page menu, you probably know that an overabundance of choices can be frustrating and overwhelming. “The biggest mistake I see at retail is not offering consumers an edited point of view,” Reuther says. >56

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Here’s the Story Solomon Dabah, president of Vida Brands—makers of Jambu, André Assous, Kensie, XOXO and Carter’s, among others—on how the familyowned company’s broad portfolio has become a go-to resource.

H, THE STORIES Solomon Dabah can tell about the shoe business. He’s pretty much seen and heard it all. That’s no surprise, given that he’s a third-generation footwear industry family member with 30-plus years at Vida Brands, the Dabah family business. He’s had a direct hand in exciting brand launches, marquee license acquisitions, establishing sourcing partnerships around the globe, weathering the retail ups-and-downs, adapting 16 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

to generational shifts in consumer buying behavior and trying to position Vida Brands for the here and now as well as the road ahead.

Dabah, a natural born storyteller, has tales about it all. The leading characters, the exotic places, the seismic changes, the hits and the misses... “I have seen a lot in my day,” he says. “My mother’s father, who is from Panama, was in the shoe business. Half of my Panamanian relatives were involved in the shoe business. My father has been in the shoe business practically his whole life. Our family’s roots are so deep and the things we have been able to see and experience have been fascinating.”

Indeed, Dabah has had a ringside seat, starting as a kid. Back then, he loved to hang out in his father’s offices at E.S. Originals. (Victor Dabah was one of the co-founders, with Ellis Safdeye, before he left to launch what was then called Vida Shoes in 1973.) The young Dabah relished soaking up the atmosphere. “It was a thrill,” he says. He recalls the days growing up in Brooklyn, NY, when his father would have sourcing partners from China (Dabah was one of the first Westerners granted access to forge such partnerships in that country) stay in the house when visiting on business.

“They’d be smoking away for hours at night on the third floor of our house and talking business,” he says with a laugh. He also fondly remembers selling E.S. Originals’ first shoes—jute-wrapped wedges called Popsicles that were packaged in polybags—to retailers near his home on Orchard Avenue. Dabah always had the itch to work. “If I had the opportunity to take a summer job as opposed to going to camp, I would take the job, no question,” he says.

Not surprisingly, Dabah couldn’t wait to get started on his footwear career.

He skipped college to join the family business, which back then was located on the 78th floor of the Empire State Building, he recalls. Over the ensuing decades, Vida’s roster of licensees and proprietary brands has evolved to meet the changing wants and needs of retailers and consumers. The company has experienced its share of runs and built a reputation as a versatile and reliable designer, manufacturer and marketer of footwear that now spans kids to adults and sneakers to pumps. Vida, currently with 16 brands in its portfolio, has become a go-to resource for retailers in all tiers.

Dabah has worked in all facets of the business—sourcing, marketing, sales and brand management. His father serves as the financial and sourcing expert, while he and his cousin, Vida Brands Vice President Gabe Safdeye, concentrate on sales and brand building. Dabah has even worked closely

O&A with hip-hop royalty, partnering with Russell Simmons (when Vida owned the Phat Farm license about 15 years ago) and later with Rev Run of RUNDMC during its launch of Pastry, a junior athletic lifestyle brand, in 2007.

Dabah was a regular on the hip-hop mogul’s reality TV series, Run’s House, when Pastry was featured on the show.

As with many brands in Vida’s portfolio (past and present), Pastry has adapted to find a viable niche that doesn’t overlap with any of the company’s other brands and that has a distinct reason for being on retailers’ shelves.

“Pastry has become very important to the hip-hop dance world,” Dabah explains, noting the shift in focus was a response to a slowdown in casual athletic sales a few seasons back. “We What are you reading? The didn’t want to throw in the towel, so New York Times when I can. the niche has become targeting girls Other than that, I’m consumed 13 to 18 years old with athletic styles by e-mails. that feature a thicker, more comfortable sock liner and more flexible conWhat was the last movie you struction overall.” So far, so good. “We saw? The Theory of Everything. are selling to retailers that haven’t been on our traditional roster of accounts,” What is inspiring you most?

Dabah reports.

Our assembled in the U.S. André Pastry reflects Vida’s approach to Assous collection. My mother brand building and management: Adapt had been telling me how imporand evolve and make sure you are offertant it is to have jobs in America. ing a clear point of differentiation. It’s It must have sunk in because we no small task, given the large roster of found a factory [in Mt. Vernon, proprietary and licensed brands in its NY] and we are now assembling portfolio, several of which fall within a collection of espadrilles. It’s not the same category. For example, Vida’s a huge number of jobs, but we’re kids’ brands include Osh Kosh, Carter’s, dipping our feet in the water and Jambu Kids and Hanna Andersson, making an impact. while its collection of juniors brands spans Esprit, Kensie, Unionbay, Project What is your motto? I have a C.A.N.V.A.S. and the aforementioned couple. “You can’t be a legend Pastry. “Each brand has to have its own in your own mind.” Meaning, identity and it can’t eat into another,” you’ve got to get out of the office Dabah says, noting that each design and talk to retailers and conteam works independently. “That’s why sumers to find out what’s going we never have a repetition of product on. Another is: “Our inventory from showroom to showroom.” is not like fine wine.” Although, Beyond such sound wholesaling funwouldn’t it be great if shoes did damentals, Dabah credits his father’s get better with age? [Laughs.] “gold standard” as the core of Vida’s four decades of success. “My father built this company on a reputation of trust and quality,” he says. “We’ve combined the craft of shoemaking with entrepreneurship and technical innovation.” He cites the company’s extensive leadership experience—a “nimble team of talented women and men who possess a deep industry knowledge”—coupled with an expansive network of domestic and international resources as the company’s cornerstones of success. “As a privately held company, we have the luxury to launch brands correctly,” he says. “We take the time to watch, listen, develop and get the details right.” It demands a constant push forward to research and test new concepts. “We’re big believers in seeding and germination and, in many ways, we operate as an incubator for start-ups,” he offers. “And we don’t get stuck in the weeds on issues. If we encounter a problem, we fix it. And if we can’t,

we’ll find another way.”

A lead example is Jambu, Vida’s outdoor lifestyle and sport brand, celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. Dabah says the proprietary brand and its subsidiaries JBU and J Sport (all managed by Safdeye) is now considered the company’s flagship. “Jambu is a growing brand of choice for Millennials and Baby Boomers,” he says. “Consumers want fashion and comfort with a conscience, and we’re delivering it.” Jambu features partly recycled outsoles, 100-percent recycled and re-useable packaging and has partnered with American Forests, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization, committed to preserving and expanding America’s forests. Specifically, Jambu What sound do you love? has committed to planting 50,000 Musically speaking, Stevie trees this year in cooperation with Wonder and Simply Red. the organization.

Beyond that, there’s nothing Another notable brand in Vida’s more special than hearing my stable is André Assous. The propriseven children and my wife etary acquisition has been the basis share about their day. of what Dabah calls a “brand renaissance” for the legendary designer’s If you could hire anybody, label. It has involved new collections, who would it be? [Skechers a new website and a new manufacCEO] Robert Greenberg. I turing program with assembly in admire all that he has achieved the U.S. dubbed the Neighborhood in this industry.

Collaborative. “André Assous is poised for real growth,” Dabah predicts, adding What was your first paying that he has similar expectations for the job? Working for a man who recent license acquisition of Nanette ran a rebuilt electronics store.

Lepore. “She’s another top designer He would pick me up in a big that complements our in-house legtruck each morning with three end, André Assous. It speaks to our guys sitting in front and the rest reputation for excellence among our of us bouncing around in the industry peers.” It also reflects how back. He would repair, repackVida Brands is constantly adapting age and try to re-sell old elecand growing, an ongoing tale that is tronic equipment. the Dabah family’s best shoe industry story. As Dabah sums it up, “If What is your favorite homeyou don’t evolve, you won’t succeed.” town memory? I was raised in Brooklyn, NY, and there was How’s business so far this year for nothing better—playing stickVida Brands? ball on East 3rd Street and popIt’s definitely challenging. I’m lucky ping a couple of windows. that I have the experience that I do and the ability to be partners with my cousin Gabe and my father. Together we make a strong team along with our talented employees. I would say our business is strong overall. Over the last three years we’ve had strong double-digit growth.

OFF THE CUFF

18 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

What would you attribute that impressive growth to most in this challenging environment?

Blessings, I would definitely say. I mean, we plan and God laughs, right?

That aside our brand diversity is like a broad stock portfolio where we are not heavily dependent one way or the other. That’s been a big factor behind our recent success. We’ve also been very consistent building each of our brands by learning their respective consumers and acting on what our retailers’ specific needs are. It requires going out into the market to find out what those

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O&A needs are. We have been doing a good job in this regard.

Many I speak with say the business is harder than ever—there are more logistics, sourcing issues, rising costs, etc. How is Vida Brands getting over these hurdles?

You can turn that around and look at Robert Greenberg and what he and his team are achieving with Skechers. The company is setting the world on fire. My point being that if you are able to hit on some key items, all of a sudden, you can see how big the marketplace can become for you. That’s why I believe it’s so critical for a wholesaler to focus on trying to do his best and not be overly concerned about the competition. Instead, be more understanding of what you want to deliver to retailers and consumers. Don’t look at somebody else’s success, rather, try to find your own.

Jambu, in particular, seems to be clicking with retailers and consumers.

Jambu is a comfort lifestyle brand, but it’s also a fashion brand that is hitting the country right in the belly. We are really clicking on all cylinders and creating different tiers of distribution between Jambu, which is our premier line and sold to more than 1,000 independents across the country, J Sport and its more sneaker-driven styles, and JBU for our promotional retailers. This way we don’t hurt the core of this organic brand that we are building. It’s part of the entrepreneurial spirit at Vida—not being afraid to try new things and look at the marketplace a little differently. In short, how to find a sweet spot with other surrounding brands.

Outdoor lifestyle has definitely been a growing sweet spot in American fashion of late.

Definitely. Fashion doesn’t always have to be uncomfortable. Fashion today can be represented with comfort features.

Speaking of fashion, what’s your assessment of that market amid the comfort-driven cork sandal and sneaker trends of late?

You really have to pay attention to the way women are dressing today. Outfits and products really need be more versatile so women can get multiple uses out of them. They have to be able to crossover where a woman can go to work and out to dinner in the same style of shoes. As society evolves, our products have to evolve with it. I think Esprit, XOXO and our new boutique brand, Nanette Lepore, which we will be launching for Spring ’16, are all evolving to meet these changing needs. Kensie is another impulse brand where that younger woman is looking for products that have multiple purposes.

Does the heel have a place amid Skechers’ Memory Foam, Vans slipons and Birkenstock sandals?

Guys aren’t meant to think like a woman nor should they try, but I will say that when a woman puts on a nice outfit there’s nothing like a nice pair of heels to complete the look. So how could pumps ever go away entirely?

Women love to look great.

Hence, the launch of Nanette Lepore, correct?

