FOOTWEAR NEWS | AUGUST 25, 2014 | VOLUME 70 | NO. 30

Designers put a forward spin on denim washes for spring ’15, as seen at Micam

this week. Here, CASADEI’s red-hot pumps with metallic Blade heel add a distinctly Italian take on an all-American material.

TRUE BLUES

VARIETY SHOWAll the big names

& cool events at FN Platform

TREE OF LIFEHow one flip-flop brand gets to the

root of the matterEMMY PICKSFootwear execs on who will win

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born in A D V E N T U R E raised in the C I T Y

Shop FFANY 365 days a yearFFANY365.COM

SAVE THE DATE:February 3–5, 2015 (Tuesday–Thursday)Show information and special hotel ratesFFANY.ORG

DECEMBER 3–5, 2014WEDNESDAY–FRIDAY

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AUGUST 25, 2014 | | 3

UP FRONT × ON DEADLINE × NEWSMAKERS

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Making Sense of Spring

What’s the outlook for the coming season? Retailers at FN Platform weigh in on big

issues, key trends and hot brands. BY JENNIE BELL & BARBARA SCHNEIDER-LEVY

While challenges remain for the footwear industry, buyers shopping FN Platform and other trade shows in Las Vegas last week were largely

upbeat about the spring ’15 season ahead. Jennifer Smith, director of buying at Abbad-

abba’s in Tucker, Ga., said the store is coming o­ positive numbers for this summer.

“Consumer confidence is higher, and we’re see-

ing more foot tra�c in the stores,” she said. Maurice Breton, president of the Comfort

One Shoes chain, was similarly enthusiastic. “Consumer confidence is up. Perhaps 2015 will bring the economy, sales and real estate to their prerecession levels,” he said.

In sync with this trend, Breton noted his Manas-sas, Va.-based company has seen an uptick in sales of upper-tier lines. “We see a big resurgence in the higher-end parts of our ranges selling very well and

turning quicker than some of the more moderate brands,” he said. Breton added that the store is responding with more better-grade items such as French fashion-comfort brand Arche, of which the store plans to expand its o­ering for spring ’15.

Indeed, the shoe industry is gaining ground. During the 12 months ended June 2014, footwear sales totaled $56.2 billion, up from $53.3 billion for the same period two years earlier, according to The NPD Group Inc.

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But the independent specialty channel faces more obstacles. LeisureTrends predicted that shoe sales for those retailers will be flat by dollar amount for full-year 2014, with units sold down by 1.3 percent.

Jason Brown, CEO and owner of Thom Browne of Boston Inc., said he has been feeling the pinch. “We’re still dealing with the fall season in front of us,” he said. “There remains some concern about the economy and retail in general. And there are challenges in the market.”

Among his biggest concerns are margin erosion and competition against vendors. “A lot of the brands we work with are opening their own stores nearby,” he explained.

His firm faces steep obstacles in the digital space as well. “With e-commerce, the margins we typically get don’t support the expenses incurred in operating [highly e�ective platforms],” Brown said. “Zappos and the other big players are o�ering free shipping, and we can’t a�ord to do that. Ship-ping fees make it hard to maintain profitability.”

Brutal weather conditions last winter and spring took a toll on shops across the country and continued to haunt some storeowners in Las Vegas last week.

Kirk Brown, co-owner of Buck’s Shoes in Fremont, Neb., cited chilly temperatures as his store’s biggest challenge, though he is heading into spring ’15 on a slightly more optimistic note based on gradually improving numbers. “It was a di�cult spring last year to start with, but the last couple of months [have been] better,” he said. “I am hoping for an upward trend in the next year.”

Brown’s open-to-buy was on par with spring ’14. Brands on his buying list include OluKai, Rieker

and Abeo, a private label from The Walking Co. that will be o�ered for the first time at wholesale.

Comfort One’s Breton took a glass-half-full outlook on the winter forecast. “There’s no way Mother Nature could be as cruel to us next year as she was this year in the first quarter,” he said. “[In terms of product], one of the things we’re looking for is fewer sandals and more open shoes in the shank or back. Shoes that are basically closed, but have open characteristics. They can transition well from the first to second quarter better than sandals that are second and third quarter.”

