Footwear Plus | The Source for Retailers | 2011 • September

THE SOURCE FOR RETAILERS • SEPTEMBER 2011 • $10.00

Pump Up the Volume The f latform takes center stage

SPECIAL REPORT: THE BUZZ FROM THE TRADE SHOWS DEFINING THE WELL-RESPECTED MAN WHAT DO ONLINE REVIEWS SAY ABOUT YOUR STORE? WHAT’S SELLING: BACK-TO-SCHOOL

PA L L A DIUM

PALLADIUM LITE COLLECTION. LESS WEIGHT, MORE COMFORT, SAME DURABILITY. PALLADIUMBOOTS.COM

Caroline Diaco Publisher Greg Dutter Editorial Director Nancy Campbell Trevett McCandliss Creative Directors

10 Show Times

Exhibitors and buyers dish on the traffic and trends at WSA, FFANY, OR, TASM and FN Platform.

By Greg Dutter

12 Q&A: Coogi

Vogue crocheted espadrille; white flatform

by Charles by Charles David.

Trevor Delmore, vice president of sales for Coogi Footwear, reveals why the brand is poised to be the next all-star in urban fashion.

By Greg Dutter

18 A Well-Respected Man Forget retrosexuals and metrosexuals.

Today’s man is relying on classic silhouettes with updated details for a polished appeal. By Angela Velasquez

22 Giving a Damn About a Bad Reputation

26

As review sites like Yelp continue to grow, retailers and pros share tips to ensure your store maintains a glowing online image. By Audrey Goodson

Designers raise the voume on platforms, wedges and flatforms to record heights for spring.

By Angela Velasquez

CONTRIBUTORS Michel Onofrio Style Director Kathy Passero Editor at Large Jamie Wetherbe West Coast Editor ADVERTISING Jennifer Craig Associate Publisher David Sutula VP Technology Leslie Sutula VP Account Services Laurie Guptill Production Manager

CONTACT INFO Sales/Editorial Offices 36 Cooper Square, 4th fl.

New York, NY 10003 Tel: (646) 278-1550 Fax: (646) 278-1553 editorialrequests@ 9Threads.com Circulation Office 21 Highland Circle Needham, MA 02494 Tel: (800) 964-5150 Fax: (781) 453-9389 circulation@9Threads.com

4 Editor’s Note 6 This Just In 8 On The Radar 24 Trend Spotting 36 Shoe Salon 38 What’s Selling 40 Outdoor 44 Last Word

CREATIVE Brad Istnick Lenny Vella Art Directors Tim Jones Senior Designer

ADMINISTRATION Alexandra Marinacci Operations Manager Melanie Prescott Circulation Manager Julie Gibson Webmaster Theodore Hoffman Special Projects Director

26 Far Out

42 Street

EDITORIAL Angela Velasquez Fashion Editor Audrey Goodson Meagan Walker Associate Editors Melissa D’Agnese Editorial Intern

On the cover: OTBT sandal. Photography by McCandliss & Campbell.

FOOTWEAR PLUS ™ (ISSN#1054-898X) Vol. 22 issue #8 The fashion magazine of the footwear industry is published monthly (except for bimonthly April/May and October/November editions) by 9Threads, 36 Cooper Square, 4th fl., New York, NY, 100037118. 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. ©2011 by Symphony Publishing NY, LLC. Printed in the United States.

CORPORATE 9Threads 26202 Detroit Road, #300 Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: (440) 871-1300 Xen Zapis, Chairman Lee Zapis, President Rich Bongorno, CFO

editor’s note remembering 9/11 7

TEN YEARS AFTER paid tribute to heroic rescue workers, remembered those who lost their I REMEMBER THE day like it was yesterday. The lives and celebrated patriotism was tremendously powerful. We have writwail of sirens, the black and then reddish-brown smoke ten, edited and designed thousands of pages in the ensuing decade, but that against a brilliant blue sky, and the awful stench that page is the one I remember most. drifted northward on a late summer breeze that evening.

The world has changed a great deal over the past 10 years, but much reI remember the numerous ambulances lined up in Cenmains the same. Millions are starving to death in Africa, there’s a nucleartral Park in the immediate days after the attacks, along with their idling armed kook still running North Korea (millions of his people are starving EMT workers ready to rush down to the site on a moment’s notice, but too), Israelis and Palestinians are once there wasn’t much rescuing going on. again killing each other, and Mother Like pretty much every New Yorker Nature continues on her path toward that morning, I remember exactly a doomsday scenario. Throw in our where I was and what I was doing (bike nation’s two endless wars, unexpected riding in Central Park) when those two earthquakes and a tsunami in Japan, planes struck the Twin Towers. One of and the ongoing worldwide fallout of the things I remember most was the the Great Recession and things look missing person signs that sprang up pretty grim. all over the city—ones posted hastily I recall the days, weeks and months in subway stairwells, taped to streetafter 9/11 as dark and full of despair, too. lights and those that were clipped to Yet somehow we survived. And it’s not fences and flapped loudly in the wind. like the past decade has been all bad.

I remember the hundreds that lined There have been a lot of bright spots. the wall of a rescue and recovery stagFrom a personal perspective, I became ing area along the West Side Highway. a father 13 months after the attacks, Hauntingly, the signs stayed up for and I can’t imagine a world without weeks. It was a daily reminder of inmy daughter. Taking a broader view, nocent people—many of whom were democracies are vying for birth across smiling in those snapshots—who went the Middle East, medical science conto work one day but never returned to tinues to break new ground and the their homes and families. I remember social media revolution has brought the day a few weeks later when I was the world closer together. It has inrunning late to meet my wife for dincreased communication exponentially, ner at our favorite diner on the Uphelping to shed light on the fact that per West Side. When I bounded out we are all pretty much the same. That of the subway she was crying because instills hope that we can settle our difshe feared something might have hapferences, learn to peacefully coexist pened to me. It’s an amazing feeling and work toward a common, greater to have someone care for you like that, good. Erecting walls—literally and figbut it hit me again how devastated the Footwear Plus, October 2001 issue uratively—between nations, races and families of the victims must feel. Their religions is not the answer. Now if we could only get our own government loved one will never hop out of a subway, never walk through the front to embrace a similar philosophy, we might really be on to something. door or call again.

In the meantime, here’s to remembering the lives that were forever alI remember how many in our industry felt, and rightfully so, that it was tered on 9/11. I, personally, will never forget. inappropriate to promote the selling of shoes in the immediate aftermath.

We captured the mood beautifully in a page we called “Reflections” that ran Greg Dutter in the following month’s issue. The collection of store window displays that Editorial Director 4 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

THIS JUST IN

Minh Singer, 37 Profession: Concepts Manager Resides: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Shoes: Loeffler Randall, bought at Stuart & Wright boutique in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

What’s the best riding shoe?

Surprisingly, a wedge or platform because it gives you more leverage when pedaling and more height to touch the ground without getting off your seat.

How often do you ride each week? I ride everyday. It’s my main form of transportation.

Have you ever pumped your pedals in a pair of pumps?

I ride in pumps sometimes. I can ride in any shoe. Walking— that’s another story.

Do you ride for style, the environment, convenience, affordability or health? I ride for all of the above! But mostly because I can feel the wind in my hair—I feel the flow of the city and it makes the most mundane task of getting from A to B fun.

Would you prefer free tires or shoes? Free shoes. Bicycle tires don’t need to be replaced too often.

Pedal Pushers

It’s economical, eco-friendly and just plain fun: New Yorkers are hopping on their bikes to get around town in style. No Spandex, please. By Dorothy Hong 6 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

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ON THE RADAR

T RAC K I N G T H E WO R L D O F S H O E S

Kick Off Your Sunday… Boots!

Frye will have a starring role in the re-make of the cult classic film, Footloose. The brand’s Taylor and Billy pull-on western boots stomp across screens beginning Oct. 14. Be sure to giddy on up to movie theaters.

Silver Lining Robbing a charity?

Really? After a couple of crooks in Nashville, TN, swiped $20,000 worth of AC units from Soles4Souls new headquarters, CEO Wayne Elsey reports the upside is the charity snagged a great new hire: the public defender Elsey met in court.

Browse This Way Lady GaGa is teaming with Barneys on a holiday campaign that will include window displays and Gaga’s Workshop, a transformation of a floor in the New York flagship featuring her take on Santa’s Workshop.

We suspect the elves will be sporting sky-high platforms.

Sporting Life New Balance unveiled its first North American Experience Store in New York’s Flat Iron district. Celebrating the brand’s century-plus heritage, the 4,000-square-foot space features a Mondo running track (complete with a sunken-in treadmill for gait and form analysis) and a demonstration area that showcases the company’s domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Preppy Princess Kate Middleton donned Sebago’s ‘Bala’ mocs during a recent tour of Canada.

General Manager Gary Malamet reports sales of the style spiked 10-fold once the shot went out on the wire.

“When it comes to a celebrity wearing your product, the best cases are the ones you never plan for. This was exactly that case,” he says.

Pillow Talk This fall, Cougar Boots reintroduces its iconic Pillow boot that first hit snowy streets in 1976, becoming a fashion staple that totaled more than 8 million pairs sold in the brand’s native Canada.

The collection includes a limited-edition waterproof style updated with a sleeker last and a more urban aesthetic, according to Steve Sedbauer, president and son of the company founder.

8 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

Snooki Gets the Boot Having just completed filming in Italy, the pint-sized Jersey Shore cast member admits to having no clue where the country actually is, but does know that it’s shaped like one of her favorite accessories: “It’s a boot!” To that, we say all is forgiven, Snooki (who sports Bearpaw boots here).

Red Shoe Diaries Designer Christian Louboutin lost his court battle to stop Yves Saint Laurent from making shoes featuring what he claims are his trademark red soles. While many designers would agree that a particular color should not be patented, Louboutin is, well, still seeing red over the decision.

Ewwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!

City flip-flop wearers expose their feet to vomitus, human waste, dog feces and a whole lot of other yucky stuff, according to a study by Phillip Tierno, Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University. In an interview on YouBeauty.com, Tierno warns that flipflop wearers are exposed to norovirus (the cruise ship scourge), staph infections and E. coli. Making matters worse: heat “acts like an incubator.” The first line of defense? Wash your feet—and shoes.

