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Editorial: Greg.Dutter@ Wainscotmedia.com
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let me get my shoes
AFTER BEING SHOT in the head last month during a political rally in a Pennsylvania field, the first audible sentences by former President Trump, repeated four times, were: “Let me get my shoes.” (For the historical record, one time he said, “Let me get my shoes on.”)
I couldn’t help being impressed that, in the seconds after the man had been mere millimeters from being assassinated, shoes were his top concern. Granted, it was an instant of tremendous shock and confusion. Who knows how one would react to narrowly escaping murder. Still, shoes?
As a long-time editor of a footwear industry trade publication, I couldn’t help but wonder what type of shoes Trump was wearing. I assume that on a hot summer night and being a dapper dresser, he was sporting tasseled loafers—easily knocked off when a swarm of Secret Service agents pounced on No. 45 in heroic efforts to shield him from additional gunshots. Then I couldn’t help but think how his choice would be right in step with this issue’s This Just In (p. 6) photo essay depicting street style from around the world. The classic loafer was all the rage at the recent Men’s Fashion Week in Paris. Trump, I thought, would take pride in knowing he’s on-trend with fashion A-listers. He might even claim he is the one setting the trend.
I’m not being disrespectful. Noticing what people are wearing and saying about shoes comes with the job. I took a similar interest in the tactical boots the Secret Service snipers were wearing. Of course, there was nothing frivolous about what happened that day. Our country is deeply fractured, and the hostility, distrust, hate, and violence are boiling over. It doesn’t seem like we can agree on much and, worse, too many of us aren’t even willing to try. The chasm is only getting wider. We seem to have less and less in common. What, if anything, unifies us?
frontrunner in performance style. Adidas (Samba), Crocs, On, and Birkenstock are also hitting it big on mass appeal. Millions of Americans can agree on these sartorial statements, right? Perhaps that’s a step toward common ground, one rooted in genuine comfort.
For the record, many of these shoe-related musings originated at 2 a.m. the night Trump was shot, while I was sitting in a New York City emergency room. It was the third such wee-hour visit (two in Manhattan and one in suburban Connecticut) over the past two weeks, necessitated by the fact that my daughter has been suffering from crushing headaches, which left her in excruciating pain. Left stranded and stressed in waiting rooms for hours upon hours while doctors try to diagnose what’s going on and figure out how to cure it, your mind wanders down some rabbit holes, fretting about work, health, finances, and way-too-scary “what if” scenarios.
During those middle-of-the-night hospital vigils, it dawned on me that ERs do not discriminate. All walks of life come through those sliding doors in need of care, administered by a range of wonderful professionals. So do all sorts of shoe styles. The doctors, nurses, aides, and other staffers I observed generally sported Hoka, Crocs, or Dansko. Many of them color-coordinated their footwear with their scrubs. Several made shoes the statement piece of their monochromatic uniforms via cheerful colors and/or prints. While these work shoes have to perform, perhaps style provides a respite in what can be a tremendously stressful and gut-wrenching workplace. I also took in the canary yellow Crocs a toddler was wearing as his father carried him in. They made me smile, as I recalled how my daughter, now 21, adored her colorful Cayman clogs, tricked out with numerous Jibbitz when she was younger. This being summer, where the high humidity matches the temperatures, there were plenty of flip-flops and slides in sight. (The pre-dawn hours might have played a role in ER visit footwear decisions, as well.) I also spied snazzy heels on a nervous-looking young woman who was dressed for a night on the town that had obviously taken an upsetting turn.
This is where my years working the footwear beat kicks in. Shoes unify us. Virtually every American owns at least one pair and can’t safely leave home without putting them on. We all need and appreciate what footwear brings to our daily lives in terms of comfort, support, protection, and performance. Not to mention the seemingly universal enjoyment we get from style, whether it takes the form of individual expression or shows what fashion tribe we belong to. For example, lately people from all walks of life are sporting Hoka, the
Life is unpredictable, sometimes cruelly so. ERs are a testament to that. All we can do is try to keep striding forward—in whatever pair of shoes suits us best. Kudos to our industry for offering a seemingly endless choice of styles, colors, materials, technologies, and embellishments, season after season, for those life journeys. We deliver. I think most Americans would wholeheartedly agree, if they fully understood the incredible R&D, logistics, blood, sweat, and talent that goes into making all that possible.
Greg Dutter Editorial Director
Crocs rocker: My daughter, Darby, age five, at her favortie neighborhood hangout, Hippo Playground.
Loafer Radness
Tasseled, buckled, and unembellished, loafers work at Milan Men’s Fashion Week. Photography by Melodie Jeng
New Balance Debuts In-store Trade-in Program
Athletic giant teams with Archive in nearly 100 locations.
NEW BALANCE LAUNCHED Reconsidered online earlier this year, a program that enables consumers to donate and/or buy gently used footwear. As a natural progression of that, people can now bring in their gently worn footwear and, if eligible, receive a voucher for their next New Balance purchase at participating locations. (Voucher values vary based on item condition and other factors.) New Balance then sends the footwear to logistics partner, Tersus, who either cleans and lists them for resale on the Reconsidered marketplace processed by Archive’s trade-in app or, if unsellable, sends them to donation.
“New Balance is leading the industry forward, modeling to other brands that circularity can be good for business and the planet,” says Emily Gittins, cofounder and CEO of Archive, adding that the collaboration reflects a broader shift in the retail industry, where branded resale is becoming an important growth channel. “Brands no longer want to give up control of customer relationships to third-party resale platforms. Instead, brands increasingly see the value in creating a resale experience that mirrors what shoppers expect when purchasing new—while maintaining control over their full customer lifecycle.”
In addition to giving products a longer life cycle, Gittins says resale programs drive customer acquisition, build loyalty, and bring in a new revenue stream. “We’ve seen brands grow overall revenue by three to five percent via resale in just their first year,” she reports. “We work closely with brands to ensure profitability, and some brands even see higher margin on secondhand sales than their mainline business.” Gittins says resale can help sell new products, as well. “We find people are more likely to invest in a higher-priced item when they know they have the option to resell it later,” she says.
Resale has also proven to be a great customer acquisition strategy, according to Gittins. Archive research shows that, on average, brands find that 50 percent of resale customers are new to the brand. “It’s also a retention strategy—on average, 65 percent of sellers opt to redeem their earnings with a gift card from the brand instead of cash, and go on to re-invest that into a full-price purchase, spending two to three times their credit amount,” she says.
OrthoLite Boosts European Production
The leading insoles supplier expands its vertical integration strategy
IN AN EFFORT to keep pace with growing demand in Europe, OrthoLite is expanding its owned and operated European hub, OrthoLite Europa (OEU), in Almansa, Spain, a.k.a. the country’s shoemaking capital, with 400 years of history in the artistry and trade of footwear. It’s part of the company’s global integration strategy that involves near total control over its supply chain and production, which leads to increased production capacity, more innovation, and improved speed-to-market.
