Steve Madden is creating quite a buzz on Wall Street.  Several years after starting his company in New York City, Steve Madden pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering in 2001, was in prison until 2005.  Investors forgave him and he returned to Steve Madden Ltd in 2006 as the creative and design chief. He has been the driving force behind it’s designs and has been helping recreate their business model. They made it quick on its feet. The ingenious way it introduces new designs puts them way ahead of the marketing curve.

They call it “test and release.” The company makes models at its Queens, N.Y., headquarters, where it has a mini-factory that can turn a concept into a shoe in less than a day. They then sell and monitor shoe models in a select number of its New York stores and on its Web site to determine fashion and inventory risks. After several weeks of observation, they decide whether a model can go to China for mass production and be distributed in retail stores. This “test and release” method allows them to put shoes in mass production on about 12 weeks, where typically it takes a footwear company about 5 months to release shoes.

Steven Madden Ltd has license agreements with Fabulosity, Elizabeth and James, l.e.i. for shoes, and for handbags and belts with Betsey Johnson and Daisy Fuentes. With this licensing, Steve Madden Ltd is in stores that cover the entire spectrum from Walmart (l.e.i.) to Bergdorf Goodman (Elizabeth and James) and it’s paying off. Steve Madden raised its 2009 per-share profit target in late April from $1.85 to $1.95, well above the $1.47 analysts had been expecting.Revenue grew 7%, also topping estimates.  It’s stock is regarded as a good buy. I am watching to see how it does the next few quarters.  Maybe I will put more than Monopoly money on it.

l.e.i. shoes from Walmart.

The Nessa $20

The Monical $17

The Whitley $20

Steve Madden Shoes

Coraline $70

Lonndon $50

Hanaa $70

Pandita $170

Elisabeth and James should be in stores this fall.  Nordstroms is pre-selling items, but none of the other websites have any shoes listed yet.

Luella $325 at Nordstroms  Presale

OK, this wedge is part of the Elizabeth and James line that Nordstroms was pre-selling for about $325.  By the time I could get things posted they had sold out.  No wonder. It is adorable.  It will show up later on in the season, so I will have to wait.

So, shoes offered by Steve Madden LTD range from $17 to 325.  These designs are what we are seeing virtually everywhere else. They are meeting the demands of the general public, which is the name of the business game.  I am disappointed there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual or outstanding.  I am going to have to go somewhere else for that.

3 Comments »

I recently found out that one of my sisters is reading our blog when she recently asked me via e-mail  “How are those fuzzy boots working out?“.  Now that she is following our site, she has also started campaigning to convert me over to Clarks, which is her absolute favorite shoe brand.  Apparently, it took me moving to a different state to find out that she loves looking at and trying on cute, sexy, or funky shoes almost as much as I do.

In this recent message, subject line: ‘My New Shoes’, she shares with me her brief summer sandal search. The siren-call that she was hoping to answer was for one of these two pairs of Frye sandals.

Frye ‘Dara’ T-strap $192 at Zappos

Frye ‘Grace’ Sandal $227.95 at Nordstrom

Unfortunately, she laments that “she couldn’t walk in them”.  And, since the primary purpose of shoes is to protect our feet in the everyday action of walking, this was an obvious deal-breaker.

So, where did she turn instead? Surprisingly, not to her fave brand Clarks, but to this shoe by Pikolinos:

Pikolinos ‘Romana’ mule $144.95 at Nordstrom

This is a unique little slip-on shoe that manages to be comfy and funky while still retaining a solid feminine flare. I love the attention to detail on these; they are also a wonderful way to get a boho-styled shoe that won’t be on the feet of everybody else around.

Now, the ‘Romana’ is definitely more Sis’s style than mine. But, it is refreshingly different and eclectic. So, after receiving her e-mail, I just had to go peeking around online to see what other styles Pikolinos might offer.

Here are a few that caught my eye:

This one is a wonderfully quirky interpretation of the still-dominant gladiator sandal style.

Pikolinos ‘Formentera gladiator sandal’ $174.95 at Nordstrom

And, if gladiators are not your thing, the Formentera is available in a simple slide variation as well:

Pikolinos ‘Formentera’ sandal $149.95 at Nordstrom

Another  Pikolinos shoe that I love is this charming Maryjane.

Pikolinos ‘Genebra’ Maryjane pump $81.90 $164.95 at Nordstrom

Now, I am undeniably a fan of Maryjane styles, so I was somewhat biased at the outset. But the leather on this is so yummy and I love the overall quilted effect of the stitching as well. This is one fantastic shoe with wonderfully whimsical artistic appeal.

On an unrelated note, I challenge you to say the title of this article three times fast.

4 Comments »

The birds are chirping.  The leaves are budding.  The flowers are blossoming.  And I’m in a total case of spring fever.  Since I’m me, this extends to shoes.  I’m browsing for sandals left and right and getting all excited over pedicures and ballet flats and all, just like I do every spring.

But I’m also doing my other thing that I do every springtime.  Wondering if I’ll be able to find walkable, supportive, cute shoes for the warm weather.

How perfect the timing then, for Thierry Rabotin to step on up.

Thierry Rabotin is one of those classics of the comfort shoe industry.  The man himself used to be the designer for Taryn Rose, and after some legal bad blood a few years back when he left the company, he struck out on his own, with his own mission to make high-end, handmade comfort shoes.

And he’s done it.  If you’re a geek about shoe companies like I am, check out that link to the company website for some interesting information about their manufacturing process and design vision.

In case you’re not a geek like that (though, really, I bet a bunch of you are… it’s Shoeblog, after all), I won’t go into it much, except to say that Rabotins are made in Italy (as the good shoes always are) and use the legendary sacchetto construction (basically where full grain leather linings are sewn directly to the upper of the shoe instead of being glued to mid-layers or shanks or insoles) that a) makes shoes a lot lighter and more flexible and b) is fairly rare, since it takes a lot more care in the construction of a shoe and doesn’t lend itself to assembly-line mass production techniques.

