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FOOTWEARNEWS.COM / JANUARY 11, 2016 / @FOOTWEARNEWS Women’s Western looks step in the right direction with a variety of clever twists. Here, Coach’s patchwork boots lead the pack. SUITE SIXTEEN Power players on the year’s best bets & toughest tests TRADE CENTERS Why heavy investment in social media will boost shows FLIP SIDES How one sun-loving retail franchise is flourishing under new ownership BEST OF THE WEST RANGE ROVERS

FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

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Page 1: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

F O OT W E A R N E W S .C O M / J A N U A R Y 1 1 , 2 0 1 6 / @ F O OT W E A R N E W S

Women’s Western looks step in the right direction with a variety of clever twists. Here, Coach’s patchwork boots lead the pack.

SUITE SIXTEENPower players on the year’s best bets & toughest tests

TRADE CENTERSWhy heavy investment in social media will boost shows

FLIP SIDESHow one sun-loving retail franchise is fl ourishing under new ownership

BEST OF THE WEST

RANGE ROVERS

Page 2: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

A DIVISION OF FOOTWEAR UNLIMITED

STAY DRY SYSTEM

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7 16 on ’16 Industry power players

discuss the opportunities and

challenges in the year ahead.

10 FN Spy What shoes will rule the

red carpet during awards mania?

A top Hollywood stylist weighs in.

11 Fall Flash As men’s runway

season kicks off, designers preview

their best looks.

TRADE SHOW PLANNER

13 Trade Off Show organizers on

what they have in store to drive

excitement on the floor this year.

16 On Deck A schedule of major

2016 footwear events for attendees

and exhibitors.

FEATURES

19 Western Spirit Cowboys boots

feel fresh and modern in refined

shapes with eye-catching details.

MARKETPLACE

28 Shoe of the Week Ariat

adapts a hot beauty trend to one of

its fall boot styles.

29 Against the Herd Two sisters

from Oregon take Western dressing

in a new direction.

29 Five Questions The president

of Lane Boots on competition and

the power of country music.

30 Trail Blazers How three Western

newcomers are tweaking the boot

business model.

31 Endless Summer Inside

Flip Flop Shops’ global expansion

plans, fueled by its new owner.

32 Take a Shine Spring sandals

reflect sophistication in

underappreciated metallic tones.

FN PICK

34 Golden Girl “The Room” actress

Brie Larson steps out in Brian

Atwood platform pumps.

ON THE COVER

Photo by THOMAS IANNACCONE

Bally coat, Tamara Mellon top,

Polo Ralph Lauren jeans.

3

19Toga Pulla multi-buckled leather ankle boots. Dress by Victoria Beckham, belt by Etro.

Page 4: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

CELEBRITIES WEARING YEEZY BOOST SNEAKERSOnce again, celebrities and their Yeezys topped the list.

Perhaps it was because 2015 ended with not one but two

new releases. Or maybe it was all those “Beliebers”

tracking the pop star’s every move. Whatever the reason,

we’re not complaining.

GOLDEN GLOBES: BEST RED CARPET SHOES FROM YEARS PASTAnd just like that, 2016 is upon us, which in January

means one thing: awards season. Last week alone, the

People’s Choice Awards took place, and last night the

stars made their way down the Golden Globes red carpet.

Fortunately, we’d already taken a trip down memory lane,

helping you track every celeb’s style evolution.

RETRO AIR JORDAN: 14 BEST RELEASES OF 2015If the number of releases was anything to go by, the

popularity of the Air Jordan retro silhouette remained

strong in 2015. The year brought plenty of collabs,

updated iterations and new colorways. From the Supreme

Air Jordan 5 to the Air Jordan 8 Retro Aqua, these 14

styles were the best of the year.

ADIDAS YEEZY BOOST 350 IN TAN HITS EBAY WITHIN HOURS OF RELEASE The resale value of any new Yeezy Boost style soars

immediately — multiple outlets are fl ooded with owners

off ering the coveted kicks at astronomical prices just

moments after they hit the market. And the latest,

the Oxford Tan 350s, were no exception.

MOST EXPENSIVE YEEZYS ON EBAY PRICED AT $20KSpeaking of astronomical prices, just how much are

sellers asking for Yeezys? $20,000 was the highest

number listed. Granted, they hadn’t sold, but time

will tell if there’s a deep-pocketed buyer out there.

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The most-read articles and blog posts on Footwearnews.com from Dec. 31, 2015, to Jan. 6, 2016.

TRAFFIC REPORT

Michael Atmore FN Editorial Director Neil Weilheimer Managing EditorKatie Abel Global News DirectorElizabeth Slott Design Director

Mosha Lundström Halbert Fashion DirectorJennie Bell Features Editor

Anna-Lisa Yabsley Online Managing EditorBarbara Schneider-Levy Senior Editor, Men’s & Comfort

Sumana Ghosh-Witherspoon Senior DesignerKristen Henning Women’s Editor

Peter Verry Athletic & Outdoor EditorSheena Butler-Young Senior Associate Editor, Business

Margaret Sutherlin Associate Editor Rachael Allen Associate Web Producer

Christian Allaire Assistant Fashion Editor, High-End Men’sNikara Johns Editorial Assistant

Erin E. Clack Contributing Editor, Children’sA.L. Davies Contributing Editor

CORRESPONDENTS

Samantha Conti, Natalie Theodosi London Miles Socha, Paulina Szmydke ParisLuisa Zargani, Lucie Janik Milan Amanda Kaiser Hong Kong

PHOTOGRAPHY

Ash Barhamand Photo DirectorOona Wally Bookings & Production Editor

Emily Taylor Photo Studio Coordinator George Chinsee, Steve Eichner, Thomas Iannaccone Photographers

ADVERTISING

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Michelle Raskin West Coast DirectorMichele Loffman Account Director

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Giulia Squeri European Account Director Gomatie Sanichar Office Manager

Emanuela Altimani Senior Sales CoordinatorAnnie Belfield Sales Coordinator (Los Angeles)

DIGITAL/MARKETING/CREATIVE SERVICES

Shannon Nobles Marketing DirectorCass Spencer Creative Director, MarketingCassie Leventhal Digital Media Strategist

Suzette Minetti Digital Sales PlannerChristina Mastroianni PR Coordinator

AUDIENCE MARKETING

Ellen Dealy Vice President & Senior Executive DirectorPeggy Pyle Consumer Marketing Director

Janet Menaker Senior Director, Digital Marketing & Strategic DevelopmentJohn Cross Planning & Operations Director

Randi Segal Senior Director, Institutional SalesSuzanne Berardi Senior Online Manager Tamra Febesh Senior Marketing Manager

Lauren Busch Associate Marketing Manager

PRODUCTIONKevin Hurley Production Director

Providence Rao Production Manager

PREPRESS PRODUCTIONAlex Sharfman Digital Imaging

David Lee Chin Prepress Assembly

SUMMITS & EVENTSAmber Mundinger Vice President, New Ventures & GM

Mary Ann Bacher Executive Editorial DirectorAmelia Ewert Director, Experiential Marketing

