Footwear News back issues from August 1997:
Think Hong Kong market's easy to crack? Think again.
Aug 04, 1997; ... With the world's top brands vying for a piece of the action and trends unfurling as fast as they do in London, Paris, New York or Tokyo, Hong Kong is becoming a tough market for footwear makers trying to establish or maintain a toehold.This former U.K. territory is regarded as a ...
Italian firms travel the IPO trail. (initial public offerings)
Aug 04, 1997; ... Some of Italy's biggest fashion houses and manufacturers are hot on the trails of Gucci and the luxury jeweler Bulgari in their intent to go public on stock markets in New York and Milan.Gianni Versace, Ittierre, Diesel and Superga have all announced plans to go public by the year ...
Talk of the town: how The Shoe Company drives its parent company's growth.(Company Profile)
Aug 04, 1997; ... In 1983, Leonard Simpson, CEO of Toronto-based Town Shoes, decided he needed to fill the extra space at the chain's original Lawrence Plaza store. To get rid of some old stock, he installed a few racks of shoes in a space where the company's head office and warehouse had been. The selection ...
A world of opportunities: Pentland Group's chairman Stephen Rubin sees relativity as the key to operating in a global economy.(Interview)
Aug 04, 1997; ... Not only is Stephen Rubin the chairman of the Pentland Group, he's the answer to the following trivia question: Who is the first man to serve as president of the world organizations for both the textiles and sporting goods industries?Wearing multiple hats is nothing new to the ...
Great adventures: for savvy vendors and retailers, the adventure-travel footwear business is going places.
Aug 04, 1997; ... FOR SAVVY VENDORS AND RETAILERS, THE ADVENTURE-TRAVEL FOOTWEAR BUSINESS IS GOING PLACES.Once upon a time, the world was full of armchair adventurers. Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and National Geographic magazine were three of the primary ...
Happy Camper: cautious about U.S. expansion, Camper sets its sights on the rest of the world.(Company Profile)
Aug 04, 1997; ... CAUTIOUS ABOUT U.S. EXPANSION, CAMPER SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE REST OF THE WORLD.The Camper brand embodies all the vitality and creativity that abounds in a post-Franco, style-oriented Spain. The name means little in the United States, apart from the exclusive independent boutiques ...
Lord of the dances: shoes for tango, tap and twinkletoes.(Hobsons Professional Dance Shoes)(Company Profile)
Aug 04, 1997 ... If you've fallen in love with Lord of the Dance, which was featured on the Academy Awards show, desire to tango the night away like Al Pacino did in the film Scent of a Woman, or simply need a pair of Irish "jig" shoes to tap away in, you can find them at Hobsons Professional Dance Shoes. ...
Club couture. (London Underground to sell Swear footwear in United States)(includes related article)
Aug 04, 1997; ... Expressionist. Exhibitionist. Unless you fit into one of these two categories -- or come from another planet -- a new line of shoes on its way to America might catch you a little off guard.But to all the night-life warriors and glamour queens who like to turn fashion upside down, ...
Continental divide: why U.S. footwear companies must know the nuances of each foreign market they plan to enter.(includes related article on Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc.)
Aug 04, 1997; ... Success abroad, according to industry sources, is a function of having the right distributors, the appropriate product selection and worldwide image continuity. Also, companies must understand the consumer tastes and buying habits of the individual countries in which they are conducting ...
Euroflash kids: designers from across the Atlantic are finding a U.S. niche. (European companies sell children's shoes in United States)(includes related articles on Kenneth Cole's children's footwear collection, independent shoe stores)
Aug 04, 1997; ... In a country where children learn the word Nike right after mastering Mama and Dada, it stands to reason that American kids spend most of their childhood sporting athletic shoes. However, while U.S. athletic footwear companies have successfully marketed their images around the globe, ...
Fall '98 fashion hearkens return to luxury, authenticity. (leather footwear)
Aug 04, 1997; ... Spare, simple finishes and fabrics seem to have fallen down the pipe along with fashion influences like grunge and minimalism. Nearly everyone, especially the recent slew of haute couture designers who just churned out some of the showiest collections ever, has been hailing fashion's return ...
New opulence age justifies pricey shoes.(Column)
Aug 04, 1997; ... The international luxury-label market has captured the fascination and imagination of customers across the globe. And high-end shoes are relishing their new popularity.It may be the increased appeal and cache of celebrity designer labels. It could be the soft, elegant leather ...
