Footwear News back issues from April 1998:
SMALL INDEPENDENTS KEEN ON GROUP BUYING PROSPECTS.(shoe companies)
Apr 06, 1998; ... NSRA MAY OFFER MEMBERS LARGE-ORDER BUYS TO COMPETE WITH MAJOR CHAINSNEW YORK -- Searching for ways to gain clout with vendors, several independents are banding together to form group-buying programs.One of the more recent examples of collective buying involved the more ...
OUTDOOR FIRMS READY TO WEATHER FUTURE DIPS.(outdoor footwear companies)
Apr 06, 1998; ... TIMBERLAND, ROCKPORT, NIKE ACG OUT TO DEFLECT ATHLETICS COMEBACKBOSTON -- Riding the crest of brown shoe's popularity, outdoor footwear companies are strategizing for the future, examining ways to maintain their momentum even if overall sales in the category eventually shrink. ...
REVAMPED WOOLWORTH TO VOTE ON VENATOR NAME.
Apr 06, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- Last week, Woolworth Corp. not only announced it will change its 117-year-old name to Venator Group, Inc., but it also gave the industry a glimpse of how it will revamp its footwear and other divisions."The Venator Group was nine months in coming," said Chief Executive ...
REWRITING THE CLASSICS.(classic shoe companies discuss their rebirth)
Apr 06, 1998; ... All the cash and flashy advertising in the world can't buy a past. A footwear company either has one or it doesn't.While enough money and effective ad placement might give brands their edge, heritage is the key image-making element that cannot be invented or contrived. As they ...
IT'S NOT ACADEMIC.(shoe retailers and the back-to-school season)
Apr 06, 1998; ... RETAILERS GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE EVER-CHANGING DYNAMICS OF THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEASON.Along with loads of fresh school supplies and clothes, new footwear has always been a necessity for children returning to the routine of the classroom after an extended summer break. But what used ...
GENESCO IS HEADING TOWARD THE MILLENNIUM WITH AN UPDATED NETWORK.
Apr 06, 1998; ... To get a firmer grasp of its overall operations and respond more quickly to market changes, Genesco Inc. is shifting from a proprietary mainframe system to a client-server network.The hardware for the network is now being installed, with software for general ledger accounting to be ...
HOT NUMBERS.(shoe and clothing companies provide financial results)
Apr 06, 1998 ... Reveling in the lap of luxury, Paris-based LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton reported $756 million net income for 1997, up 23 percent from the prior year.U.S. dollars were calculated at the Dec. 31, 1997 exchange rate of 5.99 French francs per dollar.Fashion and leather ...
SHOES FALL VICTIM TO IDES OF MARCH; ATHLETICS ESCAPE.
Apr 13, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- March was a tough month for most shoe retailers. The shift of Easter into April hurt comparisons for many chains, and some stores blamed unseasonably cool weather in the middle part of the country for slow sales of new spring styles.On the athletics front, things looked ...
UNDER NEW OWNER, GUESS SPORT TO PUSH FASHION.
Apr 13, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- Charles David of California, which produces Guess Footwear, recently acquired the rights to sell athletic footwear under the Guess name. The company plans to make the Guess Sport line more fashion-driven, in an effort to develop more interest from department stores. ...
SKECHERS TAKES OVER NIKE SUPER SHOW SITE; NIKE'S FORMER 54,000-SQUARE-FOOT SHOWCASE FINDS NEW EXHIBITOR.
Apr 13, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- In a move illustrating the rising power of brown shoes in the athletic market, Skechers USA Inc. said it would move into the Super Show ballroom, the space formerly occupied by Nike Inc.On Thursday, the Manhattan Beach, Calif.,-based vendor signed a two-year agreement ...
COLORADO STORES DOUBLING UP IN 1998 BY BETTING ON BROWN-SHOE BOOM; COMPANY PLANS TO GROW OUTDOOR CHAIN FROM 20 TO 40 STORES.(Venator)
Apr 13, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- Wherever you are in the U.S., Colorado may soon be a little closer.Most of the attention paid to Woolworth Corp., based in New York, focuses on the firm's Foot Locker and Champs stores, its biggest players in the footwear market. But last week, the company said it plans ...
