Footwear News back issues from August 1992:
Resources face buying 'tight' rope.
Aug 03, 1992; ... NEW YORK - Retailers' buy now/wear now strategy is the biggest challenge facing most resources interviewed as they prepare for the upcoming New York shoe shows. That approach has vendors struggling to focus ever more sharply on maintaining timely deliveries of just the right ...
Nine West is seeking spotlight. (Nine West Group Inc.'s women's shoe line)
Aug 03, 1992; ... STAMFORD, Conn. - Nine West is responding to a nineties wake-up call after years of assuming a low-profile, and Susan Itzkowitz, president of the flagship brand of Nine West Group Inc., is heading the effort to steer the popular women's shoe line into the spotlight. A ...
Nine West ready to debut Company 9. (Nine West Group Inc.'s chain of shoe stores)(includes related article)
Aug 03, 1992; ... STAMFORD, Conn. - While many retailers are content to maintain market share in today's volatile economy, the retail division of Nine West Group Inc. is bustling with activity as it gets ready to launch Company 9, a chain of popular-priced shoe stores, and as it sets the stage for continued ...
Unsecured creditors of 'old' Intershoe may not be paid. (Intershoe Inc. under Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Intershoe's unsecured creditors had claims totaling $44 million when the firm filed its Chapter 11 petition on Feb. 11. HARRISBURG, Pa. (FNS) - Unsecured creditors may or may not receive any payments from the former Intershoe Inc., now operating as I.S.I. America Corp., a ...
Premiere Pupi bridge line to focus on sport casuals. (Pupi D'Angieri)
Aug 03, 1992; ... NEW YORK - Pupi D' Angieri is launching a bridge line, tentatively called Pupi. The new collection will be made in Brazil in the firm's own factory there and will retail from around $80 to $165. "The new collection features a strong emphasis on sport and tailored casuals, with ...
AmAsia to acquire Caressa, Allure. (AmAsia International Ltd.; Caressa and Allure divisions of Caressa Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... STONEHAM, Mass. - AmAsia International Ltd. has reached an agreement in principle to purchase the Caressa and Allure divisions of Caressa Inc., Dania, Fla., for an undisclosed price. The proposed deal, which will extend AmAsias's distribution network beyond its current volume ...
Modern reps forge alliance with retailers. (sales representatives)
Aug 03, 1992; ... CHICAGO - The days of the backslapping, glad handing sales representative who sold a couple of hot styles to a retailer, then disappeared until the next season, have vanished, "There's no question that the sale reps have changed," said Mickey Schulman, president of ...
Digitoe customizes fit by using CAD/CAM tech. (Digitoe Computerized Footwear Systems)
Aug 03, 1992 ... PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. - Custom shoemaker Alan Zerobnick has started a company specializing in using CAD/CAM technology in fitting and custom shoemaking. The new company, Digitoe Computerized Footwear Systems, is targeted at fitting and shoding hard-to-fit feet, according to ...
Na Na to open in Seattle, Chicago.
Aug 03, 1992 ... NEW YORK - Na Na plans to follow its second New York store, which opened last month in Manhattan's Soho section, with similar units in Seattle and Chicago. Danica Polack, operations manager of the two New York stores, said the merchandise mixes of the Chicago and Seattle stores ...
Track 'N Trail employee theft probe under way.
Aug 03, 1992; ... EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. - Four former employees of Track 'N Trail Inc. are under investigation for a series of thefts from the athletic and casual shoe chain that could total more than $70,000 in footwear. After conducting an internal investigation of the thefts, Track 'N Trail ...
Mass merchants found asleep at consumer 'switch.' (International Mass Retailing Association study)
Aug 03, 1992; ... WASHINGTON (FNS) - To increase sales, mass market retailers must go beyond their traditional shopper - the homemaker - and cater to a more diverse consumer population. A study released recently by the International Mass Retail Association (IMRA), indicates mass merchants are ...
Moc love not war. (moccasins are again a hot fashion item) (Fashion Viewpoints) (Column)
Aug 03, 1992; ... In this tried and true fashion period we're in, moccasins are a hot-again fashion item. They are in every price line. In every color. In every material. They got a status boost when Gucci and Belgian Shoe designs (and versions thereof) hit the pop charts again. They are natural ...
A casual breaking of the dress code. (casual wear is subtly infiltrating formal circles) (West Coast Wrap) (Column)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Formal wear is talking on a new meaning in Califoniia. Black patent oxfords and satin evening shoes still prevail in Beverly Hills but casual wear is subtly infiltrating other formal circles. Spurring the trend: Host party planners want their guests to be comfortable. ...
