20 YEARS OF...
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fame Footwear Plus and
april/may 2010 • footwearplusmagazine.com 29
1990-91
1992
1993
grunge
AIDS
awareness
You can’t touch this.
Premiere issue, Fall 1990
Desktop publishing era begins
Converse stands by its endorsee, Magic Johnson, after he announces he has A.I.D.S.
Retro craze“First it was the ’60s and then the ’50s and now it’s the ’30s and ’40s.”
Sneaker violence “The car industry is not blamed
—Chris Cherry, fashion director,
for car thefts. You can’t blame the sneaker industry for these kinds of thefts.”—Greg Hartley,
Nine West
“Retail is about to get sideswiped by electronic, interactive television shopping. I think it will wipe out half of all retail today.”
executive director, Athletic Footwear Association
—R. Fulton Macdonald, retail analyst
chunky,
clunky,
“They are both incredible dancers and athletes and have a strong fashion sense.”
heavy
—Sandy Saemann, L.A. Gear
Air Jordan
Say, WHAT? “Much like aerobics
Moss
style makers Green is good
walking can be the story of the ’90s.” —Will Kussell, marketing
Greed is not good
director, Reebok
Huge
Madonna
“We didn’t do much to publicize our green initiatives because we didn’t want people to think we were just cashing in on the environmental issue.”—Elise Klysa, spokesperson, Timberland
was a big success for Reebok in the ’80s,
Michael Jordan
Mark
Reebok Pump
trendshoe
trendshoe
“Consumers have begun to shift from their consumption phase to the value phase— the less willing to dress up phase.”
Jan. 1991: Retro Chic
endorsement deals Bo Jackson
Larry ”Grandmama“ Johnson Anfernee “Lil’ Penny” Hardaway
—Kent Wall, president, Johnston & Murphy
Remember backward pants?
“The amount of kids who told me that Kurt Cobain was wearing Converse One Stars as his feet stuck out from the white sheet was amazing.” —Anonymous
1994
1996
crack epidemic Forrest Gump wears Nike Cortez...
Clinton reelected
Seinfeld
“It seems the country is more positive today than it has been in years. I think things will continue going up as long as something bad
...while Jerry sports his white kicks.
doesn’t happen.” ...it —Jan Friedman, buyer, Jildor’s
does.
trendshoe
“
Our research showed that Rush Limbaugh had the best combination of reach, affordability and persuasivness.”
gun violence
—Brian Smith, president, Ugg Australia
We are convinced “that we got much
more for our dollar with Howard Stern than we would have gotten anywhere else.”
—Michael Muskat, president, Deer Stags
pimped laces
introducing the
world wide web
“By providing gift certificates to eliminate guns from the streets, we hope we can make a difference.” —Tim Finn, general manager, Foot Locker
First appearance of advertiser’s URL, January 1996.
Good luck with THAT...
“It’s the stigma
of the Al Bundys of the world. People think that selling shoes is beneath them.”
—Ron Scott, owner, Scott Shoes
“Basketball is slowing because other shoes like hikers are becoming street shoes.” —Frank Kinney, president, F+M Sports
“[O.J.] will certainly give Bruno Magli
trendshoe
some recognition.”
—
Puma Clydes
—Fiore Guglielmi, salesperson, Tanino Crisci
“When Mike D. donned a pair of Puma Clydes on the cover of the Beastie Boys album Check Your Head, it was
the match
that lit the fire.”
—Tony Bertone, Intl. Business Manager, Puma
1997
1998
Internet sales estimated at $850 million— up from essentially zero two years prior.
1999
We’re gonna party like it’s...
2000
“into We’re about one minute the first 100 years of online commerce.” —Matt Hyde, VP of online sales, R.E.I.
. uts The n le bloo eop p m is iving Say, WHAT? Paris Hilton orff t Reebok’s No. 1 rule: eedn r a h —J s d e im No showing product online. “People today Dav ors Perez Hilton lete is, C EO, em are interested in “We didn’t think anyone The ath New e s Bala nt “ celebrities nce .” everything would want to see it.” are doing and
social conscience “There are direct commercial payoffs
trendshoe
to cause-related efforts. People respect you, trust you and believe you care about the things they care about.”—Richard Polk, owner, Pedestrian Shops
wearing. They want to be—and dress— like them.” —Max Azria, designer
disputed e And the
“Gor like lic d Chad.
...Dubya! trendshoe
“Steve Madden stores are like nightclubs—tying together music and the product.”
—Jaques Lavertue, GM, Merrell
trendshoe
“Guys somehow think boat shoes work with everything. And they don’t.” —Bob Infantino,
—Gary Weiner, president, Saxon Shoes
Clarks
Ben Affleck in Good Will Hunting
That was then,
“
trendshoe
this is now: Tiger Woods is a class act.” —Tom Doyle, National Sporting Goods Association
“If you don’t have a front door, you shouldn’t be able to have a cyber door.”
Say, WHAT?
“You can cut the lawn in Jungle Mocs, travel to Europe in them and go through airport security with ease. Everybody wins.”
“The word urban is so overdone. You don’t say ‘suburban footwear.’” —Jeffrey Bernstein, sales manager, Avirex Footwear
NASCAR
“The fans really take note of what their favorite driver is wearing or endorsing... That’s what helps sell products.” —Chuck Gordan, owner, Gordan’s Shoes
Hollywood h “for what’s co
The Wedding is an ’80s mo ahead of the —Mark Haskins, senior designer, Vans
Rock Star
Michael Jordan announces his retirement from the NBA. (only to un-retire 2 years later)
Joe Dirt
Ya think?