“Our production demand continues to grow, and we continue to build excellence in capacity, customer service, advancing technologies, and unmatched responsiveness as a strategic supply partner,” says Richard Bevan, vice president of Global Operations for OrthoLite, noting that OEU is especially relevant for speed-to-market. “From our facility in Spain, we can deliver to any point in Europe within two to four days.”
OEU also expands on OrthoLite’s local-for-local insole production strategy, providing several valuable business advantages to partners. That includes the ability to drastically cut transportation costs and delays and reduce supplier issues. It also enables OrthoLite to work closely with local factory groups, helping to better manage resources and production capacity. And it provides the ability to respond to any changing needs or issues promptly when they arise. “Continued investments into the latest technologies will support manufacturing innovation, infrastructure, capacity expansions, and operational efficiencies for our European brand partners,” Bevan says. “The OEU facility will expand lean line production and localized foaming, add more automation, and continually modernize the facility and tooling requirements.”
The OEU facility primarily serves “Made in the EU production,” targeting luxury, dress, work, outdoor, comfort, and athletic brands with insoles as well as leather and other technical insole products. Those include leather and textile lamination; heel cups, wedges, and molded and die cut insoles; and artisan leather insoles for premium fashion brands. It also includes production of OrthoLite O-Therm, the only aerogel-infused, open-cell PU foam cold and heat block solution that can be applied as an insole and a strobel layer or lining.
The demand for OrthoLite products in Europe is evident. The OEU facility has already quadrupled capacity for footwear production since 2021. “Since opening, OrthoLite has enjoyed double digit, year-overyear growth,” Bevan says. “We anticipate this trajectory to continue as we increase overall capacities to support our further expansions into the safety, luxury, outdoor, athletic, and comfort casual markets.”
Q&A
BY GREG DUTTER
GREEN LIGHT
Bob Mullaney, president and CEO of RG Barry Brands, is shifting the company into high gear, fueled by new ownership's increased investment and expected acquisitions.
sINCE BOB MULLANEY came aboard RG Barry Brands as CEO in late 2017, the business has doubled in size. Not bad, considering a pandemic, record inflation, and other headwinds that have made significant growth in this industry a tall order. Still, he felt the 77-year-old company, based in Columbus, OH, could have done much more in the past few years to grow its portfolio of Dearfoams, Baggallini, and new sustainability-based brand Planet A. Then there were the possible acquisitions that he saw as perfect fits with potential for exponential growth that weren’t pursued. Mullaney saw a couple as “no-brainers” that he believed RG Barry Brands was uniquely qualified to manage. “We would have extracted value pretty quickly,” he says.
Alas, private equity owners Mill Road Capital and Blackstone didn’t pursue such deals. The owners were hesitant to make large or risky investments in what was a very unpredictable M&A environment, especially during and post-pandemic. Something had to give.
“We were in year eight to 10 of ownership by Blackstone Capital and Mill Road Capital, and while they were good partners, that’s a little long in the tooth in the private equity world,” Mullaney says. “We needed greater investment for another five- to seven-year growth run, but the board wasn’t strategically aligned on the future of the company in a way the team and myself deserved. We were just on different wavelengths.”
Mullaney likens the situation to a homeowner who’s around 55 years old with a couple of kids in college and decides to hold off on putting a new stone patio in the backyard or replacing the roof because they might move soon. “They’re not willing to make that level of investment, because they might not be living there in five years, which I understand,” he says. But Mullaney and his team aren’t planning to move anytime soon. They’re all in on taking RG Barry Brands to the next stage of growth. “We firmly believe we should grow four to six times in the next five years,” he says. “We have the team to do so as well as strong brands that deserve investment from marketing, branding, and product development standpoints.” There was also the danger that stagnation
could cause good employees to seek growth opportunities elsewhere. “You can’t just stand still,” Mullaney says. “Our company needs investment in our existing portfolio as well as to acquire more brands.”
Enter Marubeni Growth Capital US (MGCU). The investment firm, a subsidiary of Japanese-based Marubeni Corporation, acquired RG Barry Brands in June. Mullaney believes this is exactly the type of consumer-focused investment platform the company needs—and deserves. One that will invest in expansion internally, through acquisitions, and international expansion. “They’re well-capitalized with a market cap of $35 to $40 billion and annual revenue of $60 million,” he says, adding that they are 8.3 percent owned by
Berkshire Hathaway. “They’re looking for market diversification, and we’re a platform for that. That’s why we’re so excited.” Circling back to the homeowner analogy, Mullaney says, “It wasn’t a case of selling the house at its highest value, but if you don’t fix the roof, the house is going to be worth even less when you want to sell.” He adds, “It’s the right move for us. We want the team to stay in place to grow this business. Stagnating is not an option, because you’ll get run over.”
Take the growth opportunities for Dearfoams, for example. Mullaney sees huge potential for expansion into lifestyle categories beyond slippers in today’s easy on/off, casual slip-on world. “Organically, Dearfoams has tremendous potential because consumers just want comfortable shoes, and now it’s a matter of making sure we have the resources to make them,” he says. Investment in product innovation and marketing had already begun under previous ownership, including a seven-figure campaign on the Hallmark Channel earlier this year. It helps, Mullaney says, that Dearfoams is a trusted, best-price-value brand. “That’s why we’re able to sell three to four times the most slippers of any brand annually across a range of leading retailers. Consumers know what they’re getting.”
Mullaney has an early read on the brand’s broader potential, thanks to the recent launch of Fireside by Dearfoams. The upscale slippers line, featuring 100 percent Australian sheepskin, has been a hit. The product is solid; now it’s about getting the word out. “We’re not trying to be Ugg, but we do a great job making boots and slippers priced under $100, and the comfort and quality is outstanding,” he says. “We’re going to market Fireside more as well as expand the product range and distribution. There’s a huge opportunity there.”
Planet A presents another growth opportunity, as Mullaney believes the brand’s sustainability platform aligns with a growing consumer desire to purchase brands that harm the planet as little as possible. Planet A’s eco-friendly hook is that it’s not recycling-based. Rather, its premise is regenerative materials. Namely, its propriety biodegradable foam, Regnr8, a biodegradable plastic material that offers similar durability and comfort to traditional plastics without the afterlife pollution. Regnr8 technology is added to petroleum-based resin, the foundation of plastic, allowing naturally occurring microorganisms to consume the polymer matrix and convert it to compost and bio-gas. Accelerated biodegradation means less waste and pollution. Thus, a healthier planet.
“We believe one of the biggest issues in our industry right now is that way too much footwear ends up in landfills,” Mullaney says. “Planet A addresses the end-of-life issues of products. While we appreciate recycling, we think that concept is broken. Most recycled plastics eventually end up
Q&A
in landfills, on trails, in oceans, in the food supply, whereas the plastic from our shoes won’t.”
