LK Bennett for sale
Following a spate of successful sales in the fashion industry - including last week's sale of Jimmy Choo for GBP101 million - Linda Bennett has revealed that she too is interested in selling.
Bennett's intention is to sell a majority stake in her shoes and apparel business in order to be able to focus on designing. Since she started her business 14 years ago, Bennett has been responsible for both the designing and business aspects.
According to The Times, retail analysts have estimated a sale for up to GBP75 million to a trade buyer or private equity firm. LK Bennett gave a forecast of full-year sales of GBP50 million, with a GBP7 million profit for 2004.
www.lkbennet.com
27 November 2004
Best foot forward
The hottest new show designer has got to be Maloles. The Spanish designer has stolen the hearts of Hollywood beauties like Penelope Cruz and Catherine Zeta-Jones by dressing their feet.
With her shoes featured in December's US Vogue, the designer received a call from Warner Bros asking her to contribute to the gift bags for the Oceans 12 stars Catherine-Zeta Jones, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt's wife Jennifer Aniston. Maloles was only too happy to comply. She included two pairs of edgy ballet flats, one in printed snakeskin and one in pink. The goody bags also include clothes from Versace, Valentino, Gucci and Paul Smith, Dom Perignon champagne and a Vespa. Maloles is in good company.
24 November 2004
Jimmy Choo For Sale
Jimmy Choo, a favourite for shoe-loving fashionistas around the world, has appointed investment bank NM Rothschild to look at selling the business. The bank is to review the options for the company, including a sale or float on the stock market that could raise as much as £100m.
The brand frequently appears on A-list red carpets - as with Naomi Watts at this year's Oscars, and features in the television series Sex and the City. It competes with Manolo Blahnik as the most desirable of luxury shoe brands.
The company is majority owned by private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners. Other shareholders include former Christian Lacroix boss Roger Bensoussan and founder and former fashion journalist Tamara Mellon, who run the firm. A number of interested buyers made offers in the summer, prompting the shareholders to appoint Rothschild. Burberry was said to be interested but a spokesperson declined to comment yesterday.
Phoenix bought its stake in 2001 when Jimmy Choo, the designer, sold out. At the time the deal valued the firm at £21m. It has since expanded into other accessories and opened more stores around the world.
1 November 2004
N Brown To Conquer Footwear Market
Home shopping company N Brown aims to become the UK's number one online ladies' footwear retailer with the launch of its new dedicated shoe website, VivaLaDiva.com. The company aims to capitalise on the emotional bond all women have with shoes to capture sales of £4.8m within the website's first year of trading and forecasts 30 per cent year-on-year growth.
Due to go live this autumn, VivaLaDiva will offer leading brands including Hobbs, Schuh, Miss Sixty, Birkenstock and Clarks. Viva la Diva will also support the UK's burgeoning couture footwear industry by offering shoes from a stable of designers including Georgina Goodman, Olivia Morris, Adele Clarke, Jane Brown and Rupert Sanderson.
This Couture Boutique will launch on the site for spring/summer 2005, with
more UK and international designer names to be announced soon.
Under the label DivaFeet, the site will also sell own-brand shoe and footwear
accessories, such as style-focused storage boxes. The branding and design of
the VivaLaDiva site will reflect the label-loving aspirations of its fashion-conscious
female audience.
The website launch follows a survey of 2,500 women, commissioned specifically
for VivaLaDiva, which reveals that a quarter of women between the ages of 25
and 55 have bought shoes online, while almost six in 10 have made footwear purchases
from a mail-order catalogue.
According to the recent study, 43 per cent of women find the internet more convenient
than the high street when shopping for shoes, while three in 10 agree that online
prices are more competitive, and 15 per cent believe that e-commerce sites are
more able to meet their specialist needs, such as wider fittings, than traditional
shoe shops.
21 October 2004
Moon Boots back with vengeance
Let
it snow! The Moon Boot is making a comeback. First introduced in the 1970's
as the footwear of choice for astronauts and winter sports fanatics, the moon
boot has now made a re-appearance as the replacement for last year's venerated
Uggs.
Not that Ugg's sales are suffering - yet. Over 14 million pairs were sold in the third quarter of this year alone. According to the manufacturer that means an increase of 44% over the same period last year. However, signs of its waning popularity have started to appear across the globe. Fashion trendsetters have been relegating their beloved Uggs to the backs of their closets and have been caught in the act of purchasing moon boots.