First off, we like opportunities. This is a boutique brand that’s known to many women age 25 and up. We believe we have an opportunity to broaden its elasticity by bringing it to more consumers. It’s a nice niche that women have yet to see: a boutique brand available in more channels of distribution at more accessible price points. We believe the ability to conjure more brand awareness and achieve a broader distribution presents a win for everyone.

We are also always paying close attention to core competence and looking for ways to become more important to our retail partners. We feel like we

have a good hold on kids’ and are making strong gains in comfort lifestyle, and one of our other goals is expand our presence in women’s fashion. Vida started out in the women’s business, but the goal is how do we become more important and be more like the Vince Camutos and Steve Maddens of the world. XOXO, Unionbay and Esprit are really more junior-oriented brands.

Kensie is also more the girl-next-door type, which offers a bit younger and hipper styling. Nanette Lepore is more mature. It will help our retailers grow their businesses and is a brand that won’t conflict with our other brands.

We made an initial showing at FFANY last month but our teammates in Asia wanted to get it perfect and are rebuilding the entire collection. We are excited to have it unveil next month in Las Vegas.

Why is it a good strategy to have a mix of licenses and proprietary brands in the portfolio?

If somebody says, “I don’t want to pay royalty to that guy…” Well, sometimes it’s tough luck because you can’t do what that license is providing for you.

For example, when that urban trend came on, we were able to get into that market with the Phat Farm and Baby Phat licenses and we caught Adidas sleeping. We shipped 15 million pairs of one shoe at $35 [wholesale] over a five-year span. It was crazy. But I don’t think if we had tried to launch our own brand at the time we would have had that success. Phat Farm provided us that brand awareness and momentum. So there are times you may not want to pay royalty or think you can do it on your own, but sometimes you just can’t. The urban arena just popped and it was the strength of what Russell Simmons was doing, and we were able to tap into it.

However, there are pros and cons to both. For example, when you license a brand and have spent millions of dollars on product development only to have the licensor say, “I don’t like it…” Well, what do you mean you don’t like it? That’s not specific enough. Sometimes a licensor can actually be tying one hand behind your back and not really helping you. You may not always agree

on everything, but you need to work together, understand where each side is coming from and reach a solution that’s best for both parties. The Kensie people, for example, are great like that. They find ways to work with us.

Another challenge as a licensee is that sometimes you pay the price for another licensee’s actions that you can’t be accountable for. For example, we’re selling to Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom and the next thing we know the handbag licensee is selling to Costco. How do we respond to our retailers about something somebody else did? We can’t control that. So it’s all a challenge. Along those lines, I’m proud of our track record with regard to our licensee partnerships. We have a solid reputation. We care about the images that we portray with regard to all of our brands and value their individual integrities.

There are plus sides to both brand licensing and ownership.

Yes. With regard to ownership, the key is being able to create the velocity and demand for your own brand. On the plus side, being privately held allows us to respond very quickly. Also, having launched several proprietary brands in the past few years, we are getting better at those aspects. We have proven that we can do the volume and create the turns that a license would have given us. And we are responsible for our own destiny and don’t have to worry about any other licensees making a move that might compromise the brand.

Is it better to have a portfolio of both or do you see it eventually evolving to one or the other?

For us, the blend of licensees and proprietary brands has been working well.

We are set up to handle both. Actually, our urban license run of a few years back helped fuel our proprietary brand growth that followed. Some of those managers we hired to run those businesses have shifted to those brands. Also, I believe having this diversification avoids the problem of having all our eggs in one basket. We got hurt when the urban trend died out. Fortunately, >59

WORK IT

The new crop of work boots for Spring ’16 appeals to Millennials and the broader workforce alike with fresh technologies and a fashion-forward focus.

By Laurie Cone

Left: Wolverine Edge FX Right: Justin Original Workboots J-Max Caliber Collection

THE UNITED STATES economy is up, down, stagnant, doomed, recovering…it really depends on which economic expert you ask.

However, it’s (relatively) safe to say that the current economic situation in this country is not nearly as dire as it was in 2009 or 2010 or even 2011.The point is, in terms of recent history, the situation could be a lot worse. For example, late 2009’s 10 percent unemployment rate is a far cry from last month’s estimated 5.5 percent rate. And thanks to the booming oil and gas industries, many of these newly employed Americans are wearing work boots. More boots on the ground—literally, at job sites nationwide—means stronger sales now and, potentially, in the future.

The improved economy is one of the reasons leading work brands are forging ahead with pumped-up styles for Spring ’16.

The demand is growing across both genders, and particularly among Millennial-aged workers, the largest segment of the workforce population now and for the foreseeable future. The focus this season, however, is less on specific work categories and more on overall styling that transitions seamlessly from the job site to offsite. The ongoing push for lightweight, sneaker-like comfort and aesthetics is aimed primarily at Millennials, while heritage styling addresses the tastes of long-time consumers.

The focus on general styling rather than job-specific features and benefits reflects, in part, the nature of Millennial workers.

An increasing number are foregoing college and they often jump from job to job. Thus the growing need for work shoes that are versatile. What’s more, Millennials are a volatile bunch when it comes to marketing, as they are likely to reject traditional means of communication and are highly suspect of corporate pitches.

“We target them, but it’s tough because when they think you’re 22 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

targeting them, they don’t like you,” says Mike Roundhouse, director of product development for Rocky Brands. “You have to be authentic, and the way we do that is by striving to make the boot comfortable and durable for the user, no matter his age.”

While Millennials can be elusive, Sean O’Brien, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Footwear Division, makers of Oliver, Muck Boot and Xtratuf, believes they share some commonalities with core consumers. “Millennials want to associate with a hard-working culture,” he offers. “They have an ‘if it’s good enough for an Alaskan fisherman, it’s good enough for me’ mentality. They want to associate with an authentic lifestyle.”

Enter Oliver Boots. “The fit and feel are tremendous, but the boots are built like tanks,” O’Brien says, noting the new Square Toe Western wellie’s flexible underfoot support absorbs shock to help diminish lower back, leg and foot fatigue. Also, O’Brien says Muck’s new Chore Resistant collection features an innovative rubber compound resistant to oil and chemicals. The RDR compound, developed by Honeywell chemists, is best suited for oil, gas, mining, chemical, food processing and farming jobs. In addition, the collection features an improved tread that’s “20 percent more slip-resistant than any other boot.” Xtratuf boots, designed for commercial fishing and the marine lifestyle, will have the same RDR compound, and its Elite collection, resistant to contaminants, will boast neoprene booties for comfort and insulation.

In an effort to take the guesswork out of the Millennial worker equation, Yahn Lebo, global product line manager for Wolverine, says the brand has gone straight to the source to ensure its latest designs resonate with those consumers. Wolverine solicited feed-

Keen Utility Mt. Vernon

Harley-Davidson Claverton

Home Cooking ‘Made-in-the-U.S. A.’ continues to resonate with work boot consumers and brands are heeding the call.

CAT Footwear Navigator Mid Rocky Elements

Chrome 415

Georgia Boot Flint Ridge

back from younger workers, not only on product design, but also marketing and communication techniques. “We have worked to make sure we deliver the athletic comfort and a mash-up of traditional and athletic design elements that attract Millennial consumers,” Lebo explains. Recognizing this generation’s smartphone addiction, this fall Wolverine will turn to social media for web launches and plans to continue its online outreach into Spring ’16, when it introduces its CarbonMAX safety toe boot, featuring nanotechnology for advanced protection and comfort. The boot is lighter and the toecap wall is thinner, leading to improved comfort, according to Lebo.

Addressing the demands of its customers, Carhartt will introduce its Force boot, which is all about lightweight comfort, according to Rob Mills, president of Carhartt licensee Black Diamond Group. He notes that many workers today grew up wearing athletic shoes and seek a “boot that works hard, but feels like a sneaker.” In fact, the Force’s tagline is: “Feels like a running shoe. Works like a boot.” It combines sporty influences, like mesh, with safety features, like composite toes, and includes modern performance materials like breathable Ariaprene lining and fatigue and odor-fighting Ortholite insoles. The lining wicks away sweat, the midsole absorbs shock and the rubber traction tread is slip-resistant. Performance features aside, Mills describes Carhartt boots as “genre pieces.” Rather than targeting a particular worker, he prefers the brand’s boots be non-job-specific and appeal to a broad audience.

Rocky and Georgia Boot’s new offerings for Spring ’16 will also be lighter and lean toward a sportier design aesthetic. “We’ve focused on trying to build our boots more efficiently so that weighty performance features don’t detract from flexibility,” Roundhouse explains. “We learned that 30 percent of a boot’s weight is glue. We’re trying to find non-traditional ways of putting the boots together, by removing glue, in order to lighten the product.”

Rocky’s Elements Shale collection, while lighter, features a direct-attached construction, and the oil and slip-resistant outsoles combat chemical breakdown. The new Flint Ridge by Georgia Boot is waterproof with a Vibram rubber outsole.

Keen Utility is also looking to lighter-weight styles and expanded >57 24 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

JUSTIN BRANDS, WOLVERINE, Keen, Rocky… the list of work boot brands making at least a portion of their collections in the U.S. continues to grow.

The obvious marketing tie-in of American workers making work boots for their fellow countrymen is clear. But, this homegrown work boot manufacturing movement goes beyond a feel-good story; the promised performance features must deliver and the products must be worth the price, or the patriotic positives fall by the wayside.

So far so good at Justin Brands, which aims to manufacture half of its work boots in the U.S. Currently, the company has four stateside facilities.

“We do high-volume production in the U.S., in the Republic of Missouri,” jokes Bob McAllister, national sales manager for Justin Original Workboots, adding that a fifth factory is set to open soon in order to meet the increasing demand. In addition to its made-in-America factor, McAllister says heritage is another key selling aspect. “We have the authenticity of being around since 1879,” he says, noting Justin’s first-ever style was a pull-on boot because “not having laces in 1879 was considered a safety feature. If your foot got stuck in your stirrup you could slide out of your boot.” Rich brand stories like that can be ideal anecdotes for retailers hoping to seal the deal with customers.

Wolverine, founded in 1883, is also combining a growing American-made story with its brand heritage. Yahn Lebo, global product line manager, says made-in-the-U.S.A. is already a big part of its business and the company is looking to expand it. “U.S.-made sales are robust,” he says. “We have a number of Americans who like wearing American-made products and are willing to pay extra to get them.” Lebo foresees an increasing demand for its U.S.-made goods and says Wolverine is “looking into options for building more products in the States at affordable prices.” Currently, the brand manufactures a portion of its work boots in Big Rapids, MI. “We’re very proud of that,” he says. In addition, the Wolverine 1000 Mile collection is fully made in the U.S. and reaches back into the company’s archives with modern interpretations of some of its original designs.