SPECIAL REPORT

Show Times The latest traffic and trend reports out of ENKWSA, FFANY, OR, TASM and FN Platform.

By Greg Dutter THE SPRING ’12 show season can be broken into two groups: those shows that occurred before the stock market’s recent wild gyrations (ENKWSA, FFANY and OR) and those that took place after (TASM and FN Platform). The jolt didn’t have a direct impact on attendance or what trends stood out more than others, but it had a cautionary affect on the overall mood of attendees. How could it not? But our industry has also been down this road before and, as the saying goes, the show(s) must go on. And so they did. Here’s the chronological recap of what transpired.

ENKWSA: VEGAS, BABY First up was the ENKWSA show held at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas. David Kahan, executive director of the ENK Footwear Group, reports that exhibitors, in general, were upbeat regarding the quality of buyer traffic, which was up in numbers compared to the February edition.

“The attendees were incredibly positive,” Kahan says. “They loved the layout and easy ability to work the show floor.” As for show highlights, Kahan cites its opening night event at The Wynn’s Encore Beach Club where ENKWSA honored Deckers CEO Angel Martinez with its inaugural Footwear Industry Icon event. “We had more than 700 guests for a great event that brought the industry together,” he says, noting that capturing the energy and unique creativity of the footwear industry is key. “I believe we are in the experience and emotion business beyond the fundamentals of staging a show,” Kahan adds.

Gary Champion, president of Earth Inc., concurs that buyer traffic was steady and up slightly overall at ENKWSA. “More importantly, the caliber of independent retailers was stronger than the last show,” he says. Overall, Champion says it was a very good show for the company. “We’ve had a great launch of Earthies,” he says. “And our remarketing and re-styling of Kalso Earth Shoe was well received and buyers understood the direction we are taking with the new Earth brand.”

As for the general mood of buyers, Champion says they appeared cautious but looking for ways to bring more interest to their shelves with the right types of additions. “No one was singing the blues,” he says. “They seemed to be open to new ideas and brands, but putting careful thought be10 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

hind any additional investments.”

For first-time attendee Prospecs, a $600 million walking shoe company based in South Korea, WSA presented the opportunity to test product appeal and research pricing and distribution issues. Mission accomplished reports John Gillis, senior marketing consultant. “WSA turned out to be the ideal environment for Prospecs,” he notes.

“The fact that there were few competitive brands showing allowed us to have substantive conversations with important retailers who weren’t pressed for time.” Specifically, Gillis says many of the retailers were reputable regional comfort stores. “Their feedback was invaluable and helped us plot a careful rollout for the brand,” he says.

“We only want about a dozen top-notch retailers to help pioneer the brand over the next year and a half, and we met at least 10 at WSA.” Rob Rask, managing director of Ara Shoes North America, reports a similar quality level of buyer traffic at WSA. “Traffic was very good for us and up considerably from the February show,” he notes. “We had customers from all over the country as well as from Canada. And we also opened up some new accounts, which is a real plus.” As for the mood, Rask reports it was upbeat and proactive. “We put together some at-once orders as well as registered solid gains in Spring ’12 orders versus the previous spring,” he maintains.

FFANY: ONLY IN NEW YORK The overall positive vibe continued at the FFANY show, Big Apple style. The show enticed a healthy mix of East Coast independents, stretching all the way to Montreal, Canada. In addition, the major retailers were making the rounds at the Hilton Hotel and Flatotel as well as numerous surrounding showrooms. “We found that we had better appointments,” notes Carol Wood, vice president of Cougar Shoes. “Retailers came back to see how we followed up on this fall’s launch of our better grade leather boot collection.” For Spring ’12, Cougar debuted a line of leather casuals and sandals that, Wood says, received a strong reaction. Overall, Wood described the mood of buyers at FFANY as cautiously optimistic. “The underlying message is that retailers are, more so than ever, looking for originality to ensure a point of difference for their stores,” she says. “We heard that message >39

TREND SPOTTING

Earthies

DECADES SURFING: The ’70s and ’90s converge with wood heels that warm up otherwise sleek and minimal leathers.

Chelsea Paris

ELECTRIC OUTLET: A shock of neon adds another dimension to an already bright and colorful season.

Chocolat Blu

REACH THE BEACH: Lightweight and neutral, linen adds a relaxed vibe to summery sandals.

BE IN IT TO WIN IT AT ENKWSA

FEBRUARY 6.7.8 // AUGUST 7.8.9 2012 SANDS EXPO CENTER . LAS VEGAS // SALES@ENKSHOWS.COM // BUYER@ENKSHOWS.COM // WWW.ENKWSA.COM

RUNNING MAN

TREVOR DELMORE KNOWS how to continually adapt, survive and thrive. The best proof of that stretches way back to his junior high school days in the 1970s, when the transplanted Londoner landed smack dab in the middle of the Bronx, NY. During the first day of school, Delmore and his family stood before the entire school assembly where, apparently, the novelty of Londoners enrolling warranted a school-wide introduction. If that wasn’t nerve-wracking enough, this was during an era when fashions didn’t spread around the world at the click of a mouse. Delmore and his siblings were dressed like, well, an ocean separated their sense of style from their new classmates. To make matters worse, thanks to London’s good schooling, Delmore was moved up a grade. Unfortunately, that didn’t accelerate his physical maturation in any way. So, as Delmor recalls, “There I was: the short, smart, dork.” And, let’s not forget, with a strange accent to boot.

“It was definitely not an easy move and a major culture shock,” Delmore says, adding that a lot of teasing came with the new territory. “It took years of assimilation and dialing down my strong British accent.” So Delmore reached inward for his artistic talents and entrepreneurial drive to carve out a niche. As he fondly recalls during his London years, he and his siblings were always selling something to the other kids at school—T-shirts, baked cookies, candy, etc. “Whatever you couldn’t nail down, we sold,” he says with a laugh. “We were always very entrepreneurial and we continued to do that when we moved to New York.” Making T-shirts, in particular, proved to be a profitable venture and the way Delmore and his younger brother, Courtney, would later on break into the shoe business as salesmen for one of the fastest growing brands of the past 25 years: Fubu.

The abridged story goes like this: After surviving high school, Delmore attended Howard University—first as a chemistry major—but he quickly changed to liberal arts to better suit his artistic abilities. Meanwhile, Courtney went to Syracuse University where he studied acting. Upon graduation, Trevor took a job at the United Nations as a diplomatic pouch officer. On the side, he ran a T-shirt design operation that quickly gained street buzz and snagged several cool store placements. Upon graduation, Courtney, on a whim, interviewed at Kenneth Cole and Harbor Footwear Group. The latter hired him to work in its sales and marketing department. It wasn’t long before Courtney began showing some styles to his brother for artistic input. Soon after, Trevor started sketching some shoe

12 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOROTHY HONG

O&A

An artisan at heart and a salesman by trade, Trevor Delmore, vice president of sales for Coogi Footwear, discusses his passion for selling cutting-edge street fashion and why the pursuit never gets old. By Greg Dutter

O&A designs that made it into future collections and sold well. From there, Trevor became a part-time sales rep for a few seasons while still holding down his day job at the U.N. and moonlighting with his T-shirt business.

Then came Fubu. You could even break Trevor and Courtney’s footwear careers into B.F. and A.F.—Before Fubu and After Fubu.

Courtney told his brother about this hot, new clothing brand that was licensing its name to JSP Footwear, and he wanted Trevor to join him in the startup venture. “Courtney said it was going to be huge,” Delmore recalls, although he admits knowing nothing about the brand at the time. In fact, it was his screen printer that first clued him in on the growing popularity of Fubu. “He was making Fubu shirts and told me he had to put my line on the backburner because this new label was taking up his production capacity. “I was like, ‘What’s Scubu?’” Delmore says. Always the entrepreneur, Delmore looked at some Fubu footwear prototypes and, while not blown away, he couldn’t deny the growing buzz surrounding the brand. “It was a revolution that was just about to open up, so I decided to take the footwear plunge (first as Fubu’s Northeast sales rep) and I have never looked back since,” he says.

Just to get a sense of how explosive the Fubu launch was, Delmore’s vivid recount of the brand’s first appearance at the WSA show in 1998 says it all: “We were all the way in the back of the Sands Convention Center in a little wooden booth, while all the big dinosaurs were in the front. But we never had 30 seconds to sit down to take a break as the buyers found us and kept pouring into our booth. We wrote $10 million in orders in three days. Our assistants were giving us water breaks like we were Kobe and Shaq during brief timeouts. It was an experience of a lifetime.”

Delmore went on to become vice president of sales for Fubu. It was during this time that he learned the art of brand building. He credits JSP Footwear CEO Anthony Loconte with allowing him to make that career transition.

“Tony asked me what I wanted to do in terms of direction for the brand. I suggested bringing in a design team to make Fubu footwear distinctive.” At the time, Delmore believed the company had a hot label but it lacked unique products.

“If you keep putting out generic product with a hot label, eventually it will plateau because

to Synclaire Brands as general manager of its newly formed Sports Couture division. There, he launched the Schmack and Azzure brands.

In the fall of 2009, he joined the Secaucus, NJ-based Geoffrey Allen Corp. when the Coogi Footwear license opportunity presented itself.

Courtney has since returned to his roots at Harbor Footwear as vice president of sales.

The way Delmore sees the footwear business: There’s always a new opportunity, and one that could very well be the next big thing. Coogi, he notes, exhibits many of the brand qualities required Ford. He holds a standard to be successful in the premium urban that I don’t think anyone market: a quality reputation, a long comes close to. He is an history (established in 1969) and style artisan that knows how to distinction. It’s also not over-distributtake the old and make it ed. As always, it comes down to maklook new. ing the right product—shoes offering a fresh, unique angle that catches the What might people be eyes of highly discerning, fashion-consurprised to know about scious consumers. “The Coogi customer you? That I think there’s has a taste level different than run-ofmore to life than just shoes. the-mill shoppers. They are looking for something totally different and fresh Who would you want with quality and authenticity attached to be for a day? Myself. I to it,” Delmore says, adding that color am comfortable in my plays an important role. own skin.