Kim Mancuso Director, Attendee SalesAlexis Coyle Director, Sponsorship

FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING LLC

Michael Atmore Editorial Director of FN & Director of Brand Development Devon Beemer Finance Director

Ron Wilson Director, European Operations

FAIRCHILD MEDIA AND FN ARE OWNED AND PUBLISHED BY PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION

Jay Penske Chairman & CEO Gerry ByrneVice Chairman

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Lauren Gullion Director, Human Resources & Corporate Communications

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Young Ko Controller

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Don Gerber IT Analyst

Ryan Ramos IT Analyst

CONNECT WITH USEditorial: 212-256-8120 Display advertising: 212-213-1900, ext. 4847 Classified advertising: 323-617-9094 Production: 646-893-3065 Individual subscriptions & single copy sales: 866-963-7335 Editorial reprints: Wright’s Media: 877-652-5295

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DRD0120

DRD0122

Strap up your styleat WESA showroom 3535

durangoboots.com800.848.9452

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I N S I D E R

There’s no doubt that 2016 will be another year of change and challenge for the shoe industry. Economic turmoil, a difficult retail climate and sourcing obstacles continue to rank high on the list of executive worries as the year begins to take shape. But there are sizable opportunities, too. Many players are hoping to capitalize on store openings, while others are determined to drive excitement with fresh launches. What other issues will define the next 12 months? Read on. By FN Staff

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1 DIANE SULLIVANCEO, President and Chairman, Caleres

Opportunities: “We’ve made a lot of invest-

ment in our brands, infrastructure and people over

the past few years. That lays the groundwork for

us to explore opportunities to organically grow

both our retail and wholesale businesses. We con-

tinue to refi ne who our customer is and how they

shop. Keeping up with their needs requires us to

be faster and more agile than ever before.”

Challenges: “Everyone knows there is a lot of

noise in the industry and the market. We must

maintain our focus on delivering consistent, profi t-

able and sustainable growth.”

2 DICK JOHNSONPresident and CEO, Foot Locker Inc.

Opportunities: “[I’m not looking for just]

one big opportunity but a year of multiple ones

to drive performance across our core business,

expand our position in kids, pursue opportunities

in Europe, build our apparel business, grow our

powerful digital business, deliver growth in our

women’s business and work with and build the

best team in retail.”

3 MARYANNE MORINChief merchant, Hudson’s Bay

and Lord & Taylor

Opportunities: “To increase newness with dif-

ferentiated and exclusive assortments. We are

excited about launching Karl Lagerfeld this spring

and continuing to grow B Brian Atwood, which we

delivered in the fall and has been [doing] terrifi c.”

Challenges: “To win in 2016, we need to improve

the consumer experience. We need to deliver com-

pelling fashion with a strong price/value message.

We need to off er the consumer a great shopping

environment both in-store and online. Everything

we do is consumer-centric.”

4 SANDRA CHOICreative director, Jimmy Choo

Opportunities: “Given the current

unpredictability, 2016 will be a year to open your

mind and do what you believe in. There’s an

opportunity to push the boundaries of creativity.

2016 is our 20th anniversary, so we’re at an

exciting moment where we will seed our vision

for the next [two decades].”

Challenges: “The world is in uncertain times.

I sense that luxury and fashion are also at a

crossroads.”

5 BOB CAMPBELLChairman and CEO, BBC International

Opportunities: “To continue to build our

international business, which is thriving. In

particular, we want to keep marketing and expand-

ing our Heelys brand globally. It has been a big

success.”

Challenges: “Sourcing our children’s footwear

amid all the new rules and regulations is a huge

challenge, especially in China. We have an exten-

sive, professional compliance team both here and

abroad, but it’s something we have to constantly

be on top of. We take it seriously and leave no

stone unturned.”

6 KEVIN BAILEYPresident, Vans and VF Action Sports

Opportunities: “We will continue to invest

in understanding global consumers and how

they shop. The marketplace is undergoing seismic

changes in both bricks and clicks. Consumers have

never had more power. Examining their behaviors

and communicating Vans’ 50th anniversary brand

story will be critical to establish the runway to

Vans’ future.”

Challenges: “Global market economics and

currency fl uctuations wreaked havoc on 2015.

Vans adapted well to these factors, but this

appears to be the new normal. Vans must remain

vigilant and agile to ensure that we deliver

innovative product, engaging marketing and,

of course, fi nancial results.”

7 PATRIK FRISKCEO, Aldo Group

Opportunity: “To elevate our brand experi-

ence and make it accessible wherever, however

and whenever our target consumer decides to

engage with us.”

Challenge: “Continue the adjustment of aligning

with the end consumer’s behavior and how they

choose to engage with our brand.”

8 GIUSEPPE ZANOTTIDesigner

Opportunities: “We will triple our fac-

tory size to increase production capacity. We will

double the size of our Madison Avenue store in

New York, which will be our largest American

Hudson’s Bay announced last week that it will acquire Gilt Groupe for $250 million. 8

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CaptionCaption

“Everyone knows there is a lot of noise in the market. We must maintain our focus on delivering consistent, profitable and sustainable growth.” Diane Sullivan

From left: Patrik Frisk, Giuseppe Zanotti

and Diane Sullivan

Page 9: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

fl agship. In London, we will open our new Mayfair

location.”

Challenge: “To increase communication through

digital and social media. I love to see how every-

thing changes so quickly, and I am ahead of the

curve of embracing it every day.”

9 BLAKE MYCOSKIEFounder and chief shoe giver, Toms

Opportunity: “[Launching] the largest

media campaign in the history of Toms.”

Challenge: “Getting all the right product on the

fl oor of our retail partners by late February, when

the campaign starts.”

10 GIANVITO ROSSIDesigner

Opportunity: “To increase our direct

presence in major cities worldwide. Important

growth requires higher attention and organization

in the production process. Highest quality is at the

base of our work.”

11 JIM WEBERCEO, Brooks

Opportunities: “We believe participation

in running and the active lifestyle is alive and well.

For 2016, we are doubling down again on the huge

opportunity to connect with more runners around

the globe. We will evolve our strategies to track

with runners’ changing needs and the experiences

they are seeking. We’re very excited to launch

Stride Signature, our innovative approach to

creating, fi tting and recommending product that

complements runners’ unique running biomechan-

ics and delivers on the experiences they want.”

Challenges: “Like many brands in our industry, we

faced notable economic and marketplace head-

winds last year. 2015 was dynamic, from the West

Coast ports slowdown to currency impacts to

economic uncertainty in Europe and changing

consumer behavior in this time of the empowered

consumer. Some of these factors will continue to

challenge brands and retailers in 2016.”

12 SUSAN ITZKOWITZPresident, Marc Fisher Footwear

Opportunities: “We are excited to be

adding two new brands to our portfolio in 2016:

Kendall + Kylie and Tretorn. Kendall + Kylie is a

highly anticipated contemporary launch and will

be driven by social media. The Tretorn debut

celebrates a heritage brand that fuses a love of

nature with an urban purpose. We are also looking

forward to continuing the growth of our existing

brands. We believe all of our labels will benefi t

from the explosive growth of online retailing.