Mark Reilly, brand director for Keen Utility, says the company’s commitment to manufacture a portion of its work products in its Portland, OR, facility is a great opportunity to build a stronger community. “We’re bringing jobs back and we can better control quality,” he explains. “There’s a quicker turnaround on samples and we have a development center in our backyard where we can bring customers.” The closer proximity to market also allows for competitive pricing thanks to reduced shipping costs. Keen currently produces more than 20 styles and is adding more each season at the U.S. factory. (It opened in 2010 and now employs between 40 and 70 people, depending on production schedules.)

Mike Roundhouse, director of product development for Rocky Brands, says manufacturing more in the U.S. is one of the company’s goals going forward. “I’m a very big personal advocate of it; I’ve really pushed our madein-America program,” he says. “It’s been kind of a baby of mine.” Under Roundhouse’s watch, Rocky is re-releasing a vintage boot, the Original Hiker, for this fall. The hiker is one of three styles the brand is manufacturing entirely in Arkansas, but Rocky plans to expand its American-made offerings with a couple of hunting boot styles. In the meantime, Roundhouse is excited about the hiker. “Our Original Hiker is a style that our chairman Mike Brooks designed in the late ’70s,” he says. “You can work in it, you can go to the bar in it, you can just live life in this boot. It looks cool with a pair of dark, selvedge jeans.” —L.C.

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Anchored in Anchorage Skinny Raven, a two-store running boutique, features a spot-on selection, an unbeatable approach to customer service and a full-on roster of community outreach events that, combined, makes this store a big success in Alaska’s biggest city. By Tara Anne Dalbow

ALASKA, AMERICA’S LARGEST state geographically, is home to many really, really big things, like the 6-million-acre Denali National Park, the annual 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the 20,237-foot-high Mt. McKinley (the tallest peak in North America) and about 100,000 black bears, to cite a few examples. On the other end of the size spectrum there’s the 26 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

independent specialty running boutique Skinny Raven, based in Anchorage. Skinny Raven and its smaller location (Skinny Mini) may be small, relatively speaking, but the tiny chain has garnered a huge following since first opening its doors in 1994. John Clark, the “prime minister of buying” at Skinny Raven, attributes its long-running success to its movie theater-like customer experience. “When you go to the theater and see a great movie, you get excited to go back to that theater and to see another, different movie,” he explains. “Here, we do the same thing; we provide customers with a great, but different, experience every time they come in.”

Clark joined Skinny Raven in 1996, following 20 years as a high school track and ski coach. He has since become the face of the business. A runner himself—though he says he does more working than running these days—he understands the sport from firsthand experience and has a

passion that could only come from a true love of running. Per his coaching experience, Clark also understands that every runner (and Skinny Raven customer) is different—in terms of their wants, needs, abilities and goals. “Every customer is a different experience,” he says of the stores’ tailor-made approach to serving each person that walks in the doors. “Our target customer is whoever is in our store at that time,” he adds, noting that the staff is not only well-versed in the latest product knowledge but is also trained on how to best talk to customers, especially in how to ask the right questions. “Whether he’s a 24-year-old guy training 10 miles a day and wants to get in and get out, or she’s a 50-year-old woman that trains 10 miles a week, they both want a great experience and a great product—and that’s what we provide,” Clark says.

When asked to reveal the store’s special sauce for great service, Clark says he can’t, but not

A Happy Accident

How Skinny Raven’s casual offshoot boutique, Her Tern, came into being.

ALASKA’S STATE SLOGAN is “Beyond Your Dreams, Within Your Reach,” but the truth is, it’s remote. It’s difficult to get there and and it’s expensive to ship goods to. The latter point, in particular, forced Skinny Raven to get creative about 10 years ago when it came to inventory management. In an effort to lower shipping costs, the store began having its goods shipped to a consolidator in Seattle, WA. From there, a boat picked them up once a week and delivered them to Anchorage five days later. While this saved on shipping costs, reports John Clark, the “prime minister of buying” at Skinny Raven, it also forced the retailer to order much larger inventory loads due to the almost two-week lag time. That meant finding the space to warehouse those bigger shipments.

It’s all part of the cost of doing business in Alaska, Clark says. But the challenge also created opportunity. As luck would have it, a space opened up across the street from Skinny Raven’s original downtown location. While it was too big to serve solely as a warehouse, it was just right for a casual shoe boutique to be housed in front.

Clark says Skinny Raven had been doing well with Dansko as an after-run casual shoe—in fact, it’s their best selling lifestyle shoe—leading him to believe the store’s strong female customer base would be interested in an expanded selection of casual offerings. More importantly, Clark says, it was a shopping choice Anchorage lacked.

“Women were buying plane tickets to go shop because they wanted a boutique experience,” he says.

The resulting store, Her Tern, includes an eclectic array of causal brands that appeals to the “funky” style sensibilities of Anchorage women. Think casual, versatile, comfortable and, of course, fashionable. The mix includes Frye, Coclico, Fiorentini + Baker, Emu Australia, Chie Mihara, Liebeskind and Dolce Vita. The footwear selection accounts for about 50 percent of the mix, which also features a range of apparel, handbags and other accessories. It’s a formula that took a little tweaking to get just right. “We started off doing Marc Jacobs and Stuart Weitzman, but they didn’t do very well,” Clark explains.

“They weren’t practical, comfortable or unique enough.”

Like its sister store, Her Tern is all about the quality in-store shopping experience.

Manager Ashley Munson, who is also the buyer, works with each customer on an indi28 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

vidual, personalized basis. As the Her Tern website greeting states: “Getting to know you and your style allows us to fill the store with everything we know you will love! If we don’t have exactly what you are looking for, we are always happy to place a special order.”

Munson’s commitment to one-on-one service has paid enormous dividends. In fact, many of her relationships have extended beyond the store, as Clark reports that it’s not uncommon for two-thirds of a new style shipment to be sold before it even hits the shelf at Her Tern. Munson usually sends photos of the latest styles to her customers who then immediately put items on hold.

“It was definitely unplanned,” Clark says of the happy accident that became Her Tern.

But what is no accident is why it’s become

John Clark, the “prime minister of buying” and face of Skinny Raven.

because he refuses to share a trade secret. “When you try to put it in a box and tie it off, you just can’t,” he explains. “We do gait analysis, we measure both feet, we have clean (try-on) socks, we explain our products…but there is something else that goes on between those basics that differentiates our store— it’s the intangibles.” He credits his great employees, who he says aren’t only about the money (they don’t work on commission) and their consistent connection with the community—in and out of the store— as key factors in creating those elusive but valuable intangibles.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Her Tern: a funky, chic destination for Anchorage women.

a success. Just like Skinny Raven’s commitment to unparalleled service and selection that has made its stores the go-to resource in Anchorage for running shoes and apparel, Her Tern offers the same in casual fashions.

It’s the sort of business extension a good independent retailer that already posseses a firm grasp of retail business ABCs might think about making. Diversifying the portfolio is often sound advice. Just ask Clark: “Skinny Raven is the main course. Her Tern is the dessert.” —T.A.D.

Skinny Raven’s steady yet varied community outreach efforts have pushed its business to the next level, reports Clark. Efforts have included sponsored races, fun runs and in-store clinics, which have not only bolstered sales and exposed customers to its extensive roster of vendors, but also helped introduce a whole new demographic of shoppers. Another intangible to the benefit of Skinny Raven, Clark adds, is how these events have helped enrich the overall culture of the Anchorage community. There was a void of healthy social events in the city, and once Skinny Raven got its bearings with the day-to-day operations of running a retail business, it quickly set about helping to fill it.

Two hundred and fifty runners participated in Skinny Raven’s first sponsored run, affectionately coined the Twilight Run, in 2001. This year, the same event saw 2,500 participants. Skinny Raven now hosts 10 major runs a year, in addition to its weekly social runs, all of which the chain owns and operates through its events and timing company. It includes a women’s premium half marathon, which includes an unveiling event and a custom-made finishers bracelet, and an annual New Year’s Eve Northern Lights Resolution 5K. For the more casual runners, Skinny Raven’s weekly social runs have grown from under 100 participants to upwards of 300 to 600. Its most

popular event is a pub run that rewards runners and walkers with a pint of beer and a slice of pizza at the end.

“We’ve taken a great stake in what goes on around us and in improving the landscape of the community,” Clark says of its extensive roster of running events. He adds that the participants have fun and Skinny Raven is able to expose its vendors to new customers. There have even been many instances of casual runners graduating into more serious runners. “It’s a win-win situation and there’s definitely a retail strategy behind it,” he says. “We have been able to connect with different parts of the community this way.”

ON THE INSIDE Between Skinny Raven’s cozy wood décor and amongst the running paraphernalia on display (which includes a bronze medal from the 1932 Olympics) is everything that a runner—be it a pub-runner or a tri-athlete—may need. The footwear selection spans top-of-the-line brands like Brooks and Asics (the top two selling brands), as well as Mizuno, Adidas and New Balance. In all, there are 15 different footwear vendors just for running, which accounts for 65 percent of Skinny Raven’s total business. There are plenty of Alaska-weather-proof apparel and accessories in the offering as well. “We have a whole different set of challenges because we’re in Alaska,” Clark says of the state’s weather, which consists of short, cool

summers and cold, snowy winters. “We have to find products that will work in this type of (at times extreme) environment.” For example, he says the Skinny Raven customer isn’t necessarily looking for Nike’s race day apparel. “It’s not adequate for Alaska,” he says, noting brands like Patagonia and SmartWool as being better fits. It’s one of the reasons Clark believes its customers are more likely to understand and appreciate the importance of quality and protective features—and are willing to pay a little more for it. “Whether it’s a great pair of shoes or a warm jacket, they understand the value of it the same way they understand the value of good snow tires,” he says.

Along those lines, Clark says Skinny Raven is always on the lookout for the latest and greatest to add to its merchandise mix. “We are constantly looking for something that the customer won’t find anywhere else,” he affirms. However, it must be right for its customers. Take the minimalist running shoe craze, for example. While it sure was a latest and greatest thing a few seasons back, Clark says the concept just wasn’t a match for Alaska’s rough terrain. Specifically, the Skinny Raven team believed it wouldn’t have been a healthy recommendation for its customers. “We have to wrap our arms around our customer,” he explains. “Sometimes we have to protect them from themselves.”

Nonetheless, Clark believes the minimalist movement hasn’t been all bad: “It forced ven-

dors to rethink what they were doing, which is healthy,” he says. And while Clark believes the maximal shoe trend looks to have more legs in terms of benefits to the consumer and overall staying power, the stores’ employees are quick to explain to customers that there’s no magic pill that will make you run faster with less effort or lose weight quicker.

That’s that kind of blunt honesty on which Skinny Raven stakes its reputation. While it may still be the only specialty running retailer game in town, it’s not like there isn’t plenty of stiff competition—there are two Sports Authority outlets, an REI, a Nordstrom and of course, the Internet.