So far so good, Delmore reports. “In 2009, we did $9 million out of the gate,” What is your motto? he says. “This year, in light of a difficult Credibility means economy, we expect to maintain sales everything. and we are projecting growth in 2012 as we expand into kids’ and women’s dress What is your favorite categories.” hometown memory? I’m

the brand doesn’t stand for anything distinctive,” he says. “We needed to take the bull by the horns and start showing the vibe of what that brand really represented.” Soon after, Delmore says those efforts paid off in the form of a Plus Award for design excellence from Footwear Plus which, Delmore points out, beat out Diesel, and

OFF THE CUFF What are you reading right now? One of Pastor Rick Warren’s Living With Purpose series.

What is inspiring you right now? My strongrooted faith.

Who would be a coveted dinner guest? Barack Obama. He’s a little busy and stressed out right now, but aren’t we all? We are all flesh and blood.

To Facebook or not to Facebok? Occasionally, but I’m not too deep into it.

What one word best describes you? Committed.

Who is the world’s most inf luential person in fashion right now? Tom

14 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

from London, so it would have to be going to a good Arsenal soccer match.

receiving a Partnership award from FootAction among other accolades. In addition, sales were skyrocketing: “Ninety-nine percent of our accounts were experiencing, at minimum, 100percent yearly sales increases, and some were up 300 to 400 percent from one year to the next,” Delmore says. “The brand just took off.”

Delmore spent six years riding the Fubu freight train. He and his brother decided to hop off when the company took the brand in another direction. First the brothers tried to launch the action sports-inspired brand X02 (extreme oxygen) that Delmore says was ahead of its time. From there, the brothers consulted for a variety of brands, including Apple Bottoms footwear and Akademiks. Then Trevor jumped

What brand qualities does Coogi possess that makes it a player in the footwear market?

First of all, it’s a premium brand with a long history of more than 40 years. The sweaters, which are the iconic feature of the brand, used to sell in Bergdorf’s, Neiman’s and Saks back in the day. They have a real following in terms of what they represent and still have a unique identity. Taking note of the fact that many brands come and go while others go up and down, this brand’s premium legacy lives on. It has a uniqueness that we can play on and embrace. We are creating premium product that plays into that lifestyle. And it’s not necessarily about building shoes for a head-to-toe hook-up, rather it’s to fit within the footwear industry as a premium brand.

Is Coogi an urban brand?

It is a premium urban brand. The urbanite

To the brands and retailers who have joined us, The partners and friends who support us, We thank you for bringing the footwear community together.

THANK YOU! – FROM ALL OF US AT FN PLATFORM –

the shoe show at

SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 13, 14, 15 2012 MAGICONLINE.COM (877) 554 4834

fashion customer can be those kids that are into hip-hop and love flashy in-your-face fashion as well as kids who live far from any inner city. I don’t think Coogi has a color barrier. However, it is labeled as urban based on the categories that we use in this business. I would rather say it’s ‘urban evolved.’ That’s a fresh anointing of the category. In contrast, I would say Rocawear is directly urban.

Coogi commands a higher price. It’s the top tier of urban; the Gucci of urban.

Are Timberland and Nike still considered urban brands?

They are broad-based brands. The urbanite still embraces Timberland for certain silhouettes, but they don’t embrace the brand across the board. Whereas Nike’s Air Force 1, Air Jordan and Air Max lines are definitely still being embraced by urbanites.

How do you stay relevant in the eyes of this consumer—a feat that most would agree—remains one of the most difficult challenges in the fashion business?

You really have to understand how this consumer evolves. The 20-year-old of today is not like the 20-year-old of five years ago.

They are not like the 20-year-old of five months ago. They are constantly updating themselves. The kid just gets the iPod 2 and now he wants the iPod 4. You have to stay in the fast lane and understand how they breathe, what they eat, what they listen to, where they shop, what they wear, etc. And you can’t pigeonhole them. The minute you do that, you become irrelevant.

How do you keep up pace?

For starters, I have three sons. I’ll bring a few styles home from time to time for critiques. They each have different taste levels. My oldest, who is 26 and was an English major and now works at an S&P 500 firm, has a very conservative and sophisticated point of view. My middle son is very active, extroversive and ostentatious.

And my youngest is laidback, but wants everybody to look at him.

Then there are my nieces and nephews that all have their respective styles. Some of them attend Greenwich Academy in Connecticut, but all they have to do is hit a button to know what the next Lil Wayne song is and what he is wearing. They could be from anywhere and they are instantly on the same page of what’s trending.

I also have a very young spirit and am always embracing new things. I guess it’s part of me as an artist—I live outside of the box.

I’m always in search of the next best thing. I’m a diehard shopper.

I can shop from Neiman’s all the way down to the Gap, and my wife can’t buy me anything because my taste is always changing and evolving. Whether I’m at the gym, walking on the streets, in my office talking with my designers and younger buyers, or getting feedback with our numerous focus groups, I stay in tune. You have to in order to stay relevant.

It sounds like a never-ending pursuit.

It is. But if you embrace it, it becomes part of you.

How has this customer changed of late?

They’ve changed in terms of their buying habits, silhouettes, colors and fabrications. They are looking more to slim cuts as opposed to full size. This customer was wearing Levi’s 501 and now he has moved on to the skinnier 514 and 511 styles. That guy who was wearing a baggy, 38- or 40-waist and showing his underwear has evolved.

Did someone send out a memo?

These customers now live on a viral highway. They see what is going

on across the globe instantly. It’s no longer just their block. The world has changed and, thanks to the Internet, it is now like the Pied Piper where everybody chimes in and follows the new beat. And that beat determines what’s cool or not.

Back to that guy that was wearing the baggy jeans with the Timberland boots: that look worked. But you can’t wear a Timberland boot with straight leg jeans. You’d look like you want to climb up on a roof and start installing some tiles, right? So that guy is choosing to wear Nike’s Goadome boots or Creative Recreation sneakers, because they feature tighter lasts that create a more streamlined look from head to toe. Their footwear has to fit what the vibe is. The fact is this customer can see what’s going on in London or Berlin while standing on a street in Brooklyn. They want to be different but at the same time relevant.

That’s how the skate look re-emerged: this young African American kid started looking like the kids from Orange County. The slight difference being that urban kids put their own spin on skate, which gave rise to brands like 10 Deep and Crooks & Castles. They put an urban twist on the skate look with color and fabrications. But the crossover all makes sense because these kids listen to the same music, go to the same types of parties, watch the same shows, eat the same foods, drink the same beverages, play the same games and on and on. Therefore, their needs and tastes become similar.

Where is this customer primarily shopping today? Are they sticking with traditional stores or are they shifting to online dealers?

Both. They are savvy. They want to see the product, but will jump on various websites to see what all the trends are and who might be wearing them. But they don’t know, for example, what a Common

Projects shoe looks and feels like until they touch it and try it on. More likely, they need to see what it looks like before they spend that type of money. In general, they are being wiser about the purchases.

How has Coogi performed at retail to date?

We’ve been very fortunate to have a few styles that have really rocked at retail. It has given us the opportunity to have another time at bat.

While we expect to maintain our sales this year, it’s no secret that with the way the overall economy has been of late that business for everyone remains challenging.

With respect to this most recent economic jolt, what impact has it had on your consumers’ immediate shopping habits?

They are holding off and looking for product with a real point of difference. They don’t have the luxury of buying things more freely because the priorities have changed. Let’s be honest: Life has changed. But this consumer still embraces what’s new and fresh. If they see and understand it and they are so attracted to it, then they’ll buy it. If not, then they’ll take a pass. Consumers, overall, are being much more selective.

Has this year more been more difficult than others?

Well, that’s why I go to the gym every day (laughs). These days, you really need stamina. You really need to be on your toes as fashions change rapidly. We might deliver something and by the time it’s shipped to retailers that color isn’t as hot anymore. So we have to be very careful in our buying and have keen foresight in planning our business. We have to pre-select and be in closer contact with our >43

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A WEL L - RESPECTED M A N

Post Metrosexual and Retrosexual revolutions, today’s male seeks a refined balance as a legion of classic brands and up-and-comers answer the call.

By Angela Velasquez

SOME SAY IT all started in 2009 when actress and fashion maven Chloë Sevigny, having recalled a pair of G.H. Bass penny loafers she wore as a child in Connecticut, resurrected the brand’s classic styles as part of a three-piece women’s and men’s collection sold exclusively at Opening Ceremony. The collection included a two-tone Weejun penny loafer, a ranger boot and a lace-up saddle boot. That was the birth of a more refined male fashion trend—one that was no longer dominated by sneakers or work boots.

Prajaa “That’s when we saw our age demographic begin to drastically change,” reports Jim McCabe, vice president of sales at Bass, a division of Harbor Footwear Group. The brand has seen a noticeable uptick in orders from untraditional Bass retailers, like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. The company projects a strong Spring ’12, as buyers at the August edition of the Compass trade show in New York gushed over its adventurous approach to color and texture. The collection features shades of blue and gray, perforated uppers and its signature brick soles, and McCabe says retailers are requesting that it be pushed up for holiday delivery.

For too long, men have been wearing athletic sneakers as everyday shoes, says Ferdy Tumakaka, designer of the recently launched Prajaa.

Comprised of leather slip-ons, short lace-up boots made with Batik-

18 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

printed material, chunky wingtips and simple twotone lace-ups, the line is positioned as an alternative to the sneaker. “Sophisticated, comfortable but still casual, the collection blurs the line between street and high fashion,” Tumakaka explains. And he isn’t the only one capitalizing on the trend: Steven Tiller, co-founder of SeaVees, says his company is in existence for the same reason. “We’re an alternative to a sporty, everyday sneaker, something you can wear with shorts but you pair it with chinos and a woven shirt and you’re appropriately dressed for most occasions,” he says. Similarly, Ted Baker is responding to this call for chic everyday shoes by increasing the amount of preppy styles. Roger Smith, head of design, says boat shoes, driving mocs and softer casual styles are taking over almost completely from sportier looks.

Matthew Chevallard, designer for Del Toro Shoes, says men want to look more refined and classic and not chase trends. The designer says men increasingly are dressing in slimmer and straighter pant legs.

Smith predicts even more jackets with nipped in waists for spring.