The New York Times reported that some US stores have already had to reorder moon boots for eager customers. The boots come in pretty pastel colours and psychedelic prints. The reportedly original Tecnica moon boots, made of nylon and polyurethane, are still available for purchase. However, designers and other sportswear companies have cottoned on to the emerging trend. A trend, it is interesting to note, that has little to do with Hollywood this time round. It is good to see that movie stars are not the only trendsetters.
Designers such as Marc Jacobs, Christian Dior, Michael Kors and Pucci introduced their own versions in the summer. Marc Jacobs reportedly sold 9,000 pairs of its Snow Boot since June. Women wear the boots under mini skirts and summer dresses, just as they did with Uggs.
Companies like Timberland, known for its hiking boots, have also entered the fray with a moon boot design. The new Timberland moon boots will be available in stores next month. By that time, however, new designs may have already made their way onto the shelves. The owner of the Tannery, a store in Cambridge, MA, which sells moon boots, predicts moon boots in tweed and rainbow colours. According to him, the moon boot craze has only just begun.
19 October 2004
Forget Uggs, It's Mukluks
If you want to know which boots to invest in next, try Mukluk. These are the new Ugg. They are big and furry and not at all sexy, but they are irrististible.
The suede and rabbit fur creations, lined in sheepskin, are handmade in Canada, where they were originally worn by Native American Indians. Available in grey, black, tan and white, at £259 at www.net-a-porter.com, they are the ultimate in comfort and style.
www.mukluk.co.uk
5 October 2004
Faith In Takeover
Faith Shoes, the family owned womens' footwear retailer, is poised to resume takeover talks with private equity firm Bridgepoint. Negotiations collapsed earlier this year but it is understood Bridgepoint is keen to restart talks with Jonathan Faith, son of the chain's founder and its sole shareholder, about a deal that could be worth in the region of GBP40m, including debt.
30 August 2004
High Heel, Round Toe
The high-heeled, round-toed shoe is becoming the fashion hit of the season in cities like New York and London, according to The New York Times.
"The shoes are very fashion-forward' said Gail Rothwell, president of Nine West. She also told the newspaper that shoes in print fabric, some with a faux-crocodile toe cap, as well as other variations are perfect for the lady-like-look that has been dominating this season's collections.
25 August 2004
Trainers For The Discerned
Sneaker pimps, fashion whores, and people who want something new, fresh, and design driven are the people yearning for JB Classics trainers, according to the designer Jason Bass who recently spoke with Meghan Cleary.
Bass, inspired by a Run-DMC concert in 1981 where he asked DMC to sign his Air Jordans, is creating one of the most visionary and rugged sneaker lines out there with heat-stamped prints of dragons, bears, paw imprints, and geometric patterns and typography in colour combinations from turquoise and yellow to camouflage palettes. (Note that a pair of his Ricky Powell photo montage shoes are currently selling for USD5000 on Japanese Ebay.)
Based in San Francisco and sold at Gloria's in East London's Truman Brewery, Bass plans a rollout of his shoes at discriminating boutiques across Europe, Asia, and the US in exclusive batches. We suggest making contact quickly.
Another player in this elite category of trainers - that a very loyal consumer segment are snapping up - is design juggernaut (and sometime DJ) Karim Rashid, in partnership with Italian shoe manufacturer Ferrara. Rashid's sleek, aerodynamic, and modern designs seem to reference both Quadrophenia and the unknown future urban landscape, and they're pushing the envelope with silver mirrored black suede booties, pointy toe anklets with flourescent overlays, and gold mirror with pink leather.
With old brands like Pirelli using their tire technology to create premium trainers, design partnerships including Onitsuka Tiger and French-American designers Surface 2 Air making limited edition trainers, and the advent of a slew of sneaker-dedicated blogs, books, and exhibitions, the cult of the sneaker freak shows no signs of slowing.
13 August 2004
Charles Jourdan Relaunches in UK
French footwear brand Charles Jourdan has relaunched for spring 05 in the UK, after a four-year break.
Orexis will represent the brand. Patrick Cox, who was appointed head designer last year, has designed the spring 05 collection including the Charles Jourdan Classic and Charles Jourdan Bis ranges.
2 August 2004
Walk This Way
This summer, wear your flip-flops with everything! Team them with jeans, skirts or kaftans on holiday. For that 1970s glamour look, invest in Mathew Williamson's gold and bejewelled flats (GBP165).
www.matthewilliamson.com
25 June 2004
Shoes Online
Shoe addicts will be pleased that Scorah Pattullo, the eponymous shoe retailer with stores in Islington and Notting Hill, is to launch its first transactional website at the beginning of June. Fans of the shop will be able to order their Miu Miu's, YSL and Gucci heels online.
www.scorahpattulo.com
20 May 2004
Sole Power
Scholl celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Created in 1904 by Dr William Scholl who produced the first ever insole, the now infamous wooden, buckled mules have become a household name.