Oh look… I went on about geeky shoe things anyway.

Right.

Well, let’s cut to the chase, shall we?

So up to now I’ve been very curious to try a pair of Thierrys, but I’ve never been tickled by their styles until I snagged myself a pair of these Georgia maryjanes for my very own.

Of course, it’s time to share the experience with all of you good people out there.

First off, I was a mite sceptical to be honest.  I’m generally leery of this sort of flat ballet-inspired shoe, because most of the ones I’ve ever tried on, even those from “comfort” companies, don’t offer much in the way of support or shock-absorption, and they often cut up the back of my heel something fierce.

But when I slipped these on and walked them through the concrete and cobblestone streets of London for a few days, the most I could complain about was one spot where the edge rubbed at the outside of my little toe.  Even that, honestly, I’m not too worried about.  The leather feels like butter, and it’s already stretching around the shape of my foot.  No heel rubbing, because there’s a genius patch of suede on the inside of the shoe’s heel.  There’s even built-in arch support!  It’s like a little sigh of relief putting these puppies on my feet.  Word of advice, though: I’d go up a half size if you’re in doubt.  I’m usually an 8 US, and I got these in the 8.5 (which in Rabotin sizing is 38.5), and I wouldn’t want ‘em any smaller.

They’re a bit on the narrow side (hence the toe rubbing), which also worried me looking at them in the box.  But they’re actually quite flattering once they’re on, and they don’t gap weirdly, which I often find is a problem with ballerina-style shoes.

Style-wise, I can’t say as they’re the most cutting edge pair of shoes I’ve ever put on, and that’s in keeping with the company’s ethos of making shoes that are “classics” and don’t follow the whims of fashion.  Personally, I think there’s still room to get a bit less old-fashioned with their collections while maintaining a classic overall style.  But the inclusion of these metallic leathers that they’ve been doing for the past few seasons has made a huge difference.  Case in point: in black, the Georgia isn’t nearly as interesting to me.

Likewise, it’s the pewter that catches my eye on the Grace flat.

OK, maybe I’m just a sucker for the shiny, but make something in a metallic, and I’m all over it.

All in all, I’d say I was really pleasantly surprised by these shoes, and I’d give them high marks all around, with perhaps a few points off for style innovation.

If you’re after a pair of your own, follow the links above to the shoes at Joseph.  And if you’re still not convinced that these are awesome and worth the (admittedly high) retail price tag of $400-450, there are plenty of other comfort brands there with some adorable shoes for spring.  I make special mention of these funky Arche perforated sandals, which are not only a ton of fun in hot pink, but damn trendy right now with their zip-up heel and combination clunky/cut-out styling.

Or, in a yet-lower price bracket, there’s the Cole Haan Air Ariana sandal with Nike sole technology.  I haven’t mentioned it recently, but seriously, the Cole Haan Air series (as well as its precursor, Cole Haan G Series) makes up by far the highest percentage of my go-to shoes for summer walking in stylish comfort.

You know what?  Just go ahead and browse through all the spring shoes over there.  There are some beauts.  And there’s even a fun article from their head shoe buyer about some of his favorite picks for spring shoes.

5 Comments »

Regular Shoeblog readers may recall September of last year when we saw some very intriguing styles from Proenza Schouler’s spring 2009 runway show.

For those of you who want a chance to own some of these styles, they have started to appear online via Saks.com. 

The first two shoes below are very close to styles seen on the runway; including the strangely organic skeletal heels that immediately bring to my mind the various ’biomechanical’ artworks by HR Giger. 

Proenza Schouler Cutout Sandals $875.

Proenza Shouler Pleated Peep-Toe Sandals $1095.

If these are too unusual for you, there is also an on-trend version of the still-popular gladiator/spat sandal:

Proenza Schouler Flat Zip Sandals $1050.

Admittedly, the flats are really not my style. There would be too much chance of ‘the shoes wearing me’ rather than the other way around.

I could, however (were finances to permit) completely see myself sporting that wicked and slightly dangerous-looking cutout heel.

Bring on the towering Femme Fatale!

7 Comments »

The Irregular Choice brand is known for shoes that are eclectic (at best) to outright horrifying (at worst). Certainly ‘Boring’ is a word rarely applied to this brand.  Styles by Irregular Choice are not for the shy at heart. I just feel like many of them would fair better on stage rather than ‘life around town’.

Case in point.

Irregular Choice ‘Satine’ $74.75 $149  at 6pm.com. 

Dramatic?   Yes. 

Wearable by your average gal? …. Probably not. But, they definitely get the imagination going.

So, as winter continues to knock coldly on my door, I bring you a slightly less dramatic alternative from Irregular Choice.

These puffy ankle-boots used to be available in an ice-blue with white snowflakes, but that color combo seems to have sold out. Instead, take a peak at these cozy Red, White and Blue cuties that will make you feel like you are dressed up and ready for the Winter Olympic games.

Irregular Choice ‘Snowbunny’ in Red, White & Blue $51.75 $100  at 6pm.com

If you like the knit-snowflake detail of this boot, but are lucky enough to live in an area that is not currently dusted with snow, there is also a patterned pump available in RW&B, green or yellow:

Irregular Choice ‘Apres Ski’ $51.75 $100 at 6pm.com

They are definitely not subtle footwear choices. And, folks I’ve met who own some Irregular Choice shoes have told me that they are also pretty darned comfortable. So, if unique shoes are your thing, then grab a pair of these for stepping out during the cooler months. It’s one way to show Old Man Winter how much you love the season.

1 Comment »