“The ’70s profile, in a luxurious way, is as key in men’s as it has been in women’s wear,” he reports. Narrow cuts and skinny jeans call for similar footwear silhouettes. A clean and sharp silhouette brings the Bass

eye down the leg straight to the shoe.

Monique Umeh, senior footwear editor for trend forecasting firm Stylesight, sees a new appreciation for classic Weejuns, suede bucks and polished brogues, adding that unexpected hues, such as burnished ox blood, bottle green and Yves Klein blue, are coming into play. “It injects just the right amount of fashion into time-honored styles,” she explains. She adds that details like colored soles, pieced construction and reinterpreted silhouettes put new life into staples.

Similarly, Daniel Silver, one-half of the design duo behind apparel brand Duckie Brown, says he and co-designer Steven Cox have always relied on color to enliven its Florsheim classics. “We started the line with no preconceived ideas about footwear. We had no rules,” he says, adding that Florsheim has been open to all of their untraditional ideas. For fall, electric blue is a best-seller, he notes. And rich shades of gold and green are projected to do well for spring. “The shoes inject a little personality to casual and dress looks,” Silver adds.

This spike in attention and appreciation for dapper casual shoes opens the f loodgates for men’s footwear designers. While most are taking a closer look at the color wheel, others are mixing softer materials like canvas with leather, or exploring the realm of soles from wood to ultra-thin.

Here’s a review of select brands that are sprucing up their men’s collections for next spring.

LLYOD It may be time to clear space for dress styles once again, suggests Mike Mangiaracina, vice president of Lloyd Footwear North America. The exec, with his eye to the runway, says men are starting to wear more suits.

Naturally, he adds, there’s a call for shoes to match that polished look. But Mangiaracina warns there’s a dramatic difference between today’s dress attire and that of previous dress movements. “We’re not seeing ties or French cuffs. Today’s dress-up trend is much more casual than back in the ’80s,” he describes. Thin-soled chukkas, blue suede lace-ups, brushed wingtips and, on the f lip side, vulcanized suede shoes with wingtip-inspired stitching complete the German brand’s approach to modern day sophistication.

Mangiaracina says additional spring collection highlights include a lot of antiqued leathers, woven materials, tonal color combinations and perfs. Styles have material interest and texture. Wingtips are selling well—even versions with chunky, heavy bottoms are appealing to young men to wear with jeans and a jacket. “I think we’re at the end of the low profile look in casual styles,” he offers, adding the weak economy has been the biggest drag on the market. “There is a great deal of pent-up spending that is about to explode in the next few seasons. As the economy mends and men feel a little more encouraged to buy, we will see increased sales.”

AURI Lightness permeates Auri’s spring collection. From a new, retailer-requested sandal called Zeus to infusing traditional leather styles with touches of canvas, the brand’s design manager, Marc

Scepi, sees a draw to lightweight styles that blur the line between casual and sport. For example, he says Auri’s recently introduced Jackson boot, made from ultralightweight canvas and distressed leather, has garnered a lot of interest with buyers because of its wearability, style, lightweight and strong value quotient. “The styling will last for a long time,” he says.

For this spring, Scepi says the line is focused. “We’re excited about new driving mocs with rich leathers and a Venetian-style casual shoe (the Edward), which has a mix of suede and burnished leathers,” he says. “Muted tones that go with everything are still very relevant. Rich taupe, burnished browns, deep navy tones and a beautiful blood red we introduced plays off the lightness of some styles.”

OLIVER CLARK After gaining more market traction, designer Oliver Clark feels like he can take more risk with his yearold line of handmade shoes. “I don’t want to be pigeonholed as a certain aesthetic,” he says. For spring, Clark describes most styles as versatile and, for starters, sans laces. “Who needs ’em in the summer anyway,” he says. “I also used darker colors on premium leather and did some shoes with a little toe shape. I love a great rounded toe, but I am getting back into shaped lasts. I like modern cuts of classics for spring, but simplified.

A loafer on wood with a nice last shape that is slimming.”

As for materials, Clark says suede, pigskin-lined canvas and pebbled nubuck, which is basically baseball mitt leather, are in for spring.

“They are mostly all f lat finishes and the majority are in moodier hues like an intense gray and shade of blood,” he adds.

SEAVEES No matter the season, SeaVees co-founder Steven Tiller says he and partner Derek Galkin are endlessly motivated by images of California from the ’60s. For example, the spring line includes a huarache inspired by road-tripping surfers who founded the Baja Surf Club in 1966. “We don’t concern ourselves too much with ‘the moment,’” he admits. “The guy with the right style for this time is the guy with the right style for all times. He has classic sensibilities and is too comfortable in his own skin to follow a trend.” Tillman cites Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and Dennis Wilson as examples of men whose styles have endured.

As for this spring, SeaVees features narrower toes and lower profile silhouettes throughout the line. “We imported chambray and organic

september 2011 • footwearplusmagazine.com 19

“There is a great deal of pent-up spending that is about to explode in the next few seasons. As the economy mends and men feel a little more encouraged to buy, we will see increased sales.” —Mike Mangiaracina, vice president, Lloyd N.A.

gingham from Japan, and resurrected a beefy oxford cloth from the ’60s archives of our American supplier,” Tillman says. “We used a very cool organic canvas for the first time and continue to use bamboo throughout the collection.” For colors, the line is heavy on navy, brick, tin gray and flax.

DEL TORO By paying close attention to components that strike a sophisticated and rich look (hand-finished details, luxurious leathers), Del Toro designer Matthew Chevallard says its spring collection offers men comfortable options with a perfect blend of modern and classic styling, with room for fun colors and prints. Along with an array of blue hues, he says he has developed a strong love for camouflage in the past two years.

“I worked on a variety of ways to introduce hand-finished embroidery with bullion, exotic leathers and fabric,” he says. “They have a dress-up, dress-down flexibility to them due to their rich fabrics but very sleek silhouettes. I’m also catering to a luxurious, classic and refined lifestyle with desert boot espadrilles, driving mocs, brogues and more.”

Chevallard adds that the poor economy has forced male consumers to rein it in style-wise. “People are reverting more to classics rather than superfluous trends,” he says. “Men need more justification in splurging on new trends.”

HUS H PUPPIE S From casual fisherman sandals to brogues with mixed materials, Hush Puppies keyed in on designs that reverberate the brand’s Americana heritage while still being fun, reports Mark Neal, president of parent company Wolverine World Wide’s Lifestyle Group. “Our customers want great looking shoes that aren’t complicated and over-designed,” he says.

“Our details are purposeful rather than gratuitous.” And whether it’s a cap toe with a pop of color in its signature 1958 collection or a deconstructed wallaby from the brand’s Laid-Back Luxe collection, Neal says each style keeps an aerodynamic look: minimal construction, embellishments with a handcrafted feel and thoughtful use of technology that the exec says add to the comfort without taking away from the aesthetic. “Simplicity is key in footwear today,” he states.

For spring, that translates to brogues with an even more refined look in the 1958 range, which offers brush-off leathers and leather combinations with distressed canvas. And for a more casual look, the collection includes a brogue with washed suede and leather on a thin-cupped sole. “We’ve reinterpreted our sandals and mocs by giving them an even more distinct artisan and handcrafted feel with soft, specially tanned and textured leathers and hand-stitching details,” Neal says. “There is also a bolder use of color and tex20 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

ture. The palette includes fresh blues, oranges and greens that are given more depth with washed suede finished and refined distressed leathers.”

TIMBERL A ND “I ’m c on s t a nt l y struck by the ability of our consumers to appreciate subtle detailing— four rows of stitching versus three for durability and smaller leather reinforcements,” says Brian Moore, Timberland’s global vice president of men’s footwear. “Cues that we add to make sure that our products meet our standards become an attraction to consumers who see his purchases as an investment.” Moore has found that men continue to invest in authentic, high-quality products that carry value in this current economic climate. “When their spending power is limited, they tend to turn to products that are built to last.”

Highlights for spring include the brand’s eco-friendly Earthkeepers collection. Moore says the company challenged itself to make a line of shoes using only four materials, all locally sourced within a close distance from its factories in the Dominican Republic. “We landed on natural latex, organic cotton canvas, recycled aluminum and finally scrap leather that was a byproduct of other shoes made in our factory,” he notes. “Our design team then used a very old shoemaking method called ‘string lasting’ to assemble the shoe without the need for cements. The result is a very cool, lightweight style with hand crafted, locally sourced components.” As for materials and colors, Moore cites worn, rich leathers in brown, olive and warm gray tones. “We complement these with washed-down canvases in similar colors with subtle pops of ruse and warm yellows,” he adds.

TED BA K ER United by the brand’s signature shocks of color, Ted Baker’s men’s line is divided into four themes: Cine, ageless silhouet tes inspired by film; Metropolis, soft formal looks with unexpected details; Folk, a nod to traditional British workwear; and Hockney, a retro take on preppy. For spring, Smith says vibrant plum, washed oranges, pillar-box red, light olive green and navy are featured in the four groupings, and also in the designer’s apparel line.

“The latest styles have a rounder, flatter toe shape with a timeless feel,” Smith notes. “The new Tullik desert boot has an almond toe shape, but is more about the pop of color on the sole and the quirky woodpecker embossing.” He adds that suede is big for light casuals, while formals go from lightly burnished calf leathers to glossy high shines. “We’ve even sneaked a touch of lizard embossed leather,” he says. •

GIVING A DAMN ABOUT A

BAD REPUTATION Master the ups and downs of online reviews to make sure your store’s reputation is accurate and honest.

By Audrey Goodson

DISGRUNTLED SHOPPERS ARE nothing new, even for merchants with a reliable track record of solid customer service. As Dave Sobolik, owner of Fit Right NW, a running and walking store in Portland, OR, notes, “In retail, you can do everything you can to make everything perfect, and you’re not going to satisfy everybody 100 percent of the time.” But pleasing cranky customers used to be a matter settled privately and quietly.

Nowadays, a dissatisfied shopper can post their complaints online, as Sobolik discovered, in a very public forum—Yelp.

