PLUSParke & Ronen this

weekend will launch an updated Web site and

reopen in L.A. Page MW4

Not Horsing AroundLiam Neeson takes his style seriously and hits all the right notes with a safe and predictable suit. Page MW4

MAN OF THE WEEK

March 13, 2014

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Going GrayIn a season when traditional muted tones dominated the runways, a rich gray palette was the leading choice in many designer collections. For more on the gray story, see pages MW2 and MW3.

by PAULINA SZMYDKE

PARIS — Men are having a Cinderella mo-ment, propelling footwear to become one of the fastest-growing categories in an already buoyant market for men’s fashions. And re-tailers around the world are gearing up to take advantage of it.

“Shoes are to men what bags are to women,” said Emmanuel de Bayser, owner of The Corner in Berlin. “Because bags don’t work in men’s wear, 90 percent of my budget for accessories goes into shoes, 80 percent of which are sneakers.”

Among the best-selling items de Bayser cited are sneakers from brands includ-ing Valentino, Balenciaga, Lanvin, Saint Laurent and Christian Louboutin, for which there is a waiting list at his boutique. “What’s interesting is, the customer today knows exactly what he wants; it’s impera-tive that we keep up with his specific de-mands,” de Bayser said.

The retailer said his shoe budget dou-bled in the last three seasons, and he re-cently installed a “sneaker wall” in his men’s boutique, an element he borrowed from his women’s shop and “an instant hit.”

Most retailers polled by WWD cited double-digit growth in men’s footwear in 2013, which they forecast will continue this year, in concert with substantial investments in the sector.

At Barneys New York, men’s footwear “is planned up significantly in key flagship doors and online. We have and are continu-ing to invest capital to renovate our men’s footwear departments to maximize this great opportunity,” said Tom Kalenderian, executive vice president and general mer-chandise manager of men’s wear.

At Saks Fifth Avenue, a sneaker shop-in-shop opened last month, while Turkish luxury retailer Beymen’s new flagship in Istanbul’s Zorlu Center features “two sepa-rate sections for men’s shoes — designer/clas-sic and contemporary, both double the size of our existing stores,” according to Polat Uyal, Beymen’s chief merchandising officer, who said sales of men’s shoes jumped 28 percent in 2013, outpacing overall growth in the men’s sector, which stood at 22 percent.

At Harrods in London, two new men’s rooms — slated to open in the third quar-ter of this year — are under construction, adding to the extensive shoe boutique the department store built almost two years ago when the retailer doubled the space for men’s footwear.

“At the time of the development, this is when we began to see the demands chang-ing in our customers’ shopping habits and desires for a greater offer of shoes,” said Jason Broderick, Harrods’ fashion director of men’s wear, sports and watches. “We have seen a shift happening in our shoe business with a

SOLE POWER

{Continued on page MW4}

Retailers Embrace Footwear CrazeStores around the world expand offering in men’s designer shoes and sneakers.

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci’s angora sweater and cotton tank top and Tillmann Lauterbach’s wool shorts and pants.

GRAY AREA

Costume National’s wool blazer and Louis Vuitton’s cashmere shirt and pants.

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci sneakers. N. Hoolywood’s cotton coat, wool turtleneck and apron and cotton pants.

Band of Outsiders’ jacket and blazer and Ami’s shirt, all in wool.

Jil Sander’s wool coat and Melinda Gloss’ wool pants.

Michael Kors cashmere scarf.

Men’s WeekMW2 WWD THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014

WWD THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014 MW3

THE CLASSIC GENTLEMAN’S GRAY — IN ALL ITS SHADES — IS ONE OF THE MAIN COLOR TRENDS FOR FALL AND ALLOWS FOR A SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN CHIC ATHLETICISM, LUXE LOUNGEWEAR AND TRADITIONAL TAILORING. — ALEX BADIA

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Ami’s wool coat, Alexander Wang’s cotton and nylon sweatshirt and Michael Kors’ cashmere sweatpants . Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci sneakers.

Louis Vuitton’s cashmere coat and Michael Kors’ cashmere sweatpants.

Thom Browne’s wool blazer, Jil Sander’s

cotton turtleneck and Oliver Spencer’s cotton

and wool pants.