But Clark is not overly worried about what other retailers may be doing. “Our biggest competition is ourselves,” he says. And while Clark knows it’s not possible for Skinny Raven to carry everything that a customer may want in every color—like an online dealer can—what it can do better than anyone else is focus on providing an unrivaled customer experience. That, topped off with a great selection, creates a terrific value. The challenge, he says, is to keep doing that season after season— only better. In fact, that’s the basis of the Skinny Raven mantra: “What was great this year is good the next year, what was good is okay and what was okay is bad.” In retail, just like in running, you can never rest on your laurels. You have to keep training and stay hungry. “We’re like a good athlete,” Clark offers. “We always want to get better.” •

See all Vida Kids Brands At Outdoor Retailer, August 5-8 Las Vegas, Nevada August 17-19 Atlanta Shoe Show, August 22-24 or an upcoming trade show.

Contact your local Vida Kids Representative, or call 212-246-1900 to schedule an appointment

2014 Footwear Plus Excellence in Design Award for Children’s Footwear

www.vidagroup.com

Athletic Preview: Spring 2016

MILLENNIAL MUSCLE

Reebok AllTerrain Thrill

Topo MT-2

The sneaker-loving “Fit Generation” inspires versatile, stylish athletic footwear for Spring 2016. By Kirby Stirland

W

HAT DO MILLENNIALS love?

Selfies, hashtags, music festivals, kale…and fitness. It’s not all social media and viral videos for this generation born between 1980 and the mid-2000s; they’re also fitter and more wellness-focused than previous generations. A report from Goldman Sachs in 2013 found that millennials are more likely than their predecessors to consider exercising and eating right as part of being healthy. And according to last year’s Nielsen Global Consumer Exercise Trends Survey, three quarters of regular exercisers are in the 18-to-34 age range. Athletic apparel is the wardrobe go-to for this gym-going generation, and in footwear, that means sneakers. As NPD Group Sports Industry Analyst Matt Powell puts it, “Millennials love athletic shoes. It’s all they’ve ever worn.”

Reebok refers to these consumers as the Fit Generation. “They are typically post-university, young professionals who put fitness at the very center of what they do and who they are,” says Corporate Communications Director Dan Sarro—and he attests they’re “lead-

30 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

ing a new movement in fitness,” one that’s not just about getting in shape but also about having fun and connecting with others (which explains the popularization of group activities like CrossFit and SoulCycle). As fitness gets more popular and varied, so does the demand for performance athletic footwear that can deliver—in style.

For Spring ’16, mainstay brands and newcomers alike are offering shoes that look cool, feel great and incorporate modern technology to rise to the occasion, whether that’s an extreme obstacle race, a group fitness class or a leisurely stroll. And as our post-athleisure society dictates, they’ll also look great between workouts—or even on those who don’t plan on breaking a sweat.

ON THE RUN It’s impossible to talk about athletic footwear innovations without talking about running—time and again, experts point to this category as the driving force behind technological developments and trends throughout the athletic footwear world. Participation in races has been steadily rising since the ’90s; in 2013, there were 28,000 running events nationwide with 19 million finishers, according to data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association and National Sporting Goods Association. “[Running] is just the most approachable, affordable form of exercise you can participate

in,” says Jena Winger, associate footwear product line manager at Brooks. “All you really need is a pair of sneakers and to get out the door.” Brooks may be a hardcore running brand, but its “Run Happy” slogan captures this ethos. “We are all about inclusivity,” Winger states. She notes that nontraditional race formats, like color runs and mud runs, are on the rise and “bringing people to running that may never have run had it not been in such an inclusive environment.”

Taking that message of inclusivity further, Winger explains that Brooks offers innovations in four distinct quadrants in order to appeal to runners seeking different experiences. There’s “Cushion Me,” for those who want a pillowy feel; “Energize Me,” offering increased return; “Connect Me,” Brooks’ answer to the minimal movement and “Propel Me,” the category in which Winger says she sees the most opportunity. Brooks will debut the Neuro at this summer’s Outdoor Retailer show. For the Neuro’s target consumers, “running is part of their identity but not all of it,” Winger says. While it’s 100 percent a running shoe, she explains that it’s meant to appeal to “runners who often do other sports throughout their week in addition to logging miles. We think people who enjoy other types of exercise will love [it] for its fast and responsive experience.” Similarly, Reebok’s new ZPump Fusion 2.0 is “perfect for our Fit Generation consumer who may go from a 5K run to the gym and is looking for a running shoe that is versatile and cushioned,” says Sarro.

Claire Wood, senior product manager for performance running at New Balance, acknowledges the cross-functional usage many casual runners want in a shoe. She explains that “a product can be designed with the intelligence of some of our Team New Balance athletes who hold American records and have world championship medals, yet it will still translate to that 30-year-old who’s going to run a couple of times a week and go to yoga or spin.”

MAD MAX With the decline in minimal shoe sales and the rise of maximal running (led by Hoka One One) it’s little wonder other brands are hopping on the

over-cushioned bandwagon. “Maximal running is definitely hot right now,” Powell declares. Want proof ? Last year Hoka One One sold more than 550,000 pairs and its $48 million in sales were up 350 percent from 2013. For Spring ’16, it’s all about keeping up the pace of innovations. Hoka One One President Jim Van Dine says the company has managed to create “some of the most responsive and lightweight shoes to date” using carbon technology; the new Speed Trainer sheds the excess weight of traditional rubber with an RMAT outsole layer.

Golden Harper, founder of Altra, explains that extra padding is great for the feet, making it an ideal choice for distance runners. (He compares maximal shoes to boxing gloves: while that cushioning won’t help your joints, it will protect your feet.) The style also appeals to older consumers with foot maladies, who wear them as everyday shoes. Harper notes that some of Altra’s strongest accounts are foot health and podiatrist shops, like Foot Dynamics in Boise, ID, which sells hundreds of pairs of Altra’s ultra-cushioned shoes a week.

The Fresh Foam 1080, New Balance’s Spring ’16 hero shoe, incorporates ultimate cushioning from heel to forefoot without looking cartoonish.

Noting that typical maximal shoes can be visually polarizing, Wood says, “We don’t want the consumer to have to have an explanation.” She explains that Fresh Foam is “not only a technology but a way that we build shoes,” describing software that uses data collected from groups of runners who have been identified for specific product “to help guide intelligence and inform design in product creation.” Winger reports that the third iteration of Brooks’ ultra-cushioned Transcend, new for Spring ’16, pushes the design envelope and is drastically different than its predecessor in terms of aesthetics.

The new running shoes from 361°, a brand that launched stateside earlier this year (with former Asics exec Jim Monahan at the helm), promise a plush yet responsive ride that Ed Goldman, head of marketing, describes as “soft and fast together at last.” Spring ’16’s Spire offers extensive cushioning while maintaining responsiveness through the

Altra Lone Peak 361° Spire

brand’s proprietary Quickfoam technology, which incorporates a rubber/EVA midsole that is fully encapsulated in polyurethane.

Now for the big question: is maximal just another flash in the pan? “The numbers show us [maximal] actually peaked at run specialty stores a few months ago and is already downsliding,” Harper says. “But at the broader market it probably still has a ways to go. Typically what happens at run specialty stores happens nine to 12 months later at sporting goods stores.” He adds that most niche running trends of the last 10 to 15 years still have loyal adherents.

“There are still a lot of people running in minimal shoes. There’s a place for those people and there’s just as much of a place for ultra-cush.”

CROSSING OVER Don’t expect the CrossFit-obsessed to stop talking about their WODs (Workouts Of the Day) and PRs (Personal Records) any time soon. “Most workouts these days are not absolute,” says Tony Post, CEO of Topo Athletic. “There’s a good chance a runner will be on the road for a couple of miles before hitting the trail, or a CrossFitter’s WOD will involve both lifts and sprints.” Functional cross-training and group fitness are here to stay, in part because they offer that social element young consumers crave. “All activities today are becoming more and more socially-based,” declares Goldman. Powell adds that class-based fitness will likely spawn new looks and categories in athletic apparel and footwear, and the numbers suggest demand is there—sales of cross-training shoes were up 15 percent in the first quarter of 2015, according to NPD data.

A number of brands have already gotten in on the action. Reebok adopted CrossFit early with their Nano shoe, a new version of which is on the way in 2016. The brand has also been a partner of the Spartan obstacle course race for several years and for next season it will debut the All-Terrain Thrill, designed with obstacle-course-ready features like water-draining technology and gripping soles but with a more cushioned, everyday profile. 361°’s Ortega, a hybrid trail shoe that’s new for Spring ‘16, is ideal for these high-intensity, all-terrain

Hoka One One Infinite

2015 july • footwearplusmagazine.com 31

SPRING STYLE NOTES

Athletic Preview: Spring 2016

Cool colors and versatile features for the warmer weather months. races as well. Hoka One One will introduce the Speed Trainer, a racing flat with the stability and cushion of a training shoe. Post adds that Topo’s new offerings, like the MT-2, provide the versatility consumers want for their varied workouts.

READY AND WEARABLE Ninety-five percent of runners already run with their smartphones, and new wearable devices like the Apple Watch and FitBit (which just had a very successful IPO) make mobile tech even more portable. One execution of this technology in footwear is iFit, designed to work with Altra’s new Adapt shoe, which Harper calls “a running coach in a box.” Consumers can use an iFit wearable device (or a smartphone app) to track their runs and get feedback and guidance on aspects like cadence and foot strike zone. It’s all part of Altra’s mission to teach people how to be better runners through smart design elements (like its signature zero-drop technology and foot-shaped toe box) that automatically improve form. “If you want to change people’s habits, the best way to do it is to give them a toy,” Harper states.

Not only do wearables let seasoned runners geek out over their stride, but this technology also benefits novices. Harper contends that because running is never really taught, lots of people do it incorrectly, which explains why the injury rate is so high. He believes the Adapt system is ideal for new runners, since it helps them establish good form and habits from the get-go.

YOGA: HERE TO NAMA-STAY It’s not all about heavy lifting or all-out speed. In the Millennial quest for balance, yoga is hot (and the more than 20 million Americans who practice, according to Yoga Journal’s 2012 report, are proof).

Jacqueline Van Dine, co-founder of Ahnu, a division of Deckers Brands, is eyeing yoga as an emerging athletic footwear category. The brand’s Yogasport collection is aimed at what Van Dine calls the hybrid fitness category, citing the addition of weights and kickboxing to traditional yoga practice. Van Dine says these workouts require unique footwear, explaining that existing performance athletic shoes are “designed with single fitness activities in mind.”

Brooks Transcend 3

32 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

Ahnu’s holistic approach to footwear technology and design includes the development of Numentum 360 technology, which fuses flexibility and stability.

The emphasis on this new footwear category is good news for shoe retailers looking to get a piece of the yoga action, which in 2012 added up to $10.3 billion in related spending.

“What I’m most excited about is that it helps our retail partners participate in the conversation about yoga through fitness that was limited to apparel and gear before now,” Van Dine says.

MASS APPEAL

Colors Neutrals, like gray, black and navy, will be big for both genders at Hoka One One, Topo and Brooks.