ITALY MAKERS OPPOSE 35-HOUR WEEK AS PANACEA FOR 12% UNEMPLOYMENT.
Apr 13, 1998; ... BOLOGNA, Italy -- Many shoe manufacturers here have weighed in against a controversial proposal to lower this country's work week from 40 hours to 35 hours.Representatives of firms that produce footwear here said they oppose the idea, which they argue will increase production ...
TUCSON CONFERENCE EXECUTIVES WARM UP TO SELL COOL.(Footwear Leadership and Marketing Conference)
Apr 13, 1998; ... TUCSON, Ariz. -- Marketers know what they want: cool products, items shoppers find irresistible, things consumers believe will prove their own coolness.The problem is, defining cool is no easy task. But speakers at the Footwear Leadership and Marketing Conference, held here April 1 ...
OUTRAGED BY OUTLETS: VENDOR OUTLETS CONTINUE TO PRESSURE RETAILERS SELLING FULL-PRICE COMFORT FOOTWEAR.
Apr 13, 1998; ... They all want a piece of the action.As outlet malls continue to open and expand, footwear companies have boosted their presence in this fast-track business, which rang up $12.2 billion in sales in the United States last year, according to the International Council of Shopping ...
SERVICE: A STICKY SITUATION?(outlet shoe stores)
Apr 13, 1998 ... Do outlets selling comfort footwear give customer service, or better yet, full service?Though company outlets "have a tremendous impact on more traditional retailers and less-specialized retailers dealing with less-demanding and price-conscious consumers," said retailer David ...
A SHOE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR: BROWN SHOES, WHITE SHOES, GRAY SHOES.
Apr 13, 1998; ... I don't care if they're greenif customers like the products, they'll buy them.It seems the whole industry is mesmerized by this "brown-shoes-versus-white-shoes" scenario.I don't buy it. The basic nature of fashion trends is certain looks become popular, dominate for a ...
KEEPING TRACK.(executive appointments)
Apr 13, 1998 ... Byblos named John Bartlett creative director of Byblos men's and women's collections, which are set to premiere for spring 1999. Bartlett -- who has had an agreement with Genny Holding S.p.A. for the production and distribution of his John Bartlett men's wear line, an arrangement which ...
SOLE SURVIVAL.(shoe manufacturers that have lasted over 75 years)
Apr 20, 1998; ... AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW A SURPRISING NUMBER OF SHOE COMPANIES HAVE MADE IT PAST THE 75-YEAR MARK.For some, age is just a number. For others, it is a badge of honor. In the volatile footwear market, vendors that have made it to their 75th anniversaries or beyond hold a special place ...
ON YOUR MARK: FIRMS READY FOR MARKETING RACE.(1998 Boston Marathon)
Apr 20, 1998; ... THE BOSTON MARATHON IS A BANNER DAY FOR RUNNING-SHOE VENDORS AS WELL AS ATHLETESBOSTON -- The 102nd running of the Boston Athletic Association's Boston Marathon, being held Monday, April 20, provides not only a stage for some of the world's best distance runners to shine, but is ...
ATHLETE'S FOOT PLANS CORE GROWTH IN FRANCHISES.(Company Profile)
Apr 20, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- The Athlete's Foot, while making a splash with openings of big box company-owned stores, is focusing on franchises in the United States and abroad for its traditional stores.It opened a 19,000-square-foot, two-story, company-owned flagship in New York City last year and ...
SHOES UP TO $110 TAX-FREE IN N.Y.S. BUDGET PROPOSAL.
Apr 20, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- Footwear retailers in this state claimed at least a partial victory last week when the legislature voted to end sales tax on footwear costing up to $110.The state legislature approved a budget that, if approved by Governor George Pataki, would end a tax on both footwear ...
WOOLWORTH PULLS KINNEY OUT OF CANADA.
Apr 20, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- Woolworth last week called it quits for its Canadian Kinney shoe stores.Woolworth Corp., based here, last week said it will close its 82-store Canadian Kinney Shoe chain by June 30 and convert nearly half of those stores to more profitable formats.It plans to ...