However, West Coast retailers had di�erent re-quirements. “It’s been so hot for us that people are only wearing sandals,” said Jessica Roth, co-owner of The Cobblery in Palo Alto, Calif. “We aren’t buy-ing any closed-toe shoes. There are some excep-tions like Toms and a few ballet flats, but otherwise that’s our new rule.”

A few brands stood out as must-haves, especially Birkenstock, which was on the buying list for Buck’s Shoes, Comfort One and The Cobblery.

Cornblooms in Madison, Wis., is also banking on the continuation of the sandal label to spark sales for spring ’15. “Everyone’s talking about Birkenstock. It was one of the two highlights for us this past season,” Jeanette Riechers, owner of the store, said, adding that the other stand-out was fashion-comfort label Cloud. However, Riechers is also delving into some new lines, too. “The balance is about bringing in fresh color and styles while maintaining the brands and looks we currently sell.”

For The Cobblery, spring is the store’s biggest season. “We usually buy conservatively for fall, and then in the spring introduce new product,”

said Roth, who owns the shop and its attached shoe repair workshop with her sister, Stephanee Oberhauser. For the upcoming season, they plan to reintroduce Birkenstock and, based on feed-back from their teenage daughters, will bring back Keds. “For women and moms, Keds is a well-known brand, so there’s loyalty,” Oberhauser said. “The shoes look young without seeming like you’re dressing like a high schooler.”

Keith Hubbert, owner of Whittwood Shoes in La Habra, Calif., is also bringing in new labels to his 38-year-old store, which stocks men’s and women’s comfort footwear. “We’ll introduce Romika, Aerosoles and Taos. We don’t do fashion, so we stick with good brands that are comfort-motivated,” he said. He noted that his biggest challenge at the show was staying focused in his buying. “You have to pick and choose. You can’t be everything to everybody,” he said.

On the FN Platform floor

BY FN STAFF

NEW YORK — Footwear News is set to begin a new chapter with Penske Media Corp.

The company last week acquired the magazine from Condé Nast, along with Fairchild Fashion Media proper-ties Women’s Wear Daily, its archive, M Magazine, and the Fairchild Sum-mits and events business. The deal is expected to close next month.

“As an organization that recog-nizes the value of highly informa-tive and original content, as well as the contributions that world-class editors, journalists and

producers bring to their diverse audiences and consumers, we at PMC view the Fairchild brands and its team as true leaders in their respective industries,” said Jay Penske, founder, chairman and CEO of Los Angeles-based PMC, in a memo.

He noted that “there is great opportunity for each of the brands to thrive in our organization. PMC looks forward to setting the stage for the next 100 years of Fairchild success, for what is sure to be an exciting new era.”

The executive held meetings with Fairchild sta� last week, and employ-

ees are expected to move to new PMC New York corporate o�ces early next year. Financial terms of the Penske deal were not disclosed.

PMC is a leading digital media, publishing and information services company founded in 2003. It engages audiences across the Web, television, mobile, print and social media, reach-ing more than 144 million consumers monthly (comScore, 2014), and was recently named one of the Top 100 Private Companies in the U.S. The firm publishes more than 20 digital brands, including an extensive joint venture in India with Zee TV, as well as organizes 40 annual events and

conferences and runs a dynamic research and emerging data business. PMC brands include PMC Studios, Deadline.com, Variety magazine, Va-riety.com, Cricketcountry.com, Holly-woodLife, ENTV, India.com, TVLine, BGR, AwardsLine, Movieline, LA411, NY411 and Variety Latino, a joint venture with Univision.