Today, all the classic designs are still available and a century later feet worldwide are still kept healthy and comfortable. Dr Scholl mules cost from GBP30. For stockists, call 0800 074 2040
11 May 2004
Jimmy Choo To Double Sales
Jimmy Choo, the luxury shoe and accessories company is gearing up its expansion aiming to double sales over the next 6 seasons. Chief executive and part owner Robert Bensoussan said that this year's GBP30m turnover could reach GBP60m by 2007. With sales split evenly between retail and wholesale, the company has 22 stores in eight countries including Dubai, the US, the UK, Italy, South Korea and Russia. It hopes to have up to 50 within five years, and is keen to open in Japan.
26 April 2004
Platforms Are Back!
High is mighty this season, and the platform is back. Adding length to your legs you can walk tall this summer with this season's must have accessory. From Louis Vuitton's gold leather strappy platforms to Bottega Veneta's subtle white leather weave wooden platform, you'll be running the styles stakes with these sexy shoes.
22 March 2004
Trade Bids Unlikely For Faith
Footwear chain Faith is unlikely to attract interest from trade bidders, according to industry sources, after it emerged owner Jonathon Faith was looking for around GBP50 million for the business.
Rival retailers said the price was inflated and footwear players were unlikely to get involved in a bidding war with private equity groups. Last May, Faith reported pre-tax profits of GBP2.6 million on sales of GBP 72.6m for the year to June 29 2002.
At the time, retail director Paul O'Neill said the closure of 244 Arcadia concessions, announced in October 2001, would not impact on company accounts until 2003. But the chain has since doubled its number of high street stores to 50 and has said it hopes to grow to 150 standalones.
30 January 2004
Base London Profits Tumble
Footwear brand Base London reported flat sales of GBP20.8 million for the year ended May 31 2003 against the previous year. Pre-tax profits tumbled 92 per cent from GBP474,936 to GBP37,177 for the same period.
12 January 2003
20 Years in Image for Kenneth Cole & Moschino
What
do a very New York footwearcompany with a smart take on trends and an extremely
Italian fashion house known for cheerful chic have in common? Both were started
by young men out to lighten fashion's serious demeanor with a little lighthearted
trendiness. And both have survived, if not thrived, the last 20 years in the
cutthroat business of fashion.
Their 20 year anniversary marks a shared irreverence toward advertising. Cole's early ads didn't show a model or a single pair of shoes: instead, in stark black type on a plain white background, there were eye-catching, eyebrow-raising quips like the famous "Imelda Marcos bought 2,700 pairs of shoes. She could've at least had the courtesy to buy a pair of ours." Moschino played with convention, too, mixing traditional fashion images with surrealism in ads and window displays. And in an industry where opinions are often avoided for fear of spooking customers, both took the risk of making social commentary a part of the company personality.
Cole's ads have talked about homelessness, gun control, and abortion, while Moschino has decried drug addiction and government corruption; both aggressively addressed AIDS (of which Franco Moschino died in September 1994) early on. "Can it be good business to point out social failings?" Cole asks in his new biography, Footnotes. "Conventional wisdom says no. But that has never made sense to me as a businessman, nor as a human being."
Source Janet Ozzard, Conde Nast New York. 'Footnotes' is on sale now at most bookstores.
2 September 2003
Search for Young Footwear Designers
Trade
fair Footwear UK, which take place alongside Moda UK at Birmingham NEC in August,
is calling for footwear design graduates to submit final degree work for the
Young Designer of the Season Award. The award being part of the Young Designer
area at the show.
Entries must be design drawings, market research and prototype product, and those with the strongest ideas will be allocated space at the show.
The winner of this year's award will receive a two-week work placement at the Hush Puppies UK design office where they will design a group of casual footwear styles for spring 04.
Footwear UK takes place from August 10-12 at the Birmingham NEC
2 July 2003
Trainer Trash
Surely
one of the greatest dilemmas of all time is finding a pair of suitable trainers.
