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C O N T E N T S

ON THE COVERPhotographed by GENE SMIRNOV in the QVC studios in West Chester, Pa.

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“We are keeping it more real. We got lost in what the purpose was and what we were all in the room for.” - FFANY’S JOHN HERON ON CHANGES TO ITS BREAST CANCER CHARITY EVENT

INSIDER 9 The Luxury

ChallengeSustainability and anxiety over Hong Kong protests were hot topics in Europe.

15 FN SpyInside one New York chef’s passion for fashion and food.

16 New ChapterHow Rockport is charging ahead under new owners.

FFANY SHOES ON SALE 26 � e Network

ProviderQVC’s dedication to fi ghting breast cancer spans 25 years and is still going strong.

36 In� uential Figure AwardJamie Salter of Authentic Brands Group is changing the fashion paradigm.

18 FN InsightsTechnology is making material selection more eco-friendly.

FN STYLE 21 � e Top 10

Shoes of PFWFrom hot pink platforms to sport sandals, FN presents the best of spring ’20.

24 Paris When It SizzlesHow infl uencers make the most of the week; Chanel’s street style; the city’s most viral moments.

38 Company of the YearHow Designer Brands Inc. evolved beyond traditional retail.

40 Designer of the YearRebecca Minko� ’s mission to empower women is paying o� .

FN PICK 42 Catwalk

CrasherGigi Hadid fends o� an unexpected guest at Chanel in Paris.

30

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ALL THE TOP SHOE TRENDS FROM SHANGHAI FASHION WEEK Week of Oct. 21FN’s Asia contributor, Marianna Cerini, reports back from China on the biggest footwear themes on the runway.

Decline in department store sales in August 2019

Decline in overall retail sales in Hong Kong

Decline in visitors to the territory

SOURCE: HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD

Hong Kong’s Plummeting Retail Sales Put a Chill on Luxury Brands

HOW ATHLETIC BRANDS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE OLYMPICS RELEVANT AGAIN Week of Oct. 14Olympic viewership is on the decline, and yet brands continue to invest in the global games. With the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo approaching, execs discuss how and why they’re banking on the major event.

CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE UNDERGONE A DRAMATIC STYLE TRANSFORMATION

Week of Oct. 7When Jennifer Lopez appeared at Milan Fashion Week in a version of the unforgettable Versace green dress she wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards, it sparked thoughts about her dramatic style transformation through the years — and how other big names have changed with the times. Jennifer Lopez walks in

Versace’s spring ’20 show

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I Love Pretty fall ’18 show at Shanghai

Fashion Week

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“Th e world is crying out for change, and it is our responsibility to act now. Th e younger generation is standing up and telling us that our house is on fi re, and that we need to respond like we are in a

crisis — because in fact it is a crisis.”

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— STELLA MCCARTNEY, IN HER SHOW NOTES AT PARIS FASHION WEEK

Th e LuxuryChallenge

What dominated the Europe conversation? Sustainability was in the spotlight, political unrest in Hong Kong fueled anxiety and a new class of “it” shoe brands broke through.

BY KATIE ABEL AND STEPHANIE HIRSCHMILLER

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Respondents in an Accenture survey said it was important for retailers to be eco-minded

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SUSTAINABILITY IS FINALLY STARTING TO RESHAPE HOW BRANDS DO BUSINESSWhen guests arrived at Stella McCartney’s show at

the opulent Opera Garnier last Monday, they found

something a bit unexpected.

Instead of the usual show notes on their seats,

there was a timeline of the label’s long list of green

accomplishments. It highlighted the designer’s

fall ’19 co-branded vegan and sustainable Hunter

boot, the 2018 vegan Stan Smith collaboration

(McCartney has been a longtime partner of Adi-

das) and the label’s own eco-friendly Loop sneaker

— also introduced last year.

A day earlier, McCartney — who partnered with

LVMH this summer— gathered environmental

activists for a pre-show roundtable discussion.

The British designer has long been a leader in

sustainability and ethical sourcing, and now the

rest of the luxury industry finally appears to be

getting on board.

At the beginning of Paris Fashion Week, Kering

committed to full carbon neutrality, a month after

it helped bring together dozens of top brands to

sign the G7 fashion pact. At Dior, creative director

Maria Grazia Chiuri styled models with braids like

teen activist Greta Thunberg and used 164 trees

for her set — which will all be replanted in and

around the French capital. In Milan, the indus-

try came together at the Green Carpet Fashion

Awards, which drew widespread interest.

While there’s no question sustainability is in the

spotlight, the high-end sector has lagged behind,

in part because of consumers’ habits. “People have

long been making conscious choices in how they

eat, sleep and travel — but how they dress has

been last on the list,” said Ida

Petersson, womenswear buy-

ing director at London-based

Browns Fashion.

Nevertheless, many younger

brands have built their labels

around sustainable principles

rather than factoring them in

later. Marine Serre, who also

showed in Paris, has been

working with upcycled and

overstocked components from

the beginning, but a consumer

would have no idea, which, she

said, is the whole point. “That’s

not the idea I’m trying to sell,”

said the designer. “I want to

do amazing things with what

is already there, and for me,

that’s normal.”

The title of her show was

Marée Noire, or “Black Tide,”

and half of the looks featured

recycled materials, such

as black PVC trench coats

fashioned from ocean-waste

plastic bottles.

The whole concept of

sustainability is becoming even

more rooted in the design ethos

of today’s up-and-coming tal-

ents. “It’s the backbone of everything we do,” said

Spencer Phipps, an LVMH Prize 2019 finalist. He

prefers to use the word “responsible” because he

believes “sustainable” is an ambiguous term.

For Phipps, that involves using organic cottons,

local production, recycled or biodegradable corn-

starch bags, and upcycled and recycled fabrics. He

only works with factories that share his principles,

from waste disposal to energy efficiency. “I give

them a questionnaire that’s three pages long,” he

said during a recent event hosted by 24S to launch

a capsule collection from the prize finalists.

Similarly, Emily Bode of Bode is also up to the

challenge. About 40% of her production is one of

a kind, made either from antique textiles or dead-

stock. In such cases, scalability is often cited as

an issue, but she maintains that it’s about “being

incredibly good at sourcing and having a strong

network of suppliers.” This includes working with

companies that resell fabrics from shut-down

mills. “It’s also about knowing in advance what

you envision selling,” she said, explaining that she

often stockpiles textiles to create a warehouse ele-

ment for buyers to shop.

While the ballet pumps Bode showed in Paris

in June were repurposed, she said she’s looking

forward to creating her own footwear for fall ’20.

“Now there are amazing young designers who

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47%

T H E B I G S T O R Y

THE BOTTEGA BOOMHOW THE ITALIAN FASHION HOUSE IS WINNING — FROM STREET STYLE TO THE SHOP FLOOR.

Daniel Lee, the architect behind fall’s hottest shoes — the square-toed knot sandals and mesh pumps — did it again for spring ’20. The designer’s new Bottega collection included a simple two-strap heeled sandal done in the label’s puffed-style leathers with a twisted motif — as well as new takes on the house’s intrecciato fine weaving technique on a variety of silhouettes. Here’s why retailers are banking on another blockbuster season.

“Bottega Veneta was the show of Milan Fashion Week and probably of the season. Daniel Lee’s collection was fresh, cool and modern, but stunning and commercial at the same time. We are already having amazing success with his [debut offering], and spring ’20 will be a good season for Bottega shoes at Harrods. Their mules are definitely a must-have.” — Alberto Oliveros, GMM at Kurt Geiger, who is responsible for buying men’s, women’s and children’s shoes for Harrods.

“[The brand] took the fashion world by storm last season creating waiting lists for Daniel Lee’s new designs. This runway delivery looked fantastic and continues to deliver the must-have fashion you can wear all day.” — Erica Russo, Bloomingdale’s VP and fashion director, accessories and beauty

“Consumers are shopping smarter these days, and want to spend on something they will get more out of at the end. The new Bottega rubber soles are the perfect example for this. The quilted leather sandals are so chic, and the sole allows [the consumer] to wear them almost 24/7.” — Tiffany Hsu, buying director at Mytheresa

have this way of thinking ingrained into their

labels,” said Petersson. “For so long, sustainable

brands were just hemp and hippie.”

Other big eco-friendly debuts for spring ’20

came from Onward Luxury Group, which recently

started the OLG Lab — focused on new talents,

innovative projects and sustainability.

The company launched sneaker label F_WD

during Milan Fashion Week last February, and

its second new venture is elevated flip-flop line

Carlotha Ray, which is made in Italy with 100%

natural rubber from Madagascar. (A F_WD

Bottega Veneta on the MFW runway

Carlotha Ray natural rubber flip-flops are designed by Mariela Schwarz Montiel

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Protesters clash with anti-riot police in Hong Kong during China’s 70th anniversary

AMERICAN SPIRITTHESE U.S. DESIGNERS BROUGHT INCLUSIVE MESSAGING TO PARIS FASHION WEEK.

Brother VelliesAurora James presented Brother Vellies for the first time at Paris Fashion Week, showing an eclectic collection that emphasized the designer’s focus on femininity and craftsmanship. “I was here a lot this summer and was really inspired by the things I was doing,” she said. New footwear styles include woven leather sandals with Victorian motifs and metal chain detailing, woven raffia looks crocheted by hand with wood platform heels and Swarovski hand-embellished boots and sandals with ostrich feather

detailing. Traditional African-inspired styles are reflected in the Springbok African Camp Sandal.