CLUB 75.(shoe companies that have survived over 75 years)(Illustration)
Apr 20, 1998 ... FOOTWEAR NEWS RECOGNIZES AN ELITE GROUP OF COMPANIES AND BRANDS THAT HAVE SURVIVED AND THRIVED FOR MORE THAN 75 YEARS. THEIR SECRET? PERSISTENCE, FORESIGHT AND THE RIGHT PRODUCT.Aigle BootsFounded 1853, Paris. Original product: protective rubber boots worn for work in ...
COMFORT IS CONTAGIOUS.(shoe store customers interested in comfortable shoes)
Apr 20, 1998; ... FN ASKED SIX KEY RETAILERS WHAT'S HOT IN COMFORT AND FOUND DIVERSE OFFERINGS THAT APPEAL TO THE YOUNG AND OLD.Reyers Shoe StorePresident: Mark Jubelirer. The Store: A three-unit, family-owned chain in Sharon, Pa. What's Selling: Mostly shoes in the volume price points of ...
NINE WEST DEBUTS NEW RETAIL FORMAT IN LONDON.
Apr 27, 1998; ... LONDON -- Nine West Group Inc. has opened its first flagship store in Europe here, the new lifestyle brand format expected to be the model for the company's retail expansion worldwide.Nine West this year plans to open or remodel between six and 10 stores in the United States that ...
CALIFORNIA SUIT LATEST SHOT AT NIKE LABOR: ON HEELS OF MOVIE, TV PROBES, NIKE SAYS IT DOESN'T 'WHINE'.(treatment of Asian workers)
Apr 27, 1998; ... BOSTON -- Like a mutant zombie from an old B-movie, the controversy surrounding Nike's overseas factory workers refuses to die.Last week, a California resident filed a lawsuit against the company regarding its treatment of its labor force in Asia. The litigation comes on the heels ...
Jonathan Martin Goes Retail.
Apr 27, 1998 ... Jonathan Martin is jumping into retail.The Los Angeles-based company plans to open the first store bearing its brand name on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif., this summer.It also expects to open a second store in Beverly Hills later this year, but said ...
Shoe Carnival Opens Second Flagship.
Apr 27, 1998 ... Shoe Carnival is growing in store count as well as store size. About a month ago, the company opened its second flagship, a 22,000-square-foot store in Jacksonville, Fla. "It's our new store design," said President and CEO Mark Lemond. "It's atypical of what we choose to do with shoe stores ...
Timberland CEO Earns $1.7M in '97.(Sidney Swartz)
Apr 27, 1998 ... Nineteen ninety-seven was a very good year for Sidney Swartz. The chairman, president and CEO of The Timberland Co. saw his combined salary and bonus nearly double, reaching $1,721,561. That came in a year when the Stratham, N.H.,-based company's net earnings rose 131.7 percent, reaching ...
Skechers Says No to New Accounts.
Apr 27, 1998 ... Skechers USA is just saying no.Explaining that it wants to control its growth and is satisfied with existing accounts, the Manhattan Beach, Calif.,-based vendor said earlier this month it stopped accepting new business for the remainder of '98. The firm already has 2,200 accounts, ...
The Week in Marketing.(Florsheim's shoe advertisement)
Apr 27, 1998 ... Florsheim's latest comfort campaign has people literally jumping for joy. The company in May is launching its latest Comfortech line with a "No Tired Feet" TV and print ad campaign that taps the voices of targeted customers rather than celebrities. "It's different ...
MADDEN SIGNS KEY AGREEMENT TO MARKET L.E.I. FOOTWEAR.(Steve Madden)
Apr 27, 1998 ... NEW YORK -- Steven Madden Ltd. last week signed a major licensing deal to produce a line of junior footwear bearing the l.e.i. brand.Madden executives said the deal with R.S.V. Sportswear, a privately held jeanswear firm that controls the l.e.i. brand, will enable it to reach a ...
THE AGE OF ACCESSORIES.(footwear companies selling clothing accessories)
Apr 27, 1998; ... AS FOOTWEAR FIRMS JUMP FEETFIRST INTO ACCESSORIES, HOW DO THEY KNOW WHICH CATEGORIES WILL WORK?The industry is reaching beyond its own footwear. Vendors previously committed to shoes-only are not only starting to pour large sums of marketing money into launching their accessories, ...