Challenges: “To off er exciting and timely product

to entice our customer to invest in footwear. It will

also be necessary to utilize a unique marketing

approach, so we are diversifying our strategies.”

13 EVAN CAGNERPresident and CEO, Synclaire Brands

Opportunities: “We operate in the

world of fast fashion, so everything we did last

year is yesterday’s news. Our biggest opportunity

is to turn yesterday’s news into tomorrow’s

headlines and do everything we did last year all

over again.”

Challenges: “Managing margin growth and

top-line growth simultaneously, especially as

consumer shopping habits evolve and purchasing

patterns shift away from bricks-and-mortar to

online retailers.”

14 GARY CHAMPIONPresident, Earth Brands

Opportunity: “Talking about our

unique history, rooted in yoga, and how it inspires

our collection today.”

Challenge: “Building shoes that are more contem-

porary and fashionable than [the competition],

while maintaining the comfort our consumers

expect and love.”

15 TIM LITTLEOwner and creative director, Grenson

Opportunity: “The debut of our

archive collection — eight replicas spanning the

decades to celebrate our 150th anniversary.”

Challenge: “Launching our New York store this

month. It is incredibly exciting for our company,

but a challenge to set up and operate a business

3,500 miles away.”

16 BOB INFANTINO President, Drydock Footwear Group

Opportunity: “The women’s

segment is our single largest opportunity.

Closing the gender gap between our men’s and

women’s businesses will off er a signifi cant boost

to Rockport.”

Challenge: “This opportunity is also our greatest

challenge. Overcoming the perception that

Rockport is overwhelmingly a men’s brand in the

minds of our retail partners and consumers will

be and has been an uphill battle.”

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“The marketplace is undergoing seismic

changes in both bricks and clicks.”

Kevin Bailey

From left: Blake Mycoskie, Sandra Choi and Kevin Bailey

Page 10: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

10 INSIDER Each style in Paul Andrew’s Gold Collection retails for $1,286.

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Awards season is here, which means standout fashion and state-ment shoes. Spy caught up with celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger to talk all things footwear, including the hottest red carpet brands and her predictions for “fun and playful” looks.

1. What are the biggest footwear trends you expect to see on the red carpet?“The cool thing we’re seeing becoming more of a pattern is shorter hemlines. Shoes will become more of a focus — really exciting, and adds another dimension to style and dressing for the red carpet. People are embracing new silhouettes because of that emphasis on shoe choice — I don’t think we’ll see as many of the classic, elegant evening

styles. I’m expecting more fun, punchy options, more glamorous and glittery looks. It might be that the shoe completes the look and an emphasis on the perfect

accessory will come into play.”

2. What brands do you expect to spot?“Christian Louboutin has nailed the market for playful, glamorous, whimsical,

fun designs. Paul Andrew’s collection this season was amazing, so I hope to see some of his shoes. Sergio Rossi, Casadei, Giuseppe Zanotti and Brian Atwood. I’m excited to see if there are any newcomers. Nicholas Kirkwood, Sophia Webster — she did sparkly heels. Paul Andrew did Lucite heels. People are experimenting with texture and materials, coupled with the perfect can’t-go-wrong evening shoe.”

3. Because of all the long gowns at awards shows, do you think actresses sometimes play it safe with their shoe choices?“[Styling] is always about complimenting your overall look and being

fluid. Choosing a black shoe is not a bad thing, but it needs to be right for the overall look. Fashion is about embracing and experimenting with style

and shoe choices. I’m excited to see what everyone has in store. It will be a great season.”

4. Do you have a favorite nominated film and nominated actress? “I always love Cate Blanchett. Alicia Vikander is divine. I love her style choices. I’m excited to see what she wears, for sure. Jennifer Lawrence is amazing — I thought ‘Joy’ was great.”

Best in Shoes With awards season in full swing, a top stylist

shares what will rule the red carpet.

Business 101No pain, no gain. That’s what business guru Marcus Lemonis of CNBC’s “The Profit” is likely to tell struggling business owners such as Inkkas founder Dan Ben-Nun, who reached out to Lemonis for his advice and financial backing. According to Ben-Nun, Lemonis agreed to come to the rescue — a story that will be revealed during the Jan. 19 episode of the show. “Marcus helped us better understand our business and provided insightful feedback about how to effectively grow Inkkas,” said Ben-Nun. While he confirmed that Lemonis is now on board, he couldn’t share story details prior to the show’s airing. Stay tuned for the big reveal.

An Inkkas style

By Kristen Henning

With contributions from FN Staff

Gold Medal Paul Andrew is giving women what they want — gold. The designer partnered with Hong Kong-based retail giant Lane Crawford for an exclusive Gold Collection. Andrew dreamed up three styles, all featuring heels plated in 24K gold. Think a strappy block heel or a peep-toe with gold-dipped feathers, and the designer’s classic Zenadia style reimagined with a gold-plated heel. The looks launched last week in limited quantities at stores in the IFC Mall and Yintai Centre Beijing.

Spotted Brian Atwood dominated the shoe scene at last week’s People’s Choice Awards.

The designer’s footwear was spotted on Kate Hudson, Lea Michele, Lucy Hale, Portia de Rossi and Kat Graham. From stilettos with standout straps to a simple black pump, Atwood had a winning night.

The Row Grows Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen are marking 10 years of The Row with another brand extension: shoes. The design-ers unveiled their new collection at their pre-fall presentation last week. The collection, priced from $850 to $1,145 (excluding exotics), will hit stores in May. “We wanted to approach footwear organically and have a better understand-ing of the market before launching an in-house shoe collection,” Ashley Olsen told Spy. The duo has worked with Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik in the past and collaborated with Steve Madden on their Elizabeth & James shoe line.

A 24K gold-plated heelfrom the collection

A style fromThe Row

Lea Michele

Page 11: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

11INSIDERMen’s fall ’16 fashion month kicked off on Jan. 8 in London.

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Designers unveil exclusive styles and inspirations for the season.By Christian Allaire

Fall Flash: Men’sLooks Revealed

“[A fall highlight] is our canvas-laced ankle boot with a rubber sole and

embroidered passementerie details in Velcro, velvet and grosgrain.”

Alessandro Dell’Acqua, N. 21

PERCY STEINHART, STUBBS & WOOTTON“We wanted our clients to feel like they have the perfect slipper, from the fox hunt to the fi replace — hopefully with a stop for Champagne along the way.”

“I was determined to tie the avant-garde history [of our French

manufacturer] to what a man wears today. The styles are relaxed, with a

touch of classic and uncompromising comfort and craftsmanship.”

Roland Mouret, Robert Clergerie

“Each season, Fratelli Rossetti gives our classics a modern twist through our hand-printed colors, unique only to us, and our use of luxurious leathers.”Diego Rossetti, Fratelli Rossetti

LOUIS LEEMAN “Our fall ’16 collection takes inspiration from the hiking and skiing worlds, with their unique landscapes, technical fabrics and accessories that are reproduced in many of the new styles.”