Kerby Jean-RaymondThe power of Jean-Raymond at Pyer Moss is undeniable. The Haitian-American designer, who was also just elevated to artistic director of Reebok’s newly created Studies division, was the architect of one of New York Fashion Week’s most important and memorable shows. He took the collection to Paris on a smaller scale, hosting a cocktail and preview for his “Sister" collection there. “I don’t want to fall victim to being one of those designers who feels validated by coming to Paris and having a runway show,” he told FN. “I’m building a movement in New York, specifically in my own neighborhood where I grew up.” He’s also staging smaller

shows in cities like Lagos, Nigeria, and Dubai — fashion stops off the main circuit.

TelfarBuzzy New Yorker Telfar Clemens made a big statement at the start of Paris Fashion Week, unveiling a surprise Converse collaboration. The designer’s unisex take for this co-ed show involved new interpretations of the Chuck 70, Pro Leather and ERX styles, inspired by a trip to the brand’s design archives. The Pro became a slip-on, the ERX was worked into a sandal and the Chuck 70 was transformed with graphics riffing off the ready-to-wear. Jersey sets, tracks and tees drew inspiration from Converse heritage designs for athletes.

The show — which focused on strong messages of inclusivity — took place in a concert hall and featured live music. It ended with a dance off.

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tors, which began as a dispute over a proposed

extradition bill, have taken a toll on tourism, with

the total number of visitors sinking nearly 40% in

August to 3.59 million, according to data released

last week by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

“The situation is troubling, and certainly for

our businesses, it is unprecedented,” said Peter

Harris, president of Pedder Group, which operates

On Pedder and the shoe division at Lane Crawford.

“Through the Pedder Group’s various businesses,

we have a healthy balance of loyal Hong Kong

customers and visitors, but we have been impacted

by customer sentiment, and trading hours have

been affected. Our focus has been on the safety of

in-store teams and customers, and maintaining the

service levels we are known for.”

The bulk of the tourism drop has come from

visitors from mainland China, who have histori-

cally been a reliable source of income for high-end

brands in Hong Kong.

“It’s such a crucial market, and the situation is

having ripple effects because of the city’s position

as a luxury and fashion center. Anything nega-

tive impacts the perception of brands throughout

the world,” said Franklin Chu, managing direc-

tor of Azoya International, a provider of cross-

border e-commerce solutions to

assist retailers looking to expand

into China. “A lot of brands have

been successful without making

too much of an investment in

e-commerce. This will be kind of a

wakeup call for them.”

The government reported the

worst year-over-year decline in

retail sales on record, with the

number falling 23% in August.

Among the sectors most impacted

is luxury fashion, as analysts

estimate that Hong Kong accounts

for between 5% and 10% of global

sales of luxury goods. “There is an air of anxiety

and sadness all around, and people are gener-

ally reluctant to spend,” said Bertrand Mak, who

founded R. Sanderson in 2016, a premium spinoff

of London-based Rupert Sanderson. (The venture

is a partnership between Mak and the namesake

designer, who has a minority stake.) “There is a

guilt [associated with] pleasure, especially retail

therapy. The general consensus is to be more dis-

creet and low-profile. People are still spending, but

more online and abroad. Many are leaving the city

to seek sanctuary,” Mak said.

Still, unlike the mega luxury brands that have

been banking on Hong Kong to drive huge growth

numbers, R. Sanderson has an advantage of being

small and nimble.

“Our two standalone stores are in the most

prestigious malls in Hong Kong: Landmark and

Elements. For me, it has always been about gen-

erating experiences — we offer intimate art and

12

Aurora James with her models at the Brother Vellies PFW presentation

sneaker is priced at $330, while a Carlotha Ray

flip-flop is $125.)

“Generation Z definitely wants to buy sustain-

ability, and we have to listen to them,” said CEO

Fabio Ducci. “It doesn’t necessarily mean higher

prices. It’s a matter of focus through research and

product development, and we're investing a lot.”

While the industry is moving forward, getting

sustainability right is a big challenge for every

company, especially as materials and processes

rapidly evolve.

“It’s a really complex question and issue. As a

company and also personally, I feel comfortable to

take little steps season by season,” said Sandra San-

dor, the designer behind Budapest womenswear la-

bel Nanushka. “We’re trying to be very transparent

about what stage we are in — what we’re trying to

improve each season. The reason for that is it’s a

quite slow process. It’s not black and white.”

For example, when the designer pondered real

leather or a fake version (which is actually plastic),

she wondered which was actually better. “One

doesn’t have animals. On the other hand, a bag of

real leather will be with you for decades. A bag from

alternative leather would probably fade quickly.”

To that end, Nanushka’s bags and shoes are

crafted from vegetable-tanned leather, while ready-

to-wear is made of vegan leather and meets EU

regulations for not using certain harmful chemi-

cals for production.

HONG KONG PROTESTS ARE GETTING WORSE — AND THEY’VE ALREADY CHILLED LUXURY SALES Nearly four months after ongoing pro-democracy

protests broke out in Hong Kong, the territory’s

status as a global hub for luxury retail may be in

jeopardy.

While high-end fashion players are grappling

with uncertainty surrounding Brexit in the U.K.

and concerns about the economy and the chal-

lenged department store sector in the U.S., the top

worry during fashion month was about the Hong

Kong landscape.

The clashes between police and demonstra-

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“OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE SAFETY OF IN-STORE TEAMS AND CUSTOMERS ...” —PETER HARRIS, HONG KONG-BASED PEDDER GROUP

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matcha tea-making workshops in our stores, iden-

tifying the link between such experiences with my

creations, often infl uenced by art. There is a level

of trust that enables us to meet clients’ requests.

We visit their homes and offi ces, or connect online

via WhatsApp messaging and delivery services,”

Mak said.

Harris said that Pedder Group also is ac-

celerating its online eff orts and connecting with

consumers through social media. “We have seen

a substantial increase of customers who may

not want to visit our physical stores, and instead

have chosen to purchase on Lanecrawford.com,”

the executive said.

In store, the retailer continues to focus on

experiences. For fall it launched an immersive

chocolate experience with local artist Janice Wong

and also brought design talent from Malone Souli-

ers, Magnanni, John Lobb, Butler & Wilson and

Gabriela Hearst to meet consumers in Hong Kong,

Singapore and Beijing.

Outside of local operators, every high-end

label is factoring the downtown into its year-end

forecast. At Sergio Rossi — which has been under-

going a signifi cant overhaul under CEO Riccardo

Sciutto — momentum is building across much

of the world. But Hong Kong is a critical piece to

the equation. “We’ll grow this year. How much

depends on what happens there,” he said.

AS DESIGNERS MOVE BEYOND THE SNEAKER, RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS STILL LOVE KICKS“I don’t want to forget my past. I am a sneaker de-

signer, but I’m also about elegance,” said Giuseppe

Zanotti at his Milan Fashion Week presentation.

The veteran designer and most other luxury

brands — both on and off the runway — showed

fewer sneakers for spring ’20, opting for more

feminine, comfort-driven looks. Infl uencers and

The year Stella McCartney started using organic cotton2008 editors also veered in a diff erent direction, choos-

ing fl at sandals (early in the month) and then

transitioning to more boots as the fall weather

arrived in Paris.

It seemed like the high-end sneaker revolution

might be fading. But make no mistake, no one is

backing away from a category that continues to

fuel retail during a challenging time. “Sneakers

are by no means slowing down, but it is defi nitely

refreshing to see a slight shift back toward the

leather sole business,” said Julia Macrae, buyer at

Dubai-based Level Shoes. “They off er the customer

the comfort that they are accustomed to with a

sneaker but in a more elegant and elevated way.

We have seen brands shift their attention with the

introduction of lower heels and fl ats, which mimic

the basic principle of a sneaker.”

Pierre Hardy said that while there might not

be as much heat around kicks, it’s due to the fact

that “fashion is always in motion. You’re always

projecting to the next thing.”

The designer, who has long off ered

sneakers in his collection, said the

category is a way of life now. “You

buy sneakers like you buy a T-shirt.

This season, I think there’s more

femininity, lightness, joy. We’re not

in a moment of ‘It’s this or nothing

else.’ Nothing is forbidden,” the

designer said.

While sneakers are less prevalent

because they’re not a new story,

they’re now a staple in wardrobes,

said Erica Russo, Bloomingdale’s VP

and fashion director of accessories

and beauty. “Even though the fashion

conversation is moving toward sport

sandals with footbeds and athletic

infl uences, sneakers aren’t going any-

where anytime soon.”

Sandra Choi, the longtime creative

director at Jimmy Choo, said designers

are adapting to consumers’ evolving life-

styles — and sneakers are just one part of

the equation. “The world is changing, and

we’re changing with it. A trainer doesn’t

have to make you run or walk faster. You

want to look great, but it’s not about perfor-

mance. It’s also about alternative heels, about

diff erent combinations, volumes, proportion.

Do you really want to struggle?”

The Michael Kors-owned brand, which has

seen its sneaker business grow rapidly, is team-

ing up with South Korean stylist Yun-kee Jeong

on a collaboration, a special iteration of its

“Diamond” sneaker.

INSTAGRAM IS FUELING A NEW CLASS OF EMERGING TALENT When Eva Chen stepped out in two diff erent

pairs of Paris Texas snake-embossed boots on

consecutive days last week, the Paris Fashion

Week street style photographers were right there,

snapping away. And the Instagram queen shared

four diff erent posts featuring the brand, racking

up tens of thousands of likes on each of them.

It was the kind of buzz any young label covets,

and Chen is one infl uencer who

actually moves product. (After

discovering Paris Texas on Insta-

gram — naturally — she was one

of its earliest supporters follow-

ing its 2015 launch.)