Since acquiring Variety in 2012, Penske has evolved the business, resulting in record revenue and profit growth, along with a major tra�c surge across the publica-tion’s digital operations, according to the firm. — With contributions from WWD

Penske Adds FN, WWD to Growing Portfolio

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FN PLATFORMAug. 18-20, 2014

Call it the best in show. Top executives, designers and retailers gathered in Sin City for FN Platform last week. During the event’s opening-night party, Peter Monroy rocked classic hits on the show floor, and Zappos threw a big bash at Brooklyn Bowl with break-dancers, a silent dance party and bowling, of course — plus a performance by Biz Markie. Back in Las Vegas, Miss USA Nia Sanchez made an appearance at the Chinese Laundry booth, and singer Dawn Richard greeted fans, while FN Fashion Editor Mosha Lundström Halbert presented a panel with designers Coye Nokes and Keltse Bilbao. On Tuesday evening, FN hosted its cocktail party at Caesars Palace’s Fizz lounge. — KRISTEN HENNING

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Greg Tunney

Donald Pliner,Lisa Pliner Rick Cytrynbaum

Dana Davis,Paul Mayer

Rob Schmertz,Steve Madden

Libby Edelman, Jesse Edelman, Sam Edelman

Tony Hsieh,Isack Fadlon

Danny Schwartz Michele Levy

Julian Hakes

Ron White

D’Wayne Edwards

Don Weiss, Stephen Hoyt

Max Harrell

Brad Bailey

Matt Priest

Ben Cornwell, Yeardley Smith

Terry Solis, Leslie Gallin, Bob Campbell

Sam Poser, Tarek Hassan,Andrew Hampshire,Rick Ausick, Cli� Si�ord

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Cynthia Vincent,Joe Ouaknine

Michael Atmore,Juanita Duggan

Andy Polk,Buddy Teaster

Beth Goldstein,Lori Monaco

MichaelGreenberg

NealNewman

AndyPetersen

ChuckSchuyler

Coye Nokes,Keltse Bilbao

Eva Lisinska, Josephine Seidita,Roberto Angiolucci, Maia BagauriJacques Golbert

Ron Kenigsberg,Jeff Bart

ScottKaminsky Ron Fromm

Mike Shirey Steve Hill, David Kahan Andre Assous

Maureen Storch,David Miller

Dawn Richard

Tsering Namgyal, Sonny Shar, Debbie Ferrée

Peter Monroy

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Jet Setting Miss USA is in an Empire State of mind.

Nia Sanchez recently made the move to New York and said she’s feeling like quite the tourist. “I recently went to The Highline, and there are so many places I

want to go. It’s a brand-new place for me,” she said while in Vegas for FN Platform with

her Chinese Laundry partners and donning a pair of leopard pumps from the brand’s collec-tion by Kristin Cavallari. And while taking an

escape from NYC in Sin City, she made time to dance it out. “We got to see the Britney Spears

concert, we were front and center dancing,” said San-chez. Plus, she visited her favorite breakfast spot.

“I always go to the Sugar Factory if I’m having a sweets craving for a crêpe,” she said. Up next on her agenda: Miss Universe later this year.

Baby on Board Toms Shoes — which last week sold a 50 percent stake to Bain Capital LLC — is debut-ing a line of bags for spring ’15, and the philanthropic mission aids expectant mothers in developing countries. So did the idea come from the personal experience of founder Blake Mycoskie, who will welcome a son later this year? “We started working on the project long before we found out my wife was preg-nant,” he said, “but when we did

Winner’s Circle And the winner is … The Primetime Emmy Awards are tonight, and footwear’s finest are placing their votes. Here, designers and executives sound off on their top TV picks.

Sam Edelman“I’m almost through ‘Scandal,’ and I love it. I love Kerry [Washington’s] character. It’s one of the only shows that can take my mind off shoes.”

Yeardley Smith, CEO and designer, Marchez Vous“‘Downton Abbey’: The acting is sublime. Plus, there aren’t a lot of shows that can claim a demographic from 18-88. ‘Fargo’: Also beautifully written and acted — especially Billy Bob Thornton, who is the most creative, cool, well-dressed assassin since James Bond.”

Donald Pliner“I love Jimmy Fallon, he’s one of the best in the industry. I’m sad to see David [Letterman] fade away, but I’ve never seen someone as good. I enjoy how [Fallon] can take Tom Cruise, and they pour

water on each other [for a skit].”