Outdoor-performance shoes make up for fashion slack.
Aug 11, 1997; ... The fashion boom in the hiking-boot industry may have died a couple of years ago, but entering last week's Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, many manufacturers and specialty retailers were upbeat about the future of the outdoor-footwear market.Retailers and vendors who ...
Back on track: Aerosoles' Jules Schneider is proving there's still invention in Edison.(Interview)
Aug 11, 1997; ... His appearance reflects the styles he creates. Darkly tanned, with straight black hair that matches the soles of the shoes in his line, and a voice, soft and relaxed, similar to the fit of his comfort-casual footwear, Aerosoles Chief Executive Jules Schneider surprises those who expect the ...
Shrinking planet: lured by emerging markets and improved factories, footwear makers avoid staying in any one place too long.
Aug 11, 1997; ... During the course of the past decade, the world has certainly become a small one, after all. Advanced telecommunications and the Internet have provided a variety of resourceful business options at the touch of a button. Fast air travel has made international exploration a last-minute ...
As the issues escalate ... globe trotters contemplate sourcing game plans.
Aug 11, 1997; ... The outcry over offshore labor conditions. China's Most Favored Nation status. The changing of the guard in Hong Kong. Tiananmen Square. All are sensitive factors that can affect a multi-billion-dollar industry in a heartbeat.While American consumers put little thought into how a ...
The spirit of San Diego: after a couple of tough years, the city now boasts an eclectic mix of footwear stores, offering new alternatives for its mixed lot of discerning shoppers.(includes related article)
Aug 11, 1997; ... San Diego's shopping scene is on a quiet roll.While it may not be as cosmopolitan as San Francisco or as trendy as Los Angeles, this city by the bay -- Mission Bay, that is -- has been developing its own distinct character and increasingly influencing the West Coast retail scene. ...
Publicity vs. reality: editors seek the astonishing, while buyers ponder the bottom line.
Aug 11, 1997; ... I'm not loving this pump in brown suede, but I love, love, love it in red python!" For salespeople or designers who regularly see fashion editors at tradeshows or in their showrooms, this is a familiar routine.The fashion mavens of the press want new, exotic and daring creations ....
Elegant rewards: a trend toward glamour has translated into higher sales for Rodo.(includes related article on Rodo's US and foreign retail locations)
Aug 11, 1997; ... In the fashion world, it's hard to be successful for 40 consecutive years. But Rodo, a Florentine leather-goods company, has managed to stay on top with a series of hits that always seem right for their time.Founded in 1956, Rodo was first renowned for its production of wicker ...
High points: shapes, colors, materials take precedence at FFANY.(includes related article on use of silver and other metals in shoe styles)
Aug 11, 1997; ... Last week's FFANY show brought out all that is tall, shiny and bright from footwear companies. From the sampling of higher and thinner silhouettes seen in several collections, it stands to reason that vendors have finally embraced a bit of the fashion editors' obsession with pointy and ...
Star search: customers discover unknown brands at Sole Comfort. (includes related article on Del Mar, CA, shoe store's decor)
Aug 11, 1997; ... "We have a wonderful view of the sunset every day here," Angelica Sotnick said while standing at the vista point inside her store, Sole Comfort.Resting on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, with blue skies as pure as the thoroughbreds that run at the nearby racetrack, this Del Mar, ...
Cool comfort: Euro 'feel-good' styles are gaining admirers.
Aug 11, 1997; ... In past seasons, names like Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and Prada were thrown around fashion-footwear showrooms."This is our Menudier," line builders would say as they placed a strappy sandal on the table. Now, more often the names Ecco, Mephisto and Born are the influence ...
Welcome to the Dollhouse: a hot junior-apparel maker has added shoes to its list of licenses.
Aug 11, 1997; ... Taking its cues from designers such as Isaac Mizrahi with his IS**C line, the junior-footwear market is beginning to enter licensing deals with clothing brands. The latest collaboration is between New York-based Dollhouse, a hip, downtown apparel maker, and Cool Heels, Inc., New York, which ...
Comfortable with success: Donald Pliner made it in the shoe business his way.(Company Profile)
Aug 11, 1997; ... There are some hardy individuals out there who are bucking a trend that says you can't make it on your own. This group, made up mostly of designers, have started their own companies. Despite the sometimes-desperate fight for consumer dollars, these small businesses are plowing ahead. Most of ...
