Footwear Plus

In their second outing for Perry Ellis, Duckie Brown designers Steven Cox and Daniel Silver set the stage for a trip to the woods (or Williamsburg bar, The Woods), embracing a rustic color palette with touches of camo and wallpaper prints. For Fall '13 the PEDB man holds restrained tailoring (think two-button and double-breasted suits) and leather bomber jackets in equal regard and loves his Duckie Brown for Florsheim monkstraps. 

Wolverine 1000 Mile has once again teamed up with Brooklyn, NY-based designer Samantha Pleet for her Fall/Winter 2013 collection. Exploring themes of early modern art and design, the line draws inspiration from Picasso's harlequins, Schiele's muses and Bauhaus geometry in the silhouettes and details. The luxurious texture palette of silk satin, tattered georgette, supple lambswool and embroidered velvet is rendered in a vibrant story represented by Pleet's handpainted watercolors.

Vans has taken home the SIMA Footwear Product of the Year Award for the fourth time as announced at the SIMA Image Awards last Thursday in Anaheim, CA. Top honors were awarded to the company for its Van Doren Series featuring Classics with prints culled from Vans' vast archives. The skate-and-surf brand also received its first-ever nomination for Environmental Product of the Year with the Nexpa Pro sandal utilizing a cradle-to-cradle footbed recycling program.

When Chinese-born, France-based brand Feiyue ("flying forward") landed its kids' kicks on U.S. soil last year it had an inkling the scaled-down sneakers would be a hit. After all, actions speak louder than words and since the line was lifted from relative obscurity in 2006 the children's collection represents 8 percent of its global turnover. "Colorful designs and accessible prices make the range very attractive for buyers," says Cynthia Pelletier, the brand's North American sales manager.

Project Runway breakout star Christian Siriano and Payless ShoeSource have teamed up to bring immediate access to affordable runway fashions with the Feb. 18 availability of LeToile, a direct-from-the-runway black patent slingback featured in Siriano's show this past weekend, offered at thousands of Payless stores nationwide and online for $30.

Thursday night saw New York's fashion folk check in at the opening party for "Shoe Obsession," the new exhibition at the Museum at FIT. Sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, guests included Alexandre Birman, Jessica Hart, Fern Mallis, Edmundo Castillo and more. The exhibit runs through April 13; an accompanying book is also due out in April. 

Over the years shoes have grown from a simple necessity to statement-making works of wearable art. As designers in the last decade have continued to push the envelope and raise the style bar, women the world over are coveting their latest creations. And now we have the exhibit to celebrate it, thanks to the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (MFIT). The Manhattan-based college's "Shoe Obsessed" exhibit will be on display Feb 8 to Apr. 13, celebrating contemporary shoe designers and how they have transformed the world of footwear since 1999.

Chaco, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, has partnered with the American Camp Association to encourage young campers to embrace a life of outdoor adventure. The brand will be the exclusive footwear provider to camp counselors and professionals at ACA-accredited camps across the U.S.A. and plans to make an annual donation to the ACA's "Send a Child to Camp" scholarship fund.

The consumers have spoken - 6,428 to be precise. Fifteen-year-old  Megan McDonald has been chosen as the new face of Cougar Boots. Just over a month ago the company set out in a branded truck, offering fans the opportunity to see the new Pillow Boot collection, try on the boots of their choice and be photographed in them. This photo then became their entry into the contest to become the brand's new face. McDonald's billboard ad will be displayed on the corner of King and Spadina Ave in Toronto from Feb. 11 to Mar. 10. 

Last Friday night Bearpaw threw open the doors of its Citrus Heights, CA, shop for its second annual Wine, Women & Boots event, offering 50 percent off the entire store, as well as wine, appetizers and a sneak peek at the Fall '13 collection. "It's been a great opportunity for us to bond with consumers and really build a relationship with them that will last for years to come. These types of things go a long way in establishing ourselves in the Sacramento area and gaining market share," says Randy McKinley, vice president, sales and marketing at Bearpaw Footwear.