Verbrugghen to carry 6 designers. (European Step Inc. owned by Martine Verbrugghen)
Aug 03, 1992; ... NEWYORK - European Step Inc., a company formed and headed by Martine Verbrugghen to distribute footwear for five French designers, will present its fashions at the upcoming Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) show. Verbrugghen is a vice president and consultant to ...
Pollini sees fine shoes making a comeback. (Armando Pollini, Italian shoe designer)
Aug 03, 1992; ... MILAN (FNS) - Armando Pollini, the fast rising Italian shoe designer, is confident that it is only a matter of time before women kick their sneakers and their espadrilles to the back of the closet, and come back home to the classsic - or even not so classic - leather pump. ...
SEC pushes to ease small firm funding.
Aug 03, 1992; ... WASHINGTON (FNS) - Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Richard C. Breeden wants more small businesses to give equity a chance. Noting that the inability of small companies to borrow money poses a serious economic problem - and criticizing the banks for failing to ...
Italian designers preview spring '93 fashions. (Eye on Italy)
Aug 03, 1992; ... MILAN (FNS) - Clean, elongated and simple silhouettes, along with closed toe sling-backs, will be the hot footwear trends for spring/summer 1993, said most Italian shoe manufacturers. Other strong trends include lots of sandals, platforms and wedges. FIAMMA ...
ANCI's resources will adapt to market changes. (interview with Italian Footwear Manufacturers Association president Benedetto Eleuteri) (Eye on Italy)
Aug 03, 1992; ... MILAN (FNS) - FN asked Benedetto Eleuteri, president of the Italian Footwear Manufacturers Association (ANCI), how Italy's shoemakers can best battle against the tough market conditions facing them. ANCI, which was founded in 1945, represents some 1,500 Italian footwear ...
The Italian Shoe Center's first lady. (Josephine Seidita) (Eye on Italy)
Aug 03, 1992; ... NEWYORK - Josephine Seidita is the Italian shoe industry's eyes and ears in America. As head of public relations and promotions at the Italian Trade Commission's (ITC) Italian Shoe Center, the academician, school teacher and linguist turned shoe industry official has given ...
Most likely to succeed. (Kenneth Cole Leather Goods Inc. and Bally Retail Inc.'s new line of shoes) (Fashion Mandate ) (Column)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Money is tight all over, so you may think it's smart to play it safe when it comes to fashion. Yes and no. It's a long-time debate in the footwear industry about whether or not to introduce extreme looks when business is sluggish. Some argue that consumers are not ...
U.S. Roads turns tires into soles. (Industrial Ltd.'s footwear label)
Aug 03, 1992; ... MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - Former L.A. Gear Inc. executive Marvin Bernstein, is veering away from the glitz of his former company and getting down-to-earth by establishing a footwear venture featuring a line of handmade leather shoes and boots under the U.S. Roads label. ...
Globe is expanding its ethnic footwear horizon. (Global Footwear Corp.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... ROSELLE PARK, N.J. - Know thy customer: Following this credo has worked for Globe Footwear Corp., an importer of men's volume to moderately priced dress footwear, from its beginnings during the Great Depression through its growth during the current recession. Today, Globe aims ...
Sandals make big spring splash.
Aug 03, 1992 ... NEW YORK - Spring '93 itself may not have sprung, but in the world of footwear the season is upon us. For the season, resources are concentrating on more focused offerings which include key categories such as sandals and lug-sole designs as well as a range of fun colors. Michael ...
New Balance readies walking-comfort line.(New Balance Athletic Shoes)
Aug 03, 1992; ... BOSTON - New Balance, best known for its running shoes, is set to premiere a collection of men's dress shoes at this month's Western Shoe Associates show in Las Vegas - part of a larger plan to make walking-comfort the firm's number-two category by year-end '94. Presently, the number two ...
Clarks will market sport casuals during spring '93. (Clark's of England Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Clarks of England Inc., armed with the technology to produce a direct-inject polyurethane (pu) sole on a walking shoe, is set to introduce a line of sport casual shoes for spring '93. The footwear, which the company claims will make walking easier, comes ...
Alden's comfort-casuals will retail for about $150. (Alden Shoe Co.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass. - Known for its quality dress shoes since the late 1800s, Alden Shoe Co. recently introduced its first line of comfort-casuals, Alden USA. The collection, to retail in the $150 range, features handsewns and moccasins in a move to give the Alden consumers ...