Fit, fabulous and female: Easy Spirit is making bold moves to appeal to younger consumers.
Aug 11, 1997; ... A muscle-toned young woman sprints across scenic landscape, climbing over rocks and splashing through puddles. Another female runs along a tranquil beach, her tight calves gleaming with well-earned perspiration.A scene from the latest Nike commercial? Hardly. These TV spots were ...
The urge to merge: can Anne Klein successfully meld its two shoe lines?
Aug 11, 1997; ... It's been a season of consolidation at the Anne Klein Co. Since last September, the sportswear firm acquired two new head designers, tightened its management team and merged its New York offices -- all in an attempt to bridge the gap between its two rtw labels and reclaim its prominence in ...
Lifelong learning: Esprit kids designer Lana Andes searches the world for inspiration.
Aug 11, 1997; ... Armed with an Associate's degree in shoe and accessories design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, 10 years ago, Lana Andes set off to refine her skills by learning from the masters at the Scoula di Modelisti Della Brenta near Venice, Italy.Three-and-a-half years ...
The new jam: tying into the alternative-music scene can boost a brand's image with teens.
Aug 11, 1997; ... For teens who skateboard, snowboard or surf, the music they listen to is as important to them as the athletic endeavors they pursue or the fashions they wear. Modern "alternative" music, in many respects, represents and defines their generation, just as other types of music did for their ...
Consumer credit debt: for whom the bell tolls. (includes related article on susceptibility of younger people to credit problems)
Aug 11, 1997; ... It's the ultimate rising debt to society.Consumer credit debt, that is.While the stock market cracks new highs, employment is stable and consumer confidence appears healthy, the bottom line for consumers is teetering. Personal bankruptcies for the past two years have ...
After cool spring, early fall looks good, but retailers fear heavy promotions. (footwear industry)
Aug 18, 1997; ... While retailers from across the nation agreed that this year's late spring limited business over the past few months, many reported that overall, once the weather cooperated, summer became a strong selling period.Retailers said consumers responded to new directions in sandals and ...
Multi-sport starts to glow as approach shoes fade. (footwear industry)(includes related article on outdoor shoes)
Aug 18, 1997; ... The approach shoe is dead. Long live the multi-sport outdoor shoe!At the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, held here last week, footwear vendors unveiled new product lines for spring '98, but in a change from recent years, few approach shoes could be found on display. ...
Elder-Beerman sees Chap. 11 exit, plans stock offer. (Elder-Beerman Stores Corp.)
Aug 18, 1997; ... After almost two years in bankruptcy, The Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. has filed a plan of reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Dayton, Ohio. Among other things, the plan calls for the company, which operates the El-Bee and Shoebilee! shoe chains, to become public.Under the ...
Pressing the case for optimism. (in the footwear industry)(Column)
Aug 18, 1997; ... Say goodbye to negativity. The time has come to assess the business, get real, stop complaining and move ahead.For years, we've heard the horror stories of retail consolidation and sluggish consumer spending. Even when the overall economy finally improved, many footwear and apparel ...
Balancing act: CEO Charlie Campbell is hoping to find a happy medium between Florsheim past and present.(Interview)
Aug 18, 1997; ... When Charlie Campbell became chairman of Florsheim back in September 1995, his 20-something son offered a little market research for free."I've heard of Florsheim," his son said. "They're in every mall in America."The new chairman asked his son to describe the stores' ...
Wonder women: nine women are reviving the image of West Coast footwear.
Aug 18, 1997; ... They are industry icons. Nine clever women are the driving force behind a vital West Coast footwear renaissance. Passionate about their craft, these females -- from Sara Ratsula to Else Anita -- are fashionable, strong-willed industry experts. And while their products and company images vary ...
Imagine that: the best footwear marketing is a melting pot of fantasy, reality and often controversy.
Aug 18, 1997; ... A look at footwear companies' fall advertising campaigns reveals a number of different approaches to a time-honored challenge: How do you drive home a message, capture the customers' attention, and ultimately produce a sale? While the imagery employed by ads may be strong, playful or ...
Eighth Street, USA: the hip, urban underworld of Manhattan's Eighth Street no longer rules the roost. (once was center of shoe fashion)
Aug 18, 1997; ... It all started on Eighth Street." That's how Steve Muskat, vice president of Deer Stags Inc., remembers the story of the Jazz oxford, a now-classic footwear tale."In 1977, we introduced the Jazz oxford," reminisced Muskat, whose family offered the youth-oriented line under the Glen ...