Coye Nokes“I was late to the game, but I download-ed the first three seasons of ‘Scandal.’ I

binge-watched it; that’s when I watch most of my TV, when I travel.”

Mike Shirey, group president, footwear and handbags, Highline United“We’re big ‘Modern Family’ fans in our house. My kids love it. And I’m not sure if it’s nominated, but ‘American Ninja Warrior’ should be. It’s great.”

Lisa Pliner “I’m obsessed with ‘Suits.’ I love

the premise with the lawyer always winning.”

8 | | AUGUST 25, 2014

Jay-Z at Sportie LA. The artist and half-power couple with Queen Bey was recently seen not once, but twice at owner Isack Fadlon’s Los Angeles spot.

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By Kristen Henning, with contributions from Jennie Bell

find out, I said we had to put a diaper bag in the collection.” Besides that, the line also features totes, clutches, satchels and clip-on pouches, produced from handmade artisanal materials. Proceeds from each sale will be distributed to NGOs that provide bags of much-needed home-birthing materials. “Just by having the right equipment, it reduces infant mortality by 80 percent,” Mycoskie said.

Fit Club Brooke Burke-Charvet likes to get behind

the wheel at SoulCycle. But the TV personal-ity and Skechers spokeswoman said her exercise routine doesn’t stop there: She

teaches a Booty Burn class a couple of times a week. “It’s a body-sculpting, sweat-burning, booty-lifting class that’s fun and works you to your limit,” said

the fitness guru, who was at Project last week showing off her Caelum line of activewear. To motivate her students, Burke-Charvet cranks up

tunes by everyone from John Legend and Beyoncé to Sam Smith. And she has some good advice: “Mix up your routine so you don’t get bored, and just remember that at the end, you will feel better than when

you started.”

Train Tracks Cynthia Vincent loves planes, trains and auto-mobiles, or at least one of the three. The designer, who recently announced her partnership with Titan Industries, spent her summer vacation on the Coast Starlight train up to Seattle with her daughter. During the trip, they stopped to see California’s Redwoods and made their way to Portland, Ore., too. “It allowed me to decompress with my daughter,” she told Spy. “There was a the-ater downstairs, and we got to meet people from all over — New Zealand and Canada. My daughter even met her new BFF.” Plus, Vincent might have found her new source of inspiration. “You might see Pacific Northwest from me for fall ’15,” she hinted.

The cast of“Scandal”

BrookeBurke-Charvet

Nia Sanchez andCEO Bob Goldman of Chinese Laundry

JimmyFallon

BlakeMycoskie Jay-Z

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ADVERTISING, CONTACT SANDI MINES, VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER, AT 212.630.4872, OR YOUR FN SALESPERSON.

W O M E N ’ S | M E N ’ S | J U N I O R S ’ | K I D S ’ | O U T D O O R | A T H L E T I C | C O M F O R T

THE MUST BUYS ISSUE

ISSUE DATE: 9/22 | CLOSE DATE: 9/11

Before it’s on their list, it’s on ours. Attention, buyers! Don’t miss FN’s biannual sneak peek of the season’s must-have footwear trends to stock on your shelves.

For more information on advertising, contact Sandi Mines, Vice President, Publisher, at 212.630.4872, or your FN salesperson.

THE CHINA ISSUE

ISSUE DATE: 9/15 CLOSE DATE: 9/4

The RISE of RETAIL

BONUS

DISTRIBUTION

Sole Commerce 9/14-9/16

theMICAM Shanghai 9/24-9/26

FASHION ACCESS 9/25-9/27

TRUE BLUES SOAK INTO RELAXED LOOKS

FN FEATURES

AUGUST 25, 2014 | | 11

goodjeans

For spring ’15, denim dyes and washes shift from apparel to footwear. Key styles stay true to the fabric’s casual essence via slip-ons and espadrilles. From left, FRENCH CONNECTION’s indigo laceless court and CIRCUS BY SAM EDELMAN’s chambray espadrille are both updated with a flatform jute sole. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GEORGE CHINSEE