With London being fully stocked with every conceivable brand and with designer
collections having that must-have sport element in this season's look, finding
the proverbial trainer takes meticulous planning and the research skills of
a marketing analyst. To start, and please note this is much more important than
the pragmatic practicalities of wearability or cost: one must consider the cool
factor. Contrary to popular belief, a pair of trainers is not worn a few hours
each week to a pilates class or treadmill encounter, nor is it's sole purpose
(pun intended) to outfit your outdoor activity or taking your schnauzer for
a walk around Kensington Gardens. The perfect trainer exudes coolness when worn
with your Dior suit or faded jeans, and complements your daytime outfit as well
as your evening party frock. The perfect trainer, therefore, is one that is
comfortable, fashionable, and an all-rounding accessory to your wardrobe. If
retaining your street-cred is high on the list, aim to find a pair that does
not deviate from the trends (i.e., platform trainers are NOT cool) but to sport
a type that either nobody has or at least cannot be bought from a high street
near you. This, of course, is where the planning process begins, so make certain
you allocate enough time to find those prize shoes.
Please also do not confuse designer trainers with the original creators. The
best (retro) designs from Adidas, Nike, and Converse have rarely been matched
by the likes of Prada Sport or Louis Vuitton. Those low-soled-striped gems are
the crème de la crème of trainer fashion and rip-off just don't
cut it. If designer footwear is your thing, Helmut Lang has some fabulous shoes
this season, a suede retro low cut trainer with stripes in black or white and
a 'Hamlet' leather luxury casual trainer also in black or white, GBP 140 and
155, respectively, from a selection at Harrods. Continuing designer and sporting
goods collaborations, such as Jil Sander and Puma, Yamamoto and Adidas have
become contemporaries and teamed up to create some glorious footwear in the
Y3 range. For something a little more simple and less expensive try the ever-classic
Converse at GBP 40 in cream or navy, available at Poste, South Molton Street.
Or, if you like, scour the likes of Camden market or professional athletic shops,
for that proverbial retro trainer that nobody has.
13 May 2003
High class shoe label Jimmy Choo has announced it plans to open 25 new boutiques
all around the world within six months and increase its turnover by 30%. The
company, which was founded by Tamara Mallon and Jimmy Choo, is getting ready
to invade the markets. Nowadays the brand counts 200 flagship stores all around
the world and it's planning a growth of its retail aimed at specific markets.
The company is planning openings in the United States, Paris and Dubai. After
that Milan will be the next target, where the new outlet will be added to the
other 20 selected ones.
The last year, its turnover and profits redoubled and for 2003 they forecast
a further increase of 30% in the turnover and 40% in profits.
April 1, 2003
Brantano-Mitiska merger cancelled
The Board of Directors of Belgian discount shoe retailer Brantano has decided to cancel its merging plans with holding group Mitiska. Brantano announced the news on Monday in a brief press release. Last Saturday Belgian newspaper Standaard wrote that the two companies had postponed the merger, but now the move has been completely annulled.
Brantano shares, which had been suspended by Euronext Brussels pending the news, were up 9.3% at EUR 17,50 after trade resumed. Brantano chief executive Kurt Moons told Reuters that the board doubted that it could generate investor interest in a share issue that they had planned to make after the merging, given the poor market conditions.
The fusion, which was announced in December last year, has been the object of debate for some time. In January KBC securities was hired to investigate the possibilities of a possible merger. After this investigation both companies would decide weather or not a fusion would be profitable. Proceeds of the union would be used to support Branato's foreign expansion plans and to reduce Mitiska's, which owns 42 per cent of Brantano, debt.
After careful consideration and given the current situation on the financial market Brantano has now decided to cancel the project. In a brief statement Brantano said: "The Board of directors is convinced that the Brantano Group has sufficient means to continue its strategy on its own."
April 1, 2003
A Mexican shoe firm has developed a new line of footwear with a microchip that
allows companies to monitor the whereabouts of their employees. The shoe company,
which employs more than 210 people over three sites, has invested more than
USD 1 million in the project.
The firm said it expects the development to boost sales by as much as 25 per
cent and give it a larger share of the domestic industrial shoe market.
However, the development has raised concerns over companies being able to monitor
their workers' movements all the time.
March 27, 2003
Fashion fan alert! Matthew Mellon, husband to the founder of Jimmy Choo's,
is launching his very own range for men, Harry's Shoes, named after Mellon's
grandfather. The shoes are based on the trainer with a stylish twist.
To develop and then launch Harry's Shoes, Mellon borrowed around GBP 1.5 million
from the owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team, Jennifer Moores. He plans
to sell his shoes at GBP 225 per pair.