Stride Rite accents value-pricing. (Reebok International Ltd.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Value-pricing and updates of strong past sellers are some of the highlights of Stride Rite's spring |93 program. The company is going forward with items a value-priced category, first implemented for this back-to-school season. Select shoes and sneakers carry ...
Reebok div. to offer a KidZone collection.
Aug 03, 1992; ... STOUGHTON, Mass. - For the first time, the children's division of Reebok International Ltd. is introducing a special kids-only collection of athletic and casual footwear. The collection, KidZone, will debut at retail for spring |93 with six styles for girls and two for boys. ...
Willits cuts price 4% on nearly all styles. (Willits Footwear Worldwide)
Aug 03, 1992 ... HALIFAX, Pa. - Willits Footwear Worldwide is offering 60 percent margins to retailers via a wide-ranging wholesale cost reduction of 4 percent, said Ross Spicher, ceo. Only a few long-standing basics are not included. By the end of this first year with the new wholesale pricing ...
Amiana introduces canvas Sport collection for kids and women. (Amiana Sport)
Aug 03, 1992 ... NEW YORK - Amiana, the high-end children's and women's footwear resource, has added a division called Amiana Sport, reported Amy Buckner, principal. Amiana Sport is a canvas classification for girls, boys and women, and will consist of "basic Patterns - simplistic ideas - but ...
Yaleet hoping to build on footbed success. (Yaleet Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... SYOSSET, N.Y. - Natural footbed sandals have become such a steady item at retail during the spring/summer season that one major player is hoping to build on the trend by offering more closed-up fall/winter shoes with the same comfortable footbed. "We want to become a year-round ...
Active Flex is going after comfort-casual customer. (United States Shoe Corp. Selby Division's new footwear)
Aug 03, 1992; ... CINCINNATI - The Selby division of U.S. Shoe Corp. is going after the fashion comfort-casual customer with a new brand of domestically made footwear called Active Flex Acknowledging that the Selby image is somewhat conservative, Ellen Harris, Selby marketing and advertising ...
Avia offers Drexler shoe. (Avia Group International Inc.; Clyde Drexler basketball shoe)
Aug 03, 1992 ... PORTLAND, Ore. - Avia Athletic Footwear has unveiled a limited-edition Clyde Drexler basketball shoe which will be available this month. The shoe, which carries a suggested retail price of $70, was developed to spotlight Drexler's participation on the Olympic Dream Team and his ...
K-Swiss expands U.S. Open role. (K-Swiss Inc; tennis championships)
Aug 03, 1992 ... PACOIMA, Calif. - K-Swiss Inc. is seeking to heighten its presence at this month's U.S. Open tennis championships in New York with numerous activities, including a retail sweepstakes and instructional clinics. K-Swiss also said it will expand booth space at the U.S. Open retail ...
Tokai to handle Saucony in Japan. (Tokai Sporting Goods Co.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... PEABODY, Mass. - Hyde Athletic Industries Inc. has signed a new, long-term distribution agreement with Tokai Sporting Goods Co., Nagoya, Japan, under which Tokai will distribute the Saucony brand in Japan. Tokai Sporting Goods is one of Japan's largest wholesalers, and for ...
Polcam to produce athletics in Poland. (Polcam Manufacturing Company Ltd.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... NEW YORK - Four independent groups have joined forces to form a new venture, Polcam Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Chelmek, Poland, to produce high-tech athletic footwear on a contract basis in Poland, to be marketed in the U.S. The four groups - the Polish-American Enterprise Fund; ...
Tacchini to widen sport lines. (Sergio Tacchini)
Aug 03, 1992; ... SALEM, Mass - Sergio Tacchini, known primarily for its tennis apparel and footwear, has plans to broaden its product offering for spring 1993 into other individual sports categories. "We're positioning the brand as an individual sports brand," said Steve Encarnacao, president ...
Vans div. aimed at discounters. (Vans Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... ORANGE, Calif. - Vans Inc., spurred by retailer demand, has launched a private label division aimed at the mass merchant and discount market. Vans, which has in the past maintained a policy to forgo selling to discounters, said it has been contacted by several retailers about ...
Basketball sparking Reebok's spring push. (Reebok International Ltd.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... STOUGHTON, Mass. - Reebok International Ltd. last week unveiled an ambitious spring '93 line-up, highlighting a new marquee endorser, a new technology and a new basketball category. The spring collection, which like other resources' features steady prices in many styles, also ...