Stretcher case: this versatile fabric is being pulled every which way. (stretch fabric is fashionable in clothing and footwear)
Aug 18, 1997; ... This isn't the year of the rubber band -- but it could be.Well, not exactly the rubber band, but anything stretchy. Stretch is now a fashion word important in clothes and shoes.For years, Lycra spandex has been waging a battle to have its proper name credited by ...
Back from the brink: will Na Na be able to recover fully from the Dr. Martens debacle?
Aug 18, 1997; ... If one were to write a book on the saga of a shoe company called Na Na, it would likely be a rags to riches to rags story, complete with twists and turns and maybe even a little comedy.But wait. The Santa Monica, Calif.,-based company's principal owner, Paul Kaufman, said the story ...
Work in progress. (Chicago boutique Toshiro)(Company Profile)
Aug 18, 1997; ... If Chicago retailer John Moran sees an interesting line of shoes in a department store, he makes a mental note not to buy it."There's no point," said Moran, who co-owns the upscale boutique Toshiro with his wife, Janet Sterling Moran. "We don't even try to compete with department ...
Lure of the net: can shoe companies catch more male consumers by spinning Webs in cyberspace? (World Wide Web)(includes related article on Bostonian's planned Web site)
Aug 18, 1997; ... The much-talked-about future of retailing is suddenly the present. With the World Wide Web now attracting men from all walks of life, visionary manufacturers and retailers are establishing Web sites in order to secure their positions in this increasingly computer-driven retail environment. ...
Executive changes: which styles are proper footwear choices for today's new managers?(includes related article on men's preference for updated classic styles)
Aug 18, 1997; ... It may be more comfortable for men to climb the corporate ladder in a pair of khakis than in a suit and tie, but in many office environments, traditional business wear continues to be the rule rather than the exception.But that doesn't mean young executives need to copycat their ...
Virgin territory: just how do young men form long-term love affairs with brands?(includes related article)
Aug 18, 1997; ... Armed with their first full-time jobs, young men often find themselves in unfamiliar retail territory, buying into new product categories that range from business apparel to televisions and even cars.Dear old Dad, a new boss, and even point-of-purchase materials at the store level ...
Big-house work: one footwear supplier has locked into the profitable prison niche. (The Thomaston Co.)
Aug 18, 1997; ... You can get a pretty good burrito lunch at an Arizona State Prison for $1.10, said Gail Kuhn, vice president of The Thomaston Co., New York, a registered vendor that holds government contracts in everything from textiles to footwear.Kuhn, along with Thomaston President Nicole ...
What's in a shoe's name? confusion. (Column)
Aug 18, 1997 ... The footwear industry has a lot of trouble with identity --especially identifying itself with the products it makes and sells.We assign to footwear categories labels such as casual, dress, fashion, sport, work, business, duty and daytime. But there is so much overlap of the terms ...
Zee, whiz: U.S. brand Zeeta has Eurocomfort brands shaking in their shoes.(Zeeta, US footwear brand, combines elements of European and West Coast shoe design)
Aug 18, 1997; ... For years it's been an industry given that in order for a footwear product to compete in the Eurocomfort market, it must be comfortable, expensive and European. Those criteria considered, upstart brand Zeeta is setting a new precedent.For one thing, Zeeta is not European; the shoes ...
Count Beinus: the father of Shoe Pavilion devours his competition in the world of off-price shoes.(includes related article on Shoe Pavilion President Dmitry Beinus)
Aug 18, 1997; ... Take a look at retailer Dmitry Beinus and he might remind you a bit of Count Dracula. He's got the dark looks and the handle-bar mustache. Being Russian-born, he was near Transylvania at one time, but he's not about to drink anyone's blood. Count Beinus is instead interested in taking a bite ...
Victoria's Uptown: where high New York style meets New Orleans' sultry streets.(women's shoe store, New Orleans, LA, owned by footwear designer Paula Landry)
Aug 18, 1997; ... While fitting shoes on the feet of stars and socialites at Bergdorf Goodman, Paula Landry may have had to stoop down low, but she got a first-rate lesson in how to rise above shoe mediocrity.It was the super-freaky '70s. Tending to the likes of Elton John, Barbra Streisand and ...