Paris Texas is just one of

several new labels that’s rapidly

growing, thanks in large part to

a social-obsessed young female

consumer who buys based off

what they’re seeing on Instagram.

Wandler and By Far, two other

emerging brands, are also resonat-

ing strongly with both shoppers

and retailers.

“They have all cleverly used

social media to interact with

customers and generate brand

awareness, along with excellent

product placement,” said Macrae.

“They are ensuring that their

‘it’ shoes (By Far’s Tanya sandals,

Wandler’s Isa pumps and Paris Texas’ knee-high

boots) are seen on all the right people in all the

right places.”

“They speak to the modern Instagram girl

and their audience, which guarantees success,”

added Hollie Harding, non-apparel buying man-

ager at Browns.

Just as importantly, these brands have been

smart about developing a signature that’s commer-

cial, wearable and accessible. “The latest contem-

porary brands, such as By Far and Wandler, have

found the magic recipe for well-made, fashion-fo-

cused shoes available for an accessible price,” said

Elizabeth von der Goltz, global buying director at

Net-a-Porter. “These are all off ered in both state-

ment styles and classic styles, which helps them

translate to a wide customer base.”

“I DON’T WANT TO FORGET MY PAST. I’M A SNEAKER DESIGNER, BUT I'M ALSO ABOUT ELEGANCE.”—GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI

By Far’s spring ’20 collection is

inspired by the’90s

Pierre Hardy spring ’20 sneaker

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Eva Chenin Paris Texasboots at PFW

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Food For � oughtNew York’s Beatrice Inn chef and owner Angie Mar talks fashion in the kitchen. BY NIKARA JOHNS

“I just want to eat beef and wear heels,” famed chef

Angie Mar told FN. She’s not being dramatic. Scroll

through her Instagram and you’ll see just as much red

from the bottom of her Christian Louboutin heels as

you would from a 60-day dry-aged prime rib.

Fashion has been a major infl uence on her food

since she can remember.

“My mother always says I’m the same person that I

was when I was 7 years old. That’s when I was stealing

Food & Wine and Vogue o� of her dresser,” she said.

“One of the things that I love most about fashion is

that it’s very much like food. I can decide to be one

person one day and somebody else the next.”

For Mar, who typically cooks in Adidas sneakers,

forming a dish begins with an idea. “It’s less about the

protein and what I’m actually cooking, and more about

the idea that ends up on the plate.” (She’s been known

to watch runway shows from Galliano and YSL or take

a stroll through Bergdorf Goodman for inspiration.)

Frequent guests at the Beatrice Inn, which she

Serena Williams on stage

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Forever 21 fi les for bankruptcy

Arezzo & Co. inks Vans licensing deal

Gigi Hadid saves Chanel show from crasher

Caleres stock dips

Nike sues Skechers

“I’ve been an athlete my whole life, but I always knew I wanted to transition into business,” said Serena Williams. The tennis champ said the discipline she’s developed in her sports career helped her understand how to be successful in other ventures. Numerous endorsement opportunities have also been critical to the equation. “I’ve been with Nike for over 15 years, and I’ve been able to see the ins and outs of how to successfully run such a great consumer brands company,” she said during a recent panel at Advertising Week in New York. But there’s one thing in particular that she admires about the Swoosh: “Nike is one of those brands out there that is not going to be afraid to say how they feel. And that’s something I really admire.” Williams said she’s applied that to her own label. “We want to empower people to feel comfortable standing up for what they feel is right.” In addition to launching S By Serena and serving on the board of Verizon, Williams also owns an investment company called Serena Ventures that backs companies she believes in. She also serves on the boards of Survey Monkey and Poshmark. — Eugenia Richman

Chef Angie Mar might cook in

Adidas kicks, but she prefers high

fashion

bought in 2016, include Diane von Furstenberg and

Valentino Garavani.

However, The Bea is much more than a scene-y

spot in downtown Manhattan. It’s a city institution

that once operated as a speakeasy in the 1920s, then

a family-owned Italian restaurant, followed by a

nightclub. It was then owned by publishing magnate

Graydon Carter.

Mar tells the story of her journey in her debut cook-

book, “Butcher and Beast,” out now.

“I just wanted to create a restaurant that was

representative of New York,” she explained. “To me,

my version of the city, the one I feel in love with, is

one that’s all-encompassing and embraces all walks

of life. I wrote about that in the book. New York em-

braced my oddities and neurosis and it does that for

a lot of us. For me, everything truly fantastic starts at

the dinner table. That’s the environment we wanted

to create. I just wanted people to be able to come and

enjoy my food.”

Sorel’s boots are made to withstand any weather condition – and the shoes were put to the test at the brand’s fi rst-ever runway show, which sent models on a mile-long walk through the rain in New York City’s Meatpacking district. The Portland, Ore.-based company showcased about a dozen shoe styles available to shop for fall. Nordstrom Trunk Club provided the outfi ts, which were styled by Kate Young, whose roster of celebrity clients includes Margot Robbie, Selena Gomez and Sophie Turner. “[Kate is] based in the city, and in some ways she fi ts the exact profi le of our consumer: an unstoppable and powerful woman. We know how in demand she is – in fashion in general and in Hollywood,” Mark Nenow, president of Sorel, said of the partnership. — Ella Chochrek

Iris Apfel recently celebrated her 98th birthday

IRIS APFEL ON TODAY’S HOTTEST TRENDS: “I don’t follow trends. I think they are just made up for commercial purposes and sometimes they fi t you and sometimes they don’t. The problem is that too many people just say they have to have it. I always say the biggest fashion faux-pas is looking in the mirror and seeing somebody else.”

WEEKLY UPS AND DOWNS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

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How Javan Bunch is formulating a fresh strategy to grow the � rm’s brands around the world.BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER-LEVY

Rockport’s New Chapter

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C O M F O R T N E W S

family chains and e-tailers in the U.S. — and over

3,000 international points of sale mainly in Asia

and Europe.

“Our consumers around the world are consis-

tent in their desire for footwear that’s technology-

based and relevant in styling, while there are

unique nuances geographically,” said Bunch.

To better understand shopping patterns,

Bunch relies on Rockport’s retailers. “Our

partners on the ground at the grassroots level

tell us every day how the customer is living and

what they want,” said Bunch. “It’s our biggest

challenge, but also makes the job so much fun.

No one here lives in a vacuum, nor do we want

to. We have to have a relevant impact on a large

customer base.”

At Schuler Shoes, CEO Alan Schuler said he

is optimistic about Rockport’s new leadership,

noting positive changes such as expanded inven-

tory in sizes and widths. “They have been a great

partner and willing to work out problems and we

appreciate that part of our relationship,” he said.

Here, Bunch talks about the importance of

technology, the shift to casual dressing and ap-

pealing to younger consumers.

Consumers of all ages are putting comfort at the top of the list. Is this shift helping you attract younger shoppers?Javan Bunch: “Believe it or not, 50% of our

customers are under 50. One of our large invest-

ments is consumer research — understanding

The Rockport Group might have new owners, but

it’s staying true to its roots as an innovator in the

comfort space.

The company, which owns Rockport, Dunham,

Aravon and Cobb Hill, was acquired by Charles

Bank Capital Partners in August 2018. Now, help-

ing to move the fi rm forward is Javan Bunch, who

was named president last November following

the appointment of Gregg Ribatt as CEO.

Today, the fl agship brand’s business is divided

between independents, department stores,

A spring ’20 sandal and mule from Rockport

FN SPEAD SINGLE TEMPLATE.indd 1 10/3/19 1:36 PM

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who the consumer is, what they want, and how

they’re thinking. Today we have a lot of ways we

can listen to them, including by [interacting with

them personally] and through more high-tech

customer relationship management tools on our

website, which gives us rich data.”

How does Rockport balance its domestic and foreign businesses?JB: “International business is a little less than

half of our overall business, with the largest

[portion] coming through company-owned

subsidiaries in Japan, Korea and the Iberians, in

addition to a network of 30 distributors. While

our consumers around the world are consistent

in their desire for relevantly styled, technology-

based comfort footwear, there are unique nuances

geographically. [Consumers] might lean toward

dress in Korea versus the U.S., and a slight lean

toward more black shoes than colored shoes

in Japan.”

More and more brands are touting comfort. Who is Rockport’s competition today?JB: “Our research shows 70% of customers who

try on a pair of our shoes buy them. I believe

our investment in technology is critical to our

competitive positioning. We stake everything on

the repeat purchase. However, when it comes to

competitors, I look at the entire market. They’re

also [considered] collaborators, because we’re all

delivering this wonderful product.”

instead dress-casual, casual-dress, call it what

you will. It has technology [built in], and is the

next step from the dress-casuals we invented 40

or 50 years ago.”

How connected are the Rockport, Cobb Hill, Dunham and Aravon brands?JB: “Cobb Hill was established as a standalone

brand. It has a loyal customer base in terms of

independents and end-use consumers. It has a

more artisan look and its own development and

sales teams. Aravon and Dunham also have their

own brand propositions. While Aravon o� ers foot

wellness, Dunham is a 100-year-old boot business

started in Vermont. While our wholesale partners

realize they’re all part of the Rockport family, and

that a larger organization provides stability and

[gives them] confi dence, I don’t think the end

consumer knows [the connection].”