“If you’re a girly girl with wide feet don’t expect to find your pink Barbie walking shoes here,” wrote a Yelp user on the ubiquitous online review site, going by the name of Talluah C, about her Fit Right NW experience. Her rant into the Internet ether continued: “I was super impressed when the nice sales guy did the gait analysis, but when he brought out the ugliest selection of men’s shoes, I started to have second thoughts. After trying on four pairs, I left the store with a pair that I had high hopes would allow me to walk on my treadmill without killer heel pain. The next day, I took my new shoes out for their first shopping trip through downtown Portland. After about two hours, my heels were killing me. Well, the shoes were returned and I am now the proud owner of a $155 piece of paper (gift certificate). Yeah, Fit Right will let you return your purchase within 30 days—for exchange only! My e-mails to the owner haven’t been understood. Would it be that difficult to order in a few pairs of super wide GIRL shoes for me to try?”

Sobolik knew this kind of negative publicity could hurt the shop’s chances of attracting potential new shoppers. “Yelp pops up in the top five

22 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

search engine results for our store,” he notes. “That was part of my motivation to get on the site and do a bit more.” So the owner of the 4.5 star- rated shop responded to the post—within a day—for everyone to see: “I am the owner of Fit Right and I’d love to help you with your shoe fitting process,” he wrote.

“To date, I haven’t received any e-mails from you.

That said, if we don’t have a product in the store that you desire, we can always special order any product available through our accounts, ensuring that you get the right shoe for you. Please contact me directly so that you are well satisfied as this is always our No. 1 goal at Fit Right.”

Sobolik is just one of many retailers realizing the power of the Internet when it comes to protecting—or damaging—a shop’s reputation. “It’s kind of like the comment card is now public and available for millions to see,” says Ryan Fritzky, director of product management for Marchex Small Business Solutions, a company that helps businesses build their local advertising presence and protect their online reputations. With more than 50 million monthly visitors on Yelp, and millions of others using Citysearch and Google, the power of the public microphone has never been stronger. In fact, 72 percent of consumers say customer ratings and reviews on retail sites are “very” or “extremely important” when it comes to selecting and purchasing a product, according to a 1,000-person study conducted by PowerReviews, a customer ratings and reviews technology provider. Natalie Rickards, co-owner of Stella Says Go, a footwear and accessories boutique based in Austin, TX, says a large portion of her new customers discover her store online before stopping by. “Yelp is great because it helps people who are new

to Austin find us,” she says. “It’s an extension of your basic customer word of mouth,” concurs Portland-based Amenity Shoes co-owner Liz Page-Hafid, who notes she’s heard from many customers that they were encouraged to stop by after reading the shop’s 5-star reviews on Yelp. “If we were to get a really terrible review on there, I literally would be sweating bullets,” she says.

But in the rapidly shifting world of the web, keeping up with your shop’s online identity is becoming increasingly complicated and demanding.

While there will never be a fail-proof strategy for maintaining a squeaky clean web presence, marketing and Internet experts agree there are several steps you can take to protect yourself and cultivate an image that entices new customers to come by rather than look elsewhere.

STAKE YOUR CLAIM “My No. 1 tip is own your identity on all of the third-party local and social platforms,” Fritzky says. “Make sure that you have a complete and accurate profile, including photos, on review sites like Yelp. Make sure you have a Facebook page with activity. Make sure everybody can find you no matter how they try online,” he advises. Fionn Downhill, CEO of Elixir Interactive, a firm that specializes in search engine optimization and reputation management, adds setting up a profile on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube to the list. The reason for this, experts say, is these sites are most likely to pop up on the first page of Google search results when someone looks for your store. “The most important thing nowadays is to understand that everyone uses Google,” says Duran Inci, chief operating officer for Optimum7, a New Jersey-based Internet marketing firm that specializes in online reputation management. “It’s really important to control the first three pages of Google for anything that is a name search for your brand,” he adds.

The reasons for establishing a presence on as many online venues as possible is twofold: First, “If a crisis happens, the more you control your image, the faster it’s going to go away because you’ve been dominating searches for a while,” Inci says. One bad review will drown amongst a sea of interesting content, positive customer conversations and upbeat news.

Second, Downhill says, “There is a risk, if you don’t claim your profile in some of these sites, that a disgruntled customer could create it. You open the door from a reputation management standpoint for an ex-employee or competitor to create the first listing for you in a negative way.”

MAKE LEMONADE Bad reviews aren’t necessarily the business death knell they seem to be, says Susan Mudambi, an associate professor of marketing at Temple University, who has studied the influence of online reviews on sites like Amazon. “I don’t think those stray negative reviews are taken to heart by the typical consumer,” she says, noting that negative reviews can actually be helpful for establishing a shop’s credibility. “Consumers are cynical by nature and if they go to a website that has nothing but glowing reviews, they’re not going to find that very reassuring. They’re going to smell a rat,” she says, adding, “There’s no reason for a retailer to censor them out because it could be counterproductive.”

Experts agree the best method for responding to dissatisfied reviewers is following Sobolik’s example and getting in touch with customers personally. While Sobolik never heard back from the unhappy customer, he was pleased to see that the shop’s many fans quickly came to its defense. “What was really cool was within a week or two, a couple of customers chimed in and said, ‘I don’t know what this person it talking about,’” Sobolik recalls.

“They totally had our back. I want that negative review because I want those three positive rebuttals.”

Rickards notes that Yelp encourages retailers to contact negative reviewers privately, and that’s how she handled her lone negative review.

“We e-mailed that person and expressed our dismay at their experience in our store, and said that we would love to have them come back,” she recalls.

“They never responded,” adds Rickards, who suspects the reviewer might have been a competitor.

Inci agrees that reaching out to the consumer—sometimes with an incentive to come back—is the best method for handling bad press: “I can’t express this enough: a $20 gift card goes a long way.” Inci puts the cost of a negative review, in terms of lost sales from potential shoppers, at “a minimum of $1,000.” In the case of an inappropriate or inaccurate review, it’s best to get in touch with the moderator of the site where the review was posted, since most sites ban these types of reviews. Rickards notes that Yelp removed her sole negative review, since it was deemed that the poster signed up for the site simply to snark on Rickards’ shop.

GATHER A CROWD Many experts agree that having no reviews is worse than an occasional negative review. “Consumers are pretty smart, and they understand that even the greatest business in town will, from time to time, get a negative review,” Fritzky says. “But if consumers can sift through and see no one has said anything about the business, they will gloss over the business and go to the next one.”

To create a compelling profile on review sites, don’t be afraid to solicit your fans for a favor. “When we were new, we asked people if they had a positive experience and, if so, we asked them to please share that on Yelp,” says Rickards, noting another good reason for flushing out your shop’s page on review sites is that many daily deal companies, like Groupon, won’t let retailers participate if they don’t have a compelling online presence. “At that time, we wanted to run a Groupon promotion but they wouldn’t even let us participate until we had a certain number of Yelp reviews,” she recalls.

The best pitch, many say, is in an e-mail following a purchase, where retailers can check in to make sure the customer is satisfied while politely requesting they post a review. “It’s less likely to be perceived as spam,” Mudambi says. “And it’s a win-win for the retailer, because if they do actually respond, it can make your site seem more populated [with reviews], and if they don’t respond, it makes it seem as though at least you’re a legit retailer.”

Experts warn that offering incentives, like discounts or coupons, is an ineffective strategy for encouraging shoppers to share their thoughts.

“What retailers shouldn’t do is to offer huge discounts to anyone who writes a positive review,” Fritzky advises. “People will see through the fact that all of the reviews are skewed.” Not to mention, Fritzky adds, many review sites will actually filter out a series of seemingly biased reviews.

CHECK IN Periodically browsing review sites is the best way to stay on top of your shop’s online identity but, for the busy business owner, keeping up with online critics can be an overwhelming task. To save time and effort, Inci suggests setting up a Google Alert, so you will be notified anytime your company name comes up on Google. “If at anytime anyone writes a negative review, you’ll be the first person to know,” he says. Mudambi suggests limiting your attention to the review sites most pertinent to your business, noting that such sites differ in popularity from region to region.

Page-Hafid at Amenity Shoes gauges the popularity of Yelp by offering sales and announcements on the site. “Sometimes we’d just throw something up there just to see if people were looking or to test a particular item,” she says. “I did 25 percent off handbags this spring, and honestly I didn’t get anybody to come in. But I once offered 25 percent off all SmartWool socks and that worked pretty well.”

Even so, many retailers point out that the ultimate impact of online review sites remains impossible to measure with any degree of accuracy.

But as the Internet continues to play an increasing role in retail, Downhill notes it’s best to hedge your bets: “You will never know how many people saw a bad result and didn’t contact you.” •

september 2011 • footwearplusmagazine.com 23

TREND

Ladies and Gentlemen

Breaking tradition, Spring ’12 lace-ups sport rich color with burnished and distressed treatments.

From top: Women’s wingtips by Frye and J Shoes; men’s Wolverine 1883 oxford and lace-up by Caterpillar.

24 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEAN POWELL

SPOTTING

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Suze Orman

Personal finance expert Suze Orman will be watching “FFANY Shoes on Sale” on QVC—and she wants you to tune in, too. You’ll find a huge selection of beautiful shoes—all at half the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.* Net proceeds benefit breast cancer research and education.

Shop QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale®” Saturday, October 15, 6pm ET SPECIAL PINK BENEFACTORS: NINE WEST FOOTWEAR CORPORATION, BROWN SHOE COMPANY & CAMUTO GROUP

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DESIGNER CHAT:

Shipley & Halmos

36 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

Dream Weavers Woven details and soft colors enter southwest territory for men and women this spring.

Clockwise from top left: Short boot by Modern Vintage; White Mountain slip-on; distressed moccasin boat shoe by Frye; men’s moccasin by J Shoes.

E D I T O R’ S P I C K S

Shipley & Halmos apparel (which recently expanded to men’s formal wear), but Halmos believes the styles can be adopted into any wardrobe. “Men, in particular, need more options of styles that are easy to wear and can be paired with dress clothes or with shorts,” he explains. —Angela Velasquez Which shoe designer label do you admire most? I like Prada for its incredible quality; Dries Van Noten for details; and Maison Martin Margiela for new ideas.