Big girls needn't cry; footwear makers are beginning to realize that kids aren't so little anymore.
Aug 18, 1997; ... What small girl hasn't clomped around the house in her mom's shoes that are 15 sizes too big? But today, an increasing number of these youngsters actually fit into their mothers' shoes. Kids -- retailers and children's footwear makers agree -- are bigger than they used to be 25 or 30 years ...
No kidding: one Hollywood retailer is serious about selling a hot brand, as well as its own line.(Los Angeles, CA-based children's shoe store Kidders owned by Daniel Fried)
Aug 18, 1997; ... Angelenos and the gobs of tourists that descend on L.A.'s shopping districts were sad to say goodbye to one of its coolest children's shops, American Rag Cie Youth, earlier this year, but they're not entirely woeful.Veteran shoeman Daniel Fried took over American Rag and ...
Paradise made: in the midst of fashion purgatory, one Midwestern retailer has been redeemed.(Avalon Clothing Co. & Shoe Salon)(includes related article on Avalon Stores Inc. President Stuart McLean)
Aug 18, 1997; ... Step into Avalon Shoe Salon, located in America's heartland, and you'll find stacks of avant-garde, hard-to-find styles that you might expect to find in a chic East Coast boutique."My girlfriend has friends all over the country who say this store has a reputation across the Midwest ...
Ivy league: leaf prints are sprouting up all over footwear.(women's footwear)
Aug 18, 1997; ... Call it a growing trend. Inspired by last season's Asian floral patterns and a recent hit from one of the world's most innovative designers, leafy prints and appliques are a budding new footwear look.Ever since Italian designer Miuccia Prada sent models down the runway earlier this ...
Vegas vendors betting that fall will be in chips. (report from The Shoe Show, held in Las Vegas)(includes related article on products exhibited at the show)
Aug 25, 1997; ... The mood at The Shoe Show, held here last week, was largely positive, with vendors and retailers citing changes in women's fashion and a higher energy level in the men's business as factors that could drive fall sales.While some exhibitors at the recently renamed Western Shoe ...
Natural selections: as shoe companies foray into accessories and apparel, how do they maintain their brand images?
Aug 25, 1997; ... Sunglasses, a jacket, a backpack, even a key chain. All sound like simple, nonthreatening items. But the truth is, any one of these products can hurt or enhance a shoe company's brand image.As footwear firms foray into even more accessories and apparel, they must work hard to ...
Earthly attire: fashion, like everything else these days, is going global.
Aug 25, 1997; ... In a world where CNN continually updates us on the hubbub people are causing on every continent, and e-mail instantaneously connects the brainpowers of citizens of different countries, it seems logical that what men are wearing should be affected by today's international society. ...
Genuine article: two footwear companies are shunning celebrities and signing real folks to represent their lines. (Rockport; Wolverine Footwear Group)
Aug 25, 1997; ... There's a reality check going on in the footwear industry. To communicate their mission statements, firms are using real people in real situations, instead of employing paid actors.Companies such as Marlboro, Mass.,-based Rockport and, more recently, Wolverine Footwear Group, ...
The right Moda: why one retailer takes risks to bring the latest looks to the Pacific Northwest. (Mike Jolley, owner of Portland, OR's Moda boutique)(includes related article on the Portland market)
Aug 25, 1997; ... Fashion is getting a bit more northern exposure in Portland, Ore., thanks to retailer Mike Jolley.In an area where women are more apt to take a jog on a wooded running trail than dress up in sexy slingbacks, Jolley, with his 13-year-old boutique, Moda, has created an escape for ...
Design champion: Keds and Cynthia Rowley are teaming up to create phase two of the brand's upscale line.(includes related article on Rowley)
Aug 25, 1997; ... A downtown ready-to-wear designer known for girlish looks that run the gamut from inexpensive T-shirts and fun prints to imported leather and cashmere apparel, Cynthia Rowley's ultra-feminine designs don't exactly fit Keds' typical customer profile.But the Lexington, Mass.,-based ...
NSRA seminar finds stores can have patrons by design.(National Shoe Retailers Assn.)
Aug 25, 1997; ... Every day, consumers are faced with newer, more interesting ways to spend their money. And footwear retailers who want their share of Americans' disposable income have no choice but to constantly make their stores easier and more exciting to shop.This was the message store owners ...