The latter will be serving up fresh color stories for women, including bleached-out candy tones and glacial blues. Brooks will also offer a new take on a typical women’s colorway by using “strong, saturated pinks…to represent strength and power,” according to Jena Winger, associate product line manager.

Ahnu is using muted tones, metallics and brights, while New Balance will focus on complementary head-to-toe looks using vibrant colors like coral.

Materials Altra’s meshes with screen-printed patterns offer visual interest without heavy plastic overlays. The brand will also introduce all-over reflective details in a rainbow of colors on its Adapt shoe.

With its new product, Hoka One One is making a play for younger, more fashion-forward consumers.

The latest iteration of Hoka’s Vanquish 2 will feature a 3-D printed seamless upper, while its T Series’ sleek design will appeal to the young and fashion-oriented.

Stretch laces on Mizuno’s new Wave Catalyst provide enhanced fit.

While Millennials and their casual, active lifestyles (and wardrobes) may be fueling the sneaker’s enduring popularity and evolution, it’s worth noting that one of the reasons it remains relevant is its democratic nature: there’s truly a sneaker for everyone. Case in point: Powell Extras points out that the walking catFor off-road running and obstacle course racing, egory is strong right now thanks, water resistance is key. Altra’s Lone Peak is the first not to Millennials, but aging Baby shoe to use Polartec’s Neoshell fabric, which promBoomers. There’s a suitable sneaker ises to be lightweight and breathable. Reebok’s H20 style out there to carry you through Drain technology, used in their new All-Terrain Thrill, a distance run, a Zumba class or also keeps feet dry. Soles with aggressive grip, like the an obstacle race; to protect your ones on Altra’s Olympus and Topo’s Hydroventure and joints or cradle your achy feet and MT-2, are great for mixed terrain. —K.S. to go with your yoga pants or your favorite jeans.

The diversification of the performance athletic category is good news for adding, “Running has taken itself too seriously for retailers, if they play it right. “We’re hearing more too long." Savvy retailers are responding in kind and more people talk about having three, four, five by hosting social events, like pub runs and clinics. different kinds of [athletic] shoes in their closet Athletes have long touted the sneaker’s functional now,” says Powell. That goes for running and all aspects, and the new crop of shoes certainly aims its various niches, but also performance athletic to please. But Post points out that the sneaker “also footwear in general. Yet specialty running stores saw defines a lifestyle.” Plenty of people wear athletic a 4 percent dip in shoe sales recently, while mass shoes simply because they’re comfortable, but market stores had an uptick, according to NPD beyond that, “they’re a life-defining part of their data. Powell credits casual runners with the latter, wardrobe.” •

Ahnu Yoga Flex

New Balance Fresh Foam 1080

W H AT ’S S E L L I N G

Sneaker Boutiques

the newest everything. They’re really plugged in.” And so is Extra Butter. “We’ve really created a feel and a personality for our stores,” Faustino says, noting how the art of storytelling is an important part of succeeding. “We believe we do that the best.” —Laurie Cone What is your store’s mission statement? I don’t know if we have a mission statement, but we’ve adopted taglines like, “Stay Smooth” and “Smooth Like Butter.” Butter has to attain a ranking of Grade AA, and we always say we give five star, first quality service.

What are some of your top-selling brands? Nike Air Jordan has been a huge seller for as long as I’ve been doing this. Nike is pretty much the powerhouse and the number one brand, but since we opened our second store, I’ve also seen a significant rise in Adidas, Asics, New Balance and Saucony.

EXTRA BUTTER R o c k v i l l e C e n t r e a n d N e w Yo r k , N Y LOT OF people call us the misfits in our industry.

We don’t tend to follow any sort of pattern or trend,” muses Jason Faustino, co-owner and creative director of Extra Butter. Take the lifestyle shop’s open mic poetry and spoken word nights and its recent collab with Saucony that was determined entirely by the public via social media voting as proof of marching to the beat of its own drum—and thriving in one of retail’s most competitive meccas.

Faustino and his team earned their retailing chops at Renarts, an independent family shoe store, in Huntington, NY. Faustino and a few co-workers later opened Extra Butter—first on Long Island in 2007 and then in Manhattan’s trendy Lower East Side neighborhood in 2013. But Extra Butter would not have materialized without a fateful decision: “I ended up at Renarts because I didn’t want to go to grad school for psychology,” Faustino laughs.

The Extra Butter recipe is heavy on traditional ingredients. “Our model has always been to stick with the classics,” Faustino explains. “It’s something I’ve taken with me from my family footwear background; I hone in on those classic brands that have years of legacy behind them.” That legacy mix includes Nike, Adidas, Asics, New Balance, Saucony, Vans and Sperry Top-Sider.

It’s a merchandising strategy that appeals to a broadening age range of sneakerheads and street fashion aficionados. “I used to say our customers were between the ages of 18 and 35, but now that I’m 36 we have to expand that,” Faustino quips. “Now I’d say our customer is anywhere from age 13 to 40.” He adds that most are on Instagram, trend aware and technologically adept. “They always have the newest phone, the newest app, the newest shoe,

Any notable store collabs of late? Our current collab with Sperry is a follow-up to last year, which was loosely based on the film Weekend at Bernie’s. The main characters were wearing Sperrys and it takes place nearby in the Hamptons. We built a collection called “Beach Getaway.”

This year, we followed it up with “Caddy Pack,” which is inspired by ’80s comedies. There are two Sperry A/O boat shoes and 6 two lace-up Striper CVO styles that we gave our own loud and quirky twists to. Last year, we did Saucony and Asics collabs and earlier this year, we did one with Reebok called “Street Meat” in honor of the 25th anniversary of its Ventilator style.

What are the hottest colors and trends this season? Allwhite, or black with white, or all-black. There’s still also a lot of all-red; a lot of tonal in general. Maybe too much. Trend-wise it’s been a move to slip-ons, whether it’s Vans or Sperry—things that are really easy.

What’s your take on the skate and basketball shoe silos? Skate is fading. Maybe a skater needs to come onto the scene and push the culture forward in terms of new style and attitude. Basketball has faded over the past year too, which is a shame. It had such a strong ride when LeBron’s, Kobe’s and Kevin Durant’s shoes were all insane—every colorway, model and version possible was just killing it. But I think we’ve seen too much of it. Maybe our customers have become desensitized to it. Not to mention, there’s been a move towards running shoes.

Any up-and-coming trends? The lower-price point sneaker segment is still untapped, like for under $100. I think there will be more styles at a lowerprice point with simple and modern designs.

What’s the biggest challenge facing your business? The hiring process is always challenging. We have a really awesome team, but this industry is very fame and celebrity-focused and I think a lot of kids want a job for the sake of status.

What’s the best sneaker of all time? Personally, it’s Nike’s Air Tech Challenge II. Andre Agassi wore it. It really started me on this love-for-sneakers thing. It’s still one of the coolest in terms of design and colorway. Whether it was dressing like Andre Agassi or keeping the shoes with me in bed; I just had an insane love for that shoe. That’s when I got the itch and it never stopped. • 2015 july • footwearplusmagazine.com 33

Creative Recreation sneaker with wicker weave.

Opposite: Koio Collective hi-tops.

35

36

Robert Graham paintsplattered hi-tops.

Opposite: Geox leather sneakers, suede and leather hi-top by Supra.

Fashion Editor: Tara Anne Dalbow; grooming by Tara Campbell; model: Matt V.; shot on location in the NYC subway system.

PA G E 3 8

Shoes Like Pottery canvas sneakers, dress by Muehleder, Aoko Su ear cuff, watches by G-Shock and Nooka.

39

Puma trainers, bandeau top by Enjoue worn under Bodybinds neoprene top, pants

by Collina Strada, watch by G-Shock, Species by the Thousands bracelet. Opposite: Vans croc embossed slip-ons, dress by Lacoste, watch by Nooka, Aoko Su bangle.

40

Strange Matter hi-tops, DKNY bikini top, skirt by Muehleder, green watch by G-Shock, Nooka pink watch, Wxyz Jewelry bracelet.

Opposite: Wesc top, Lisa Marie Fernandez bikini bottom, Le Specs sunglasses, watch by Nooka, Bodybinds wristband, Alibi rings.

43

44

Lacoste leather hi-top.

Opposite: Birkenstock lace-ups. Use Unused dress, green watch

by G-Shock, yellow and blue watches by Nooka, red and yellow watches on right from G-Shock, Nooka green watch.

Keds canvas espadrille tennie.

Opposite: K-Swiss sneakers, Enjoue bathing suit, jacket by Claire Fleury Atelier, Nooka sunglasses, blue watch

by Nooka, G-Shock green watch.

Fashion editor: Tara Anne Dalbow Hair and makeup: Tara Campbell Model: Elizabeth B./APM Model Mgmt.

Shot on location at The Catalina Beach Club, Atlantic Beach, NY.

47

S H O W C A S E S PRIN G ’1 6

Wolky strives to promote comfortable, feminine walking footwear using

Back in Sweden producing hand-made clogs, MIA Shoes (originally MIA

quality components. The comfort lies in the adjustability, the high-quality

Clogs) is your prime go-to resource for genuine and anatomic Swedish clogs.

leathers in both the uppers and the lining and the layers in our contoured

Established in 1976 and celebrating its 40th anniversary in the industry, MIA

footbeds, resulting in a truly enjoyable walking experience. Wolky values

offers fashion-forward footwear for women and kids of all ages. Visit us at

continuity and passion in the shoe business, from its products to its rela-

The Atlanta Shoe Market, FN Platform, Chicago Shoe Market, Transit Los

tionships to all who contribute to our footwear. Come find out more at

Angeles Footwear & Accessories Show, TRU Show San Francisco, Boston

FFANY, FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

Shoe Travelers Association, Mid

www.wolky.com

Atlantic Shoe Show and STRUT Dallas Shoes.

www.miashoes.com

A comfort story with global inspiration and stylish detail, expect the unexpected with Bearpaw’s new Spring ’16 collection. Come see us at FFANY, Outdoor Retailer, FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

Tamaris, Europe’s number-one fashion and women’s shoe brand,

www.bearpaw.com

is finally in the U.S.! Whether it’s sandals, ballerinas or high heels, every season the label creates a multifaceted selection of shoes that are just waiting to be discovered by female fashion fans. Tamaris brilliantly combines excellent quality, the latest trends, innovative comfort technologies and reasonable prices. Find out more by visiting us at The Atlanta Shoe Market, Atlanta Apparel Shoe Show, Boston Shoe Travelers Association, The Chicago Shoe Market, FFANY, Kansas Show, FN Platform, Maples Show and the Michigan Shoe Market.

www.tamaris.eu

For nearly 25 years, Spring Step has been delivering European quality

Island Slipper continues a tradition of authenticity and innovation that

and designs in the all-day comfort you demand. Shown is our Bojana

began in 1946. Today, Island Slipper produces over 100 styles for men and

slide, made in Italy with a full leather, laser-cut floral designed upper

women, all featuring comfort and durability in looks that range from tradi-

and soft, padded, natural cork sole. The playful peep toe keeps your

tional to wild. Come see us at FN Platform and Surf Expo.

style modern and your feet happy throughout your day. Come see us at

www.islandslipper.com

FN Platform, The Atlanta Shoe Market and WINN.

www.springfootwear.com

Cougar’s Spring and Summer ’16

a standout season after season. Pictured is the Marjan, with a natural carved

collections feature fashion footwear

and painted cork sole, stacked leather inset heel and laser-cut full-grain

that will go anywhere, anytime, in

leather abstract daisies to beautifully adorn your foot. The Marjan features

any weather. Guaranteed waterproof.

an adjustable ankle closure and flirty peep toe for an all-day spring delight!