PHOTOS BY ELI SCHMIDT

Men’s Week

Men’s WeekMW4 WWD THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014

with a move toward even more luxury sneakers from brands such as Giuseppe Zanotti, Valentino and Lanvin driving the way forward in this field. And in the coming season we will even see Tom Ford launching his first sneaker. We have also seen brands that were traditionally associ-ated with great women’s collections such as Jimmy Choo entering the men’s market and bringing their expertise and flair to the industry,” he said.

Interestingly, the men’s shoe depart-ment has had “a huge amount of female traffic especially in Balenciaga and Giuseppe Zanotti,” noted Broderick. “Luckily, our diverse international cus-tomers mean that we have quite a broad range of sizing, which includes smaller sizes, which the female audience is en-joying too.”

Harrods now uses the “central hub” of its men’s shoe salon as a pop-up space to showcase previews of new collections, exclusives and new brands including housing Louis Leeman and Lanvin. “We continually work to provide the customer with new brands and experiences and this space gives us an immersive environ-ment to do so,” said Broderick.

Kalenderian credits Prada for set-ting in motion a sea change in the way men approach footwear. “They merged the world of formal dress shoes and

sneakers. This hybrid of two completely different manufacturing constructions changed the industry, an evolution in the way we not only look at footwear in general but also the way men use shoes today,” he explained.

According to the Barneys executive, “The concept of sneakers with suits, or conversely the mix of formal brogues with jeans, are all ideas that evolved from the way the industry repurposed these classifications of footwear; you won’t be surprised to see the most classic double monk-strap shoe on the [sockless] feet of the chicest designer men’s clients.”

Stylish celebrities are also fanning demand.

“There all these sports stars and music moguls like Pharrell Williams, Jay Z and Justin Timberlake who really dress up,” said Eric Jennings, vice presi-dent and fashion director of men’s wear at Saks Fifth Avenue. “They wear de-signer [brands], they rap about designer, and sometimes they’re even making it. They are hugely influential, particularly in footwear, which has been elevated to a dressier level. Where there used to be contemporary, there is now something like ‘street couture.’ ”

While “sneakers are clearly at the forefront of this trend,” styles like “the slipper shoe, brogues and colorful soles

are [also] pushing the creative envelope. Aggressively fashionable footwear is now the new normal,” Jennings said.

Mintel predicts the men’s footwear seg-ment will generate $20.3 billion in the U.S. this year, climbing to $22.5 billion by 2016. That’s a big leap from $15.3 billion in 2006.

According to new data provided by NPD for the U.S. market, purchases of footwear costing $150 or more jumped 28 percent between 2012 and 2013, with the oxford and the slip-on/loafer in particu-lar demand, accounting for 24 percent and 22 percent of sales respectively.

“It has a lot to do with a generation of men that previously focused on sneak-ers when they were younger, but now that they are maturing and focusing on more tailored fashion, their focus has shifted to dress shoes and boots. They see shoes as a statement piece, and so they are willing to invest,” said Josh Peskowitz, men’s fashion director at Bloomingdale’s.

He noted that athletic shoes contin-ue to attract interest, especially from Nike: “They have raised the bar in terms of innovation and have stepped out with new technology that men are responding to, for example, the Flyknit and Lunar soles.”

Naturally, the sole has spilled to other styles. While Uyal cites the rubber bot-tom as an important trend combining a

better price point with classic models, de Bayser

predicts the next big thing in footwear will be the thick-

soled rock ’n’ roll-inspired creeper, as seen chez Saint Laurent.

Whatever shoe conquers the streets next, it better be comfortable. Unlike women, willing to squeeze their feet into the most agonizing pump or sandal, men value comfort above else. Sixty-nine per-cent of all men surveyed by Mintel said they are ready to pay more for shoes that are comfortable. Also worth noting: When buying athletic shoes, most shoppers favor casual over performance footwear, the same study indicated.

“Sports shoe styles by luxury and fash-ion brands continue to deliver for us — that mix of versatile and covetable is unbeat-able at the moment,” said Terry Betts, director of men’s wear at Selfridges in London, which in 2012 more than doubled the size of its Oxford Street men’s shoe de-partment. Standing at 15,000 square feet, it is billed as the largest space in the world dedicated to men’s footwear.

What’s crucial is “to keep the offer fresh with exclusive styles and temporary concepts created in partnership with es-tablished and new-to-the-market brands,” according to Betts.