SEATTLE MARINER: AFTER A SUCCESSFUL DECADE, UPSCALE SAN MARCO SHOES IS CHARTING ITS NEXT COURSE BY ADDING ACCESSORIES AND APPAREL.
Apr 27, 1998; ... Entering Seattle's San Marco Shoes is like stepping into a chic SoHo art gallery: Ambient music and cool blue neon set the stage for experiencing the objets d'art. Except here, in a nautically themed retail space, these objets are fashion-forward footwear, presented almost as sculpture: ...
RIDING THE WAVES.(San Marco Shoes)
Apr 27, 1998; ... In many ways, owner Jenever Burns said, San Marco's history has consisted of navigating challenges. For instance, the store's minimalist look comes with a cost: Much of its 2,100 square feet are unusable. But the atmosphere is sleek, chic and comfortable. In addition to sand-colored leather ...
VIRGIN TERRITORY: AS FUR TRIMS SLINK ONTO FOOTWEAR AND CLOTHING FOR FALL '98, DESIGNERS ARE ENTICING A NEW GENERATION OF VIXENS WITH THE SEXY MARABOU SLIPPER.
Apr 27, 1998; ... Judging by the number of slippers on the runways and the scads of junior lingerie shops cropping up in stores, it looks like boudoir fashions are back and being embraced by a virgin generation of young vamps.Glamour's icon -- the fluffy marabou slipper -- was a steamy symbol of ...
MIZRAHI'S MELANGE.(Isaac Mizrahi's exhibition)
Apr 27, 1998; ... When Isaac Mizrahi showed his fall '98 collection, he made a sensuous head-to-toe statement by pairing demure dresses with swanky boudoir slippers. Swapping the classic marabou for versions made with luxurious fox, opossum and black shearling, the designer created a prissy-yet-sexy fashion ...
THE INDUSTRY'S GREAT COMFORT DEBATE: MUST COMFORT SHOES BE UGLY? ONE VIEW OF THE CATEGORY'S SOMETIMES STODGY IMAGE.
Apr 27, 1998; ... The footwear industry has been on a comfort high for several years. One way or another, everyone's gotten into the act.And whereas each company is trying to out-comfort the competition, the shoes get to look more and more alike, as if cloned from the same model. The consumer can ...
CANDIE'S INC. REPORTS 4Q REVENUE UP.
Apr 27, 1998 ... Candie's Inc. finished its fiscal year on a high note, reporting fourth quarter net revenue of $22.6 million, up from $12.7 million the prior fourth quarter.Chairman and CEO Neil Cole said the Purchase, N.Y.,-based company's "open order position" and "recent brand initiatives" are ...
FOOTSTAR INC. POSTS HIGHER 1Q EARNINGS.
Apr 27, 1998; ... NEW YORK -- Despite the shift of Easter into its second quarter, Footstar Inc. reported increased earnings for both its Footaction and Meldisco divisions for its first quarter.The Mahwah, N.J.,-based company reported $5.3 million in net income for the quarter ended April 4, up 6 ...
DISNEY NET UP 21.5 % , STOCK SPLITTING 3 TO 1.
Apr 27, 1998 ... The Walt Disney Co., the parent of Fairchild Publications, reported earnings rose 21.5 percent in the second quarter and said it was planning a three-for-one stock split.In the quarter ended March 31, earnings rose to $384 million, or 57 cents a share basic, form $316 million, or ...
HOT NUMBERS.
Apr 27, 1998 ... Saying an increase uncollected accounts dragged down income, Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, Ill., reported a 26.6 percent drop in first-quarter net income, to $133 million, from $182 million the prior first quarter.Revenues for the quarter ended April 4 rose 4.9 percent, ...
REEBOK 1Q NET SALES DIP.
Apr 27, 1998; ... BOSTON -- Citing the continuing downturn in the athletic footwear market and the strength of the dollar overseas, Reebok International Ltd. announced first quarter net sales dropped 5.4 percent from the same time the prior year.In the first three months of 1998, the Stoughton, ...