Guaranteed fun. Visit us at FFANY,

Come see us at FN Platform, The Atlanta Shoe Market and WINN.

FN Platform and regional shows across

www.springfootwear.com

North America.

Have you met our personal gladiator? The Sugar by Jambu is designed to

Western Chief provides footwear options for outdoor wear. Offerings range

guide you in comfort and style, in the office or across the globe. Let our

from lovable character raingear for kids to whimsical and cozy boots for

shoes do the walking and be your all-terrain vehicle. We have a sole for

women to durable work boots for men and more. Visit us at Outdoor

sport; after all, we’d be naked without our Jambus. Learn more at FFANY,

Retailer, FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

Outdoor Retailer, FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

www.westernchief.com

www.cougarboots.com

www.jambu.com

®

The Earth Footwear philosophy is simple: to truly feel your most comfortable, you must also love the way you look. With roots dating back to the 1970s, each style of Earth shoes is inspired by our founder’s belief in whole-body health from the ground up.

Today, Earth Footwear is a modern collection of smartly styled casual footwear made for women’s real lives—letting them look and feel their best while on the move. Find out more by visiting us at Outdoor

For 20 years, Børn has been redefining footwear. Crafted with rich premium

Retailer, The Atlanta Shoe Market

leathers and artisan detailing, our handcrafted styles have attracted an intense-

and FN Platform. Earth: Walk

ly loyal following among those seeking beauty and comfort. Find us at FFANY,

Your World.

Outdoor Retailer, FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

www.earthbrands.com

www.bornshoes.com

S H O W C A S E S PRIN G ’1 6

Globally inspired, hand-painted comfort and style make our L’Artiste brand

S H O W C A S E S PRIN G ’1 6

With platforms, wedges, sandals, boots and more, De Blossom Collection

Bella~Vita is an elegant line of fine Italian footwear. We are offering several

from Blossom Footwear includes high-fashion women’s shoe styles that range

new styles of handcrafted Italian leather sandals for Spring ’16, including the

from trendy to dressy. Our successful lifestyle brand is inspired by the glam-

Ponza, a simple platform sandal with modern design flair, and the Mileto,

our and sensuality of today’s fashion trends. Come see us at WSA@MAGIC.

a luxurious leather sandal with a delicately burnished wedge. Both styles

www.blossomfootwear.com

feature hand-finished leather and are available in a large range of sizes and widths (N, M, W & WW; 5-12). Open-stock programs available. Visit us at FN Platform and all regional shows.

www.bellavitashoes.com

Alegria by PG Lite is about creating comfortable shoes with personality and brightness to invoke happiness. Celebrate the blossoming of flowers and the arrival of summer with our Carina thong sandal in vibrant prints and striking hardware. Combined with our specially formulated footbed, there’s blissful comfort in every color. Find out more by visiting us at Patrizia continuously delivers globally inspired, cutting-edge styles that are

Outdoor Retailer, The Atlanta Shoe

comfortable, fabulous looking and vegan friendly, while offering incred-

Market and FN Platform. Alegria—

ible value to consumers! Take this Rho style, for example. It’s

this is what happy looks like.

trend-right with multiple jeweled and chain ankle

www.alegriashoes.com

straps, snake print, back zippers and natural woodlooking heels. All day comfort for the fashionista in us all! Come see us at FN Platform, The Atlanta Shoe Market and WINN.

www.springfootwear.com

Stay on top of the latest summer fashion trends with our new collection of Essence Flat Sandals! They are uniquely designed with a built-in Lynco

Rain boots are an essential accessory for the

orthotic that provides sup-

modern woman. Chooka makes fashionable yet

port, balance and alignment.

functional water-resistant footwear in a variety of

This chic collection features

colors and trend-centric prints. With knee-high

a variety of sandal styles that

boots, mid-calf boots, booties and flats, there’s a

are crafted with soft, full-grain

style suitable for all weather occasions. Come find

leathers and the latest fashion

out more at Outdoor Retailer, FN Platform and

accessories. Visit us at Outdoor Retailer, The Atlanta Shoe Market, FN Platform and PFA.

www.aetrex.com

The Atlanta Shoe Market.

www.chookaboot.com

Tuscany by Easy Street is our retail-proven collection of stylish footwear

eye-catching details to our young contemporary consumer. Our sophis-

handmade and designed in Tuscany, Italy. Our new sandals for Spring ’16 are

ticated customers always look to us for the latest couture inspirations, as

extremely versatile—dress them up for dinner out or dress them down for any

well as comfort and affordable prices. You can see Restricted Footwear

time of the day. Both of these elegant wedge sandals—Atessa (black) and

at FFANY, The Atlanta Shoe Market, FN Platform, Atlanta Apparel,

Piceno (brown) feature “stretch-to-fit” leopard elastic straps and are available

Northstar, Chicago Shoe Market, STRUT Dallas

in a large range of sizes and widths (5-12; N, M, W and WW). Open-stock

Shoes and many other regional shows.

programs available. Visit us at FN Platform and all regional shows.

www.restrictedshoes.com

www.easystreetshoes.com

T u s ceasy a street ny by

®

M A D E I N I TA L Y

For more than 65 years, the pump category has been a trademark of the

For more than 100 years Sanita has been inspired by the Danish word

Gabor brand. A leading fashion house in Germany, Gabor relates classic

“Hygge,” which means “making everything cozy.” With innovative designs

design and everyday fashion to the perfect technical fit. When you need that

and precise standards, our clogs and clog-inspired footwear provide the

classic, go-to pump with the best possible fit that you can wear all day, look

best in comfort and the latest in fashion. We have been awarded the Seal of

to Gabor and you will find the attention to detail and quality that makes for

Acceptance by the American Podiatric Medical Association for quality and

the perfect pump. Visit us at FFANY, The Atlanta Shoe Market, FN Platform,

comfort. We invite you to continue writing the story of Sanita clogs with

TRU Show San Francisco, The Chicago Shoe Market and Rocky Mountain.

your own adventures. Sanita Footwear: Still Danish. Still Handcrafted. Still

www.gaborshoes.de

the Original. Visit us at FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

www.sanita.com

With turned-up style and quiet comfort, Seven Dials footwear has a voice that’s ready to be

JambuKD is inspired by the beauty and wonders of nature. We design

heard. Our shoes are

with kids in mind. Our mission is to make each adventure count with

here to offer you power-

comfort and style. By designing from a kid’s point

ful, tenacious looks that

of view, we are able to build a product that is

express the very latest in

unique and durable. Come see us at

fashion trends, each with

FFANY, FN Platform, Outdoor

an added Seven Dials

Retailer, The Atlanta Shoe

edge. Come find out

Market, Michigan Market, BSTA,

more at FFANY, FN Platform and The Atlanta Shoe Market.

Children’s Great Event and EORA.

www.whitemountainshoes.com

www.jambu.com

S H O W C A S E S PRIN G ’1 6

Restricted Footwear styles focus on edgy elements of design and present

SPRING 2016 SHOW AUGUST 22-24, 2015 COBB GALLERIA CENTRE

COLOUR &TREND

“No one at work

knew my secret.”

- Katherine Footwear Employee Two Ten Client

Get the full story of how we helped Katherine get back on her feet: www.twoten.org

DESIGNER CHAT

Marion Parke

DOCTOR’S ORDERS “THERE IS A small overlap between the way I look at shoes and the way I look at human beings,” quips Marion Parke. “They both have to be more than just pretty.”

That’s exactly what Parke’s eponymous footwear label strives to be: luxury shoes that are beautiful and comfortable.

Parke, a podiatrist by trade, decided to bring her medical experience to footwear design following an increasing number of prompts from her patients. “I would talk to women about what makes a good shoe and how to shop for shoes,” she says. “More and more patients said, ‘Dr. Parke, you should make shoes.’” With this in mind, Parke introduced her debut collection for Spring ’16 at the June edition of FFANY. Parke’s premise is that a shoe should function the way the foot and the ankle function. “The concept is to bring intelligent design to the luxury level,” she explains. “It’s all about a shoe that performs and is functional, but at the same time is really beautiful.” With styles ranging from platform heels to strappy Mary Janes, the podiatrist-approved shoes are a far cry from the typical “comfort” shoe. Parke credits her contoured orthotic insole design with making high heels comfortable.

The orthotic construction consists of four parts: arch support, which

reduces fatigue over time and increases the surface area where the foot makes contact; a cupped heel, which keeps the heel centered over the shoe; lateral posting to discourage ankle rolling and to keep the foot in a rectus position; and a medical-grade material, featuring similar properties to human soft tissue. Combined, it ensures that Parke’s heels feel as good as they look, dispelling the notion that pretty hurts.

As for styling, Parke looked to her music idols for inspiration. “I am a big rock fan, so there’s an element of an edgy rock ’n roll aesthetic,” she offers. Select styles are named after muses such as Bernadette (a song by The Four Tops) and Lorelei (by Styx). Parke says the label epitomizes her double life as a rocker and a doctor. “I think a lot of women are that way: you’re expected to be professional and appropriately dressed, but then there’s that other side of you that’s out on the weekend,” she says. This dichotomy is reflected in an array of platform heels in muted colors, elegant mesh pumps with edgy laceup details and strappy cord mules. No detail was spared with touches like engraved hardware and custom-made silk tassels. The collection is made in the same Italian factory that manufactures footwear for Jimmy Choo, Miu Miu and Isabel Marant. “The goal is for someone to look across the room and notice the shoes for their beauty first and then realize it’s made by a doctor,” Parke says. —Tara Anne Dalbow Where do you go for inspiration? I’m a bit of a museum junkie.

Whenever I need some local inspiration I go to the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN). Between the exhibitions and permanent collections, there’s always something that excites me.

What have been the most challenging and rewarding aspects of getting started? The most challenging part of getting started is just that. Believing you can do something and then acting on it isn’t easy. The most rewarding part has been the positive response from retailers and editors. I’ve put myself out there so it’s nice to feel validated after taking that risk.

If you could only choose one song to play on loop in your showroom, which would it be? Can I cheat and choose one album? I’m a big Pearl Jam fan, so the Vs. album.

Which era in fashion do you find most interesting? I’m fascinated by the ’70s: the empowered women in kaftans, head-to-toe prints, platforms... I also find the present era interesting—high/low dressing and the blend of traditional styles and materials with playful elements has led to a lot of surprises.