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI “[This season] is designed for a man who loves to express himself through innovative shoes and accessories. Classic materials are combined with new elements and sparkly details for an attitude fatale.”

Page 12: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue
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Leaders of the world’s top trade shows discuss their opportunities, challenges and social media strategies.

By Nikara Johns

Trade Off

This year, FFANY will focus on increasing funding for its Ars Sutoria scholarship program. 13

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or the operators of the industry’s biggest trade shows, getting

social is a top goal for 2016. Looking to spark conversa-tion and connect brands, buyers and consumers, shows are pumping up their social media pres-ences across multiple plat-forms. They’re also working hard to keep an edge amid heightened competition, whether it’s embracing new technologies, reacting quickly to emerging trends or offering more extensive educational programs.

Here, the directors of five of the largest domestic and international events talk about the state of the business and share what’s coming up for their shows.

LESLIE GALLINPresident of Footwear,

UBM Advanstar

New this season: “One of the things we are most excited about is elevating the conversation for education in business for both vendors and retailers. That’s some-thing the industry will see more of from us. We continue to improve way-finding so retailers can better navigate the show and locate brands. Our team of ‘ask me’ people will be right on the show floor.”

Five new brands to see: Ben-jamin Adams, Canal Grande, Elie Tahari, Itapuã, SoleLab Social media initiatives: “Social has become huge for us. We think it’s a great way to com-municate the FN Platform brand, so this season, we will work on a couple of fun Insta-gram series during the show to shed light on what goes on. We also are doing a giveaway series leading up to the show, promoting #showusyoursole, where each month a different brand will give away a pair of shoes to a lucky follower.” Hottest categories: “All the categories are relevant now be-cause people are living a very active lifestyle, and they need shoes for each and every one of those activities. There is not one single category that stands out. Each area of our show will be robust and strongly repre-sented this cycle.” Most excited for: “Elevating the conversation. We can be a steward for the industry in trade, education, business knowledge and compliance issues. Right now, the buzz-word is disruption. You’ll be hearing a lot about that at our show.” Attendance prediction: “Traffic will be up. February is always a good show for us, and I think people are excited. It’s a new year, and people are curious about what it’s going to bring. They are open to experiencing new trends.” Business outlook: “Footwear is the one item that resonates with all consumers, so I think we are in a good place.”

RON FROMMPresident and CEO, FFANY

New this season: “One of the areas we continue to work on is increasing our ability to discover. With our Discovery element, we are trying to build the capability to discover both at the Hilton and online. We also just launched our new website.” Five new brands to see: Mellow Yellow, LS Revolution, Grun-land, Riomar, Roberto Capucci Social media initiatives: “With our Crowd Reactive platform, it’s about introducing the concept of interactive ele-ments to our members. This displays a live social media feed based on the hashtag use #ffanyshoeshow. We are starting to communicate what [attendees] can expect and see at the show [through social media].” Hottest category: “Contempo-rary. It’s where the energy is, because fashion is moving so quickly. Comfort and athletic also continue to be strong, so more of our exhibit area is being filled by those types of brands.” Key trends: “Fashion is being incorporated into all catego-ries of the business — [such as] comfort lines introducing

fashion elements.” Most excited for: “All the tech-nology changes. Technology is changing how the supply chain works. There’s pressure on the supply chain to keep product fresh and moving forward. We know there’s a constant need to use technology to innovate, so I’m excited to see how that will manifest.” Attendance prediction: “Our contemporary floors are sold out, so that’s good. The inter-est is there.” Business outlook: “The indus-try goes through a year like 2015 and gets energized by the opportunities. It brings more retailers wanting to make sure they are part of the discovery process. I’m encouraged by that. Employment is rising and gas prices are lower, which gives consumers more buying power. The consumer part of the equation is OK; now, it’s up to us to excite them with new products and innovation.” Biggest challenge: “Making sure [our show is set up so that] everyone gets their work done efficiently. It’s that core element of how we help people do more business.”

LAURA CONWELL-O’BRIENExecutive director,

The Atlanta Shoe Market

New this season: “We’ve expanded our workboot area because we’ve seen huge growth in that category. [For February], it has doubled in

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“Footwear is the one item that resonates with all consumers,

so I think we’re in a good place [heading into 2016].”

Leslie Gallin, UBM Advanstar

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FN Platform and Project Sole are partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada to fit kids with new shoes and clothes on Feb. 16. 15

size, from 60 booths to more than 125 booths.” Five new brands to see: Shellys London, Levi’s, Bottero, Atlanta Moccasin, Handsewn Company Social media initiatives: “Our goal is to connect retailers to the exhibiting companies and make attendees aware of what’s happening on the show floor. Our social media reach includes Twitter and Instagram, with the hashtag #asmqueen. These platforms offer up-to-the-minute updates. [Overall], an omnichannel presence that includes mobile, web and social media has the greatest potential to be a suc-cessful digital strategy.” Hottest categories: “Comfort, workboots and outdoor.” Key trends: “Mobile technology will offer retailers a channel that will create a perfect syn-ergy between payment, loyalty, marketing and advertising.

The mobile device is increas-ingly becoming an essential part of the customer’s shop-ping journey.” Attendance prediction: “It will be up. We’re seeing strong interest among Internet buyers in attending our show. We’re also seeing growth from retail-ers from across the U.S., as well as the Caribbean and Central and South America.” Business outlook: “Retailers are treading cautiously, espe-cially the brick-and mortar stores, which are suffering. That said, they are still buying new product since they must stay competitive. People are cautiously optimistic. Every-one is looking for a stabilizing economy, and they also are watching where the whole Internet-versus-brick-and- mortar situation will end up.” Biggest challenge: “Accommo-dating all the manufacturers that have shown interest in

exhibiting at The Atlanta Shoe Market. Since we are continu-ally sold out, it is hard to accommodate new vendors.”

KIRSTIN DEUTELMOSERDirector, GDS

New this season: “An exciting project for February is the further development of ‘Digital Craft,’ our overreaching trend theme on the Highlight Route. It’s all about 3D technologies and [will feature] inspirations on topics like wearables and sustainable materials. In ad-

dition, we have created a Pop Up market within the Pop Up lounge, which is conceived around the theme of bumper cars. This popular and fun clas-sic serves as design inspiration for the area, which houses a number of lifestyle exhibitors.” Five new brands to see: Timberland, Oliver Sweeney, Fratelli Lisco, Kenneth Cole, Rockland Social media initiatives: “GDS will dedicate an entire day to international fashion bloggers. We will stage the third edi-tion of FashionBloggerCafé, as well as a runway show styled by bloggers that will feature a fresh approach to the newest trends. During our three-day fair, pretty much everything will be covered on Instagram and Facebook due to the pow-erful reach of these bloggers.” Hottest category: “I can’t precisely say which is the hottest category because it depends on what someone looks for. There are pretty much highlights in each of the lifestyle worlds. I look forward to seeing some new collections in our STUDIO area.” Most excited for: “We received amazing feedback on our last show’s trend theme, ‘Digital Craft.’ Everyone told us how visionary and exciting the installations on the Highlight Route were. So we decided to further develop this theme with ‘Fusion of Digital and Real-Life Shop Experience.’