What inspires you? We tend to take inspiration outside of fashion. We like music, film and traveling. And Sam keeps up with blogs.

What is on your design wish list? We’ve been talking about partnering with a watch company on a collaboration. We have some interesting concepts.

What would you be doing if you weren’t designing? I have no idea, but Sam is always going on about how he wants to be in a band, so I’d say Sam would be a musician of some sort.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

What I like about Shipley & Halmos is how we take a creative approach to problem solving. It’s like a puzzle and a decision always has to be made.

EDITOR’S PICKS PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEAN POWELL.

JEFF HALMOS, ONEHALF of the CFDA award-winning creative firm Shipley & Halmos, says there’s an unwritten rule that if he or design partner Sam Shipley wouldn’t wear it, they won’t make it. It’s a guideline that’s helped actualize a focused (just three styles) and well-received debut collection of men’s footwear for fall and is providing the framework for the duo’s Spring ’12 collection.

Having already coined a signature look in men’s and women’s apparel—modern, cleancut, minimalist yet laidback—and earning prime retail space in Barneys, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom nationwide, Halmos says footwear felt like the next step for the company. “We take inspiration from classic designs, but with a new twist,” Halmos says, adding a new last shape, a new way of construction or new colors can give timeless silhouettes a contemporary feel. The allleather line for spring includes a cap-toe oxford, which Halmos notes can be worn with a suit or jeans; two lace-up boots; and an unstructured, thin-soled desert boot. Even in untraditional colors like mauve pink, light gray and yellow, the designer predicts the suede boot will be a best-seller. “The line is still in its early inception, but accounts are picking up,” he says, noting that, in general, retailers are more positive.

The footwear collection is designed to create a complete and balanced look with

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w h at ’s selling

b a c k- t o - s c h o o l

SA XON SHOES

BROOKS SHOES FOR KIDS

Saxon Shoes opened its doors in 1953 and remains a family shoe staple in Virginia, with a 26,000-square-foot flagship store in Richmond and another location in Fredericksburg. “Back-to-school has started off really nicely,” reports President Gary Weiner. “Last year was not a great year, so it’s always good to be ahead.” Saxon carries brands from traditional to trendy, including Stride Rite, Nike and Toms. “Our newest tagline describes our store experience best,” Weiner says. “It really is, ‘The most fun you’ll have shopping for shoes.’”

Matthew Brooks represents the third generation of the Brooks family shoe retailing legacy.

Originally opened in 1955 by his grandfather in Montery Park, CA, the business has expanded to eight locations in Southern California, with another on the way. “Our goal is to be the best children’s store out there,” says Brooks, noting that many of his employees have been with the company for more than 20 years. The shop’s selection of brands includes Ugg, Tsukihoshi, Robeez, Stride Rite and Teva.

Current top-selling back-to-school brands: For grammar school kids, it’s New Balance, Skechers, Adidas, Toms, Sperry Top-Siders and lots and lots of Converse. We’re seeing a trend of Ugg boots for kids, too. For high school kids, topsellers are all over the map. Brands like Clarks, Sperry Top-Siders, Western-style boots from Frye and Ariat and, of course, the minimalist looks from Merrell, New Balance and Vibram FiveFingers have been selling well, too.

Current top-selling back-to-school brands: Toms, Toms, Toms. Specifically, the classic sparkle style that comes in metallic, canvas, pink, silver or black.

Richmond, VA

Frye

Native

Sperry Top-Sider

What are parents spending on average? Most of the action falls somewhere between $29 and $65 for back-to-school. The high school kids are the ones who don’t mind parting with $100 for a pair of shoes—if it’s what they want.

Are parents buying single or multiple pairs this season? We always push for multiples and people seem receptive to spending more this year. Of course, it depends on the number of kids in a family.

What matters most to shoppers: price, fit or style? There is no way we could single any one of those out. None of them alone is good enough for us to make a sell. It’s different with every purchase and takes a combination of all of those factors.

Ariat

Is there a must-have brand or style this year?

Toms is the most requested brand right now, hands down.

Toms

What has been the best new style added to the kids’ segment this year? We’re always looking for a cool Euro-look; while it may not be the best-seller, it still tells people that we have good shoes and a unique selection.

Who has more say in the shopping process: parents or kids? It depends on the relationship in the family, and we try to stay as far away from those conversations as possible. (laughs)

38 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

Santa Monica, CA

Best new brand added to the mix: Toms is the best thing to be added to the kids’ segment since Ugg about five years ago.

Have there been any surprises in kids’ footwear this year? Native, because the brand came out of nowhere. I started seeing the shoes in stores and the next thing customers were asking for them.

Are parents buying single or multiple pairs this season? Generally speaking, they come in for more school-oriented styles, like Mary Janes, and they usually pair those with an athletic shoe like Nike.

What type of back-to-school promotions do you run? Every August, we do a buy-one-get-onehalf-off sale. It’s been very successful.

Top-selling accessories this season: Western Chief raincoats, Bambini arch supports and sunglasses.

How are sales this year versus last year? With the way the economy has been, it’s unpredictable.

For example, when the stock market drops 600 points in one day, it hits our customers right in the pocketbook. It seems to me that no one is bulletproof in this economy. Our attitude toward business is that it is going to continue to be soft with the economy being the way it has been.

With a variety of store locations, does business vary much at each? We’re lucky that we have different customer segments. Our Beverly Hills and Sherman Oaks customers are more fashion forward and they won’t even ask about price.

So our buying, selection and pricing has to be tailored to each store. —Melissa D’Agnese

SPECIAL REPORT • continued from page 10 from many levels of retailers.”

Andrew Tastad, vice president of sales for Auri Footwear, reports it had a good FFANY show as well, noting a mix of majors, top independents and web partners stopped by. “We added several new retailers,” he says, noting that the majors, in particular, seemed bullish. Trendwise, Tastad reports the brand’s narrower toe silhouettes and giraffe prints as being two highlights. He also commends FFANY for staging a “great cocktail event” that allowed (more than 300) retailers and vendors to network.

Joe Moore, president of FFANY, says the cocktail party was just one of several extras added this go-around. He notes the show also featured new private meeting rooms located in the concourse level of Hilton. (The space sold out and FFANY is looking to increase public space for its 2012 shows.) In addition, there was a special collection of Italian brands, “Shoes from Italy,” previewing their latest lines at the Flatotel, and the recently launched FFANY.org mobile website provided attendees instant access to online registration information as well as updated list of exhibiting brands and showroom locations. Overall, Moore notes, “Exhibitor feedback indicated that traffic was busy.

There were other shows going on prior to and during FFANY and, despite that, traffic was still very strong.”

OR: INTO THE WILD The Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City continued its record-setting pace in terms of exhibit space and attendance. As customary, the beer started flowing in various booths by mid-afternoon, and with growth in nearly every quantifiable category, there was indeed reason to celebrate.

“The show’s success is in lock-step with the growth and popularity of the outdoor industry,” says Kenji Haroutunian, show director. OR’s Summer Market saw an increase of more than 100,000 net square feet of space compared to its previous Winter Market to a total of 1,283 exhibitors. “What is happening at OR is an increase in value for retailers to attend, thereby increasing value for exhibitors,” explains Haroutunian. “We’re focused on attendee experience. We listen to industry stakeholders and drive higher value to business community zones of the show, while supporting the culture and vibe elements that inspire and help spread awareness.”

Most exhibitors reported heavy foot traffic. David Helter, Ecco’s sales director, says an increasing number of its traditional footwear retailers are shopping the show. “We’re very happy with attendance. We think this is the best niche trade show in the footwear industry,” he says. Likewise for New Balance, according to Bryan Gothie, the brand’s outdoor/trail product manager. “OR has always been an important venue for New Balance to launch new product stories because of the influential audience of buyers that attend.” Gothie adds that the running specialty channel’s focus on the

Hush Puppies

show is growing because it is recognized as one of the few places to access a unique combination of niche and core product as well as allows buyers to get closer to innovation that is happening in other categories. In particular, Gothie says the debut of NB Minimum Zero shoes and NBx Minimus apparel collection were well received. “We are increasingly bringing a ‘less is more’ mindset across out collections,” he maintains.

Craig Throne, vice president of global marketing at Merrell, says the brand also fielded a lot of excitement from buyers at the show, especially for its Barefoot offerings beyond the running arena, for everything from watersports, hiking and training to casual day-to-day wear. “The show seemed busier than the past season and we had a great amount of energy and foot traffic in the booth,” he reports. Merrell also appealed to buyers outside the traditional outdoor community, Throne notes, as cycling and walking continues to grow in popularity as viable options for urban commuters.

“We saw a lot of interest in our innovative heels on wheels program of cycling heels for women that offer a chic look with full-on cycling performance.”

WING MAN: Wingtip details spruce up the traditionally sporty men’s style.

J. Artola

IN THE DETAILS: Artisanal touches add visual interest to key men’s silhouettes.

Julian Hakes

TASM: HOT-LANTA Buyers at TASM in Atlanta shopped the busiest show yet, reports Laura Conwell-O’Brien, show manager and executive director of Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association. “This isn’t a regional show anymore; this is the new WSA,” she proclaims.

Compared to last year, the number of exhibitors at the August show increased 9.5 percent, while retailer pre-registration increased 9.2 percent.

Jason English, a sales rep at Seychelles, says he booked 30 percent more appointments at the August show versus the February edition. “It just keeps increasing every show because it’s such a great alternative to the coastal shows,” he notes. “For the venue, they do a fantastic job. It still has a homey feel, whereas other shows feel more corporate. And it’s a great venue for the buyer to get everything done in a couple of days.”

Even after a week of bleak economic news and a wildly fluctuating stock market, brands remained upbeat about their expectations for Spring ’12, as booths at Toms, H.H. Brown and Naot remained buzzing. Despite his predictions that next year will be “very hard” for retailers, Steve Lax, president of Yaleet Inc., distributors of Naot, says the brand had a “great show.” “I think this retail environment is tough, but we have a lot of new stuff going on, and even in this bad retail environment, we’re one of the stars,” he says.

In fact, many exhibitors said buyers never mentioned the dreaded “e” word. “I would have thought the economic news would affect buying, but I don’t think it has,” Conwell-O’Brien says. “After the last recession people were really conservative , but then they didn’t have enough inventory. You’ve got to have fresh, new things in store to tempt shoppers.”