EDITOR’S PICKS Born

Stack ’Em High Stacked wood heels reflect a more refined ’70s-era aesthetic.

54 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

Bernardo

OTBT

Sarah Flint

EDITOR’S PICKS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM JONES

Coye Nokes

The Butler Did It The American-made overshoe brand is reinvigorating a classic.

REMEMBER OVERSHOES, A.K.A. galoshes, of yesteryear? They were heavy, cumbersome and not that reliable in terms of being waterproof or warm.

In some instances, one had to wrap shoes in plastic bags to slip them inside the rubber contraptions.

It wasn’t easy or pretty, and it made feet sweat.

It’s no wonder the concept fell out of favor in the ensuing decades as many consumers switched to weatherproof boots or just puddle-hopped and hoped for the best.

Yet the basic premise of an overshoe still has merit: it’s convenient, versatile and protective—all positives, especially for kids. But the design could be improved upon; the overshoe needs to be easy-on and off, comfortable and actually keep feet warm and dry. At least that was the thought process Marc Kingsley-Poole, CEO and co-founder of Butler Boots, used to launch his children’s overboots collection in the fall of 2013.

“The key word is unique. Our products don’t look or feel like anything else,” Kingsley-Poole claims.

“It’s not just another rubber overboot and it’s not just another boot, period.”

What makes Butler’s overboots special starts with the TPE rubber (rather than the commonly used PVC rubber) and its one-piece, injection-molded manufacturing process. “Children’s footwear needs

to be tested for lead, and PVC often contains it,” Kingsley-Poole explains, adding that TPE is also much more stable at very cold and warm temperatures. In contrast, after a couple of cold spells a less expensive PVC-made boot can suffer micro cracks and leak. “Your foot is wet, but you can’t even see the holes,” he says. The one-piece construction process, Kingsley-Poole notes, means no gluing or stitching together parts, which means no leaky seams.

Further addressing versatility needs, KingsleyPoole introduced a removable liner this past year (attached with Velcro) that enables kids to wear the boots with or without shoes and, therefore, year round. “The breathable liner is 15 millimeters thick, whereas most competitors are only three millimeters,” he says. “Kids have the initial comfort of having their feet rest in a couch almost, but they also have the long-term comfort because their feet won’t sweat.” The inside layer is made of a polyester base tacliner that wicks away moisture and it’s also coated with Agion, an antimicrobial material to prevent odor, mold and mildew.

Another unique aspect of Butler Boots is the fact that the brand is all made in America—in the former Studebaker auto plant in South Bend, IN, to be exact. In addition to the positive associations “Made in the USA” has with many consumers here as well as those in Butler’s recent expansion into key Asian markets, the close proximity is a huge advantage when it comes to production planning and turnaround capabilities. “We don’t have to speculate four to five months out on what the best colors may be on re-orders,” notes Mark Challant, who oversees Butler’s manufacturing and distribution. “What is sold at retail this week is made in our plant next week. Our inventory reflects what’s really selling. If pink is hot, then we are making and stocking pink boots.” Challant adds that the turnaround

on an order can be as little as a week.

As for pricing, Kingsley-Poole says Butler Boots are not the cheapest, but that’s more the result of the finer materials than the American-made factor.

That said, the boots are still priced, on average, about $5 to $10 less than Bogs. Prices range from $37.50 wholesale for the tall boots to $15 to $17.50 wholesale for the shorter Rockhopper style that is new for Spring ’16. “The Rockhopper fits just over a Converse hi-top,” he notes. “They are more of a galosh-type product because kids often don’t need the height of a boot.”

As for the road ahead, Kingsley-Poole says Butler’s game plan for now is sticking to doing what it does best: making unique overboots. “We want to keep it tight and expand on what we know how to do,” he says, noting an expansion into adult sizes is a possibility. “We want to grow organically and we don’t want to confuse our customer by making something that’s far beyond what we make.”

Kingsley-Poole adds, “We aren’t interested in eating another company’s lunch. If we ever expand into shoes or related boot products, consumers will have to be able to tell which ones are by Butler immediately.” —Greg Dutter

continued from page 14 “Product is still king, but less is more. I know that’s a cliché, but it’s true. Think about the cereal aisle at the grocery store. That’s the retail reality we have now, but it’s not why people come into your store. They expect you to have edited the best selections for them.”

Buyers need to be clear on what their store stands for, and who the target customer or brand muse is. Then they must have the confidence to edit selections based on those two key factors. “You have to get to that beautiful core and clarity of message,” she says. “It’s easier to just keep buying in the hopes that you won’t alienate any potential customer, but you lose sight of your message that way.”

3) Embrace Color: “Color is a tremendous weapon when it comes to product, collection and retail presentation. Never underestimate its importance,” Reuther says. “We know from research that 93 percent of people buy based on visual appearance and color and 85 percent of people place color first as their reason to buy.”

It’s even more important to Millennial customers, Reuther believes.

Having grown up in the digital world, they’re used to seeing a lot of color and movement, so they have a much more dynamic eye than older consumers, she explains.

You can tell a strong color story even if your core customer is buying brown shoes by paying attention to the ways manufacturers continually reinvent the fundamentals. Every season, they give them new life through innovations in materials, print, pattern and methods of making, Reuther says. “Sneaker companies reinvent white every season.

Designers come up with new solutions for black and brown and gray every fall and winter.”

WE HAVE A VALUE PROPOSITION

4) Watch Macrotrends: They’re even more important than microtrends when it comes to retail survival. Among the most important, in Reuther’s opinion, is the demographic shift in buying power from Baby Boomers to Gen Y or Millennials. “When you look at businesses like Blockbuster and Borders, I would argue that Gen Y put them out of business. When that generation votes, their candidates win. They have tremendous power, so understanding them at a core level is really important,” Reuther says. What are their values? What do they buy? Why? How does your store’s ethos fit their wants and needs? Remember, you might strike a chord with them psychographically if not demographically. For instance, “Millennials love the trend of brands that co-create products with them,” Reuther points out. Research shows they also care deeply about values like sustainability, eco-friendliness and ethical business practices.

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5) Adapt to the Quick-Change Age: What Reuther calls “fashion metabolism” is voracious and moving at an ever-increasing rate. “We’re shifting from design thinking to fashion thinking, and you need to deliver innovation on a fashion metabolism that matches the consumer’s appetite,” she explains. If a teenage girl walks into a mall and sees the same shoes she saw a week or two before, she’ll walk out and go somewhere else, Reuther points out. In the digital age, shoppers expect new information and stimuli 24/7. The challenge for brick-and-mortar stores is to provide environments, atmospheres and product that will satisfy their craving, yet stay true to the store’s raison d’être.

Despite the fact that we live in an omnichannel world, and it’s infinitely easier to deliver quick changes online rather than on shelves, Reuther predicts brick-and-mortar stores will continue to play a vital role in the shopping landscape. “My gut intuition is that it’s going to become even more important as the online world continues to explode,” she says. “We humans have a need to see things, hold them, find out what the weight and quality are. Maybe some day we’ll be able to sense all those things digitally, but not yet. We still want to go into a store and touch the shoes and try them on. There’s still tremendous interest and value in that.” •

continued from page 24 safety toe offerings. “Most people like soft toes better because they’re lighter,” says Mark Reilly, brand director, adding that lighter and more flexible is “what everyone wants,” especially sneakerloving Millennials. In 2016, the brand will answer that demand by introducing 12 soft toe work boot designs—some a twist on previous styles and some totally new. Reilly says the aim is to appeal to a “general work community” with versatile work products and “hybrid, transition pieces” that go from work to play.

Speaking of comfort, Bob McAllister, national sales manager for Justin Original Workboots, is enthusiastic about its new 13-component comfort system, which consists of layered foam with shock absorption and resiliency features. “It’s the most comfortable thing I’ve ever had on my feet,” he claims.

“When customers try it on, they’ll be slammed by comfort.” Part of the larger J-Max Caliber collection, the new boots are “subdued Western-style” wellingtons with slip-resistant heels. Justin is also introducing new women’s work boots with additional safety features, like puncture-resistant soles and Met guards with Poron XRD foam technology.

Cat Footwear is addressing comfort via its new Navigator Mid boot. It features ERGO, which consists of a contoured last, mimicking the natural

shape of the foot, a beveled heel to absorb impact and a slip-resistant S-curved outsole. Lindsey Lindemulder, marketing manager, describes the style as “a seamless extension of your body.” The brand is specifically targeting Millennials, dubbing them “Next Gen Consumers.” “Our collection is more athletically-inspired because it lends itself to styling that younger workers prefer and gives us the opportunity to play with seasonally relevant colors,” Lindemulder says.

Along those lines, Chrome is offering new colorways for Spring ’16 on its 415 boot: indigo and gray in a dense, abrasion-resistant Cordura fabric and a new rich brown leather. Ben McCosh, product director, goes so far as to say the brand has branched out into a lifestyle direction. The decision to blur the line between casual and work is intended so Chrome boots can transition from day to night. The 415 boot, however, is job-ready with a waterproof internal membrane, a reflective heel pull loop for nighttime visibility and impactresistant polyurethane footbeds. “Everything is done for utility,” McCosh says.

Also taking a hybrid design approach, Chris Hayes, director of sales for Harley-Davidson, says the brand’s new Claverton boot, part of its Safety Product collection, is a “Hydro-Guard waterproof

Carhartt Force

Oliver Square Toe Western Wellie

hiker-style with a composite toe and a heavy, luggedout sole.” The rubber outsole is built with cement construction and the interior features a full-length cushion sock lining. This marks the brand’s second composite toe style and Hayes notes that over the past two years it has introduced more than 15 styles to the collection. Hayes adds that the brand recognition associated with Harley-Davidson doesn’t hurt. “The brand is more than 100 years old and one of the most iconic in the world,” he says. “Our heritage is built-in; Harley-Davidson was cool in 1910 and it’s cool in 2015.” •

E - B E AT BUYER CHAT

Dollars and Sense

Ida Petersson Net-a-Porter

Porter, “what excites me about my job is that we see amazing reactions to fashion items. Our customers are always on the lookout for the newest silhouette.” She offers No. 6 clogs, Valia Gabriel’s Greek sandal and Scandinavian brand ATP Atelier as examples of well-received newcomers.

When it comes to her buying philosophy, Petersson says she looks for labels that stand out and have a deliberate point of view. “A lot of brands make perfectly nice pumps, but my biggest challenge is picking the best of the best,” she says, adding, “If it is special enough, we will sell it.” —K.S.

MarketLive’s ML-360 technology helps mid-market retailers parse consumer data to better understand and target shoppers.

BIG DATA: THE concept even sounds overwhelming. In truth, harnessing the large quantity of accessible consumer data available can be challenging (not to mention expensive). That’s where retail technology company MarketLive comes in. “There are a lot of marketing databases out there that gather data and then try to figure out what to do with it,” explains Ken Burke, MarketLive founder and CEO. “This is the ‘figuring out what to do with it.’”