Adding to Planet A’s allure are durability and an attractive price point. Unlike sustainable brands that fall short on durability and require a lot of green to go green, the debut Solo slide lasts as long as traditional plastic-based foams and retails for $35. “Consumers may respect better ecological solutions, but they won’t buy them if performance isn’t up to standards or it breaks the bank,” Mullaney says. Hence, the reason he is chomping at the bit to take Planet A from concept to full launch mode. That’s on the docket for the first board meeting under the new ownership next month. The plan is to expand the line beginning in Fall ’25.
All in all, Mullaney’s team is reenergized and ready to take RG Barry Brands to “four to six times the size in five to seven years.” The ducks are lining up, along with what he believes is a macro shift among consumers seeking quality heritage brands. The focus
on fast fashion at the lowest possible price will run its course. “We’re at an unbelievable crossroads of consumer behavior changing and the marketplace beginning to respond to it,” Mullaney says. “People are getting tired of buying junk that quickly winds up in landfills. And now RG Barry Brands is better prepared to capitalize on this tremendous opportunity—if we play it right.”
Is it fair to say that the new ownership has given you a green light to do what you’ve been wanting to do for a long time?
Absolutely. We’ll now be able to make strategic investments in Dearfoams, Baggallini, and Planet A that spans marketing and product development. We’re not going to hold back anymore. No question, footwear is our biggest growth opportunity. What’s more, Japanese companies typically have a much longer view of the world, and that inspires us. And, short term, as long as we have a strong plan
OFF THE CUFF
What are you reading? I just read Leadership by Algorithm by David De Cremer and Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Now I’m reading Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg.
What was the last series you watched? Presumed Innocent on Apple TV.
What is inspiring you right now? Besides AI and how it will improve our business, it’s the crossroads I believe we’re at between consumer and marketplace behavior. This is the unbelievable moment where trusted brands and brick-andmortar retail will come to the forefront.
Where is your moment of Zen? Listening to Tamara Levitt on the Calm app or doing yoga in my backyard, or at our cabin on Biscay Pond in Mid-Coast Maine.
Are you a fan of Maine Cabin Masters, by chance? We’re dreaming of having them come do a build for us. (Laughs.)
What was your first concert and best concert? I won’t say my first; it’s too embarrassing. But my best was Sting with my wife on our first date in June of 2000. A second was Live at the Paradise Rock Club in the mid-’90s.
What super power would you most like to have? To see into the future.
Who has been the greatest influence? It’s tough to pick just one person. In addition to my parents and family, I’ve been fortunate to have had meaningful mentors, teachers, friends, and coaches over the course of my life. As a kid from Chelsea, on the outskirts of Boston, you had to be tough. Some of us who got out are CEOs of companies, while many who didn’t are either in
jail or dead. I was lucky to have people see something in me and push me along.
What keeps you awake at night? The misguided market chasing Temu and Shein. I believe consumer trust will dissipate at the expense of short-term transactions for cheap goods, especially at a time when we shouldn’t be filling up more landfills with crap. We should be focused on offering consumer solutions and better quality. Brickand-mortar stores can offer those types of brands and products.
What are you most hopeful for?
In all challenges, there’s always opportunity. I’m most hopeful that heritage brands are going to become more important again. Brands are going to get back to genuine storytelling, innovation, and solutions that have a positive impact on consumers’ lives. I’m also very optimistic for what AI can bring to our business.
and buy in, we expect to see growth pretty quickly.
Are the acquisition pickings still ripe? There’s a chance to get more ambitious and acquire brands that are doing $100 to $200 million. It’s about the right fit. Some might be bigger, some might be on a downswing but the brand still possesses great potential. It’s about timing and being well managed. On that note, I think the industry has under appreciated innovation and consumer concentricity. What they want and need is easy on/off, comfortable, casual styles. Skechers has seized upon that formula. For a time in the comfort space no one talked about them, but now they do. Skechers has taken the comfort industry’s lunch. No one likes to hear that, but they really are hitting on those key trends. They’ve innovated. And like previous comfort classics—Rockport’s Prowalker and Easy Spirit’s Traveltime—they’re essentially athletic shoes. There has always been this undertow of significant franchise comfort shoes rooted in athletic design.
What types of brands are you looking to acquire? Footwear is the first area of focus, but we’ll look at adjacent accessories categories like another handbag business and possibly loungewear. With footwear, it’s lifestyle brands that have great awareness that maybe need to be fixed. Something beyond our expertise or product range, stronger marketing or shoemaking capabilities, international distribution would all be pluses. We’re looking for ways to supplement our business that benefits both sides. I probably have 10-plus potential companies on my desk right now. There are one or two that we’re cautiously optimistic on, but it’s not like we’re desperate.
It has to complement the existing portfolio?
Yes, and we want to elevate the portfolio overall. In three years, our goal is to rename our company Responsible Growth Brands, a double entendre on our acronym. By then, we expect to have significantly elevated Dearfoams and Baggallini. We will offer consumer solutions that will still be great value-based choices. We’ll also have fully launched Planet A. And we hope to have three to four acquisitions under our belt. So anything that falls into the thought process of Responsible Growth Brands gives you a peak behind the curtain of what we’re planning.
How has your day-to-day job changed since the acquisition?
I’m now focusing more on expansion into a multibrand platform. We’ve built a great team, and they’re going to be more independent in those divisions. I’m not going to be as hands-on in that regard, like I was with the creation of Fireside by
Dearfoams. I need to be making sure our multibrand platform is running smoothly so the team has the resources they need to achieve our plan.
To paraphrase Tom Petty, the waiting was the hardest part?
Only the last two years were really frustrating. Before that, we were cranking. I came in as a small minority owner initially believing it was an awesome opportunity for growth, and we doubled in size. In fact, we’re twice the size with greater profit and with less customers overall. Not a lot of companies can say that they grew two times in the past five to seven years. That’s been exciting. Plus, I still believe in our model and what we’re doing. I believe great growth potential still lies ahead. And I don’t believe if I went somewhere else that the grass would necessarily be greener. We have great brands and distribution, we’re nimble, we’re well capitalized…you have to work really hard to get all that. There’s a lot of goodness here already firmly in place to attain much greater growth.
Just how did you achieve greater sales and profits with less customers?
The reevaluation of our supply chain as a result of the pandemic probably helped us more than anything in that regard. Even though the whole industry was a mess, I believe challenges are opportunities. Meaning, for us, we had to reevaluate our price points. We had a huge backlog of orders as slipper sales were off the charts, but we couldn’t get all of them shipped. So we became more strategic about our distribution. We had to get smarter and leaner. We decided what businesses to support and what ones to not. That helped us overall, and we did more sales with less customers. Basically, we focused on strategic partnerships and not on transactional relationships. That shift started in 2022. We also started selling better made, higherprices goods, like Fireside by Dearfoams.
That was a risky decision, no?