That’s exactly what Larry Harris noticed at >41

DIGEST THIS: Architectural silhouettes from previous seasons give way to softer twists on avant-garde.

J. Litvack

THE SIMPLE LIFE: Simplicity makes a strong statement with two-tone neutrals and rich leathers.

Lloyd

CROSS-DRESSING: Monk straps blur the line between casual and formal looks for men.

september 2011 • footwearplusmagazine.com 39

ATHLETIC COMFORT GREEN KIDS OUTDOOR

Tidal Wave Market research points Sebago in the direction of underserved power boaters and water sport enthusiasts.

WORK

Breaking New Ground Birkenstock and its original recovery shoe move into the outdoor and specialty running channels.

WHEN YOUR BRAND’S story revolves around comfort and wellness, it only makes sense to seek out customers who need those attributes the most (think: marathoners, trail runners and backpackers). Come February, Birkenstock will tap a new channel of distribution by bringing its simple cork and leather construction to outdoor and specialty running stores across the country.

With recovery shoes hitting shelves from practically every brand this spring, Birkenstock wants to remind people what’s made its brand buoyant for more than a century. “No smoke. No mirrors. No gizmos. You walk, the shoe molds to your foot. You feel good,” reads the company’s website.

“If you were to ask 50 people in Times Square, ‘What do you know about Birkenstock?’ Most would say they’re comfortable and kind of ugly,” jokes Shelly Glasgow, director of product development and merchandising. “We’ll take it—it’s our history and our heritage.”

The trick, Glasgow notes, will be bringing Birkenstock into consumer consciousness as a viable option for runners accustomed to more athletic interpretations. “The challenge for us is making the brand top of mind in this market,” she concedes. To jump that hurdle, the company began a national advertising campaign last year and stepped it up this year, talking to runners and outdoorsmen on their own turf. “Our team goes to the Rock ’n’ Roll marathons, the Big Sur [Marathon] and Appalachian Trail Days,” Glasgow says. “We talk to participants about their experiences and their needs. It’s critical for us.” And, as it turns out, the target Birkenstock customer—women between 24 and 45 years of age—runs too. “Women are the fastest growing segment in the running market,” Glasgow explains.

Specialty retailers like Fleet Feet, Skinny Raven, Fjällräven and Kirkham’s have been reacting well to Birkenstock’s newer styles. The Riva, a men’s fisherman slide, provides a bit more coverage than a classic fisherman. Recently featured in Runner’s World, Glasgow says it generated a fair amount of buzz.

Birkenstock predicts the movement into the specialty running and outdoor channels will generate tremendous growth. “We’re not looking for the heavy hitters,” Glasgow offers. “We’re about smaller, hands-on stores where the person behind the counter knows how to help you, and the customer makes a stronger connection each and every time they shop.” —Meagan Walker 40 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

AMID BUZZ ABOUT Kate Middleton’s repeated donning of a Sebago moccasin, the company debuted its latest performance water sport offerings, the Triwater Collection, at the recent Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City. The Spring ’12 collection is designed to make a splash with power boaters, fishermen and assorted sea junkies seeking performance footwear.

“Something as fresh as Triwater created a whole new excitement around the brand and attracted a group of retailers that never really looked twice at Sebago,” says Gary Malamet, vice president and general manager at Sebago, regarding the brand’s return to OR after a fouryear hiatus. “They always knew the brand, but now they see it as being relevant to their stores.”

Triwater’s creation came after meticulous market research, Malamet says. The company surveyed 1,000 people about what they wear on their feet during water activities. Sandals? Sneakers? Boat shoes? As it turned out, most were wearing sneakers and sandals because the easy-on, easy-off access was key, as well as breathability and durability. (The boat shoe, somewhat surprisingly, came in a distant fourth.)

Malamet says the line practically sells itself. “It wasn’t a story that had to be invented. We told retailers what the shoe was for and they immediately got it,” he explains. “When you walk into Bass Pro, are they addressing that consumer? There are rows and rows dedicated to the water skier and the fisherman, so if that’s who they’re identifying as their consumer, what are they giving him for footwear?” Malamet also notes the research showed that only 7 percent of boats on the water are sailboats. “If the boat shoe category is taking off and only addressing 7 percent, what are the other 93 percent purchasing?” he questions.

Five styles, ranging from $95 to $115, are on the maiden voyage for Triwater: the athletic Tidal Surge; the stain-proof Offshore Catch; the airy Crest vent; the waterproof Racer; and the SPS Force 8. “This isn’t about clean and preppy or the yacht club or the polo shirt with the popped collar,” Malamet offers. “This is about making the toughest shoe on the water.” —M.W.

HOT SHOTS

SPECIAL REPORT • continued from page 39

From stylish cycling shoes to Spam prints and sticky bottom trail runners, these styles had folks buzzing at Outdoor Retailer.

Five Ten

his Corbin, KY-based shop, Bags & Shoes. “We’ve been in a recession for years, but our sales don’t fluctuate like in the big cities,” he says.

“I base my buying on how I’m doing, and I did better this year and bought more. If you’ve got what customers want at a reasonable price, they’ll buy.” For Harris’s boutique, Sperry Top-Sider, Toms and Skechers are big sellers for the back-to-school crowd, while comfort styles like Alegria appeal to older shoppers. “Everything is more casual now,” he observes. Harris says the profusion of espadrilles and raffia wedges at TASM were just what he was looking for, adding that platforms are still strong sellers at his store.

Other buyers were also pleased to see pops of detail and color in the spring lines. “We are loving the enhancements of fun metallics,” says Molly Jackson, co-owner of Molly’s boutique in Sarasota, FL. “And we love seeing white. I’m also seeing a lot of laser cuts and geometrics, and wood heels are making a comeback,” she adds. And just as at other shows, color blocking—especially neutral shades of tan, brown and black—was a big hit with buyers, reports Bill Smyly, account executive for Nickels, a division of Brown Shoe.

FN PLATFORM: STANDING TALL

Keen New Balance

Garmont

Teva

Scarpa

Sanuk

Merrell

Baffin

Salomon

Bigger and better attended: That was the buzz coming out of the FN Platform show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Leslie Gallin, the show’s vice president, reports exhibitor attendance spiked from 1,100 brands to approximately 1,500, while buyer attendance shot up in the double digits. “Opening night got off to a rocking start with a concert by Peter Monroy on the show floor,” she says. “Buyer and exhibitors just loved the whole vibe and little extras that we provided— like free limo service between other Magic Show venues for retailers, food and drink always within 50 feet from anywhere on the show floor, and complimentary coffee and alcohol in designated areas.”

Specifically, Gallin says, the men’s segment “rocked,” the kids area “exploded,” and women’s and comfort zones grew nicely and now have a solid foundation. In addition, the new Black Diamond area, showcasing European luxury labels, was well received. Last but not least, Gallin reports its line-up of seminars, including a pre-show event in conjunction with the USRA, were well-attended and deemed beneficial. “Overall, the buyers were upbeat, which speaks strongly about how bullish they are for Spring ’12 season,” she notes, adding the next incarnation of FN Platform will be full of surprises. “I’ll re-invent it for next season. That’s what we do for each show.”

Trend-wise, Platform was in step with the East Coast shows. Roge Hanlon, sales manager at Showroom212 for Luiza Barcelos, says buyers mostly shied away from the extremely bright colors as she says, “they’re still playing it safe.” As such, she notes the brand’s patent nude continues to be strong and retailers are picking up deep shades of red and petroleum blue. “The hues are richer than typical spring colors,” she adds, noting an overall eclectic approach to buying. “Every retailer is selecting something different, which is great because it makes their store unique.”

Along those lines, Amanda Brown, assistant marketing manager for Bronx, reported a strong reaction to its new shark bottoms on select stilettos. “It has a very aggressive look,” she notes. Other Bronx trends popular at FN Platform included raffia and rope as well as tribal and floral prints. Tina Goldstein, account executive for Fossil, reports that vintage looks are still a force in men’s. “Garment washed colors sneakers, driving mocs with boat shoe-inspired lacing and classic leather lace-ups are doing good,” she says. And Suzanne Lorenz, new product development manager at Luichiny, cites animal prints, including giraffe and snake, received an “outstanding” reaction. In addition, wedges continue to be best sellers. “We added a lot of interest to the bottoms with woven, jute, basket weaves and texture. All of the styles have a natural look,” she says, noting the booth was slammed during the show’s first day. • september 2011 • footwearplusmagazine.com 41

ATHLETIC COMFORT GREEN KIDS STREET WORK

California Love

West Coast lifestyle brand Splendid branches beyond its T-shirt roots.

IT ALL BEGAN in 2002 with a simple concept: to create the ultimate T-shirt, featuring the world’s softest fabric and most color-absorbing yarns. From there, Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand Splendid grew to include a full fashion line for women, men and children, all made out of the brand’s signature high-quality threads, from vibrant knit jersey to supple, faded supima—threads that caught the eye of buyers for major retailers like Bloomingdale’s and eclectic chains like Anthropologie. And in Spring ’12, the brand’s expansion continues with a women’s footwear line that exudes the same laid-back, stylish vibe.

“The footwear is targeted at the same young, contemporary customer that’s wearing the apparel,” explains Rich Kelsey, president of Splendid Footwear. “That’s why the spring collection consists of a lot of wedges, espadrilles and sandals, and the leathers and the suedes are soft and comfortable. We’re also using the same types of fabrics they use in the apparel, which is jersey and really soft cotton.”

To ensure the line, which retails for $79 to $129, reflected the brand’s California roots but maintained its signature quality, Splendid hooked up with New York Transit, Inc., to produce and distribute the line and brought on board Kelsey, who served stints previously at the Camuto Group and Kenneth Cole. (Kelsey also serves as president of footwear for Splendid’s sister brand Ella Moss, which will be prodcued by New York Transit and available beginning in December.) His next step was to hire designers who understood the brand’s DNA—and that meant looking in its backyard. “It was very important to find the right designer, and if they lived in California, it just made the synergy that much better,” he says. Bright stripes, washed canvas and woven platforms come together for a cohesive, casual feel.