“People are cautiously optimistic. ... They

also are watching where the whole Internet-

versus-brick-and-mortar situation will end up.”

Laura Conwell-O’Brien Atlanta Shoe Market

The show floor at FN Platform

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TRADE SHOW PLANNER

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR

I am also excited for our industry get-together on the first day. We are organizing a party in Düsseldorf ’s city cen-ter that will be an opportunity for exhibitors, retailers and the press to meet in a relaxed atmosphere.” Attendance prediction: “Feed-back on our new show concept has been good. Visitor satis-faction for our July show was very high — 93 percent. We registered 15,000 new visitors during our last two editions.” Business outlook: “Distribu-tion channels are shifting, and the boundaries between them are increasingly blurred. E-commerce is still a very important subject, particularly as online sales are forecast to increase from 20 percent to 36 percent by 2025. This includes turnover of both multichannel and strictly Internet players. Although it must be said that footwear e-commerce slowed slightly [in 2015]. Neverthe-less, it is well established among consumers due to the increasing attractiveness of the product assortment.” Biggest challenge: “Bringing a trend-setting and future-

oriented approach to inspire international retailers. It’s important that GDS never stand still, that it remain one step ahead. At GDS, retailers should get the best informa-tion and inspiration at the start of the season to kick off their buying and assortment planning. Our team constantly works on being up to date.”

MARISA NICHOLSONVP and group show director,

Outdoor Retailer

Social media initiatives: “We’re doing more to engage the community. We want to hear what’s inspiring them and what they are doing outdoors. We have a special series, #WeAreOutdoor, that aims to build community around the

show. We want to make sure people understand that almost everyone does something that pertains to the outdoors. We also continue to make improvements to our mobile app. It’s a great tool to help navigate the show floor.” Hottest categories: “For winter, snow sports and back-country. There’s also a big emphasis on safety and help-ing retailers identify products that are new, innovative and help people who want to explore the outdoors safely.” Key trend: “The sustainabil-ity story — it’s being woven into products. Millennials are driving that demand. This will become even more [preva-lent] in the mainstream, so it’s something our industry is focused on.”

Business outlook: “Different market categories have dif-ferent needs, so we’re never hearing the same things. Since there are varying needs, the trade show remains valuable. Whatever their business goals are, Outdoor Retailer meets them. We’ve been nimble enough to make the show the relevant place for them to come and do business.” Biggest challenge: “Adjusting to the [earlier] timing of [our show]. Even though it seemed like a quick, last-minute decision to make that change, the success and ex-pectations we planned for our January show [are intact].” Future goals: “To continue to make sure OR is relevant for both buyers and sellers — from the way we merchandise the show to where the show is located and when it takes place. Also, we continue to look at Venture Out and how that [lifestyle-driven product area] can be melded into other curated stories across the show floor and how we can create more areas that help retailers identify trends and new products.”

“We’re doing more to engage the

community — we want to hear

what’s inspiring them and

what they are doing outdoors.”

Marisa Nicholson Outdoor Retailer

On Deck From curated product areas to enhanced digital tools, trade-show organizers continue to explore new ways to help buyers make the most of their time. Here, Footwear News offers a guide to the domestic and international shows for the first half of 2016.

• Children’s ClubJan. 10-12Pier 94, New YorkMarch 13-15Javits Convention Center, New York

• FWDJan. 10-12; Feb. 22-24; May 2-4Javits Convention Center, New York

• Couromoda

Jan. 10-13Expo Center Norte, São Paulo

• The Metropolitan New York Footwear, Apparel & Accessories MarketplaceJan. 11-12; March 16-17; June 21-22New Jersey Exposition and Convention Center, Edison, N.J.

• Pitti Uomo

Jan. 12-15; June 14-17Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy

• ExpoRivaSchuhJan. 16-19; June 11-14Riva del Garda Exhibition Cen-ter, Riva del Garda, Italy

• Boston Shoe Travelers AssociationJan. 17-18Holiday Inn, Boxborough, Mass.

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Feb. 28-March 1Radisson Hotel, Manchester, N.H.

• AgendaJan. 18-19Mana Wynwood Convention Center, MiamiFeb. 15-17Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas

• TransitJan. 18-20; March 14-16; June 6-8California Market Center, Pent-house, A Side, Los AngelesHeld along with L.A. Fashion Market, Transit has five editions annually. In March, buyers can also shop the Coeur show, which will be alongside Transit in the Penthouse’s B side. A curated exhibit of accessories, gifts and home items, Coeur will feature a number of footwear vendors, among them Chie Mihara, Coclico and P. Monjo.

• Première VisionJan. 19-20Pier 94, New YorkFeb. 16-18Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris

• Chicago Shoe MarketJan. 19-20March 8-9Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, Schaumburg, Ill.

• MosShoesJan. 19-22; March 15-18Crocus Expo, Moscow

• Shot ShowJan. 19-22Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas

• Pitti BimboJan. 21-23; June 23-25Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy

• CapsuleJan. 22-24 (Men’s) Maison de la Mutualité, ParisJan. 26-28 (Men’s) Pier 92, New YorkFeb. 15-17 The Venetian, Las VegasFeb. 21-23 (Women’s) Pier 94, New YorkMarch 4-6 (Women’s) Tapis Rouge, ParisAfter a successful debut last season, Capsule’s Le Nouveau,

which focused on the newest de-signers and brands, will feature several special product show-cases, including Perspective, curated by Darren Skey, head of menswear for Harvey Nichols, and New America, highlighting emerging U.S. labels. The show’s New York men’s edition will move to a new location: Pier 92.

• Who’s Next Jan. 22-25Porte de Versailles, Paris

• Première ClasseJan. 22-25Porte de Versailles, ParisMarch 4-7Jardin des Tuileries, Pavillon Cambon, Paris

• TranoïJan. 23-25 (Men’s)Palais de la Bourse, Cité de la Mode et du Design, ParisFeb. 21-23The Tunnel, New YorkMarch 4-7 (Women’s)Palais de la Bourse, Cité de la Mode et du Design, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris

• ProjectJan. 24-26Javits Convention Center, New YorkFeb. 16-18Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas

• Project Sole New YorkJan. 24-26Javits Convention Center, NYFocused on men’s footwear, Project Sole New York will fea-ture a selected roster of brands, including Cole Haan, Robert Graham, Superga and Trask.

• India International Leather FairFeb. 1-3Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai, IndiaMarch 18-20Milan Mela, Kolkata, India

• FFANYFeb. 2-4; June 7-9New York Hilton Midtown Hotel and member showrooms, NYSeveral new vendors will join FFANY’s exhibitor roster in February, including Mellow Yellow and Roberto Capucci.

The opening-night party will be on Feb. 2 from 6pm-8pm at the Hilton. Under its FFANY365.com platform, FFANY has debuted an Interactive Visual Showcase, designed to help buyers dis-cover new brands and request appointments and line sheets.