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12 | | AUGUST 25, 2014

goodjeans

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AUGUST 25, 2014 | | 13

Fashion Editor: Mosha Lundström Halbert

Assistant Fashion Editor: Christian Allaire

From left: MULO’s indigo wash waxed-cotton

slip-on, NAUTICA’s anchor-print chambray slip-on, TORY BURCH’s

striped canvas espadrille, NOMAD’s navy canvas espadrille, SOLUDOS’

striped lace-up espadrille

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14 | | AUGUST 25, 2014

From left: FITFLOP’s navy suede slip-on, ISAAC MIZRAHI’s printed canvas slip-on, LACOSTE’s striped coated-canvas style

goodjeans

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BONUS DISTRIBUTION: QVC presents FFaNY SHOES ON SALE EVENT - OCTOBER 8

For more information on advertising, contact Sandi Mines, Vice President, Publisher, at 212.630.4872, or your FN salesperson.

SUPPORT THE CAUSEA portion of advertising proceeds will go to QVC/FFaNY Shoes on Sale to support the fight against breast cancer.

QVC/FFaNY SHOESON SALE ISSUE

Issue Date » October 6

Close Date » September 25

WOMEN’S × SUSTAINABILITY × FLIP-FLOPS × BUZZ

MARKETPLACE

BY KRISTEN HENNING

If you weren’t a shoe designer, what would you be?

Edgardo Osorio“I would be a plastic

surgeon. In my teens, I was convinced I would end up a

surgeon, as I never thought my father would allow me to work in fashion. Luckily, he did, and

now I get to make women feel beautiful in a much

less drastic way.”

Stuart Weitzman“To be the head of

a foundation, such as the Ford Foundation.”

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Sophia Webster“Everyone in the office

always jokes I would make a great private detective. Any

suspicious goings-on, I’m usually first to get to the bot-

tom of it. The shoe world’s answer to Angela

Lansbury.”

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AUGUST 25, 2014 | | 17

× WOMEN’SBurning Question

Did you miss the dream jobs of last week’s featured designers? Check them out

at Footwearnews.com.

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Charline De Luca“Each time I travel, I love

to spot the new restaurants and try them out. I would love to be [a food critic like] Julia Roberts in ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding,’ obviously always

in 5-inch heels.”

Tamara Mellon“A psychiatrist. I have

always been fasci-nated with the way

people think and what motivates

them.”

Rupert Sanderson“I have long been fas-

cinated with architecture and design, so something along those lines probably would have been my sec-

ond calling.”

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the rubber trees, so we add more to the earth.”

Although the team initially considered manufacturing in India, Thomas said a long search led them to China, where factories could work with their minimums and quality was impressive.

The duo self-financed the project for three years before its o�cial

launch. “We had saved some money, so to put it into an idea we really believed in and that brings a part of India to the U.S. is great,” Thomas said.

Last fall, the brand launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $16,000 with 410 backers, exceeding their goal of $12,000 to pay for inventory and tooling costs.

Gurus is currently stocked in shops including Florida bike chain Ride-N-Roll Cyclery and some Ron Jon Surf Shop doors. For the duration of next month, the brand will introduce its product at the two New York locations of Equinox’s Pure Yoga studio, in celebration of National Yoga Month.

The give-back component was an attractive element for Pure, according to Janice Ko, special events and new business coordinator for Equi-nox. “This is the first time we’ve stocked a brand like this,” she said. “We just thought it would be a really good fit.”

To diversify and continue building its retail roster, the company plans to exhibit at trade shows including the Atlanta Shoe Market this season. For fall, the brand will add metallic silver and gold styles to meet consumer requests, and spring ’15 will see the launch of kids’ sizes, as well as a part-nership with Bel Kazan to put the Los Angeles-based label’s signature prints onto Gurus products.