It was very risky, but our data showed us that it was the right decision. It’s only risky if you don’t know that the consumer will buy those products. But our intelligence and research told us to do it, and it worked better than we ever imagined. Part of our mantra is being consumer-driven and datainformed. That’s why I’m so excited by AI, which is going to be aggregating data that we currently work really hard at doing ourselves much faster and better. Back when I was earning my MBA, while working for Timberland, I did consumer research at the Downtown Crossing in Boston by asking mothers who made the purchase decisions on children’s footwear. That was literally done by hand. And then when I went to run ShoeBuy later on, it was amazing to have all that data available at
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“The goal of Planet A is to impact millions of pairs versus being a nice talked about sustainable brand that wealthy people wear as a badge of honor.”
clicks. We were aggregating every single decision shoppers on the site made. AI is going to aggregate social listening, search data, consumer purchasing… if you train it well enough, it’s going to be mind-boggling in terms of making data-informed decisions.
You have a positive outlook on retail in general, whereas a lot of people in our industry don’t. What gives?
Inflation and high interest rates impacts on discretionary income are real. We can’t stay at a two percent inflation without lowering interest rates. That’s putting a lot of burden on people making less than $150,000 a year. Fortunately for us, our distribution is solid. Consumers trust retailers that are doing well. Where Dearfoams is positioned as a brand, for example, is good. It’s a great name at an accessible price. Fireside is too—100-percent genuine shearling lined product priced at $59.99. I’ll put that quality up against any brand. And Planet A is going to be a great brand. Our Regnr8 concept is a much better alternative to recycled materials and other bio-based ones that fall short on performance and durability, as well as often costs a lot more. While it’d be great if corn stalk midsoles would be equal to the performance characteristics of Hoka, it hasn’t been proven possible yet. And customers aren’t going to sacrifice performance. Even if you did, you might not be fixing the problem
because the alternative is often far more expensive. Thus, it won’t hit the masses. The goal of planet A is to impact millions of pairs versus being a nice talked about sustainable brand that wealthy people wear as a badge of honor. If a recycled shoe costs $200 or more, you’re not really fixing the problem. It has to be more accessible.
Is the presidential election impacting your business?
Short-term, there’s a September/October pause. But I don’t believe Ukraine and Israel wars are weighty issues to U.S. consumers. Those stories will remain in the news, but I don’t think it’s having much purchase behavior impact, whereas high inflation is. The longer impact of this election is how it affects sourcing and free trade. We’re significantly in China, but we’re also sourcing in a lot of places. Even so, the reality Vietnam, Cambodia, and other countries often costs more and the quality is lower. People need to understand that there are trade-offs to moving sourcing. For example, you don’t know what any new trade agreements will be, and you can move elsewhere but it doesn’t mean you’ll get what you want. When I was with Rockport 15 years ago, we were making shoes in India. If that country was a meaningful alternative, wouldn’t it have happened by now? All that aside, the biggest issue is inflation. If you’re paying a seven percent mortgage rate, there’s less discretionary income. It’s why >55
THE BIG MOVE
Ricardo
Leite, founder and CEO of Rival Shoe Design, on the company’s Dominican Republic factory acquisition and the world of difference it will mean for clients. By Greg Dutter
Ricardo Leite’s 40-year manufacturing resume speaks volumes—literally. It spans extensive experience in design, development, and technology in factories in Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe.
Positions have included setting up CAD systems for leading factories, serving as Senior Director for factories producing more than 40 million pairs annually, and heading up product development for Paramount Asia, which involved moving 60 percent of Nine West Group’s total production to Asia from Brazil over the course of 1999. In 2001, the second-generation shoe industry exec became vice president of sourcing for Scala, establishing its operations in China that included moving all production within a year for brands such as BCBG and Skechers. From 2003-2005, Leite served as Stride Rite’s vice president of sourcing and development that involved moving production from Brazil to China. In 2004, he launched his own company, Rival Shoe Design, that has since grown into a full-service company of more than 250 employees, a factory in Ethiopia, and a client roster that includes Donna Karen, Dolce Vita, Kurt Geiger, Steve Madden, Sam Edelman, and Geox. Long resume short: the guy knows how and where to get shoes made.
in operation for only 10 months. Secondly, there is plenty of room for expansion. “We’re set to build more production facilities as demand grows,” Leite says, “We can have a new building up and running as fast as eight to 10 months.”
All in all, it’s a fresh start for the factory led by Rival Shoe Design’s team. “This blank canvas grants the flexibility needed to establish the desired culture and introduce a distinctive product focus,” Leite says, adding that the DR has a long shoemaking history with leading companies (includes Timberland, Allen Edmonds, and Rocky Brands) and possesses an experienced workforce. In fact, the country ranks close to a top 10 exporter of footwear to the U.S.
That leads to Leite’s latest stop: the Dominican Republic. He couldn’t be more bullish on why this factory acquisition will pay major dividends for Rival Shoe Design’s customers. “Not only is the DR strategically located near the U.S. market, ensuring swift shipping times of just four to eight days to the East Coast, but it also boasts duty-free access to both the U.S. and EU markets, giving us a competitive advantage in terms of cost and market expansion,” he says.
As for this particular factory, located in Puerto Plata, on the country’s northern coast, Leite describes it as a “blank canvas with minimal historical baggage.” (The original owners ran into some tough luck amid fallout from the pandemic.) Thus, the 40,000-square-foot facility is relatively new, having been
That said, Leite’s plans to revolutionize how footwear is manufactured in the DR. It entails a shift towards producing casual and athletic footwear— categories traditionally dominated by Asian production. Think Strobel cup sole and cement constructions. “By leveraging our established network in Asia, we aim to introduce innovative materials, technology, and construction techniques that aren’t commonly utilized in the DR, thereby elevating the quality and diversity of footwear offerings in the region,” he explains, adding, “Our goal isn’t to replace Asian production, rather to offer a risk-minimizing opportunity for premium brands heavily reliant on Asia. By introducing innovative footwear constructions and a modern manufacturing techniques not currently found in Caribbean production, we’re set to make a bold statement in the industry.”
SPEED AND SECURITY
Ricardo Leite
The fact is sourcing in Asia has drawbacks and, increasingly of late, risks. The long lead times, high minimums, and rising shipping costs are well-documented. The political uncertainty represents an added level of risk that is causing companies to seek alternatives. Production has shifted to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and other Pacific Basin locations. But that doesn’t solve the region’s aforementioned drawbacks. Hence, Leite’s
move to the DR, because the sourcing veteran believes it’s what the industry needs now. For example, if the DR factory has planning, he says first orders can be delivered in 100 days and, after that, deliveries can be made in four weeks.
“Lead times (from Asia) have actually extended, requiring higher inventory investments, while premium brands are increasingly prioritizing shorter lead times,” Leite says. “Our approach will meet these demands and provide a competitive edge by streamlining production processes, fostering closer collaborations, enhancing flexibility in sourcing, and aligning with the evolving needs of top-tier sports brands.”