“The reaction at FFANY was that we executed the collection really well,” Kelsey says. “Everybody was really excited to hear the licensor really loved what we did. We kept saying, ‘We’re having a Splendid day.’

Admittedly, it got a little corny after the third day.” —Audrey Goodson 42 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

Latin Lessons

Sandal brand Rider revamps by basking in its Brazilian heritage.

WITH HOLLYWOOD FLOCKING to Brazil to shoot some of the industry’s hottest blockbusters (The Incredible Hulk, Fast Five and the next Twilight film, just to name a few) and the World Cup and summer Olympics slated to take place in Rio de Janeiro in the coming years, one thing is certain: Brazil is booming.

Taking advantage of the trend, sandal brand Rider knew it was the perfect time to publicize a surprisingly well-kept secret: Rider is designed, manufactured and based in Brazil. “I think that will help our brand resonate in the mind of consumers,” says Brad Gruber, national sales manager at Rider. “Most Americans have a positive image of Brazil. It’s exotic, it’s relaxed, it’s enjoyable, it’s the beach—and that’s what our sandals also bring to mind and we want people to think of.”

The brand’s revamped campaign—featuring vibrant eye-catching ads with the slogan, “The Soul of Brazil”— includes a new Street Summer collection for Spring ’12, with six bright styles for men, three for women and one for children (retail prices range from $20 to $32). Aiming to capture the country’s authenticity, a few of the styles sport soles with a map of Rio’s trendy Lapa neighborhood. “We’re really highlighting the new division to be the brand driver,” Gruber says. Rider is also emphasizing its eco-friendly bonafides—an ethos that company emphasized long before it was trendy, Gruber notes. Every pair of the brand’s sandals are made of 30 percent recycled material and is 100 percent recyclable, while 90 percent of the industrial waste created by Rider factories is recycled or reused.

It’s all part of an effort to create a unique brand identity, a la Nike, in a footwear market overcrowded with sandal and flip-flop options, Gruber explains. “When people say ‘Just do it,’ you know it’s Nike,” he points out. “It gets very frustrating that we haven’t gained that level of brand recognition in the 15 years we’ve been in the U.S.” Gruber predicts the new campaign will boost the brand’s image and allow Rider to continue on its upward trajectory, noting that 2010 was the second-best year in its history. “It will galvanize our brand and give us traction not just here in the U.S., but around the world,” he says. —A.G.

continued from page 17 focus groups so we stay on trend. And we have to be sharp with our pencils because, at the end of the day, price (Coogi ranges from $65 to $120 at retail) is always key.

“Our industry needs to promote that entreprenurial spirit. It’s what brings great new products and brands into the marketplace.”

Are consumers truly freaked out by the economy?

The reality is that the whole world went flip flop. As such, we need items that have a point of difference for that consumer to embrace it and say, ‘I really love this and I’m going to buy it.’ That’s why Coogi product has to look a certain way. We pay attention to last details, execution, colors, feel, touch, the way it is sculpted, etc. We are not just slapping a logo on a shoe—what I call Velcro marketing. Today, it also means dialing down our collections so they are not too broad. We must have smaller capsules that make sense. It’s a case of being more narrow and deep in our lines.

Are retailers embracing this mantra?

A lot of stores are not carrying broad collections from any brand. They are carrying just core items that they feel safe with and have a history of good turns. And if it turned well, then they might take a chance with the next silhouette. Everyone is being cautious.

What’s your take on America right now: Are we broken beyond repair?

I don’t think so. I think we’ve just got to re-evaluate our values. We need to look where our traditional values are and determine what’s viable and what makes sense. Sometimes we push ourselves a little too far. Maybe this is a wake-up call to reel back and gain perspective. For example, the average American thinks America is the whole world, but it’s not. It’s a big world out there. Along those lines, how many Americans are bilingual? Not many. I chose to learn Spanish because I embrace new and different things. I don’t live in a box. I think it’s time for America to get out of that box and realize it’s a big world. Similarly, why are Asians graduating at the top of their class in math and science? Because it’s their passion to excel in those fields. Why isn’t that Americans’ passion? Why isn’t our educational system ranked in the top five? You have to always be inquisitive and want to learn new things.

It’s OK to learn new. New doesn’t hurt. Maybe, for example, we need to get some manufacturing back in the good, ol’ USA? Do you see that happening any time soon?

I would like to be part of that think tank. We need to definitely embrace manufacturing in the U.S. Nothing beats a stamp of ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ Is it tougher to be successful in the shoe business today than compared to your Fubu days?

Oh, for sure. When you have a brand that was a runaway horse and all you had to was pull back on the reins, that’s pretty easy. In comparison, now it’s like riding a horse and you have to use that whip once in a while. With Fubu, the stars aligned: Hip-hop was becoming a global revolution, the brand was exploding in apparel and we came out with a fresh interpretation of product. It all just clicked. At that time, the athletic brands stayed mostly to their core businesses and there was no real lifestyle brand. Fubu became that brand of choice. We went from $0 to $50 million in just six months.

Is it all about the brand or the shoes?

Consumers embrace brands, but product is the point of difference. If you have a collection of eight shoes, you’re lucky if two rock the socks at retail.

Right now, Coogi has three or four, thank God. But how long are they going to continue to sell? Sooner or later they will hit a crescendo where we will have to introduce replacements. Retailers are always looking to us for

something different each season. If you are in the fashion business, it’s a must. You can’t take steps backward or rely on introducing an old shoe. You have to show the new shoes and sell retailers on why they need and want them. The consumer is demanding the same thing. If they see the same shoes in the store for too long, it becomes a case of, ‘I already have two of those.

My closet is good.’ We need to always push new silhouettes and new direction, which helps Coogi send a message that will be embraced by that customer with the good eye. Once you have their attention, they might even develop an impulse to buy your brand.

With that approach in mind, what are some of the freshest things you have seen come on to the market recently?

I really like what BMW has been doing—their hybrid cars and night vision features. That’s cool. And iPhones are still relevant. Have you ever seen an Apple store empty? It’s always packed. From a fashion point of view, Levi’s is fresh again. They have experienced a rebirth, so hats off to them.

There’s always room for innovation, regardless of how poor the economy may be.

You cannot kill true passion or shut down the entrepreneurial spirit. Our industry needs to promote that spirit. It’s what brings great new products and brands into the marketplace. Who knows? Something can come out of nowhere. I believe in miracles. I’m standing and breathing today—that’s a miracle. Hopefully, I’ll have tomorrow, too, so there’s always an opportunity.

You just have to get your mindset out of the goldfish bowl and identify the needs of your end consumer to see what the opportunities can be.

Where do you see Coogi in three years?

Ever evolving. Things change so rapidly these days that three years is looking way out. We could change a whole lot in three months. But I would say we will still be relevant to our target consumer and hopefully we have gained more momentum in the marketplace.

If you could tell retailers one thing, what would it be?

To hold down the fort. To keep up hope and stay connected to those companies that have their best interests at heart, because we are all in this together. We need each other in order to survive. I’m a big relationship guy, and that all ties into credibility. Strong relationships go a long way in this business. They can involve selling a particular shoe or just grabbing a cup of coffee to talk about life. Forget about shoes for a minute. This business can’t strictly be about the numbers. You must have ethics as well.

What do you love most about your job?

Every day is different. It doesn’t get old. I also love product. I love to build it—the entire design process. I travel to Asia often to put my little two cents in. But I also love being involved in the marketing, sales, PR, merchandising and development aspects. It all comes naturally. I’m a multi-focused person. It why I also love sculpting, photography, painting and life drawing.

It’s not just the money that drives you, right?

Of course, the money drives me (laughs). I’m not in this only for my health— that’s what I go to the gym for. Seriously, I love the whole process. I love to give birth to brands and see consumers embrace them, and I love seeing the tangibile result when they get validation at retail. Once you hit one out of the park, you want to see if you can do it again. Fubu is where I first got the taste. Once I got that, I have never looked back. • september 2011 • footwearplusmagazine.com 43

LAST WORD

GIMME THE BEATZ

Renaissance Man ATHLETE ENDORSEMENTS ARE nothing new: Converse had Larry Bird and Magic Johnson; Nike had tennis rebel John McEnroe, the great Michael Jordan and (for the moment) Tiger Woods; and Reebok has featured Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal and Venus Williams as some of its legendary endorsees. Slightly newer, but no longer considered groundbreaking, are the musician endorsement deals.

Rappers Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Nelly have all lent their names and faces to Reebok over the years.

So what’s next? Reebok claims it’s writing a new chapter in endorsements by enlisting Jack of all trades, Swizz Beatz, as the brand’s newest tastemaker. But he’s not just smiling for the cameras and cashing a check. Beatz, a platinum producer, fashion designer, artist and also husband to R&B singer Alicia Keys, has signed on as creative director, offering his talents to reposition and re-introduce Reebok’s Classics division.

“We feel this is a breakthrough. The tradition is to sign on and wear the shoes,” says Todd Krinsky, head of Reebok Classics. “This time, though, we’re involved with someone who’s incredibly passionate about our brand and who understands the consumer and pop culture.” Krinsky adds, “Swizz doesn’t sleep much. Talk to anyone at Reebok and they’ll say this is an incredible partnership. Even our president [Jim Gabel] said he hasn’t worked with someone so dedicated in 20 years.”

With Beatz lending his expertise, Reebok has launched the Reethym of Lite campaign, which Krinsky says meets at the intersection of life, sport and style. The campaign includes a music video, “International Party,” which marked Reebok’s return to TV after an eight-year hiatus. “For the Classics business, this is really the time,” Krinsky says. “The sport side saw a resurgence in a time when when the Classics were over distributed, but we spent the last few years really cleaning that up.”

The new Reethym of Lite line, Krinsky adds, is a modern approach to the brand’s ’90s heritage hit style, the Kamikaze. Initially offered only in black and white versions, the second release will give sneakerheads the option of two more combos: gray/lime green and black/red. The Internet is already buzzing about the drop, with bloggers noting the original Kamikaze flew off shelves in a mere 10 minutes.

44 footwearplusmagazine.com • september 2011

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF REEBOK

Reebok tunes up its Classics division with Swizz Beatz at the controls. By Meagan Walker

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