• MOMADFeb. 5-7 (Metropolis)March 4-6 (Shoes)Feria de Madrid, Madrid

• Kentucky Shoe Buying MartFeb. 7-8DoubleTree Suites, Lexington, Ky.

• KSA Los Angeles Kids’ ShowFeb. 8-9Ayres Hotel, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

• Children’s Great Event Shoe ShowFeb. 9-10Marriott-Teaneck Glenpointe, Teaneck, N.J.

• GDSFeb. 10-12Düsseldorf Fairgrounds, Düsseldorf, GermanyMore than 800 brands will show at GDS’ February edition, including first-time exhibitors Oliver Sweeney, Via Scarpa, Timberland, Roy Robson and Emu Kids. Blogger sisters Julia and Sylvia Haghjoo will be the show’s social media ambas-sadors. The Pop Up lounge will unveil a new look by designer Eddi Mackowiak that is inspired by bumper cars.

• Pure LondonFeb. 14-16Olympia London, London

• The MicamFeb. 14-17Fiera Milano, Milano-Rho, Italy

• MipelFeb. 14-17Fiera Milano, Milano-Rho, Italy

• KIDShowFeb. 15-17Bally’s Hotel, Las Vegas

• Magic Marketplace

Feb. 16-18Las Vegas & Mandalay Bay Convention Centers, Las VegasAdvanstar’s Magic marketplace encompasses FN Platform, WSA@Magic, WWDMagic, Project, Playground and The Collective. The Sourcing at Magic event will open one day in advance, on Feb. 15.

• FN PlatformFeb. 16-18Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Las VegasNow in its seventh year, FN Plat-form will offer a packed seminar schedule, including topics such as “Filling the Shoes of Today’s Hyper-Connected Shoppers” and “Building Your Wholesale Program: Strategies, Tools and Takeaways.” The opening-night party will feature a live perfor-mance by Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles.

• WSA@MagicFeb. 16-18Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Las VegasWSA@Magic will focus on the fast-fashion footwear segment, with product from more than 100 countries.

• The Atlanta Shoe MarketFeb. 21-23Cobb Galleria Centre, AtlantaFollowing strong buyer at-tendance at its August 2015 show, The Atlanta Shoe Market returns in February with more than 1,800 exhibitors. A casino-inspired cocktail party with live music will be held on the show’s opening night, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

• Toronto Shoe ShowFeb. 21-23Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto

• Sole CommerceFeb. 22-24Javits Convention Center, New YorkThe women’s-footwear show, held twice annually, will include a number of new exhibitors, including FitFlop, Louise et Cie and Nanette Lepore. The event will relocate to the same floor as ENK’s Coterie apparel show to

facilitate cross-buying.

• LineapelleFeb. 23-25 Fiera Milano, Milano-Rho, Italy

• TRU ShowFeb. 28-29Embassy Suites San Francisco Waterfront, Burlingame, Calif.

• Michigan Shoe MarketFeb. 28-29Embassy Suites Hotel, Livonia, Mich.

• Shoe Market of the AmericasFeb. 28-March 1; June 26-28Miami Airport Convention Center & DoubleTree Airport Hotel, Miami

• The Materials ShowMarch 1-2Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Ore.March 8-9DoubleTree Hotel, Danvers, Mass.

• SapicaMarch 8-11Poliforum León Convention & Exhibition Center, León, Mexico

• Northwest Shoe TravelersMarch 13-15Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake, Minn.

• National Bridal Market ChicagoMarch 16-18Merchandise Mart, Chicago

• Fashion AccessMarch 30-April 1Hong Kong Convention & Exhibi-tion Centre, Hong Kong

• New York International Bridal WeekApril 16-18Pier 92, New York

• The Running and Fitness Event for WomenJune 9-10McCormick Place, Chicago

• Atlanta Fashion Shoe MarketJune 15-16 Embassy Suites Hotel, Atlanta

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VALENTINO leather boots with stitching detail. Coat, dress and necklace also by Valentino.

Decorative embroidery and straight-shooter shapes modernize the classic women’s cowboy boot. Paired with rollicking westerly looks, the trend takes a new direction.

Western Spirit Photographed by Thomas Iannaccone

Fashion Editor: Christian Allaire

Page 20: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

“Like a rhinestone cowboy, riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo.” – “Rhinestone Cowboy,” recorded by Glen Campbell

Page 21: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

FAUSTO PUGLISI embroidered satin cowboy boots. Tod’s shirt and skirt, Etro belt.

JUSTIN embroidered-arrows boot with rough-out leather vamp; OLD GRINGO textured-leather boot with floral embroi-dery; TONY LAMA embroidered boot with distressed vamp.

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From top: DURANGO fringed boot; NOCONA mottled-leather boot with trapunto detailing; ROOTS ankle version on a stacked heel.

FRYE suede cowboy boots. Etro shirt, Tamara Mellon skirt, Stetson hat.

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“Just like the leather on my saddle, we got prettier with time, together in the weather.” – “Safe,” by Miranda Lambert

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“Thick Southern drawl, sexy swing and walk, she’s all country, from her cowboy boots to her down-home roots.” – “She’s Country,” recorded by Jason Aldean

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LANE leather boots with floral embroidery. Anna Sui dress, Valentino headpiece.

STETSON black boot with crystal effects; LUCCHESE two-tone boot with tonal embroidery; AUSTRALIA LUXE COLLECTIVE spats-inspired shootie.

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MATISSE embossed-leather ankle boots. BLK DNM jacket, Altuzarra dress.

“Blame it all on my roots — I showed up in boots and ruined your black-tie affair.” – “Friends In Low Places,” recorded by Garth Brooks

Model: Aline at Elite Hair: Tsuyoshi Harada Makeup: William Murphy at Atelier Production: Emily Taylor, Oona Wally

Page 27: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT LAUREN SCHOR, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER AT 212 256 8118 OR [email protected]

t h e M I C A M S H O W I S S U E

ISSUE February 8 / MATERIALS January 27

BONUS theMICAM + Milan Hotels

theMICAM February

14—17

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Ombré printing on fabric dates back to the early 19th century.28

Taking a cue from current beauty trends, Ariat International applied hip ombré hues to an embroidered style for fall ’16. “Each boot is hand-painted, and no two pairs are alike,” said Shane Holman, senior director of global Western merchandising for the brand.

S H O EO F T H EW E E K

Shades of Blue

M A R K E T P L A C E

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fter growing up on a ranch in Oregon, sisters Wendy Weems and Kelly Beall weren’t about to trade in their cowboy boots for a pair of Manolo Blahniks

when dressing up. So in 2014, the two launched Y Knot Branded, a collec-tion of sandals and pumps with Western fl air.

The idea was sparked when Weems attended a Cutting Horse Association banquet with her husband, an avid rider and veterinarian, and realized there weren’t fashionable alternatives to cowboy boots. “I [saw] a woman walk in with a beautiful dress worth several thousand dollars and a pair of Western-inspired fl ip-fl ops,” she said. “It was my jumping-off point.”