It helps that Rival Shoe Design’s experienced team will hit the ground running in the DR and get the factory up to speed quickly. They possess a wealth of expertise and talent, according to Leite. “We have a proven track record of collaborating with top brands (includes making private label for Nordstrom and DSW) in the U.S. and European markets,” he says. “Our team excels in delivering timely and precise development solutions, fully comprehending the demands and intricacies of servicing these competitive markets. This collective experience, coupled with our commitment to excellence, positions us as a trusted partner capable of meeting and exceeding the expectations of our clients.”
OWNERSHIP ADVANTAGES
Owning the DR factory is key to meeting and exceeding Leite’s lofty expectations. It provides greater control over such factors as delivery times, quality, and flexibility. “As owner, I can shape the organization according to my own principles of service, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and business success,” he says. “Owning a factory also allows me to establish a strong company culture focused on teamwork and customer service, while also allowing the flexibility to continue operating as an agent for select products.” For example, the team can leverage global sourcing capabilities to offer premium brands the option to incorporate proprietary materials and technologies into products manufactured in the DR. This dual approach ensures versatility and innovation in meeting the diverse needs of our clients, he says.
After decades spent sourcing around the globe, Leite has learned a thing or two. Success boils down to striking the right balance and managing risks effectively. “It requires building solid relationships and identifying opportunities ahead of the competition,” he says, adding, “I’ve consistently been among the first to explore new markets for production, anticipating trade challenges,
and proactively assist factories in improving their standards. That’s enabled us to provide customers with the right products, quality, and pricing, ensuring the best outcomes for all parties involved.”
As one might guess, 40 years adds up to a lot of industry connections. Since Leite announced the factory acquisition last month—first in an open letter on his LinkedIn page—the response has been strongly favorable. The focus on casual and athletic styles is of particular interest, not to mention the aforementioned advantages that sourcing in the DR presents. “The interest level in exploring new sourcing countries and regions is notably high, underscoring our industry’s enthusiasm for diversifying and expanding their supply chain networks,” he says, noting that the goal for this year is to optimize factory operations to operate at maximum capacity, ensuring efficient production processes and timely delivery of high-quality products to valued customers. That begins with assembling a skilled and experienced team of workers dedicated to upholding Rival Shoe Design’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Looking three years out, Leite says the goal is to be a respected industry leader renowned for its steadfast dedication to delivering outstanding service and superior quality. That requires establishing trust and confidence throughout the organization. The hard work has just begun. “Through a relentless focus on customer satisfaction and operational excellence, we’re committed to strengthening our reputation and cultivating enduring partnerships within the market,” he says. “I eagerly anticipate celebrating successes and milestones that reflect our unwavering commitment to achieving high customer satisfaction by making quality shoes that are delivered on time.” •
Rival Shoe Design’s new factory in the Dominican Republic will pump out plenty of sneakers.
WEAVE BELIEVE
Woven details intertwine textural and pattern appeal.
Dansko
Spring Step
On Foot
Taos
Twisted X
CRUISE CONTROL
Guys get in gear with the easy silhouette.
Florsheim
Geox
Jack Erwin
NeroGiardini
JEANS POOL
The fabric of America gets reelected.
Rieker
Journee Collection
André Assous
Donald Pliner
L â mo
Aerosoles
GREEN SCENE
The color is money.
Dansko
Remonte
Julieta Barcelona
CHARM SCHOOL
Fresh takes on the classic
ASHLAND
Handmade in Brazil
COLLECTION
Adie Tan
MINE CRAFTS
Rich shades of metallic raise the bar on style.
TASTE OF SUMMER
Shades of mustard spice up silhouettes.
Fly London
Gola
Donald Pliner
Ahh Comfort Shoes
Arlington Heights, IL
ACERTIFIED PEDORTHIST with 32 years of industry experience, Jeffrey Seidman knows comfortable shoes. The retail vet co-owned an SAS store for eight years before converting the business into the multi-line Ahh Comfort Shoes in 2013. As the sit-and-fit store’s website states, the team takes “the mission of providing better body balance for you and your loved ones seriously and passionately.”
Ahh’s expert staff always asks to measure customers’ feet, keeps up with the latest technologies in comfort footwear, and seeks out the most-proven selection of styles. Seidman also provides free pedorthic evaluations by appointment.
In addition to SAS, Ahh carries Aravon, Jambu, Naot, Birkenstock, Hoka, Taos, and New Balance, among others. Equally important to customers is the store’s selection of orthotics from Aetrex and Cadence. “I like to say that we carry solution footwear. You have a problem, we have a solution.” Seidman says, adding, “You have to be in the solution business in order to have any kind of longevity in this industry today.”
What are your top-selling brands? Hoka, SAS, New Balance, Birkenstock, and Skechers Hands Free Slip-Ins.
What is the best new brand added to your mix recently? Skechers Hands Free Slip-Ins have been by far the best this year—and in our history.
What is the smartest business decision you’ve made in the past year? Adding Skechers Hands Free Slip-Ins. I was a little snobby at first, as it’s a lower price point than we usually sell, but that hands free, no bending, no twisting, no kidding aspects are really important. There are two types of people in this world: those who want hands free and people who need hands free. This handsfree revolution, or what I call an evolution, is real. I’ve talked to several colleagues of late and I’m still getting questions like, “Is this a fad?” Only if laced and Velcro shoes are fads. This is the same kind of “fad” that’s going to be here forever. As our population ages, they will only need it more.
What are your best-selling accessories? Overthe-counter orthotics, particularly by Cadence
and Aetrex. It’s integral to us being unique in the marketplace. People who need orthotics need a store that can explain why they’re having problems and how to find a solution. It helps develop a relationship with customers to keep them coming back versus shopping online.
How does price, brand, comfort, and style rank when it comes to your customers’ buying decisions? It’s style, comfort, brand, price. Our aim is to educate people and flip comfort and style. Understanding why it’s important to sometimes compromise on style is where our education of the consumer comes in.
Who is your fastest-growing customer segment? People over 50. Most of my career has involved catering to Baby Boomers from age 50 to 80. They change, but my consumer base really hasn’t. I’m not searching for younger clientele, necessarily. It’s more about serving the current clientele better, and getting more of that demographic to shop in-store versus online.
Any unique preferences of Arlington Heights consumers? All black shoes—tops and soles. No touch of gray, nor a hint of any other color. Designers try to get cute, but the Illinois consumer wants black shoes, period.
How’s business this year? Up. We’re running about 10 percent up for the year. We were down about three percent in June, but that’s when we experienced a heat dome. I can comfortably attribute being off to older people staying inside.
What impact is the presidential election having on your business? Everybody feels pretty tight. By that, I mean insecure. Whether you’re on team red or team blue, it’s like an existential
crisis, and that’s never good. That makes people shrink back from shopping. I certainly don’t see any positive coming from this election process.
What is your store’s greatest attribute? We’re a throwback to sit-and-fits from decades past. We provide knowledge of major foot problems, and we sell solutions for those issues. I’m a certified pedorthist, which is like a footwear pharmacist. I pull scripts for doctors and handle orthotics, shoe modifications, and anything that has to do with correcting the biomechanics of the foot and ankle. A pedorthist who also works in the retail aspect of the business is key for us in being more competitive in the marketplace.
