The footwear industry has long been dominated by male designers and luxury fashion houses that decided to foray into the footwear market. Over the last few years, the industry has seen many promising designer brands come and go. Those who seemed visionary with a unique aesthetic and so much potential, whether backed by investors, luxury department stores or not, have since folded. Why is it so difficult for new brands to break through all of the fashion society barriers and sit among the seasoned heavyweights, sharing in a small portion of the profits?
There are many young designers who believe that they have what it takes to launch a footwear line with staying power. They may have the drive, the eye, the taste level, the tenacity and even the connections to do so, but they fall short because they don’t have the industry experience under their belt to avoid the mistakes that a footwear veteran would never make. For anyone who is not aware, the costs of creating a footwear line are tremendous, and if you don’t have deep pockets, your ship will sink faster than the Titanic. There is also another caveat: investors will not fund a new brand without proven sales of $250,000 or more, and securing a line of credit needs to be backed by an equal amount of personal assets.
The investment begins with your factory; if you are able to secure one that is willing to work with you as a fresh designer with limited industry experience, that’s what you need. You must factor in all of the costs of building your line, which include lasts, heel molds, hardware molds, outsole molds, all of the interior and exterior components of the shoes, how many SKUs you will develop for sampling and so on. Many different suppliers are investing their time and efforts in your journey and brand vision as well, eagerly waiting for the orders to come in from your debut collection. But what happens when you spend thousands of dollars in development, renting a showroom or reserving a space at a prestigious industry trade show, and none of the buyers bite?
You did everything right — or so you thought. You created an incredible, well-crafted, cohesive line at an accessible price point that would appeal to a large fashionable audience. You hired a hip PR firm to host your premiere collection at a trendy hotel, inviting fashion editors from top-tier magazines, influencers and bloggers to review your work. Your website is beautiful, as are your business cards, and everyone is applauding your designs. The thing is, when you’re a new brand, whether or not a retail buyer likes (or even loves) your product offering, they want to see two or three seasons of consistency with your brand before taking a chance on your line. They know that if they place an order for their store and don’t see 70% sell throughs, they will not only have to face their superiors — they could put you out of business completely with chargebacks.
It’s unfortunate that top luxury retailers will only take a chance on you and your brand if you’re a celebrity, socialite or if the “it” celebrities are constantly seen wearing your products. And as far as editorial features and product placements go, fashion editors are pressured to concentrate on featuring only the brands who can afford to advertise across their glossy pages, which doesn’t allow much room for the new kids on the block.
So, what happens next? Young designers are faced to give up on their dreams as their bank accounts are quickly depleting. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Many contemporary designer footwear brands have taken to social media, stepping out into the spotlight on platforms such as Instagram, and using collaborative efforts with other brands, celebrities and influencers to gain traction. They have gone direct-to-consumer (DTC), steering clear of luxury boutiques and department stores altogether, where their unfavorable margins no longer affect their bottom line. They sell their shoes solely through their websites while offering pop-up shops or designer spotlight opportunities at select retailers to garner popularity. Many still use PR, as well as “gifting” options, for both celebrities and influencers who appeal to their audience or potential clients. They are paving the way for a whole new generation of designers that no longer need to rely on retailers — because if you don’t evolve, you die.
Going DTC allows them to offer a variety of perks that speak to their clients on an emotional level. DTC brands have the ability to host virtual designer meetings, include hand-written notes with each purchase, recommend monogrammed styles, give VIP perks (such as rewards or custom shoes), provide luxury gift wrapping or bundle deals, offer unparalleled client services, receive heart-warming client testimonials and present weekly podcasts or Instagram stories that draw in clients. The possibilities are truly endless; it is a win-win for both the brand and its patrons. There are still major costs associated with going this route, such as advertising campaigns, email marketing, PR, web hosting, SEO, branded content production, select partnerships and one-of-a-kind events, just to name a few integral pieces to the DTC puzzle, but being able to completely control your brand’s narrative — well, that’s a victory itself.
From my perspective, all of your hard work will pay off in time if you have created remarkable products that genuinely resonate with your consumer. If you can let them experience your world while allowing your shoes to play a role in theirs, there’s no telling what the future will hold for your company. I would say the sky is the limit, but I, for one, am always reaching for the stars.
Christina Jean Durante
Femmes Sans Peur
christina@fspatelier.com