Maine retailer sues Reebok on price policy. (Levinsky's Inc.; Reebok International Ltd.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... PORTLAND, Maine - A local footwear retailer has filed a lawsuit against Reebok International Ltd., Stoughton, Mass., charging the company with attempting to coerce it into selling Reebok footwear at the suggested retail price. The retailer, Levinsky's Inc., alleged in court ...
K-Swiss 2d qtr. net up 18.6% over '91. (K-Swiss Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... PACOIMA, Calif. - On the strength of a 30 percent jump in domestic sales, K-Swiss Inc. reported total profits swelled 18.6 percent in the second quarter ended June 30 compared to the same period last year. The company said profits in the quarter grew to $2,183,000, or 33 cents a ...
Pagoda, pro athletes kick off ProMoves line. (Brown Shoe Co. Pagoda Division; ProMoves Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992; ... CLAYTON, Mo. (FNS) - Brown Shoe Co.'s Pagoda Division has teamed up with a professional football player to produce a line of athletic footwear. The joint venture between Pagoda and ProMoves Inc., headed by ceo Tim Brown, a wide receiver and kick returner for the Los Angeles ...
Spring '93 style promises mixed bag. (shoes)
Aug 03, 1992 ... NEW YORK - Unsure of which design path to pursue, resources are taking divergent routes, choosing either conservative or progressive options for spring '93 shoes. Though some designer feel strongly about certain styles, the vision of others is less focused as they approach the New, York ...
Sam & Libby in red in second quarter. (Sam and Libby Inc.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... SAN CARLOS, Calif. - A languid retail environment, prompting increased promotional activity pushed Sam & Libby Inc. into the red in the second quarter ended June 30. The fashion footwear resource inked a loss of $452,000 or a loss of 4 cents per share, in the period, as sales ...
Timberland returns to profit in 2nd qtr. (Timberland Co.)
Aug 03, 1992 ... HAMPTON, N.H. - The Timberland Company returned to profitability in the second quarter ended June 30. Strong domestic sales led the company's business and Timberland expects this trend to continue. The company reported second quarter net earning of $364,000, or 3 cents per ...
Rap session: industry executives huddle to hash out the ails of retail. (shoe retail industry) (Panel Discussion)
Aug 03, 1992; ... As the retail industry continues to evolve from the effects of dramatic upheavals within the last several years, retailers and vendors are struggling to come to terms with the new order of business. Aside from having to contend with a struggling economy, pervasive discounting, ...
A Vass landscape: designer Joan Vass paints her fashion philosophy. (ready-to-wear designer)
Aug 03, 1992; ... If asked about her fashion philosophy, ready-to-wear designer Joan Vass echoed Cole Porter and said, "anything goes." Then she added, "which makes it very perilous." But living on the edge is nothing new to Vass, a self-styled eccentric who said she's compulsive about ...
Canvas coterie. (growing appeal of canvas shoes)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Casual, comfortable and fashionable are the ingredients showing up on shoe shopping lists these days. Mass producers of canvas sneakers may be gobbling a large slice of the canvas pie, but big-name designers are carving away at what remains and are serving stylish portions to connoisseurs ...
What's in a name? (ready-to-wear designer shoe labels)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Contrary to appearances, designer labels still pack a powerful punch A string of ready-to-wear designers have closed up shop within the past 12 months, including well-known names like Charlotte Neuville, Mary Ann Restivo, and Carolyne Roehm, and the air is definitely getting ...
Money talks.
Aug 03, 1992; ... Pricing is an issue that won't go away, even in the designer market A few extra dollars spent on an already expensive pair of shoes is either disastrous or inconsequential, depending on the high-end resource or retailer you talk to. Retailers are being forced to ...
Go West young man. (Mel West, Esprit de Corp's new design director of shoes)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Globe trotting design director Mel West comes home to a learner, cleaner Esprit Mel West is an American and an established shoe designer, but for the first time he is creating footwear for the market in which he grew up. A well-traveled man, West is the new design ...
Split fashionality: Spring '93 will have fashion observers doing a double take. (Fashion Viewpoints) (Column)
Aug 03, 1992; ... Spring '93 will have fashion observers doing a double take That's a two-faced woman you see striding into spring '93. Viewed one way she's wearing a polo shirt, blazer, white slacks and navy/white oxfords. Another view has her in soft pastel silks and linens with a hemline that ...