What’s your biggest challenge? The 600-pound gorilla continues to be the internet for sit-and-fit stores. That’s why there are less and less of us, because it’s so easy to click and ship. Another challenge: There are fewer easy customers. The average mental health of customers sitting in front of us is worse than it was 30 years ago. People have much more anxiety, and the number of people who have unrealistic expectations has exponentially increased. Even when we sit and fit, we’re still getting a tremendous amount of returns. I’ve talked with other stores like us nationwide, and we’re all experiencing the same thing.
What are your top goals for the rest of this year? Sell more stuff to bring down our inventory. We’re still dealing with inventory issues that happened during Covid.
Where do you see your business in three years? Bigger and stronger. We’ll continue to reach out to doctors, and people will continue to age. Plus, there will likely be fewer stores that focus on solution footwear. As such, I expect we’ll become more important to the marketplace.
Jeffrey Seidman, C.ped and owner of Ahh Comfort Shoes, strikes a familiar pose.
E.G.Geller
Dallas, TX
D AND GRETCHEN Geller’s industry roots run deep. Much of Ed’s childhood was spent in his father’s shoe store followed by years working in footwear wholesale, while Gretchen, a nurseturned-shoe-expert, worked wholesale with Nina Shoes for years. The couple possessed more than enough combined experience to open a shop of their own, which they did, a Mephisto flagship, in 1992, in the heart of Dallas.
The Gellers’ extensive travels to Europe during the ensuing years exposed them to a wide variety of unique and stylish comfort footwear brands, prompting them to convert their store into the multi-line E.G.Geller a couple of years later. The store relocated to Dallas’s University Park neighborhood in 2023 and operates an online business featuring 40 brands.
Being a family business, the Geller’s granddaughter, Brenna Stroup, now runs the shop, doubling as manager and buyer. The assortment spans dressier lines such as L’Amour Des Pieds, Ara, and Thierry Rabotin to cozy brands like Acorn and Haflinger to classics like Birkenstock and Mephisto. For Stroup, success is about building enduring relationships. “People come to us because they know us; we’ve built great relationships,” she says. “We know, for example, that their grandkids are going off to college. We also have great product, and they definitely come to us for the service.”
What are your top-selling brands this year? Mephisto, L’Amour Des Pieds, and Birkenstock.
What is the best new brand added to your mix recently? NeroGiardini has been a unique item for us. They’re a little more on the fashion end, but they’ve got enough comfort aspects that we can carry them. They’ve given us a way to get some younger customers into the store, like moms in the neighborhood who are in their 40s and want comfort but still want to look cute.
What are your best-selling items that aren’t shoes? Falke and Feetures socks. We also sell a ton of the Ilse Jacobsen handbags.
Who is your fastest-growing customer segment? Our new location is in a young neighborhood where there’s a lot of concentrated wealth. These
are young families with money, frankly. Those are the customers I’m trying to draw because we’re losing a lot of our older customer base, sadly. I think that’s a similar story across our industry. Everyone’s looking for younger customers. We’ve been in this new spot and received about 32 percent new business since we’ve been here, which is great. A lot of those are younger customers. My main goal is to work to develop these new customers into great customers.
Any unique shopping traits of the Dallas consumer? Our main demographic is 50-plus, and these ladies still dress up. We even have a few 90-year-old ladies who come in still wanting a little heel, bling, and sparkle. Their preference is still be to be stylish, but they can’t wear the Jimmy Choos they used to buy at Neiman Marcus. They come to us now.
What are some of your best community outreach efforts? We have a lot of customers who are philanthropic. Our main goal is to participate in as many silent auctions and fundraising events as we can. We donate tons of gift cards and things like that throughout the year.
How’s business this year? The overall cost of doing business keeps going up and up. The insurance, shopping bags, electricity…literally everything. Although that’s not a huge surprise, it’s a challenge. We’re working to overcome it as best we can.
What impact is the presidential election having on your business? Presidential election years never help our business. It’s always kind of a turbulent year. Everyone’s a little more conservative with
their spending because of the general uncertainty. Even customers who are multi-millionaires and billionaires. In general, it affects people’s mood. Much of what you see on the news doesn’t make you cheery and want to spend some money.
What’s the smartest business decision you’ve made in the past year? I feel very confident that we made a good selection in our new location. I don’t think we could have picked a better neighborhood in Dallas. Although business is about flat, having moved after 30 years in one spot, I feel that that’s okay. There’s also a lot of room for growth. We’re going to do well here.
What are your top goals for the rest of this year? Taking that 32 percent new business—those new customers who’ve discovered our store—and developing them into loyal customers. We collect phone numbers and emails, and our salespeople are getting to know them as best they can. The goal is to turn them into longtime customers.
Where do you envision your business in three years? I hope we can get to a place where it’s a little easier to do business in what is a very difficult environment in our industry. It’s just hard, and a lot of people are shopping online, especially during the pandemic. We just have to be really great with our selection and service to lure them back. Fortunately, we’re seeing that shift of late. My hope is that consumers will increasingly focus more on the value of coming in, sitting down, connecting with salespeople, and getting a professional fit. You just can’t experience that online.
Brenna Stroup, E.G.Geller’s manager and buyer, says the move to new digs in a tony Dallas neighborhood has been a wise decision.
A LIFE’S WORK
John Daher, owner of Shoe Box + Co, looks back on a lifelong industry career that began in grade school.
DEAR 7-YEAR-OLD JOHNNY…Who knew that visiting Dad at the shoe factory where he worked in Lawrence, MA, along with Aunt Alma and Uncle Manny, would begin a journey that shapes your entire career and life? You catch the shoe bug right then and there. The sights, sounds, and smells of that factory—the hustle and bustle—lays the groundwork for a wonderful life of selling, designing, and marketing shoes across retail and wholesale. It takes you around the world. It introduces you to lifelong friends. It’s even how you meet your future wife! (More on that in a bit.)
Actually, your journey begins at age six. That’s when Mom’s entrepreneurial spirit blossoms with the opening of a small shoe store stocked with factory closeouts. Daher Shoes becomes the family’s anchor. After school, you walk to the store to help, sweeping and stocking shelves, while also doing homework amidst customers. You soak in every interaction. Wednesdays are special. That’s when you travel with Mom to the leather district in Boston to meet with shoe jobbers and select new merchandise. These experiences serve as a touchstone for countless twists and turns in your career.
As the years progress, mom’s business grows. She’s a born shoe retailer! All the while, you observe, learning the value of customer service and effective marketing. You build shoe displays. Nothing too elaborate; just re-arranging merchandise to create fresh interest. It works like a charm! Items immediately sell. You feel at home in this environment, even at such a young age.
prowess and your gift for buying, marketing, and creative expression is a winning combination.