To wit: Next up is a collaboration with Italian brand Golden Goose, which in March will take over Selfridges’ two temporary sites in the men’s shoe de-partment to launch its spring collection.

{Continued from page MW1}

Man of THE WEEK LIAM NEESON: B+

Hot on the heels of a hit movie, Neeson is taking his role as an action hero to new heights, sparring with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over the fate of Central Park’s carriage horses. But his risk-taking is only on screen, as evidenced by this safe and predictable suit.

Great body and volume and the natural wave is very youthful. It looks 100 percent natural, free of hair plugs. Hollywood leading men, take notice.

He may be 61 years old, but he still has the firm jawline of an action hero.

The blue shirt plays well with the light gray suit and his blue eyes.

Is that a gun or are you just happy to see us?

The Western-style buckle feels very

Nineties (he’s probably owned

it since then). But that’s not the place

to be creative. A traditional belt

would be better.

The slim pant with a clean break is the best choice for the

overall ensemble.shoes: A traditional penny loafer would.

A traditional penny loafer would have

been too preppy for comfort; however, this sleek version

works well with his elegant yet

youthful flair.

The suit fits him perfectly so it’s

probably made-to-measure. However,

a darker palette would look edgier.

by RACHEL BROWN

LOS ANGELES — The cold winter has had people dreaming of warm escapes, and swim-wear specialist Parke & Ronen is ready to out-fit them for their sun-seeking getaways.

The New York-based brand has seen sales on its Web site skyrocket 123 percent over last year and will launch an updated site on Saturday that enables international shipping to continue to satisfy demand for vacation wares. The same day, Parke & Ronen will reopen its 1,200-square-foot store at 8012 ½ Melrose here.

Parke & Ronen opened the Los Angeles store in 2008, a year after it unveiled its 800-square-foot store at 176 Ninth Avenue in New York, and has shift-ed it from a year-round model to a seasonal one. The New York store will be operation-al through August and start up again around Thanksgiving until al-most Christmas. When the store is closed, Parke & Ronen will turn its storefront into a billboard for the brand.

Parke Lutter, who founded Parke & Ronen with Ronen Jehezkel in 1997, said the Los Angeles store is critical for the brand “to understand the West Coast mar-ket. We have learned to make things that really suit the California weather and culture. That has helped us increase wholesale distribution on the West Coast. It is amazing how much data a store can generate to make our collection a better fit for a particular market.”

At the moment, Lutter said the brand’s cus-tomers are gravitating toward dressier swim-suits, including the Angeleno and Catalonia styles, over surf-inspired varieties. In Parke & Ronen ready-to-wear, lightweight cotton but-ton-down shirts and the thigh-skimming Holler

shorts have been top sellers. Retail prices at Parke & Ronen range mostly from $100 to $180.

“People don’t want anything that is high-maintenance. They don’t want anything too complicated. They want things that are simple and beautiful. Those are the things that sell the best,” said Lutter, adding, “We never de-signed swimsuits from a swim point of view. We have always designed from a fashion point of view. Every year, we bring in 250 new swim-suits in different lengths, different bodies and

different materials.”Parke & Ronen’s

non-swimsuit mer-chandise has been growing rapidly as well. Two years ago, that category ac-counted for 15 per-cent of sales. Today, it has risen to 35 per-cent. Lutter tracks the growth to the brand’s repositioning of its fall collection as an après ski resource. “We move from the winter to the summer to the beach to the mountains,” he said.

Lutter doesn’t foresee opening more permanent Parke & Ronen stores, but does envision pop-ups in the summer in Provincetown, Mass.,

or Fire Island, N.Y., for example, and during Art Basel in Miami. Parke & Ronen has yet to hit $10 million in annual revenues, but Lutter said the brand has been registering double-digit sales jumps annually and expects a similar result this year. Its 80 wholesale doors, notably Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Barneys New York, are re-sponsible for the bulk of Parke & Ronen’s sales.

“The biggest goal for us for 2014 is to in-crease our international distribution,” said Lutter, noting the brand’s sales outside the U.S. are minimal. The biggest opportunities, he said, are in Europe, notably the U.K. and Scandinavia.

FOOTWEAR IS GROWTH AREA FOR RETAILERS

A Valentino sneaker.

Selfridges’ shoe presentation.

The Los Angeles store is on Melrose.

Parke & Ronen to Reopen L.A. Unit

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