With a history in the dress-comfort category, how is Rockport addressing the growing athleisure movement?JB: “Dress has been a heritage part of our collec-

tion. Our partners have really identifi ed Rock-

port with dress. Even if it’s a smaller [business],

they’re doing it with us. However, more than

50% of our business today is non-dress, and it’s

growing every quarter. How we address it may

not be through performance athletic shoes, but

“WE HAVE TO HAVE A RELEVANT IMPACT ON A LARGE CUSTOMER BASE.”—JAVAN BUNCH

A Rockport laceup for spring ’20



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SOURCES: BRANDS, EPA

MAT E R I A L S B Y M A D E L E I N E S T R E E T S

That creates a more sustainable model, where suppliers can cut

down on manufacturing costs. For brands, the immediate access to 3-D

digital files enables a quicker workflow and ensures all internal teams

have access to identical copies.

But to overhaul the current systems and make digital the norm,

mass adoption is needed. Two platforms are tackling this issue from

opposite directions: design and data.

Swatchbook is focusing on building a platform to streamline the

design process. Originally a place for brands to scan and upload

their own materials for internal collaboration, Swatchbook said it

now onboards several suppliers a month to its shared database. Each

material is either scanned through Swatchbook’s technology or verified

in-house to ensure it meets company standards, so that all users have

access to quality visuals.

“In order to have meaningful materials that can actually be used in

3-D modeling and rendering applications, the [image] quality has to

be there,” said Thomas Teger, co-founder and chief product officer at

Swatchbook. “Anything that is public-facing from a supplier standpoint,

that brands will have access to, has to go through our process.”

And visuals are prioritized. Each material is displayed in multiple

formats: draped; on a roll; rendered onto a 3-D model of the user’s

choosing; in a short video of human hands manipulating the fabric; and

in the company’s patent-pending 1:1 format. Through the Swatchbook

Some brands like Adidas

and Rothy’s are making

shoes out of recycled

plastic. Others are

turning to wine corks

and organic cotton.

As sustainability

initiatives are

accelerating throughout

the footwear industry,

experts suggest that

there is still a lot of

waste and inefficiency

in the sourcing and

production process.

As a result, many companies are

embracing digital solutions that allow them

to explore materials without searching

through pages of swatch books. With

digitization, fewer samples need to be made

and distributed from the outset; only the

final selection of fabrics needs to be looked at

in person.

New digital breakthroughs are helping brands choose the right materials faster, reducing environmental waste.

The Power of Eco Tech

By the Numbers

By saving physical swatches to the final stage of decision making, brands

can reduce waste and save time

$0The cost to scan and upload a textile to Material Exchange

10,000Materials in the Swatchbook library right now, with more added each month

8,240Tons of clothing and footwear waste was sent to landfill in the US in 2015

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“We feel there is a much better way where you don’t need to rely on hundreds of materials being sent your way every season.” — Thomas Teger, co-founder of Swatchbook

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app, any mobile device can display materials true to scale using the

1:1 feature. Users can then apply the fabric to a sample product using

augmented reality to gauge suitability.

The app can also be used to scan QR codes, which are generated

for every material uploaded to the Swatchbook platform. These can

be shared digitally among brand teams for access to the digital file or

printed out and attached by suppliers to the select physical materials

that do get distributed.

“It’s the swatch book of the future,” said Teger. “Rather than giving

you a book with all the samples, why don’t I give you one larger sample

and you can use the QR code to pull up all the colors available?”

While the files are compatible with all major 3-D design programs,

the backend data attached to each material varies. There is no

minimum information required by Swatchbook, so suppliers choose

which details to include with each upload. Once a material is selected

by a design team, brand and supplier must verify details on textile

compatibility and availability.

Material Exchange,

another digitization

platform, aims to

eliminate the need

for this conversation

altogether by

providing important

information upfront.

“Digitization is all

about the right data,” said Andy Polk, SVP at the Footwear Distributors

and Retailers of America and a board member at Material Exchange.

“Yes, a designer can search for materials by filters (type, color, pattern,

etc.) but the key is more that the materials team can see the spec sheet

upfront and see if the material can be used in production, know if it is

in stock and see if the material is compliant before sampling.”

A collaboration between Deckers Brands and industry organizations

like FDRA, Material Exchange was created with the goal of modernizing

the supply chain. All teams involved in sourcing are equipped with the

information they need by accessing the same digital file. Each material

in the database can be used by designers for close-up visual assessment;

by development teams to understand detailed textile characteristics;

and by supply chain teams to track origin and compliance.

Each file’s data can also be integrated with a brand’s product

lifecycle management software. That removes the need for an employee

to input each specification by hand, saving time and money.

UTILIZE THE SEARCH FUNCTIONAs more materials get uploaded to the databases, brands gain more options — which also means more choices to sift through. Brands looking to engage with sustainable fabrics should be conscious of filtering out any textiles that don’t meet requirements, from the outset. But suppliers also need to ensure that their materials are tagged correctly, so that they don’t miss out on potential customers.

EMBRACE EXPERIMENTATIONNot only are digital files immediately available, they are also cheaper (or free) to work with and create no waste in comparison to physical swatches. This lowers the barrier to entry for sustainable materials and lets brands try out unfamiliar or unexpected choices with minimal risk, before committing to a physical sample.

CREATE CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT PRODUCTIONProduction processes frequently span multiple parts of the world, creating opportunities for miscommunication and outdated file sharing. This can result in waste product as samples are manufactured incorrectly. By sharing a single digitized file with all production players, brands can ensure material consistency throughout the supply chain.

HOW DIGITIZATION CAN SPEARHEAD SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

“We would rather help suppliers lower

their costs so they can spend money on

developing the next great material for

brands,” said Polk. “Material Exchange is

actually giving out scanners to suppliers to

help them or just allowing them to use a

phone to take pictures.”

Both Material Exchange and Swatchbook

believe that through smarter, more-efficient

material review, suppliers will be able to

control production and respond to what

brands are asking for.

“Physical is not going to go away. To make

the final decision, you need to have it in your

hand and feel it,” said Teger. “But to get to

those final options, we feel there is a much

better way where you don’t need to rely on

hundreds of materials being sent your way

every season.”

The Swatchbook mobile app lets users

view materials in all the same formats as

on a desktop

The materials space is rapidly innovating to keep up with demands for better performance, more-efficient production and, crucially, minimal environmental impact. For brands and suppliers alike, digitized materials and virtual databases can be the springboard needed to help foster sustainably minded collaborations. Here’s how companies can take advantage:

The Material Exchange platform ensures high-resolution scans of every textile

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S T Y L EF N

TOPSHOES OF

10PARIS FASHION WEEK For spring ’20, Belgian designer

Dries Van Noten teamed up with legendary couturier Christian Lacroix for a collaborative collection that proved design heavyweights can work in perfect harmony. Van Noten’s modern lines and gravitas mixed with the ’80s icon’s flourishes and extravagance. This pair of satin platform boots in hot pink — Lacroix’s signature hue — captures the mingling of two of fashion’s most prolific minds. The platforms kick off FN’s top picks of the week.

By Shannon Adducci

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BROTHER VELLIESCreative director Aurora

James held her first Paris presentation at the Peninsula

Hotel, where a gigantic circular crystal chandelier matched this

pair of crystal-fringed embel-lished sandals that wrapped up

the leg asymmetrically.

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Leave it to Valli to make a flatform look ladylike and

glamorous. Done in satin with elaborate crystal detailing on the straps and toes, this sandal could

become a new kind of evening shoe.

MIU MIU There will be plenty of wooden

platforms and clogs come spring, but Miuccia Prada’s sky-high sandal with button embellishments stood out.

BALENCIAGA Super sharp, angular lines were all over the brand’s collection, from razor-like shoulders to pointy witch

stilettos, plus these patent leather boots with toes so square they resembled duck fins.

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P A R I S F A S H I O N W E E K » T O P 1 0 S H O E SS T Y L E

S T Y L EF NVALENTINO For spring, creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli revived the hit Rock Stud in a big way with wrap sandals. But this pair

of flats lined with rope cording and topped with a gold sculptural jewel was a more sophisticated match to the

neon-accented collection of couture-level gowns.

RICK OWENSThe designer brought back his out-of-this-world platform boots for spring, this time in a knee-high version with oversized grommet pull tabs — and done in an atypical sunny yellow hue.

SACAI After a hit Nike collab last season, Sacai took on the sport sandal solo. Its rugged lacing detail and heavy rubber soles are

sure to win over fashion’s Tev-aficionados next summer.

CHRISTIAN DIOR Spring ’20 may be full of flat

sandals, but Dior’s combat boot, with its latticework cutouts, has the

same feeling of ease.

LOEWEA low-key wardrobe isn’t

complete without a loafer, and the Spanish luxury brand did

a versatile, effortless one in black and white with a simple

wooden heel.

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Why is Paris Fashion Week so important to your business?CAROLINE DAUR: “PFW brings me an

open-mindedness. Being surrounded by

all the amazing creatives and talents of

the industry gives me inspiration and

ideas to see and decide on what’s next.

It is a great stepping stone to building

brand relationships and having press

exposure for future collaborations.”

What is the most important thing that you gain from the week? CD: “It’s more of a domino e� ect where

having visibility and networking could

lead to new followers, partnerships

and so forth. For me, it is mainly about

discovering the di� erent collections

through the eyes of the designers and

their teams, and by getting the oppor-

tunity to express myself by styling the

pieces.”

Does PFW help you to get more followers and engagement than the rest of the year?CD: “[It’s] the last fashion week, it is

eagerly awaited and can result in a

high interest rate. As we live in an

era where everything is instant with

social media and live-streaming, the

amount of content that is shared

across this period of time is really

dense, so it’s important to keep it

new and interesting.”