But while the team is keen to explore di�erent design options with its natural rubber material, the focus for now is on Gurus’ signature toe-post look. “We have ideas, but we would like to have people know us for this design,” Thomas said.

pair of methiyedi shoes, a once-ubiquitous style that Mahatma Gandhi was known to wear. “I saw some ancient wooden san-dals hanging up as art, so I bought them as art,” he said. “My mom said that when she was a kid, my grandpa had a pair, and she and her brothers and sisters used to steal them and wear them around.”

Seeing potential for a modern audience, Thomas and Choorapuzha decided to manufacture the shoes, except made in natural rubber. Like the pro-totype, their finished line features a raised button that keeps the toes in place. However, unlike the original, the Gurus model has a flat bottom plus a strap over the instep that adds security on the foot.

Another departure is that the collection is made from natural rubber. Thomas pointed out that latex can be harvested daily for 25 years without harming the tree it is tapped from, so the material is

sustainable as well as biodegradable. In addition, it’s comfortable and has a local connection, he said.

“Both of our families were in rubber farming,” Thomas said. “[In fact], some of the rubber we’re using comes from the rubber trees on our family farms.”

The young duo — Thomas and Choorapuzha are both 31 — knew they wanted their company to include a phil-anthropic component, but debated just what that could mean. “Do we give food to children, do we provide them with shoes, or something else?” Thomas said.

Eventually, the founders decided on planting trees. “We thought that because the shoes come from a tree, it would be great to plant something for the future,” Thomas said. “We’re try-ing to go for a completely sustainable product. We’re taking our product from

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SUSTAINABILITY × ProfileMARKETPLACE

For Prem Thomas, starting Gurus was more than just a new venture: It was a way to connect to his heritage and give back, all at the same time.

His Tampa, Fla.-based company, which Thomas launched with friend and business partner Joe Choorapuzha in 2013, uses all-natural rubber for its sustainably sourced $30 flip-flops for men and women. Sold through the brand’s e-commerce site, as well as in surf accounts, eco-boutiques and nail salons, Gurus plants a tree with nonprofit Trees for the Future for every pair sold.

The Kerala region in India that supplies the rubber is a significant one to the founders. Thom-as and Choorapuzha, who met while working in banking in New York, both have relatives based there — in fact, they discovered after meeting that their families hail from the same street.

Their fledgling brand was also born there almost four years ago. Thomas was at the market running errands for his mother when he spotted an antique

Consulting the GurusA fledgling sandal brand looks to bring history to life. BY JENNIFER ERNST BEAUDRY

The brand willexpand its coloro�ering for fall

Founder Prem Thomasharvesting natural rubber

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Surf ’s UpGirls just want to have fun. For spring ’15, flip-flop brands went bold and bright with a variety of vibrant hues. Creative prints also made the cut — think snake and floral. Add in an oversized starfish detail, and it’s time to hit the beach.

Bright pistachio style by HAVAIANAS

Nautical-inspired look with a pop of pink by IZOD

IPANEMA’s multicolored floral design

Peach and nude style with stripes by TKEES

RIALTO’s sandal with starfish detail in orange

VOLCOM’s snake-inspired version with coral upper

YELLOW BOX’s tropical-print flip-flop in fuschia

AUGUST 25, 2014 | | 19

MARKETPLACE × FLIP-FLOPSTrend

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MARKETPLACE FLIP-FLOPS ×

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5 Questions

It’s been a banner start for Hari Mari, the Dallas-based flip-flop brand founded by hus-band-and-wife team Jeremy and Lila Stewart. Since launching in 2012, the company has staked its name on high-end product o�ering premium comfort with amped-up style — a

combination that has successfully wooed retailers around the country, including national chains like Urban Outfitters and Jack Spade.

The founders’ early success is particularly no-table because they are newcomers to the footwear industry. They were inspired to reconsider their career paths in this direction after a job oppor-tunity took the couple to Jakarta, Indonesia, for three years, and they saw the extreme hardship faced by children in the region.

“We knew we couldn’t jump back into corporate America after the experience we had in Asia,” Lila Stewart explained. After returning to Texas in 2010, they began planning a company that would benefit kids in their home country.