It’s a fun 20 years! You love attending trade shows in New York—the Candies parties at Studio 54, Kenneth Cole’s debut in an RV on 5th Ave., Etienne Aigner soirées at Tavern on the Green, and elaborate fashion shows in various hotels. But nothing tops the moment you meet your future wife, Paula, a part-time summer hire. Joyce conducts the interview and before you even meet, she kids that she has just hired your wife. Sis knows best! We now have three beautiful children, two of whom follow in your industry steps. Olivia is VP of global sales for Interhides Leathers (formerly Wolverine Leathers) and Alexandra, most recently, was GM of North American Retail for Converse. Clayton is an architect who follows in Paula’s steps, working at her interior design firm in Boston.
Of course, life is not all smooth sailing. When Dad unexpectedly passes away, our family is forever altered. The store is now the only lifeline for our family of five. The loss teaches you about resilience and the importance of stepping up when needed most. You immediately become more involved, attending bustling shoe shows at age 12 at the Parker House in Boston. You’re enamored by the beauty of the big city, as well as by the vast array of brands and shoes on display. You love the dance of commerce that unfolds before your eyes. Sure, you miss out on typical adolescent years spent playing sports and hanging out with peers. But you learn the art of negotiation and the value of a firm handshake. Those skills take you far in life. And if it isn’t already obvious, you’re now hooked on this business!
It’s the reason you decide to commute to college to earn a degree in business and marketing. It enables you to work at the store, helping to grow the business further. In fact, graduation isn’t just a celebration of academic achievement; it’s the gateway to expanding Mom’s business into a larger operation. Over the ensuing two decades, Daher Shoes expands to five stores. You work alongside your sister Joyce, where you discover the synergy and value of complementary skills. Her operational
Despite much success and a love of retail, the allure of creating product beckons. Simultaneously, Joyce becomes ill and passes. You sell the stores and join Clarks North America as VP of Men’s. It’s a small percentage of the business, but the opportunity to grow is exciting. You excel, rising the ranks to Senior VP of Product over the next decade. You lead talented teams in the creation of the Privo and Unstructured brands. The company is a well-oiled machine, growing to nearly $1 billion in annual sales.
Then it’s time for a new challenge. You leave Clarks, along with CEO and good friend, Bob Infantino, to cofound Cobb Hill. You hit the ground running. More smooth sailing. You’re living the life you always dreamed of. Then comes the iceberg. Our investors acquire Rockport, a legendary comfort brand, and fold Cobb Hill into it. It seems like a good idea—at first. However, ownership becomes dismayed at the operational and logistical complexities of combining the businesses. A pandemic then hits and sinks any chance of success.
It’s a tumultuous period. You disembark from the corporate world and buy a vacation home in Kennebunkport, ME. Smooth sailing, albeit you’re restless. You conjure up B&B and restaurant plans. Then, one day while walking through the town’s Dock Square, a for rent sign stares back at you. You soon return to your first passion: retail. The concept is a unique shoe boutique where customers discover brands and styles that they likely won’t find elsewhere. Equally important is the service and ambiance. Shoebox + Co is the antithesis to transactional shopping. It’s sensory pleasures span serving rosé, lively music, and even a bubble machine out front.
Now in its third season, the store has exceeded all expectations. There’s plans for more doors. Side bonus: Doing what you know and love has no boundaries. Every experience and decision in life creates your own tapestry, one that cannot be duplicated. Johnny, U done good!
Oh, boy! John Daher has spent his entire life in the shoe biz, loving every step along the way.
Parisians elect flats as the style statement of summer.
Heel, No!
Photography by Melodie Jeng
DECKED OUT
AHOY, MATEY! FRESH TACKS ON THE CLASSIC SUMMER SILHOUETTE.
BY KATHLEEN O'REILLY • PHOTOGRAPHY BY NANCY CAMPBELL
Amberjack
Diba
Ecco
DECKED OUT
Lamo
Rieker
Florsheim
Spring Step
Braided leather ballet flats by All Black Footwear
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREVETT MCCANDLISS • STYLING BY NANCY CAMPBELL
Dansko burnished suede and cork platform sandals; chrome-free leather sneakers with recycled insole and outsole materials by Green ReActive
Aetrex jute espadrilles with leather lined cork footbeds. Opposite page, sustainable leather sandals by 4ccccees
Rieker leather sneakers; Opposite page, from top: raffia thong with leather footbed by André Assous; Aerosoles jute mules; Gabor cork midsole sandals; raffia penny loafers by White Mountain; (on model)
Taos woven raw leather sandals with cork foodbeds.
Diba raffia slides with floral details. Opposite page: cross strap raffia sandals with cork midsoles by Lâmo
Naot cork wedge sandals with Velcro closure ankle straps.
Opposite page: Toms espadrille slip-ons; Merino wool deck shoes by Twisted X
Photography: Trevett McCandliss; styling: Nancy Campbell; fashion editor: Kathleen O’Reilly; models: Nathaly Ortiz/Major Model Mgmt., Maggie Duncan/ Supreme Model Mgmt.; makeup: Maya Ling Feero; hair: Vera Koumbiadis; photo and styling assistant: Eileen Viglietta; photo assistant Raymond Collette.
The Big Idea
Sierra
Massey, founder/designer of
extended sizes label Cee Cee Massey, is living her dream.
TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL
By Greg Dutter Cee Cee Massey
in this business requires long hours and overcoming even longer odds, taking your lumps, learning from mistakes, adapting on the fly, and, above all, refusing to quit. It can take years. Many don’t have what it takes. Sierra (Cee Cee) Massey does. What she endured just to complete a cobbler program at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in New York shows the ultimate determination, not to mention the makings of a Hollywood movie. For six months, Massey commuted to the once-a-week class by bus—from Detroit. She’d arrived at the bus station in Detroit two hours early to get a seat for the Monday redeye to New York, roam around Manhattan for hours until her four-hour class began at 5 p.m., then race downtown to catch the return redeye. As soon as she got off the bus, she’d change clothes in a bathroom and head straight to her job as a CVS pharmacy tech or to classes at Wayne State University.
There was a program offered by a school in nearby Ohio, but it was only a one-week course and the same price as the JCC’s. The main reason Massey chose the JCC was her determination to learn as much as she could about shoemaking. “I needed the longer program to truly teach me the craft,” she says, noting that she learned how to create patterns and make shoes by hand. “I learned how to create quality product, as well as how to communicate effectively with manufacturers overseas, because I didn’t want them to think I was this young, dumb girl trying to play in the big leagues.” Massey adds, “I couldn’t afford to travel to China or India, and I couldn’t draw, so I needed to learn how to make prototypes and speak the footwear lingo to get exactly what I wanted.”
What Massey, a size 15, wants is to fulfill her lifelong dream of launching a women’s extended sizes (10 to 16) footwear fashion brand. “Growing up, I dreamed of being on Rip the Runway to showcase my brand mission, which was before body positivity was a thing,” she says. “I wanted to promote that we’re here, we’re vibrant and beautiful, and we aren’t going anywhere. Acknowledge and accept that we ‘Big Steppas’ exist.”