2001
ection
winner is...
’s preppy. He’s Banana Repubude. Bush has a little more of the cowboy thing. He likes his jeans tight.”
patriotism
Dolomite launches Uptown USA boot featuring a U.S. flag embroidered on the tongue. Ten percent of sales were donated to FDNY and NYPD Disaster Relief Fund.
Ya Think? “The e-tailer stock
prices were too high to begin with.
It was speculative.”
ad o r e le th u r s SUV “To be quite honest, Nike is paying the ultimate compliment to Converse by buying it.”
—Ruthie Davis, Simple
Manolo Blahnik
Invasion
Consolidation
yoga
—Tom Luck, president, Lucky Shoes
trendshoe
2003
utilitarian trendshoe
Jimmy Choo
Metrosexuals “Men are growing
J-Lo
“I TOOK 10 PERCENT OF MY SALES AND DONATED IT TO THE RED CROSS. I juSt
wAnteD to help.” —Rosco Rolnick, owner,
Guaranteed Shoe Center
Sneaker boutiques
10th Anniversary issue
“It’s a shop for people who really know sneakers... They can talk to someone who is not dressed like a referee.”
s a good feel ming. Look at Singer. That vie that was curve.” “We had a store in the World Trade Center concourse. We found out that everyone got out safely, which was great news.”
—Stash, co-owner, Nort 235
Alife Rivington 9/11 tribute page, Oct. 2001
—Anneli Shearer, spokesperson, Cole Haan
The Wedding Singer
“Malls and department stores are clearly suffering, especially as a result of the government’s advice to avoid large public places.”—Amanda Cabot, CEO, Dansko
freedoms that we didn’t have before... we’re coming out of our ‘closets.’” —Donald J. Pliner, designer
trendshoe
“Flip-flops...easy to wear, easy to buy and pretty much goes with everything. It’s having a real resurgence.” Homer Simpson endorses Reebok Classic.
Homer Simpson High Dunk by Nike
2004 Donut burger.
Obesity
Hip-hop hawkers
“Everybody— I think even my mother— knows who Snoop is.”
2005
Katrina
bird flu
“You sold your soul the day you put on those Jimmy Choos.”
“It’s really humbling to see how much of a difference Soles4Souls has made in the lives of others—just with a gift of shoes.” —Wayne Elsey, founder, Soles4Souls
trendshoe
—Killick Datta, CEO, GBMI
Soles4Souls 5th anniversary issue
Western
50 Cent for Reebok
Snoop Dog for Pony
“We’ve proven that Ugg is here to stay. It’s part of a much larger trend related to comfort and luxury.” Missy Elliot for Adidas
Jay-Z for Reebok
Gucci
“Our motto is fashion, function and fun… once in a while we
—Angel Martinez, CEO, Deckers Outdoor
also hear we’re
‘fugly.’”
“Unseen, untold,
Kids
unsold:
We live and die by that model.”
—Michael Greenberg, president, Skechers
Sex sells
When Carrie Bradsaw wore ruby red Uggs on an episode: “Our phone was ringing off the hook... Every woman in town was looking for those ruby Uggs.”
trendshoe
—Mike Margolis, national sales manager, Crocs
“The kids’ busiParody of classic movie posters for 2005 fashion feature
Desperately Sexy
“Married women between 25 and 45 can relate to Desperate Housewives better than a magazine writer who
ness has a better chance to perform well because children grow out of sizes and parents take care of their children first.” —Robert Campbell, CEO, BBC Intl.
trendshoe
lives in a $5,500-a-month
apartment and wears Manolos every day.”
—Jeff Yeh, creative director, NYLA
—Tarek Hassan, co-owner, The Tannery
King James
Lebron Our kids’ footwear supplement.
2007
hope
2008
Prez race
iPad era begins?
California wildfires “The store’s been here for 48 years, but this is as bad as I’ve ever seen it.”
trendshoe
—Harry Bosley, Bob Jones Shoes
“Wellies are a dramatic, bold statement...There has been an explosion of interest.”
—Rob Moehring, CEO Washington Shoe Co.
MBT
viral marketing
Our sneaker botique supplement.
Sustainability
“Anybody that is dismissing the sustainability movement has got their head in a particular orifice.”
“[2009] was a year where the best retailers designer would did OK if they want to get lucky, their hands on.” were and anybody —Gina La Morte, celebrity stylist who wasn’t good just got hammered or disappeared.”
“Michelle is someone any
trendshoe
“YouTube [offers] a huge opportunity for retailers to market their businesses in an organic way.” —Jennifer Nielsen, spokesperson, YouTube
trendshoe
Chooka
—Gary Weiner, president, Saxon Shoes
“Health and wellness [footwear] is truly going to make an impact on our industry unlike anything in a lot of years.” —Charlie Liberge, president, Klas Shoes
—Angel Martinez, CEO, Deckers Outdoor
The industry’s only magazine devoted to green practices.
“[Cause-related marketing] really “[Social networking] has been the ballooned in the last 12 months. All of savior of my business. I don’t a sudden it was bam—everywhere.” —Blake Mycoskie, know where I’d be without it.” chief shoe giver, TOMS
—Tony Zelaya, owner, Zelaya Shoes
“Metrosexuality is dead.”
—Darin Hager, designer, Heyday Footwear
Already?
But I just got my mandals!
Cheers! Footwear Plus