The aim of the MarketLive e-commerce platform—and its new feature, ML-360, which launched last month—is to go beyond gathering data by providing comprehensive consumer profiles and making highly actionable predictions, helping retailers create a resonant customer experience that ultimately leads to increased purchases and consumer loyalty.

ML-360 collects as much data as possible on consumers both on and offline, from general purchase information to specific details about price points, internet browsing activity and geographical location, then uses its relevance engine to make predictions about their future behavior. “These aren’t necessarily new concepts, but when you put it all together, you start to make better predictions for the customer based on what they’re doing,” Burke states. He explains that mid-market retailers and wholesalers can use the technology to figure out whether individual consumers are more likely to respond to a coupon for $10 off or 20 percent off, for instance, or whether or not offering discounts in their abandoned cart recovery e-mails is worthwhile.

To see MarketLive in action in the footwear industry, look no further than Donald J Pliner, which used the data-mining technology to create complete customer profiles, then launched targeted campaigns to reactivate past buyers. It worked—the company’s online revenue increased by almost 50 percent over the last two years. Burke adds that MarketLive recently introduced its technology to another shoe company as an effective way to finesse the transition from discount to premium. Consumer data analysis can help brands appropriately segment their customers, allowing them to appeal to new ones without alienating existing ones.

As for cost-effectiveness, Burke says that while MarketLive technology may not seem cheap at first (use of the platform costs between $100K and $200K), it’s certainly more reasonable for the mid-market and specialty tier it targets than the multi-million-dollar data crunching services big box stores have had access to for years. “Our objective is to bring [this technology] down into the middle market and make it useable,” Burke declares. He notes that it’s particularly relevant to specialty footwear dealers, which are often smaller in scale and more niche-oriented than mega-retailers.

And while data aggregation and predictive analytics are ultimately focused on a company’s bottom line, that’s not MarketLive’s sole objective. “At the end of the day, all of this is really about making the customer experience better,” Burke offers. “It’s not so much just selling them more stuff.” —Kirby Stirland

58 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

LOTS OF PEOPLE go to far-flung locales to try to find themselves, but it’s rare that they actually figure out what to do with their lives while there. However, that’s exactly how it happened for Ida Petersson, senior footwear buyer at luxury e-commerce site Net-a-Porter. While soul-searching in Bali, the fashion-obsessed Petersson ran into a woman who worked as a buyer for a major British retailer, and career inspiration struck. She went on to study at London College of Fashion, then spent a decade at legendary British department store Harvey Nichols before making her way to Net-a-Porter about two years ago.

Launched in 2000, Net-aPorter offers on-trend shoe styles from more than 75 brands, including Valentino, Miu Miu, Sophia Webster and Nicholas Kirkwood, in addition to apparel, accessories and beauty products. “All of our brands fulfill an important function in allowing us to give our customer a full edit of the market trends,” Petersson says. Prices range from just under $100 for sandals and sport shoes to more than $5,000 for straight-off-the-runway boots.

Any fashionista can attest to the power of great basics, and while Petersson says classic pointed-toe pumps are mainstays on Net-a-

Who is the typical Net-a-Porter customer? She is adventurous and loves to experiment with her wardrobe. She stocks up on basic black and nude pumps and beach sandals, but what really gets her heart racing are the seasonal trends. She’s very runway-driven.

What are some key trends for Spring ’16? We are still seeing the tail end of the ’70s trend which includes a lot of block heels, platforms and fringe. There are also a lot of beautiful macramé pieces.

Pumps have changed in shape slightly, becoming round or almond shaped. Wedges, in particular platforms, are still very relevant. Patent leather seems to have had a slight resurgence.

What about colors? A lot of tan and white, but also orange, turquoise, red and bright blues.

Which designers should we keep our eye on? Tabitha Simmons, Paul Andrew and Sophia Webster deserve a lot of attention because of their incredible talent.

Are there any trends you’re tired of ? At the moment I am quite keen to not look at another wedge sneaker again.

O&A continued from page 21 we were able to stay afloat and today we are hitting new plateaus with our new launches and licenses. Now it’s a little bit of everything that’s making up our overall growth. It’s outdoor lifestyle, comfort, casual athletic, kids’, women’s and junior’s. Of course, it hasn’t been easy. It took years to build this up.

But that’s enough about the past. I’ve got beautiful war stories I want to tell you about, like our new assembled in America program with André Assous.

Ok, tell me all about that.

We think our assembled-in-America program is an important initiative, and if we can deliver more, we’d like to expand upon it. Unlike a lot of other madein-America efforts, particularly those done in New York, the retail price can be very high, but this is not the case. André Assous has been a $200 brand and we are offering consumers assembled espadrilles in the U.S. at $100 retail. We found a way to take advantage of producing components at a low cost while paying close attention to the labor costs. There are about 30 employees making 5,000 pairs of four espadrille styles done over a four-month span. Now imagine if we are able to produce 100,000 pairs.

It’d be a 12-month business and we’d probably have to hire more than 100 employees. That’s just one threshold to shoot for.

In addition to the patriotic benefits, what are some of the other advantages related to this program?

To be honest, there aren’t that many. It’s a nightmare. [Laughs.] To make one pair of shoes requires 250 pairs of hands from start to finish. It takes a lot of work. Components people, for example, had to visit the factory to make sure that the lasts and bottoms fit the uppers. That said we will save time on shipping from here. The first collection is just hitting retail as we speak—key independents like Harry’s and Tip Top as well as majors like Nordstrom.

Switching gears a bit, what’s your assessment on the state of sourcing?

The industry is faced with some serious challenges. But, hey, I’ve been dying to do business off the Amalfi Coast, so it’s not all bad. In fact, we have been increasing our production out of Europe of late with the dollar being so strong. That said I don’t see an immediate problem over the next three to five years sourcing out of China, especially with the state of their economy. They need our support in order to keep manufacturing jobs going. But it’s still very important to explore other countries that produce footwear. Vietnam is one and now we are testing the U.S. And we already are sourcing out of Italy, Spain and Brazil as well.

Where do you see Vida Brands in five years?

The plan is to focus on our current portfolio and make all the brands stronger. As long as we hold those licenses, we consider them to be our properties and we aim to make them bigger, better and stronger. The same goes for our proprietary brands. In addition, another goal is to take on more proprietary brands if the opportunity presents itself.

“We believe the quality and caché of something assembled in the U.S. at $100 has as much value as a $200 shoe on the shelf.”

What did retailers like about these shoes, in particular?

First of all, the ability to sell André Assous espadrilles at more of a volume price point. This is a good way to introduce that price point without taking down the intrinsic value of the European brand. We believe the quality and caché of something assembled in the U.S. at $100 has as much value as a $200 shoe on the shelf. Offering both is the key. Now consumers have a choice within the André Assous brand.

It appears that Vida Brands, even at 40-plus-years old, has entered a new growth spurt.

Things have been going well. My father has always been very entrepreneurial in his approach to the business and never wants to be associated with getting older. That’s why he likes to hang around youthful people. It helps keep him and, by extension, all of us here, young and sharp. The expression “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” has rubbed off in this regard. It’s so important for Vida Brands to evolve with the Millennial consumer because they are our future. That’s why we have sought a mix of Millennials and Baby Boomers to work for us in an attempt to extract both thought processes and apply them. Personally, what do I know if a young woman’s shoe is going to be a hit? I spend most of my time sitting in a glass office. Unless you are selling a shoe that caters to me, don’t bother asking me for an opinion. I’m not the end consumer. We have merchandisers and designers that are that consumer and can relate to them.

What’s your take on the growing dominance of online shopping?

It’s very intriguing. It’s so important to deliver a message to the end consumer, but how it translates into sales is the next challenge that many retailers are still trying to figure out. While B2C for a company like us gives us an opportunity to get closer and understand our customer better, it’s really more about allowing us to improve our performance for our retailers.

Jambu, for example, has a mobile app coming out soon that will enable us to sell direct, but our main goal is to learn more about that consumer so we can understand their habits and needs and deliver that in a mass way to our retail partners.

Where do you see the shoe store 10 years from now?

I can’t really see it going away entirely. As easy as it is to buy something online, I believe traditional shopping will still have appeal for plenty of people. It allows families to spend time together and kids need places to congregate, right? But shopping malls will evolve to meet the changes in how consumers want to shop. For example, malls and shopping centers have been adapting to more of an outdoor format.

It’s evolving to offer an experience that will make people want to go out and shop. In the meantime, we have to address omnichannel concerns, and the only way we’re going to figure that out is surround ourselves with people who understand that approach.

What do you love most about your job?

First of all, I love being able to work every day with my cousin Gabe and my father. I think it’s sensational. I also love working with all of our team members. Another favorite part of my job is being able to travel and meet with our retail partners. I also love working with the Two Ten Footwear Foundation, which is a wonderful group of people. I don’t see another industry that reaches out to its own during tough times. We help pick people up when they are down. Overall, I only have great things to say about the shoe industry as it has taken care of our family and so many other families for so many years. • 2015 july • footwearplusmagazine.com 59

LAST WORD

Take a Bow

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel

Christian Louboutin Dolce & Gabbana

Christian Siriano Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Manolo Blahnik

Marchesa

POINTE OF VIEW The American Ballet Theatre fêtes its 75th anniversary with a collection of designer ballet shoes. By Kirby Stirland THE BEAUTY OF ballet is so often in the small details: a graceful tilt of the head, an arm angled just so, a subtle fluttering of the feet. The same can be said of fashion, particularly with regard to footwear; few accessories are as nuanced and obsessively crafted. This spring, in celebration of the American Ballet Theatre’s 75th anniversary, fans of ballet and shoes alike were able to glimpse an inspired amalgamation of these two worlds at Lincoln Center’s Metropolitan Opera House in New York. There, a collection of pointe shoes reimagined by some of the world’s most renowned designers shone a spotlight on the performance footwear of professional ballet dancers.

The couture-worthy pointe shoes in the collection, which was curated

by Vogue editor-at-large (and ballet enthusiast) Hamish Bowles, are works of art in and of themselves. A sequined camellia adorns the toe box of Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel shoe, along with the house’s signature interlocking C’s.

60 footwearplusmagazine.com • july 2015

Christian Louboutin’s trademark red soles are reinterpreted as crimson ribbons on the designer’s crystal-encrusted slipper, which also features an impossibly high stiletto heel. Playful pom-poms and an unmistakable interior label accent Manolo Blahnik’s version. Christian Siriano, Narciso Rodriguez, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Marchesa, Peter Copping for Oscar de la Renta and Dolce & Gabbana all offer their own unique takes on the traditional construction, which has roots in 19th century dance (although the popularization of the modern version is attributed to Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who rose to prominence in the early 20th century).

The bespoke slippers were part of a larger exhibit of ABT costumes from past and present, selected by Bowles and Bruce Horowitz, the legendary dance company’s wardrobe supervisor. It’s a collection we at Footwear Plus believe is most worthy of a standing ovation.

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