Retailers enjoy moment in the sun as sale spurt. (shoe industry) (Industry Overview)
Aug 10, 1992 ... NEW YORK -- It's not enough to make them twist and shout, but most U.S. retailers are allowing themselves a brief, if somewhat nervous, jig as fall goods and summer clearance continue to stir up business. Contributing to this moment of elation is an awareness that consumers are ...
More vendors shifting to salaried sales staff. (shoe salesmen)
Aug 10, 1992; ... NEW YORK -- The sales representative whose pay is commission based, like the old-line department store, is at risk of becoming an endangered species as a growing number of footwear companies respond to structural changes in the economy by switching to a salary-based sales force. ...
Bally's Sloss is prexy for western hemisphere. (Merle Sloss, CEO for North American operations of Bally of Switzerland)
Aug 10, 1992; ... NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- An increase in marketing activities, expanded classifications in lifestyle categories and retail expansion -- particulary on the West Coast -- are on tap for Bally Inc., according to Merle Sloss, new president and ceo for the Western Hemisphere (the U.S., Canada and ...
Outdoors, women stir NSGA show.
Aug 10, 1992 ... CHICAGO -- Athletic footwear manufacturers unveiled their spring 1993 lines at the NSGA show here last week, with women's and outdoors categories receiving a lot of attention, as did the ongoing price/value movement While some technology stillw as being touted (lik Lycra ...
Pajama party. (pajama style pants)
Aug 10, 1992; ... At West Point the call them pj's. During the '60s-70s they were palazzo pants. FN calls the '90s versions, Pajama Party pants. What are they? They are soft, flowing fabric pants that are now worn in major cities during the day. You see them in offices. You see them on the ...
Nina hits expansion trail with new designers. (Nina Footwear Inc)
Aug 10, 1992; ... NEW YORK -- At a time when many shoe companies are pulling their manufacturing bases out of Spain and downsizing their operations, Nina Footwear, New York, is expanding its showroom space, adding new designers and finding ways to keep its business thriving. "It takes guts, when ...
Expansion makes the Tannery major player in Boston. (shoe and clothing shop)
Aug 10, 1992; ... Having bought the two buildings adjacent to his store, Sam Hassan will open a 15,000-square-foot shoe and clothing shop spread over two floors. BOSTON -- Some independent shoe retailers may be feeling the economic pinch and struggling to keep their stores moving ahead, but Sam ...
Bass updates classics to freshen fall lineup. (G.H. Bass and Co.)
Aug 10, 1992; ... WILTON, Maine -- G.H. Bass & Co. has moved ahead with the fashion times and yet continues to draw from the past. Bass typically takes a classic like a buck and modernizes it using updated silhouettes, fresh colors and new materials, explained Sal Agati, vice president of design ...
Toshi melds retail, patron bond. (Toshi Studio Ltd.)
Aug 10, 1992; ... NEW YORK -- "Tell people |I am this, you are that. Come in, we're made for each other."' Thomas Platoni, manager of Toshi Studio Ltd., New York, a visual merchandising firm, offers this advice to retailers seeking to create a corporate image that will help them sell their ...
Value still regarded industry linchpin. (footwear industry) (Industry Overview)
Aug 10, 1992; ... NEW YORK -- Most of the children's footwear industry has settled comfortably into the routine of striking a balance between product and price, placing value at the forefront of its priorities. The concerns of children's footwear manufacturers echo those of adult resources, ...
Spring offerings seen no surprise package. (children's footwear)
Aug 10, 1992 ... NEW YORK -- Expect no great surprises on the fashion front--stylistically, children's footwear for spring '93 will mostly play it safe, said several resources, with the usual roundup of sandal and cvo offerings. Many companies have expanded their canvas and sandal categories at ...
Converse still echoes adult styles.
Aug 10, 1992 ... NORTH READING, Mass. - Takedowns of adult footwar continue to be the mainstay of the Converse children's program, as both the performance and athleisure categories bring down particular styles. The performance category includes the Tar Max mid-cut basketball shoe, available in ...
Weebok plans catalog for first quarter.
Aug 10, 1992; ... STOUGHTON, Mass. -- The Weebook, division of Reebok International has entered the catalog business in a joint effort with The Right Start Inc., Westlake Village, Calif., to produce a 30-page exclusively Weebok catalog for the first quarter of 1993. In a separate development, Jim ...