Massey believes she has a leg up on the competition because she’s also a customer. “I’ve lived the trauma where it was next to impossible to find styles in my size, and shoes were often forced to fit by not creating the proper tooling for larger sizes,” she says. She is far from alone. Massey’s research reveals that upwards of 13 percent of the women’s footwear market is extended sizes. That’s millions of potential customers. “It’s very difficult to find stylish, quality footwear in sizes 10 and up, and any that are out there sell out fast,” she says. Growing up, she usually wore men’s sneakers. “At age of 15, I wore size 13 women’s, and dreaded shopping, so much so that I’d have tears in my eyes on most trips. If I did find my size, they were usually matronly looking and
in basics colors like black, navy blue, and white.”
Massey is determined to change that narrative. She first sourced a tight collection out of India but has since moved to China (with a few styles made in Detroit) for her official debut collection launched this season. The Cee Cee Massey aesthetic is bold colors, classic hardware embellishments, and design details that flatter and aid in comfort. “Wherever it makes sense, I also love a little glam,” she says. “My life is all about passion, joy, confidence, and feeling great, and my shoes will always reflect that. For too long, women with larger sizes couldn’t express themselves through fashion.”
What is your first shoe-related memory? It’s the reason I got started on this journey. It was middle school (2004/05). I was at a Valentine’s Day dance, where all the girls were wearing holiday-themed pink or red Nike shoes with a heart on the heels. I wanted a pair so bad, but of course they didn’t come in my size. I remember calling my mom to pick me up early from the dance. I ran to her crying. She held me so tight, asking what was wrong. That’s when I told her I wanted to start my own brand one day, so no other girl felt how I did. She made me promise that if I didn’t give her trouble in high school—no babies, no boy drama, and maintained my straight A status—she’d help start my brand. I did just that! I graduated with a 3.9 GPA/National Honor Society member. She held to her promise, too. She used to give me money for my bus trips to New York so I could buy food. She was always there to listen and help where she could. She means the world to me!
How would you describe Cee Cee Massey? I want our shoes to empower our customers throughout their day. Our overall aesthetic is what I like to call City Vibes. That’s where my ladies need me, which is a spectrum of styles for their entire wardrobe. Pumps, slingbacks, and loafers speak to business-
women. Ballerinas, loafers, and slip-ons speak to minimalists.
Who is your target customer? Extended-size women looking for a brand that truly understands them—one that is dedicated to offering feminine style, fit, comfort, and fun. That includes women of any age. Cee Cee Massey is all about inclusivity, self-expression, and body positivity.
How might your Detroit background influence your designs? Detroit is home to great art and creator talent—murals everywhere, bright lights, fancy cars, and music. It all influences me, and you’ll see more of this in my upcoming collections.
Was there a muse behind your debut collection? God and my family have always been my foundation! I named the styles after my mom, sister, and two nieces. They’ve been my No. 1 cheerleaders.
Do you have a favorite? That’s a hard question; I love them all! Maybe the Nia diamond slides. They shine so much that they’re mesmerizing.
Where do you envision Cee Cee Massey in three years? As the go-to brand for extended sizes available on our site and in brick-and-mortar stores. Also, an expanded line, including apparel, handbags, accessories, and outerwear.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received? Do my own research and follow my heart to be sure my brand message doesn’t get distorted. Also, know how to maintain my books so I always know what’s going on in my business. Finally, know how to complete a S.W.O.T. analysis quickly so you I pivot at any given moment when challenges arise.
Any designers you admire? Steve Madden. He has lots of grit, and I’ve always admired his shoes. I watched his documentary and realized we had so much in common. It’s very inspiring that he never gave up and, if it didn’t exist, he created it, defying the odds and making a big impact.
What do you love most about designing shoes? That feeling of imagining how my customers will feel finally being able to buy a stylish pair that fits them. That’s priceless. I see myself in each of my customers, and I want them to be as excited as I am.
The Cee Cee Massey aesthetic: bold colors, classic hardware and embelishments, design details that flatter and aid in comfort, and a dash of glam.
continued from page 15
Crocs and Skechers are doing so well of late—both are at very accessible price points. Classic athletic businesses, like Adidas Samba, is an accessible price point, too. Even Birkenstock is relatively affordable.
So the glass is half full?
I’m optimistic based on our position. For starters, we’re in the comfort market, and I don’t see that trend changing any time soon. The fundamental consumer behavior of seeking comfortable, easy on/off, accessible, unpretentious footwear applies to us, as well as Baggallini, which has become a top 10 brand. Crocs, Skechers, Birkenstock, Hoka, and Ugg all have similar comfort cues. I don’t see three-inch pumps or dress ballet flats coming back strong. I wouldn’t be as optimistic if we were in those markets. I also believe we’re in the right distribution channels. I like our accessible price points, and I like our company size that makes us nimble. We just have to prepare for any challenges and, again, advanced data will tells us that and helps us prepare. We beat competitors because our product is better, and that’s attributable to our team, data analytics, and making product that’s spot on. We’re selling through and making retailers money.
What keeps you in this industry?
I’ve no desire to leave. If you take anything away from our conversation, I hope you hear how excited I am about consumer behavior and marketplace dynamics. I geek out on all of that. I love being able to serve consumer segments. I love working on trusted brands that offer authentic solutions for consumers. I get excited every day doing that. When
I hear, for example, a customer say how much they love their Fireside slippers, that never gets old. It means we did our job right, and there was a lot that went into that. There was an unmet market need and we delivered. The mom who couldn’t afford Ugg but wants superior quality and what we call affordable luxury. That’s rewarding and fun. I’m never going to retire. You can ask me in 30 years.
I’ll hold you to it.
It doesn’t get old overcoming challenges and creating solutions. It’s related to my love of sports; I’ve always been competitive. I love building a team, creating synergies, finding that latent demand in the market, creating a product, and solving a consumer problem. The competition that all entails is incredible. I guess with bigger companies, you can get further from all that. It becomes more of a bureaucracy. But if I’m only in the boardroom and not doing our core fundamental job, I think the company we’ll lose touch with our consumer. I’d probably jump ship and start a new brand. But I prefer to have a head start, which is why I came to RG Barry—it had a lot of greatness already in place.
What do you love most about your job?
Our team. We’re building a growing business and, most importantly, we’re doing that because we have a first-class team. We’re also building a strong culture, which is also fun to do. The best days for RG Barry Brands are ahead of us. I expect our transition to new ownership to go smoothly and then we’ll be off to the races. •
Clockwise from top left: Fireside by Dearfoams slippers are made of 100 percent Australian sheepskin; Planet A “Solo” slide features biodegradable Regnr8 material; slip-on sneakers by Dearfoams.
Cozy, colorful, and textural crochet details are a cinch.
André Assous
Journee Collection
Springfoot wear
The first 3D foot scanning experience designed just for children. Kids shoe shopping is finally fun!