What was your favorite moment?CD: “Together with Kate Moss, Cara

Delevingne, Kaia Gerber, Carine

Roitfeld and others, I was asked

to create a bespoke white shirt

inspired by personal memories of

Karl Lagerfeld as part of Tribute to

Karl: The White Shirt Project.” —SA

C L I C K B A I T INFLUENCER MARKETING AGENCY SOCIAL STUDIES PULLS STATS ON WHAT THREE CONTENT CREATORS GAINED IN PARIS

1.1K41.7K4.4%ALEALI MAY

Additional Instagram fol-lowers on both Sept. 24 and Sept. 25

follower growth after her star-studded birthday party on Sept. 28

Instagram followers added during the week

CINDY BRUNA

CAMILA COELHO

Who’s � at Girl? For the industry’s biggest in� uencers, Paris Fashion Week is the Olympics of Instagram. Caroline Daur, one of street style’s most photographed stars, tells FN what #PFW means to her.

P A R I S F A S H I O N W E E K » S T R E E T S T Y L E

Does PFW help you to get more followers and engagement than

to create a bespoke white shirt

—SA

S T Y L EF N

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41.7K

4 V I R A L M O M E N T S F R O M # P F WGIGI HADID’S TURN AS A CHANEL BOUNCER WINS THE TOP PRIZE, BUT HERE ARE FOUR OTHER SCENARIOS THAT CLICKED.

1 MARGIELA’S

MODEL STRUT When Leon Dame headed down the Maison Margiela runway in a leather sailor outfi t, high heeled boots and his own unique gait, everyone stopped to look.

2 FASHION GOES

GREEN After chronicling New York and Milan, the semi-anonymous Instagram meme account @FashionWeekFrog hit fashion’s critical mass in Paris.

3 CARDI B, INCOGNITO

With the Ei� el Tower as her backdrop, the rapper made her Paris Fashion Week entrée in a patterned Richard Quinn look that covered her from head to toe — literally.

4 HAIM GETS

GROOVYClad in matching mod looks, sisters and bandmates Este, Alana and Danielle Haim take to the streets for a Valentino-themed boogie inspired by Austin Powers.

� e Real Chanel Show

Happens Outside � e

Grand PalaisWith elaborate sets, star-studded front

rows and the promise of fantastical fashion, Chanel’s runway shows are one of the most anticipated of each season

— and attendees always dress like Coco is watching. Seeing how the French

fashion house’s fans pull together current and archival pieces in unique ways is an added thrill, and the arrivals area

outside the show has become its own runway. � is season, they weren’t letting

a little rain get in the way.

25

� e Real Chanel Show

Happens Outside � e

Grand PalaisWith elaborate sets, star-studded front

rows and the promise of fantastical fashion, Chanel’s runway shows are one of the most anticipated of each season







a little rain get in the way.

4 V I R A L M O M E N T S F R O M # P F WGIGI HADID’S TURN AS A CHANEL BOUNCER WINS THE TOP PRIZE, BUT HERE ARE FOUR OTHER SCENARIOS THAT CLICKED.

1 � e Real � e Real

F F A N Y S H O E S O N S A L E

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FOR A QUARTER CENTURY, QVC HAS GIVEN VIEWERS A POWERFUL REASON TO TUNE IN AND PUT THEIR WALLETS TO WORK FOR A CURE. BY BA R BA R A SC H N E I D E R - L E V Y

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QVC has looked at a pair of pumps and seen

more than fashion possibilities. Instead, the

omnichannel retailer envisioned a way to change

the lives of women impacted by breast cancer.

In 1994, QVC signed on as a partner in a

charity fundraiser created the prior year by

members of the Fashion Footwear Association

of New York. The event, which initially launched

under a tent in Central Park, sold donated,

unused shoes to collect funds to support medical

research into a cure for breast cancer.

But with the help of QVC and its vast media

network, the charity (now called QVC Presents

“FFANY Shoes on Sale”) has expanded far be-

yond New York City, reaching consumers across

the globe and raising roughly $57 million for

the cause.

In recognition of QVC’s long commitment, the

company has been named the 2019 recipient of

the Jodi & Jerome Fisher Humanitarian Award.

Mike George, president and CEO of QVC parent

company Qurate Retail Group, will accept the

honor at the Shoes on Sale gala on Oct. 10, at the

Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York.

The executive, who has personally been

involved in the charity event for 14 years, sat

down with FN last month at the company’s

West Chester, Pa., headquarters to talk about

this important mission.

“There’s a lot of pride that we’ve been do-

ing this for 25 years,” said George, noting that

thousands of employees have contributed in

that time, by answering customer calls, packing

boxes and working behind and in front of

the camera.

“For me, it’s so powerful every year to con-

nect with the researchers, doctors and scientists

involved in the work and to connect with those

in the industry who’ve supported it all these

years,” he added. “Many QVC team members

have been a� ected by breast cancer, [so it’s

good] to hear those stories and to be reminded

that this is important and makes a di� erence.”

This year, QVC will once again host its live,

three-hour TV broadcast, where it will sell

discounted shoes donated by the footwear com-

munity. The show will take place on the same

night as the Shoes on Sale gala and will feature

interviews and video from the red carpet in New

York. Hosts will include Jane Treacy, Carolyn

Gracie and Nancy Hornback.

But George noted that QVC isn’t reserving its

support for just one night.

The retailer kicked o� the e� ort in mid-

September with its Shoe of the Day promotion

and plans to continue to tout the cause until

December through its sister TV networks, digital

platforms and social media.

Additionally, the company has also tapped its

Q Crew of customer ambassadors and other on-

line infl uencers to share their experiences with

followers on social

media.

Among QVC’s

most powerful tools

in raising both funds

and awareness for

breast cancer has

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“I TOLD MY STORY LIVE ON THE AIR AND THE RESPONSE WAS TREMENDOUS.” — CAROLYN GRACIE

Inside the control room responsible for QVC’s numerous broadcast programs

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M I K E O N …QURATE RETAIL GROUP’S PRESIDENT AND CEO GETS PERSONAL ABOUT BREAST CANCER AND CONTINUING THE FIGHT.

His close connection to the cause: “This year is especially meaningful for me since my mom was diagnosed. At 87, you expect the worst, but she’s doing fi ne. That’s one more example of how many people are touched by this disease. For many, there’s good news, and my mom’s in that category. For others, it’s more challenging. This is something you feel really matters, and you’re proud to be a part of it.”

His early commitment: “One of the fi rst discussions I had with my predecessor, Doug Briggs, was continuing the Shoes on Sale partnership. We had a discussion about the legacy of QVC’s involvement with FFANY and Doug asked about my interest. To me, it was a no-brainer. I feel privileged for the last 14 years to be able to carry this on and support the work Doug started.”

Qurate’s philanthropy: “We talk about the pillars of women’s empowerment, health and wellness, and entrepreneurship. These are all causes our customers care about and we can support. We’ve been such a benefi ciary of amazing women entrepreneurs, leaders, and our customers, to be able to support those causes through our philanthropic e� orts matters a great deal to us.”

Keeping the mission going: “We have an amazing team here that’s always challenging us to think about new ways to connect with consumers and use the power of our platforms. And we need to continue to have an industry that’s passionate about it, which I believe we have with our footwear vendor partners.” — Jennie Bell

been the personal stories shared by its hosts.

Treacy has been hosting the charity broadcast

for over 23 years and told FN, “It is hard to put

into words how much Shoes on Sale means to

me. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer

17 years ago and is a true survivor. Keeping my

sister in my heart, along with everyone who has

been a� ected by breast cancer, is how I present

each shoe.”

For Gracie and Hornback, the cause is deeply

personal: Both are breast cancer survivors and

have openly shared their tales with audiences on

the air.

“Four years ago, I was diagnosed with breast

cancer and underwent a double mastectomy —

proactively,” said Gracie, whose mother is also

a survivor. “The biggest impact of my diagnosis

and treatment has not been what happened to

me, but rather, the e� ect it has had on my QVC

viewing family. I was very frank with them about

everything that was happening to me every step

of the way.”

Gracie recalls appearing on the Shoes on Sale

live broadcast after returning from surgery and

recovery. “I told my story live on the air and the

response was tremendous,” she said. “It

reached so many people and impacted

them in such a positive way.”

According to Gracie, she has suc-

ceeded in inspiring some viewers to get

check-ups. “Many people who’d been

avoiding getting a mammogram — be-

cause of worry, fear or procrastination

— decided to make an appointment

due in part to my experience,” she said.

For Hornback, her breast cancer

diagnosis came three days before she

was set to join the QVC team.

“I said to my new boss, what do you want to

do?” she recalled. He quickly responded that of

course she should still come on board. “They

just embraced me.”

Since then, Hornback has been committed to

encouraging QVC viewers to join the Shoes on

Sale cause and support those impacted by the

disease. “I’m so grateful for this platform and

humbled by it,” she said. “I don’t feel my story is

really a big deal. But it’s that one-on-one interac-

tion where I can identify with what they are

going through and we are here for each other.”

As a host presenter for Shoes on Sale, Horn-

back admitted she often goes against QVC policy

by encouraging shoppers to keep their purchase

even if the shoes are not a perfect fi t.

“I’ve said, please keep it, keep the money in

the co� ers to fi ght breast cancer. Instead, give

the shoes to a friend, charity, somebody will

love them.”

Treacy added that the special broadcast is an

annual highlight. “Our customers look forward

to this every year, and I do as well,” she said.

“There’s something about looking down at a

great pair of shoes, knowing they have made a

di� erence. That is just the coolest thing ever.”

For the QVC and Qurate teams, Shoes on

Sale also serves as inspiration for a range of

other charitable e� orts. Each year, the company

teams up with the Cosmetic Executive Women

Foundation to present “Beauty With Benefi ts,”

where 80% of the purchase price benefi ts Cancer

and Careers. Qurate also lends its support to St.