“We found that pediatric cancer is the most fatal disease for children in the U.S., and that sealed the deal for the philanthropic part of our business,” she said.

Like Toms Shoes, Hari Mari makes charitable outreach a cornerstone of its brand identity. The flip-flops are priced around $60 to $80, and for ev-ery pair sold, the company donates $3 to support

kids battling pediatric cancer. Here, Lila Stewart, who manages sales and PR

for the brand (her husband heads operations and manufacturing), delves into the firm’s approach to product, marketing and giving back.

Hari Mari has grown tremendously in only two years. To what do you credit your success?

LS: Our growth can be attributed to customers wanting something new and fresh in what was a stagnant flip-flop market. They responded to a brand that’s made responsibly, gives back, is good-looking and comfortable. We’ve got a lot of selling points, and we really run the gamut in terms of who we can sell to. Our brand can do outdoor, surf, fashion-forward accounts. We’ve been picked up by running stores primarily because of the com-fort level in our patented toe post.

The brand is outspoken about its mission to fight pediatric cancer. How are you making an impact?

LS: We have a large presence here in Texas, so we support families who can’t a�ord treatment for their children at the Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort

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Lila and JeremyStewart

Worth and Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin. As we grow and become more nationally known, we will absolutely open up more hospital relationships in di�erent pockets of the country. We want the donations to be local to where our customers live. But we’ve found that when you say how much you donate as a whole, [people say] it’s either too much or too little, so we’ve decided to keep that information internal. However at the end of the year, all our retail accounts receive dollar amount totals of how much their store con-tributed to our Flops Fighting Cancer initiative.

You launched Hari Mari without any ex-perience in the footwear business. What have been some initial challenges?

LS: It’s been hard to estimate how many pairs of shoes we need to produce. Many accounts hear about us in the middle of a season and want to place an ASAP order. You never know who is going to come on board and when. Currently we’re out of a lot of our leather line because Urban Outfit-ters wiped out a big chunk of our inventory. It will be nice once we have several more years under our belt and can better estimate what we need. But for now, it’s just a guessing game.

Your marketing has a very distinctive look. What is the inspiration behind the aesthetic?

LS: We felt like no one [in the category] was speak-ing to Middle America. If you look at the larger es-tablished flip-flop brands, they have surf or beach aesthetics, but people who’ve never even been to a beach are wearing flip-flops, and in warmer climates they are wearing them year-round. So we really wanted to focus on urban settings and be a little more realistic in our marketing and the way we convey the brand.

How are you approaching future growth?LS: Our first goal is to become a top-of-mind national flip-flop brand. Most people in

America still don’t know about Hari Mari, and we’d like to change that. For spring ’15, we are rolling out a whole new line called Dunes. It’s at a lower price point of $45 — all rubber, very sporty, but also fash-ion-forward. We plan on doing a kids’ line in 2016, and eventually we’ll introduce

closed-toe shoes and maybe some apparel to support

the brand. For every pair of footwear that

we sell, we will always give back to pediatric cancer.

A women’s stylefrom the Dunesleather line

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Happy AnniversaryRialto is marking a major milestone. The brand, a division of White Mountain Footwear Group, will turn 10 in December. It is also upping the glam factor for spring ’15, turning to more ornamented looks for its sandal collection. In addition, Rialto will also introduce a collection of casual looks for spring ’15, featuring sneakers (pictured below) and flats with a white-bottom touch. The brand is distributed in a range of

retail accounts including Kohl’s, Boscov’s, Shoe Carnival

and Zappos.com.

Greek FareNicolas Lainas Sandals are coming to the U.S. The collection of sandals, handmade in Greece, was founded in 1952 in Athens. This season marks the label’s first time showing in the U.S., and 2015

will be its first year at retail. For resort ’15, the styles will be priced at $59 to $130, and the line is being targeted to fashion independent stores.