Apparently there is nothing else like it on the market place and the shoes are destined for success. Especially since Mellon has enlisted the expertise of the Italian factory that produces the classy Prada and Gucci footwear. He has also brought on board the former director of Gucci, as well as members of the Reebok team and shoe designer Patrick Cox.
Tamara Mellon, who spotted the Jimmy Choo potential while she was working at Vogue magazine, was the brain behind the PR stunt of giving away a free pair of the at the Oscars. It got people talking immediately. Her husband plans on being just as successful with his shoes as well as rainwear, gloves and briefcases.
March 26, 2003
Vicini store in Paris
Footwear specialist Vicini will open a Vicini store in Paris this year. Also, a deal will be signed for the opening of a Giuseppe Zanotti Design store in Hong Kong next year. The company, which makes women's shoes for Roberto Cavalli, DSquared, St John and Paco Rabanne, is planning to strengthen its business with the launch of a more complete collection of bags, accessories and small leathergoods, produced in small quantities.
March 25, 2003
Good results Brown Shoe Company
A company-wide program to reduce costs and improve performance contributed to a fourth-quarter and fiscal year profit for Brown Shoe Co. Inc. in 2002, compared to losses in 2001.
The St. Louis-based company, which lifted its full-year forecast earlier in the month, said net income in the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1 totaled 9.35 million USD, compared with a loss of 28.2 million USD in the same period a year ago.
Excluding items in both periods, income in the most recent quarter was 8.13 million USD, compared with 4.2 million USD a year earlier. Sales rose 8.9 percent to 452.1 million USD.
Brown Shoe Co. Inc. owns and markets shoes under the Naturalizer, LifeStride, Connie, Buster Brown and other brands. It also operates the Famous Footwear and Naturalizer retail stores.
www.brownshoe.com
February 28, 2003
Poor results Timberland
The Timberland Company, the US based outdoor shoe expert, has seen profits decreasing
in the fourth quarter as well as for the full year 2002. For the last three
months, the Stratham, New Hampshire-based company which also offers clothing
and accessories, posted a decline in profit of 10.3 per cent to 27.1 million
USD. Sales rose by 4.7 per cent to 357 million USD. For the full year 2002,
profit fell by 10.9 per cent to 95.1 million USD.
Jeffrey B. Schwartz, Timberland's President and CEO said that the company is
targeting low double-digit sales growth for the first half of 2003. " For
the second half, we continue to keep a careful outlook on expansion and believe
that mid sinlge-digit sales growth represents a suitable goal for our business",
he said in a statement.
The Timberland Company designs, engineers and markets footwear, apparel and
accessories under the Timberland brand name and the Timberland series sub-brand.
Timberland products for men, women and children include premium boots, casual
shoes, hiking boots and boat shoes, as well as outdoor-inspired apparel and
accessories built to withstand the elements of nature.
www.timberland.com
February 8, 2003
Birkenstock becomes employee-owned
The U.S. affiliate of German shoemaker Birkenstock announced this week that the company has become fully employee-owned. The final transfer of company shares from Birkenstock USA's founder, Margot Fraser, came via an employee stock ownership plan.
"All employee owners at Birkenstock will know that their contribution and successes in the workplace will ultimately benefit our business," said Matt Endriss, Birkenstock president.
The shoe company employs about 240 people. The company is not publicly traded and would not disclose the value
October 30, 2002
Boots are back in business
If you are like me, you don’t really object to the end of summer because like me you can’t wait to try out all the new gorgeous fall shoe styles that have been poking your eyes out. Most important this season - don't you love it? - is again the boot. And now they fit a variety of leg shapes. Thanks to technological advances that allow manufacturers to put a Lycra backing on suede, the boots will stretch to fit oversized or muscular calves and contract to fit skinny ones.
Crushed boots, last seen in the 1980s, are back in 2002. Lace-up boots also are hot this season, although the best investment remains the slim-cut boot that goes to the knee. Western-inspired fringe on boots and moccasins is still in, and boots with stitching are already selling out of stores. These touches work well with denim clothing and long prairie skirts.
If one wants to fit in this fall, it is necessary to accessorise! The perfect accessory adds the proper punctuation to an outfit. If you're looking for an exclamation point, try an oversized bag, a touch of the Wild West or an exotic animal print. Accessories are now an essential part of almost any outfit - and they're equally important to the fashion world. Most designers make more money on their accessories line than their clothing, especially shoes and bags, which are the gold mine of the fashion industry. Accessories are also helpful to the consumer, because they instantly update a wardrobe and they're available in a wide range of prices. You always want the new shoe! I do.
09-04-02
3-4-2001 |