Jude Children’s

Research Hospital

and local commu-

nity causes.

“[Our philan-

thropy] goes to

the center of what

we do, which is,

we see our job as inspiring women every day

with wonderful stories, products that can make

a di� erence in her life,” said George. “Whenever

we fi nd that intersection of being able to touch

our customer community, our team member

community, and use the power of our airwaves

and storytelling to make a di� erence, and do it

in partnership with our industry and footwear

vendors, that’s everything.”

Jane Treacy has been hosting QVC’s special broadcast for over 20 years

“IT’S THAT ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTION WHERE I CAN IDENTIFY WITH WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH.”— NANCY HORNBACK

Mike George

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FFANY IS SHIFTING GEARS FOR ITS ANNUAL BREAST CANCER GALA TO MAKE AN EVEN BIGGER IMPACT. BY N I K A R A J O H N S

Over the past quarter century, the Fashion

Footwear Association of New York and the QVC

network have worked hand in hand to help fi nd a

cure for breast cancer by raising money for fi rst-

step research. Now, as the QVC Presents “FFANY

Shoes on Sale” fundraiser heads into its 26th year,

the organizers are placing a renewed focus on stra-

tegic giving rather than celebrity star power.

John Heron, who took the helm of FFANY in

January, told FN, “I’m trying to make the event

more about the work that we do and the money

that we are raising. I wanted to shift the tone. The

focus is on the charity and the more than $57 mil-

lion raised over the last 25 years. We are keeping

it more real. We got lost in what the purpose was

and what we were all in the room for.”

At this year’s gala, on Oct. 10 at the Ziegfeld

Theatre in New York, emphasis will be placed on

where the money is going, how far the research

has come and the impact it has had on patients.

Some of the benefi ciaries for 2019 include Penn

Medicine Abramson Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai

Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute,

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, John Wayne Cancer

Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center

and, for the fi rst time, the Cancer Vaccine Institute

at the University of Washington.

Leading the charge on this front is former

FFANY president Ron Fromm, who is now chair

of the nonprofi t’s philanthropic arm, the Fashion

Footwear Charitable Foundation of New York.

He said, “We give money to the scientifi c minds

with a strong belief that they are on to something

special.” Fromm added that because of FFANY’s

donations from the beginning, doctors and re-

searchers have received more than $300 million in

additional government and private grants, based

on the work funded by FFANY.

An area that has specifi cally seen progress in

helping to cure breast cancer is vaccines, accord-

ing to Fromm. That treatment approach is a major

focus for Shoes on Sale this year, which is why the

University of Washington became a benefi ciary.

Mary L. ‘Nora’ Disis, director of the university’s

Cancer Vaccine Institute, explained, “We are the

largest academic group dedicated to developing

vaccines for cancer prevention, as well as cancer

recurrence. Our goal has always been to develop

vaccines for women who are at high risk of

developing breast cancer so that they may never

develop it. These fl exible funds will support pilot

research so that we can move quickly when we

have a new promising project.”

While this year’s Shoes on Sale will focus on the

medical work and personal stories of survivors,

Heron is also determined to maximize the effi -

ciency of the dollars spent, which is why attendees

at the gala will see some changes. For instance, in

lieu of a designer shoe salon, there will be a virtual

version powered by Zappos to help drive sales and

reduce costs.

Upon arrival at the Ziegfeld Theatre, guests

will be able to select from an assortment of over

60 designer styles on display throughout the

venue, which can be purchased for half off using

a unique code from Zappos.com.

“All sales will be fulfi lled and shipped by

Zappos, and net proceeds of purchases will be

directed to the charitable eff orts,” said Jeff Es-

persen, VP of merchandising at the e-tailer.

He

explained

that evolving

the selling

strategy was

top of mind for

FFANY. “The

“THE HOPE IS THAT THE MONEY WE RAISE FOR RESEARCH WILL ACCELERATE THE ADVANCEMENT OF A CURE.” — MARC FISHER

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problem with the traditional model was that it re-

quired a tremendous amount of staffing, space and

logistical resources that actually cost the charity

tens of thousands of dollars to execute each year,”

said Espersen. “This solution is a great opportunity

[for Zappos] to play a bigger role

in this event and make the evening

more efficient by adding our digital

and logistical expertise to the effort.”

Other brands participating in the

cause are the Pink Benefactors, who

contributed at least $500,000 worth

of merchandise to the fundraiser.

They include Caleres, Marc Fisher

Footwear and Designer Brands Inc.

(whose CEO, Roger Rawlins, will also

attend the gala to accept the Com-

pany of the Year Award from FFANY,

see page 28 for more).

The footwear donated by the Pink

Benefactors, along with 40 other

brands, will be featured not only on

Zappos but also QVC.com, as well

as on QVC’s live, three-hour Shoes

on Sale broadcast,

which will also

take place on Oct.

10. Heron noted

that the quality of

the assortment do-

nated this year has

been impressive.

Marc Fisher, founder and CEO of his epony-

mous shoe company, has been a longtime Shoes

on Sale contributor. He told FN, “[We] are

incredibly proud of the amount of money that

has been raised ever since the inception of this

event, which was started by the Fisher family in

Central Park in 1993. Every effort counts. The

mission is to find a cure. At Marc Fisher Foot-

wear, we have committed several of our brands

to the cause because we know this horrible

disease touches so many lives, including many

of our customers. The hope is that the money we

raise for research will accelerate the advance-

ment of a cure.”

And it’s because of QVC that the gala has been

so successful, according to Heron. “Without QVC,

we wouldn’t be able to raise this money,” he said.

“They are our link to consumers, and without that

link, we wouldn’t be able to turn the donations of

shoes into money for charity.”

The retail network joined the cause in 1994,

and to recognize its 25-year commitment, QVC

will be honored by FFANY with the Jodi & Jerome

Fisher Humanitarian Award during the show.

In addition to QVC and Designer Brands Inc.,

FFANY is also set to recognize Rebecca Minkoff at

the gala with the Designer of the Year award (see

page 40), while Jamie Salter, founder, chairman

and CEO of Authentic Brands Group, will be hon-

ored with the Influential Figure in Fashion award

(see page 36 for more).

“This started as a genuine concern from the

footwear industry on how to solve a problem that’s

near and dear to every one: curing breast cancer,”

added Heron. “There’s so much uncertainty in the

world right now and it is important to take the

focus back and say what are we here for.”

“WE GIVE MONEY TO SCIENTIFIC MINDS WITH A STRONG BELIEF THAT THEY ARE ON TO SOMETHING SPECIAL.” — RON FROMM

4301 W. Markham #623 | Little Rock, AR 72205-7199

Cancer.UAMS.edu

TOGETHER, WE CREATE HOPEA long-standing partnership with QVC Presents FFANY Shoes on Sale, allows the

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute to touch thousands of lives through breast cancer research and education.

We are proud to be part of the 26th anniversary Shoes on Sale event and thank all who support this worthy endeavor.

With your help, we are one step closer to a world without breast cancer.

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32

CHINESE LAUNDRYAvenue platform sandal in tweed

EASY SPIRITlimited-edition Move for Pink sneaker

HERE AND ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE SOME

OF THE ST YLES ON OFFER FROM QVC AND ZAPPOS

TO BENEFIT BREAST CANCER RESEARCH.

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WORK BOOTS

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DEBORAH BARON, ACCOUNT DIRECTOR AT 212 256 8118 OR [email protected]

THE P OWER OF CONTENT

A look at the rugged styles

ISSUE October 28 / CLOSE October 16BONUS DISTRIBUTION FDRA SUMMIT

destined to rock this season

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HOW OTHER FOOTWEAR COMPANIES ARE AIDING THE BREAST CANCER FIGHT THROUGH SPECIAL PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND DONATIONS. BY F N STA F F

O N T H E M O V EAs part of its ‘Move For Pink’ initiative, Easy Spirit has partnered with FFANY Shoes4aCure on a limited-edition sneaker inspired by the label’s best-selling Romy style. The new shoe (seen on page 32) features a pink outsole and pink lacing with the words ‘Move for Pink’ and is available on Easyspirit.com this month for $69. A portion of the proceeds from every sale will go toward a special fund created by FFANY Shoes on Sale, to benefi t research by Dr. Lisa Newman, chief of the division of breast surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian Hospital.

G I V I N G B A C KDesigner Dee Ocleppo and her husband,

Tommy Hilfi ger, have been longtime

supporters of the Breast Cancer Research

Foundation, but this year, her footwear

and accessories label is taking up the

cause as well. Throughout October,

10% of proceeds for the brand will

be donated to the organization.

“Our new initiative with the BCRF

is incredibly important to me.

Our a� liation allows us to sup-

port research that will save lives,”

Ocleppo told FN last week. “It is so

important to me to give back. We

all take so much for granted in our

lives every day. I try to keep that in

the forefront of my mind each and

every day.” She went on to add, “It

is a duty for everyone, regardless of

one’s profession, economic or social

status to try to help make this world

a better place. Whether that is by

donating money to a cause or a simple

gesture of kindness, it all moves the

dynamic forward to a more positive

existence for us all.”

Dee Ocleppo at a 2018 BCRF fundraiser

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1 What are the skate industry’s biggest opportunities right now?“The ’90s trend. It’s where skate-boarding exploded in terms of cre-ativity, exposure and people wearing the product in the streets. I also think the Olympics two years from now will bring a lot of exposure and talk around skate. And high fashion right now is very connected with skateboarding; the most important trends come from us. Virgil Abloh with Louis Vuitton, for example — there’s a lot of skate influence in the shoes. I see some designs and say, ‘We did these in the ’90s.’ It’s clear for somebody who designed shoes at that time. And the same with other high-fashion brands, as well, from Hermès to Chanel.”