While Beall had prior experience as a sales rep in the Western apparel and acces-sories categories, Weems was a newcomer to the business, having worked mostly in real estate. Weems fi nanced Y Knot and serves as its CEO, while Beall reps the brand in the market.

To produce their shoes, the sisters lucked out when a childhood friend work-ing in the shoe industry connected them with a factory in China. There was still a learning curve, though. “My sister and I have art backgrounds and can draw a

shoe,” said Weems. “We’d go back and forth with the factory. I’d tear

[the sample] apart, send it back, and it would get a little closer.”

The brand got another lucky break in August, when blogger Cheyenne Glade Wilson

posted a photo on her Facebook page from Y Knot’s marketing

campaign. Within three days, said Wilson, more than 4 million people had seen the post — many asking where they could buy the shoes.

Today, the collection, retailing from $200 to $225, is sold in Western stores, including The Hitchin’ Post in Colcord, Texas, and High Desert Ranch & Home in Bend, Ore. “As we grow, we’re trying to get into more mainstream fashion stores,” said Weems. “Who doesn’t love tooled leather and brushed sterling silver?”

Sisters Wendy Weems and Kelly Beall are taking Western dressing outside the corral with their Y Knot line. By Barbara Schneider-Levy

Against The Herd

A

Y Knot Brandedbuckle-embellished

sandals

Lane Boots launched in 2010 as a women’s-only brand. 29MARKETPLACE

JUSTINE LORDLane Boots’ president talks breaking down fashion barriers and the beauty of partnerships.

By Barbara Schneider-Levy

1How has Lane handled the stiff competition in an established industry?We pay attention to everyone in the industry, but don’t look at them as competition. As a result, we’ve created relationships with established brands that believe in us and want to help us grow. Since some Western brands are [very established] in certain markets, they can’t take on any more accounts, so they’ve [directed retailers] to our showroom. Most everyone is that way.

2Who is your typical female Western-boot consumer?What’s so cool is that the customer is so diverse. She can wear boots with dresses on a date or with jeans and a T-shirt for a casual look. The popularity of Western has enabled more people to learn about boots. We sell to stores in the Carolinas and Florida. In Charleston, S.C., we sell to Gwynn’s — it’s like a mini-Nordstrom and not Western in any way. It’s about going to retailers, talking about who we are and getting them excited so they can then share [the category] with their customers.

3Has the growing popularity of country music helped Lane’s business? Country music isn’t the niche it used to be — it’s really opened up. I’m not a diehard country music fan, but I listen to Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Miranda Lambert was at the 2015 CMA Awards wearing a pair of boots with crystals. [After the show], we had consumer requests for the boots, and they weren’t even ours. We quickly created [a similar] boot.

4What has been your most eff ective marketing tool?

We don’t have a large marketing budget, so we use every facet

of social media — email blasts, web

videos. We’ve built the brand

through word of mouth, whether it’s customers talking about how comfortable the boots are or our team’s visits to stores, where they give retailers information about us to share with their customers.

5 How is Lane leveraging its connections with other brands? We’re collaborating with Double D Ranchwear, and in March we’ll add Kippys ready-to-wear and Junk Gypsy, purveyors of fi ne junk. Each is distinct and gives us the opportunity to showcase new styles and introduce them to consumers who already know these brands. It also creates an opportunity to off er a variety of price points: Double D is $550 to $1,300; Junk Gypsy is $195 to $350; and Kippys is $1,500 to $4,000.

5 QUESTIONS

WESTERN

The LeatherLace wedge

MirandaLambert

Lane Boots xJunk Gypsy

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All three brands are producing their lines in Mexico.

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Trail Blazers Three newcomers to Western boots are taking a fresh approach — their innovative business models embrace e-commerce, retail outreach and one-of-a-kind designs. By Barbara Schneider-Levy

Broken TAfter successfully launching women’s

boot brand Dusty Rocker in 2012,

founder Leslie Thompson received a

surge of requests for a men’s collec-

tion and responded by debuting Bro-

ken T Boots in fall ’14. Thompson said

she knew she was going up against

some icons in that market. “When

people think of men’s boots, it’s Justin

or Tony Lama,” she said. To start,

Thompson offered just six styles and

has since expanded to include exotic

skins such as ostrich and distressed

lizard, with the boots retailing from

$210 to $660. As with Dusty Rocker,

distribution for Broken T focuses on

mom-and-pop Western stores.

“I’ve avoided big accounts,” said

Thompson, who is based in Byers,

Texas, and has just a few reps.

After seeing early success for her

Broken T men’s boots, she added

women’s styles last March and kids’

product in November.

Rodeo QuincyAt only 24, Quincy Freeman is already a veteran of the

Western business. Before debuting her Rodeo Quincy

line of women’s boots in fall ’15, Freeman designed an

eponymous collection for Ariat. She got her start by hand-

painting her own colorful styles and showing them off at

rodeos. “They grabbed a lot of attention — though my dad,

a [cattle rancher], thought it was crazy,” Freeman said,

adding that she had her own doubts about becoming an

entrepreneur. “Coming out of college and not knowing

everything about [running] a business was nerve-racking.”

To start her label, Freeman used the money and exposure

she received during her previous partnership. “l learned

so much from Ariat,” she said. She also reached out to

retailers to promote her colorful embroidered styles, which

range from $398 to $698.

TecovasWhen Paul Hedrick launched his

online business, Tecovasboots.com,

in October, he underestimated the

work involved in running a one-man

show. “I had never developed product

before and had to learn all the details,”

said the 27-year-old, who had worked

in finance. “I also have to make all the

business decisions.” The Texas native

and boot aficionado, who had noticed

a market void for moderately priced

quality boots, uses a direct-to-con-

sumer model that allows him to get rid

of “retailer handcuffs” and offer men’s

and women’s product at $195 to $225.

Hedrick’s hand’s-on approach means

he’s often on the road in Texas, hosting

trunk shows at stores to introduce the

brand to consumers and get feedback.

While he initially self-financed the

venture — in part by cashing out his

401(k) — he’s since taken on outside

investors to fund additional inventory.

And to help with logistics, he also

recently hired his first employee.

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n the words of Brian Curin, 2016 is going to be an “epic year” for Flip Flop Shops.

The president of the franchise retail chain is leading the company through a period of change. After the firm was acquired last October by Cherokee Global Brands Inc. for $12 million in cash, Flip Flop Shops is pursuing several growth initiatives for the com-ing year, including international expansion, new retail alliances and e-commerce.

“A lot has changed in a short time,” said Curin, who co-founded the company in 2004 and took over as president in 2007. He noted that Flip Flop Shops was looking for a partner that could accelerate its growth and found that Cherokee offered a wealth of assets, most nota-bly partnerships with large retailers

and distribution capabilities in more than 50 countries.

Cherokee Global Brands CEO Henry Stupp said he was pleased to discover the global appeal of the flip-flop category. “It wasn’t focused particularly on warm-weather countries,” he said. “It actually works just as well in Winnipeg as it does in Honolulu. We were also delighted to see that on an annual basis, it’s not as seasonal as one might expect.”