Grand OpeningWelcome to Kuwait, Flip Flop Shops. The retail chain recently opened a new store (pictured below) this month, located at the Avenues Mall

in Kuwait City. This opening is part of a larger initiative, with roughly 50 shops planned for the area, thanks to a franchise agreement with Al Mana Fashion

Group. Additional target locations include Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

and Oman over a 10-year time frame. Some of Flip Flop Shops’ brands include Roxy, Reef, Sanuk and Havaianas.

Splish SplashIpanema is expanding its footing. The Brazil-based brand will further its relationship with Nordstrom by launching in the retailer’s resort catalog and all doors for November. The stores will highlight the brand’s Cleo style (pictured at right). The label also continues its run as the o�cial footwear sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami. After participating this summer, Ipanema will return in 2015 for its final year of the three-year sponsorship.

MARKETPLACE × BUZZFlip-Flop Launches

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FOOTWEAR NEWS 2014 EDITORIAL CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER

ISSUE DATE SPACE CLOSE EDITORIAL FEATURE

9/8 8/28 FOOT LOCKER Milestone, Kids-Special Section, Materials & Components

Distribution: SMOTA, Children’s Great Event Shoe Show,

NE & NW Materials Show

9/15 9/4 China Issue • Distribution: Sole Commerce, theMICAM Shanghai, Fashion Access

9/22 9/11 Must Buys Spring

10/6 9/25 QVC Presents FFaNY Shoes On Sale, Paris Runway Coverage

Distribution: QVC Presents FFaNY Shoes On Sale Event

10/13 10/2 The Work Boot Issue, Occupational Footwear, Outdoor

10/20 10/9 Best In Kids, Kids Fashion, Kurt Geiger Special Report

Distribution: Children’s Club Of NY

10/27 10/16 FN 100

11/3 10/23 DEER STAGS Milestone, Comfort, Rainboots

Distribution: NSRA Leadership Conference

11/10 10/30 Sneakerhead Issue, Materials & Components, Sustainability

11/24 11/13 TWO TEN Footwear Milestone, FFaNY Pre-Show Issue

Distribution: Two Ten Footwear Annual Dinner, FFaNY

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Footwear News is the premier destination for the footwear industry’s classified and career listings.

OR FAX 212.779.7248DEADLINE: 2PM (ET) WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO

DATE OF PUBLICATION

800.423.3314

FN IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2014 FAIRCHILD FASHION MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

VOLUME 70, NO. 30. AUGUST 25, 2014. FN (ISSN 0162-914X) is published weekly (except for the first weeks in March and September, third weeks in May, November and December, fourth weeks in April and June, and fifth weeks in September and December) by Fairchild Fashion Media, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Condé Nast: S.I. Newhouse Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, Chief Executive Officer; Robert A. Sauerberg, Jr., President; John W. Bellando, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer; Jill Bright, Chief Administrative Officer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. 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 SUBSCRIPTION, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, LA 51593, call 866-963-7335, or email customer service at footwearnews@cdsfulfillment.com. 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 800-662-2275, option 7. Basic one-year subscription price: U.S. $72, Canadian $149; foreign $295. Regular 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 unde-liverable, 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. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to FOOTWEAR NEWS, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permission requests, please call 212-630-5656 or fax requests to 212-630-5883. For reprints, please email reprints@condenast.com or call Wright’s Media 877-652-5295. For reuse permissions, please email contentlicensing@condenast.com or call 800-897-8666. Visit us online at www.footwearnews.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild Fashion Media magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.wwd.com/subscriptions. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA 51593 or call 866-963-7335. FOOTWEAR NEWS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR ANY DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANU-SCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED 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 CONSID -ERATION 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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On the Cover: Photographed by GEORGE CHINSEE

22 | | AUGUST 25, 2014

Stay HappyRising big-screen talent Chloe Grace Moretz wore head-turning shoes while greeting fans in New York City last Monday. The young actor has been in promotion mode for the recently released “If I Stay,” a movie based on the popular young-adult novel about the internal debate of a comatose teen after a car accident. Moretz, 17, signed autographs in Miu Miu’s jewel-encrusted tapered heels.

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