2How are you capitalizing on the ’90s fashion revival?“People are knocking on our door right now, and retailers are seeing the ’90s trend and think there’s going to be a cup sole trend. Etnies is a very strong brand in that area. And there’s a movement to recon-nect with brands you lost touch with. You see [it with] brands from back in the day, like Fila — people recognize them and buy them again, or new consumers think it’s cool and new, and get into it.”

3Fall ’18 included the Etnies Icons collec-tion. How did you develop that series?“It came from retailers asking us to bring back shoes from the ’90s in the U.S. and the U.K. For example, John Lore from Journeys has been

asking for a while to bring back the Czar. So we looked in our archive and identified the shoes that were the most appropriate, like the Senix, which is one of the first I designed. [The collection] also came from people on our team and consum-ers. We listen to our customers on Instagram and social media, and now we’re bringing back those styles [they requested]. What’s unique is, we tried to replicate exactly the way the shoes were made — same outsole, upper, flex, cushioning sys-tem. I was surprised because I went skating in the first sample, and even though skateboarding has evolved since the ’90s, they still felt like extremely good skate shoes — still extremely grippy, with good cushion-ing and a good board feel.”

4Who are Etnies’ biggest competitors?“Vans, because we’re in the same space. And also DC — they’re bring-ing back some of the ’90s. But for the type of look we are doing — a wider outsole with more rubber so it’s comfy, a taller sidewall and some rubber on the toe — not many brands born in the ’90s have that. It’s Etnies, DC, éS.”

5Are there plans to revamp your other skate brands?“Definitely éS, because we have a lot of momentum in the era — it explod-ed in the ’90s. It has that athletic look that’s trending right now, so there’s a lot of interest around éS. As far as Emerica, it’s a pure skateboarding brand, so it’s really strong at core skate retail accounts, so we don’t have plans to expand the distribution right now.”

05/ Five Questions

PIERRE-ANDRE SENIZERGUESSole Technology’s CEO talks trends and revamping its biggest brands.

By Peter Verry

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

For breaking news, the hottest shoe sightings and must-have trends

Join more than 95K followers @footwearnews

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Research is the reasonI’m looking for answersDR. PRISCILLA BRASTIANOS,

B C R F R E S E A R C H E R

See more reasons for research and share yours at BCRF.org

I lost my mother to metastatic disease. Her memory inspired me to find better treatments for breast cancer patients. Thanks to BCRF, I can.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

For breaking news, the hottest shoe sightings and must-have trends

Join more than 143K followers @footwearnews

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HOW OTHER FOOTWEAR COMPANIES ARE AIDING THE BREAST CANCER FIGHT THROUGH SPECIAL PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND DONATIONS. BY F N STA F F

R E A C T S T R O N G L YSneaker Room and Nike have collaborated several times on breast cancer awareness-themed shoes that yield charitable contributions. This year, the New Jersey boutique reworked the brand’s React Element 87 for the cause and created three looks, which are available at its storefront and via Snkrroom.com. All of the sneakers feature the retailer’s “SR Cares” and “Changing the world one sole at a time” slogans, and are individually numbered. The store produced 525 pairs of the pink style, which will retail for $250; there are 126 pairs of the white and pink silhouette, retailing for $500; and 63 pairs of the black and pink style, priced at $1,000. According to Sneaker Room, all proceeds will be donated to its local hospital.

S T E P P I N G U PAquatalia is aiding in the search for a cure with a special footwear collection benefi tting the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. The limited-edition capsule includes fi ve styles — a bootie, loafer, pointy-toe fl at and two pumps — outfi tted in a dusty rose suede material that will pair well with any fall wardrobe. The shoes retail for $195 and $495 and are available for purchase on the brand’s website and in its New York fl agship store on Madison Avenue. During the month of October, 10% of proceeds from the collection will go to NBCF.

F E E L T H E L O V EFor the second consecutive year, Saucony has teamed up with the Susan Love Foundation on two limited-edition sneakers. Dubbed the “With Love” collection, the lineup includes pink-tinged takes on the Kinvara 10 and Jazz Original. The With Love Kinvara 10 is available in men’s sizes and retails for $120, while the With Love Jazz Original is available for women and retails for $70. Both styles are up for grabs on Saucony.com and will ship on Oct. 9. Throughout the month, 20% of proceeds from sales are to be donated to the foundation.

J U S T C A U S EAs part of its ongoing Project Zero initiative focused on eliminating breast cancer, Mizuno has once again released a special-edition version of its Waveknit R2 running sneakers to benefi t the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Shoppers on the Mizuno website can get 30% o£ the sneakers with a discount code throughout the month of October. Also during that time, Mizuno has pledged to donate $10 from each sale of the sneaker to the BCRF.

Aquatalia boot in a dusty rose color inspired by the breast cancer ribbon

Mizuno’s BCRF Waveknit R2 sneaker

Saucony’s With Love Kinvara 10 for men

A limited-edition Nike React Element

style by Sneaker Room

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…to advancebreastcancer

research.

Purchaseshoes…

THE BREAST ONCOLOGY PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ROGEL CANCER CENTER expresses enormous appreciation to the Fashion Footwear Association of New York for the long-standing support of our research efforts over the last 26 years.

We are leading the nation in pioneering personalized oncology across the disease spectrum, from prevention to treatment and survivorship, with an emphasis on quality of life. A new future for breast cancer is within reach.

rogelcancercenter.org/giving

THANK YOUOn behalf of patients, families, faculty, and staff

at the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,

to the Fashion Footwear Association of New York for your continuous support of breast cancer research.

Congratulations to FFANY Jodi & Jerome Fisher Humanitarian Award-Winner

QVC, Inc. and thank you for your 25 years of supporting FFANY Shoes on Sale.

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In the decade since Jamie Salter founded Authen-

tic Brands Group, the 56-year-old Toronto native

has grown his brand management company from

a small player focused on icons like Elvis Presley

and Marilyn Monroe to one of the most powerful

operators in the fashion world, with a portfolio

of 50 properties and nearly $10 billion in revenue.

Salter made big waves in the footwear space

last year with the acquisitions of two storied

names: Nine West and Camuto Group.

In 2019, his buying streak has continued

with the purchase in April of Volcom skate brand

from Kering SA. ABG also entered new busi-

nesses this year, by inking a deal in the cannabis

industry and purchasing the Sports Illustratedmedia outfi t.

And the entrepreneur is far from sated. “Our

goal is to be a $30 billion company within the

next fi ve years,” Salter told FN last month. “Our

organic growth is somewhere between 5% and

10% a year. So if you do the math, we’re going to

be buying lots of companies.”

In fact, he said ABG is in the middle of seven

possible transactions, one of which is for Barneys

New York. “[The new lenders] have a backup bid

from us for the intellectual property, but we’ve

got to wait until Oct. 24 and see who comes and

who doesn’t come. Based on that, we’ll decide

how far we play,” Salter said, adding that his

company is now targeting brands worth $1 billion

or more.

The executive, who is being honored this

week with FFANY’s second Infl uential Figure in

Fashion Award, recently shared his strategy for

uniting his wide-ranging portfolio.

What is your overall vision for Authentic Brands Group?Jamie Salter: “My direction for the company is

to create the ABG Universe where all the brands

and all the partners are in the universe. So with

a subscription, you have access to every brand,

every experience and every event that ABG o� ers

before it’s o� ered to the general public. If you

want to go to Graceland, you can go to Grace-

land, if you want a Sports Illustrated subscrip-

tion, you can have it; if you want Airwalks,

everything sits together.”

� at’s quite a shift from traditional retail. How will you create something like that?JS: “If you look, that’s what Disney is doing and

what Apple and Amazon are doing. We think

that we are fi nally to scale now, and we can

o� er a subscription model as well. What does

this mean short, medium and long term? Today,

ABG is 75% lifestyle or product-based and 25%

entertainment or experiential-based. Within the

next fi ve years our goal is to be 50-50. When

you really think about it, they work together. By

converging these two worlds together, we’re giv-

ing something to our consumers that they can’t

get anywhere else. So taking an e-commerce

platform and making it completely interactive

and giving them special access.”

When could we see this go live?JS: “Our goal will be to get it launched in the

fourth quarter of next year, and it may launch in

beta before that. This is well beyond concept.”

Does this mean you are focused mainly on the digital world?JS: “Today ABG is doing about 50% of our total

turnover in e-commerce, which is OK, but I’d

argue it should be 30% or 35%. We have almost

5,000 licensed stores all over the world — shop-

in-shops, full-price and outlets stores. That is very

important for the success of our brands. Simon

Property Group and Brookfi eld are part owners

of ABG, so don’t underestimate [that business].

We want to get people going out of the house and

not just living this [universe experience] on a

computer or mobile device.”

ABG is not necessarily a household name, so how do you sell consumers on subscribing?JS: “When [your brands] have 265 million social

media followers and you work with 2,000 infl u-

encers [through our Winston network] with a

combined 150 million followers, my guess is that

I can get the message out pretty fast and pretty

easily — for the right price. Remember, [our

business partner] Shaquille O’Neal has 45 million

followers all on his own.”

How optimistic are you about its success?JS: “This is probably the most exciting thing that

I’ve worked on in my career, which has been

awhile. But this has been the plan since day 1.

People laughed at me because I registered Virtu-

almall.com 10 years

ago. It’s not going to

be called Virtual Mall

now because that’s

too hard, but that was

always the concept in

my head.”

“THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING THING THAT I’VE WORKED ON IN MY CAREER.” — SALTER

THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF AUTHENTIC BRANDS GROUP HAS A VISION TO CHANGE RETAIL AND UNITE CONSUMERS THROUGH HIS MULTIPLATFORM UNIVERSE. BY J E N N I E B E L L

FFANY INFLUENTIAL FIGURE IN FASHION

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NINE WESTfloral Pruce block-heel sandal

EIGHT FIFTEENBonfire sandal in brown with

cutout design


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WITH BOTH DSW AND CAMUTO GROUP UNDER ITS UMBRELLA, THE COMPANY IS DRIVING SALES THROUGH INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, WHILE DEEPENING ITS SUPPORT OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS. BY S H E E N A B U T L E R -YO U N G

It’s been just over six months since DSW Inc.

shook up the industry by carving out a unique

space in retail, combining its existing o� -price

chains in the U.S. and Canada with newly acquired

Camuto Group to form Designer Brands Inc.

The company’s unconventional strategy — a

traditional retailer sinking its teeth into owned-

brands and working with its competitors to

boost revenues — took some industry insiders by

surprise. But as its innovations take shape and

yield new signs of progress, Designer Brands is

working to make believers out of skeptics.

In the second quarter, announced late Au-

gust, the Columbus, Ohio-based company posted

revenue gains of 8.2% to $860.19 million, with

sales at Vincecamuto.com — which had seen its

share of struggles in the lead-up to the merger

— nearly doubling as it leveraged DBI’s healthy

balance sheet and cash fl ow. (DSW partnered

with Authentic Brands Group to acquire Camuto

in a $341 million deal last October.)

Meanwhile, a revamped DSW loyalty program

and heightened focus on in-store technology and

experiences — including a new nail bar concept

and custom insoles stations — are helping to

establish the footwear chain as a frontrunner in

traditional retail’s evolution.

“The work we’ve been doing

over the last two or three

years is starting to play out

in the way we had hoped

for,” Designer Brands CEO

Roger Rawlins told FN last

month. “As a brand, you have

to have di� erentiated products

and experiences, and the only

way we believe you can do that is

by innovating. As we deliver on that, it will

provide growth opportunities for business and

for our associates.”

In fact, as Designer Brands continues to frame

its future — amid ongoing digital disruption and

fast-changing consumer preferences — talent

development is high on its list of priorities.

“In our industry, we have to provide people

with developmental opportunities,” said Raw-

lins. “Too often, we have to go outside of the

footwear industry to tap into talent. Us being a

brand that can build and develop people — that

can help this industry.”

Ahead of forming the Designer Brands

umbrella, the company announced several key

promotions that emphasize its commitment to

nurturing its internal roster. In January, DSW

merchandising veteran Debbie Ferrée was pro-

moted to vice chair and president of DSW Inc.

A couple months later, after the rebrand, Ferrée

became Designer Brands’ president.

And Bill Jordan, who joined the company in

2006 and previously held roles as DSW’s general

counsel and chief administrative o¢ cer, landed

a promotion to president of DSW stores, placing

accountability for the entire DSW business in

the U.S. and Canada under his leadership.

Meanwhile, as Designer Brands continues

to integrate — ahead of schedule, nonetheless

— Camuto Group and its stable of brands into

the fold, the parent company also is in the early

stages of overhauling and upgrading DSW’s

private-label business.

By tapping into Camuto’s extensive sourc-

ing capabilities, the chain will debut revamped

product and marketing for its exclusive labels

Kelly & Katie, Crown Vintage and Mix No. 6 this

spring. Rawlins eventually hopes to take those

products to other retailers in the future.

“Launching these exclusive brands and bring-

ing to life the vision we had when we acquired

Camuto — and taking those capabilities Camuto

spent 20 years demonstrating and then applying

them to an organization like DSW — that creates

amazing upside for our business and di� erenti-

ated products for our customer,” Rawlins said.

What’s more, Designer Brands’ new relation-

ship with Camuto Group is also bolstering

its already-robust philanthropic ef-

forts. Although DSW has engaged in

charitable giving for several years

through its work with the Red

Cross, Be Strong, Soles4Souls and

Two Ten Footwear Foundation, it

is now forging a deeper bond with

FFANY Shoes on Sale thanks to

Camuto, which is a longtime partner

of the fundraiser.

Rawlins said that connecting to the

breast Cancer awareness cause feels natural. “If

you look at our business, over 80% of the prod-

uct we sell is targeted to a female consumer, so

attaching to charities that impact our customers

is what we’re trying to do,” he said. “Those kinds

of opportunities for a brand of this size — those

are huge rewards.”

“THE WORK WE’VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS IS STARTING TO PLAY OUT IN THE WAY WE HAD HOPED FOR.” — ROGER RAWLINS

38

FFANY COMPANY OF THE YEAR

The W Nail Bar debutedin DSW’s Polaris store

in Columbus, Ohio

Roger Rawlins

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TABITHA SIMMONSHermione kitten heel pump in

olive suede

SALVATORE FERRAGAMOGazania d’Orsay pumps with

crackled metallic vamp


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For Rebecca Minko� , the modern woman has

always been — and continues to be — her muse.

In fact, in the past year, the designer has

launched a weekly podcast where she chats with

powerful women and created a business network

called the Female Founder Collective.

Meanwhile, her fashion label continues to

expand and connect with new audiences. In

September, the brand debuted a size-inclusive col-

lection with Stitch Fix, and Minko� held a power-

ful presentation at New York Fashion Week that

represented all types of women in the workspace.

Since 2005, the New York-based designer has

focused on products that are both practical and

fashion-forward, to meet the needs of busy lives.

(Take, for example, her “Morning After Bag,” the

fi rst accessory Minko� launched in her 20s that

became a staple for young women.)

Today, her business involves not only crafting

accessories, footwear and apparel but also pro-

ducing a series of female-focused initiatives that

empower women beyond the fashion world.

And for those e� orts, she’ll be honored this

week with the 2019 Designer of the Year award at

the QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” gala in

New York.

FN caught up with Minko� last month to talk

about her FFANY honor and what inspires her

work for women in every medium.

How does it feel to be recognized as the Designer of the Year at FFANY Shoes on Sale? Rebecca Minkoff : “It’s a huge honor. In a career,

you always hope for certain milestones to

happen. So to be recognized in this capacity feels

phenomenal.”

Do you have a personal connection with the breast cancer cause? RM: “Both my aunts and my grandmother had it

and survived it. I have a fi rst cousin who survived

it as well. So as a relative of survivors, I’m pas-

sionate about the topic. It’s important for women

to be as knowledgeable as possible and continue

to get checked.”

Looking back at the past year, what do you see as your biggest accomplishments?RM: “Getting this award would defi nitely be

one of them. Also, my presentation at New York

Fashion Week [in September] was a really special

show. It featured vignettes of the modern working

woman, including a nursing mom. It was special

— although, sadly; it really shouldn’t feel special

in 2020 [to show a woman nursing], but it was.

It’s also been a year since I launched my pod-

cast. It’s been great to celebrate guests like Katie

Couric, Laura Brown and other women who have

incredible platforms. And then the launching of

Female Founder Collective, which I talk about a

lot. It’s grown to over 5,000 members, and the

seal [we created to recognize female-led brands]

is now on over 2 million products. So being able

to have an impact on women and their businesses

is really special too.”

How has your passion for designing for women evolved throughout the years? RM: “I think that because I’m the same age and

sex as my consumer, going through new life mo-

ments, [naturally that] broadens the horizon of

my designs.”

You recently debuted a collaboration with Stitch Fix that is size-inclusive. Why did you decide to work on that project?RM: “This was my fi rst time o� ering sizes bigger

than 12. We wanted to do it for a while, but we

needed a partner that had the data and ability to

execute it in the way that needed to be done. So

when [Stitch Fix] came to us with the opportu-

nity, we were excited to see what the possibilities

could be.”

Looking ahead, what is your focus for 2020?RM: “We just announced that we’re launch-

ing fragrance at the end of next year, and we’re

potentially launching some other categories. But

I can’t talk about it

yet. So we’re focusing

on those initiatives

and just continuing

to be innovative in

the categories we’re

already in.”

“IT’S IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN TO BE AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT [BREAST CANCER].” —MINKOFF

THE INSPIRING FASHION MOGUL CONTINUES TO COME UP WITH NEW WAYS TO EMPOWER WOMEN. BY M A D E L E I N E C R E N S H AW

FFANY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

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ALL BLACKShearling Sneak loafer

NATURALIZERVaruna 2 laced boots in oatmeal

suede with lug sole

P I C K

CATWALK CRASHER Gigi Hadid confronted an

unlikely guest on the runway at the Chanel spring ’20

show in Paris last week, and the moment went viral. The

interloper, French YouTube star Marie Benoliel (also known as Marie S’Infi ltre), stormed the

catwalk in a vintage Chanel suit and platform oxford

shoes in what she described as a “satirical” prank. While

some questioned whether the stunt was planned, Chanel

emphatically declared “non.”

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FN IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2019 FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 75, NO. 20. October 7, 2019. FN (ISSN 0162-914X) is published twice per month with one additional issue in September 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 FN, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to FN, 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 a 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 FN, 475 5th Ave, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10017. For permissions and editorial requests, e-mail [email protected]. 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. FN IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANU-SCRIPTS, 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 CON-SIDERATION 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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Inside FFANY˜s Big Fundraiser - Footwear News · 10/7/2019 · *15% of the proceeds from the Romy Move for Pink Sneaker on easyspirit.com will be donated to FFANY Shoes on Sale