As part of the new union, Flip Flop Shops will have access to product from the Cherokee brand portfolio, including Every California, Tony Hawk, Sideout and the Chero-kee line.

Flip Flop Shops already stocks some of the top players in the category, including OluKai, Cobian, Sanuk and Reef. Curin also noted that Birkenstock has been a strong performer, and the chain recently

I

The latest Flip Flop Shops store opened in San Clemente, Calif., on Dec. 23.

model. “We’re a house of brands, and we always will be,” asserted the chain’s president. “If you look at the core labels in our shops, everybody competes at some point, but we’re very careful to protect and under-stand each brand’s DNA.”

The retailer’s vendors are feeling bullish on the chain after the recent acquisition.

Kerry Konrady, marketing direc-tor at OluKai, said, “We began our partnership with Flip Flop Shops during their startup phase, working closely with the founders to position OluKai as the showcase brand in the shops as they aimed to deliver the hottest and best sandals to the consumer in a beach-lifestyle atmo-sphere. To this day, we continue to operate at the same level of steward-ship with their management team — as well as key shop owners around the country — and expect this to continue under the new ownership.”

Other initiatives in the works include opening shop-in-shops at some of Cherokee Global’s major retail partners. Flip Flop Shops also plans to make its first foray into

e-commerce with a new digital platform.

Still, brick-and-mortar remains a priority for the specialty chain. Curin said the firm has 100 franchise stores in operation and 150 more

in development. Flip Flop Shops has also been hiring

more staff to support the fran-chise system.

Plus, the company is expanding internationally. “For 2016, our plan is to enter India with a key partner,” said Curin. “We’re also looking at Latin America and having discus-sions in parts of Asia, specifically China, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.”

added sport slides and sandals from Under Armour and Puma to tap into the athleisure trend.

“We carry the hottest labels and latest styles and have become the destination for those items. That’s what we’ve grown our business model on, and it’s worked quite well for us,” said Curin, adding that same-store sales grew about 3 percent in 2015.

In partnership with Cherokee Global, he plans to develop a private-label collec-tion that could launch in spring ’17. “[We want to create something] that doesn’t compete with our other la-bels but fills a price point or category niche we’re not hitting right now,” said Curin.

But that doesn’t mean Flip Flop Shops is changing its merchandise

With the support of a new partner, Flip Flop Shops aims to spread its reach worldwide. By Jennie Bell

Endless Summer

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A shop in UniversalStudios’ CityWalk

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Brian Curin

Inside a Flip Flop Shops franchise location

31MARKETPLACEFLIP-FLOPS

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Sandals are always eye-catching in metallics, but this season, underappreciated tones likepewter, bronze and rose gold

will have their moment.

Take a Shine

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SPRING TREND

MARKETPLACE32 On model: Isabel Marant’s spring ’16 show featured metallic roped sandals.FLIP-FLOPS

Reef’s reptile-embossed Hampton sandal in rose gold

Rose-gold thong with jeweled straps from Flojos

Embellished Pasadena wedge in pewter by Yellow Box

Footbed sandal in pewter and gray by BC Footwear

Tkees’ classic fl ip-fl op in beach-ready bronze

Sanuk’s rose-gold Yoga Cleopatra gladiator style

Page 33: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

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Playing Fields Hari Mari has a lot on tap for 2016. The Dallas-based fl ip-fl op brand, which launched in 2012 with a philanthropic mission, is branching out for spring with a new all-leather collection and an introductory children’s line. The leather Fields series will begin shipping in mid-January, retailing for $60, with the kids’ styles priced at $35. In addition, Hari Mari is growing its retail partnerships. Nordstrom plans to stock the brand in 73 locations this year, and Gap recently selected Hari Mari as part of a initiative to feature socially conscious labels in its stores. “[We look forward to] a tremendous amount of growth for the brand by

adding two large retailers to our account list while continuing to grow our presence in specialty boutiques across the country,” said co-founder Lila Stewart.

Got Sol? Brazil-based Havaianas is tapping into its roots this season with the

America Do Sol women’s fl ip-fl op collection, inspired

by the sunny optimism of South America. The line includes designs that draw from the continent’s rich

culture, including tropical beach scenes on the Slim

Paisage (retailing for $34), textile graphics on the Slim Tribal ($30) and cool sarong images on the Slim Tie Dye ($30). For men, the brand is introducing the Surf Pro series of fl ip-fl ops, featuring an anatomical footbed and a quick-dry strap. That line retails for $40. All styles are available now on Havaianas.com, except for the Slim Paisage, which hits on Jan. 15.

Perfect Pair Cocobelle has continued

its collaboration with California lifestyle brand L*Space for a second season. The collection, inspired by the beach-

going woman who is eff ortlessly elegant, exudes

a cool bohemian vibe with a romantic touch. The line consists of classic Cocobelle sandals such as

the Fringe, Snake Wrap, Iris and Arrow done in a palette of neutral shades with metallic elements. And three new silhouettes have been added: the Gili, with leather-braided ties (above); the Soleil, a double slide with ankle straps; and the Sicily, a studded strappy fl at. The L*Space for Cocobelle collection is priced from $89 to $229 and is available now on Lspace.com and, starting in February, at Cocobelledesigns.com.

BUZZ

Flip-Flop Launches

The Gili sandal from L*Space for Cocobelle

HavaianasSlim Tribal

Hari Mari leather style

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MARCH

3/7 2/24 Vans Milestone, Athletic

3/14 3/2 Must Buys Fall, Paris Runway Coverage

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Page 34: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

FN IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2016 FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 72, NO. 2. January 11, 2016. FN (ISSN 0162-914X) is published weekly (except for the first week in July, second week in December, third week in January and April, fourth week in May, September and December, fifth week in February, August and October) by Fairchild Publishing, LLC, which is a division of Penske Business Media, LLC. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO FOOTWEAR NEWS, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to FOOTWEAR NEWS, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593, call 866-963-7335, or e-mail customer service at [email protected]. Please include both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, option 7. One-year subscription price: U.S. $72, Canadian $149, foreign $295. Single-copy cost $10. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. We reserve the right to change the number of issues contained in a subscription term and/or the way the product is delivered. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to FOOTWEAR NEWS, 475 5th Ave, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10017. For permissions requests, please call 212-630-5656 or fax request to 212-630-5883. For reprints, please e-mail [email protected] or call Wright’s Media 877-652-5295. For reuse permissions, please e-mail [email protected] or call 800-897-8666. Visit us online at www.footwearnews.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild Publishing, LLC magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.wwd.com/subscriptions. FOOTWEAR NEWS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITE ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY FOOTWEAR NEWS IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS , PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

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PickGolden GirlFrom the People’s Choice Awards to the Palm Springs Film Festival, several A-List actresses have chosen Brian Atwood footwear for the red carpet, including Brie Larson. The “Room” actress hit the National Board of Review gala in NYC last Tuesday in black platform pumps from the designer to accept her Best Actress award just days ahead of the Golden Globes, where she was widely considered the front-runner.

Page 35: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue

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Page 36: FN Platform 1.11.16 Issue