10. PHOTOS:COURTESYOFBRANDS
22 | | MARCH 17, 2014
F
aced with a fast-changing landscape,
shoe companies are stepping up efforts
to advance overall production efficien-
cy in their China-based factories and
reduce the level of handwork required
to make merchandise. But it remains to be seen
whether these efforts will successfully combat
the impact of soaring labor costs and the migra-
tion of manufacturing to alternative regions
over the long term.
Firms including Nike Inc., Under Armour Inc.
and VF Corp., among others, are transforming
their systems as they seek to transition from a
labor-intensive process to one that is more au-
tomated. In addition, companies are improving
production efficiencies — while addressing the
Chinese government’s recent crackdown on pol-
lution — with sustainable technologies, stitch-
less designs and waterless dyeing processes.
“In terms of technology, our focus at the
moment is to introduce new machines [and
processes] that can increase automation,
reduce waste and ensure consistent quality,”
said Stephen Chi, CEO of Stella International’s
women’s footwear and retail divisions. Chi said
the firm has employed management consul-
tants to help it pinpoint ways to upgrade factory
operations and continue to offer the innovation,
craftsmanship, flexibility and short lead times
demanded by its customers.
Although the move to fully automated pro-
duction may be a long way off, this current push
to build new factories and adopt better tech-
nologies presents an opportunity to improve
manufacturing processes and raise standards,
according to Cyan Cooper, managing director
of Pioneer Sourcing, a footwear manufacturing
agency based in Fujian, China.
Still, while the industry is striving to reduce
some of the labor in footwear pro-
duction, the need for a skilled
workforce remains — at least
for now, Cooper said.
“There’sareasonwhyshoes
arestillmadeinAsia:Youstill
havetodoitbyhand.Thereare
innovationsinthedevelopmentand
assemblyportions,but
conventionalfoot-
wearasweknow
itwillremain
heavilyde-
pendenton
laborfor
yearsto
come.”
Added Matt Priest, president of the Footwear
Distributors and Retailers of America, “It’s not
quite lasers cutting fabric and robots sewing
thread just yet.”
Nevertheless, the heat is on for footwear and
apparel players to lead the charge for innova-
tion. Here, Footwear News takes a closer look
at the groundbreaking ways brands are making
shoe manufacturing smarter, faster and leaner.
LEAN & MEAN
One key innovation impacting the production
process has been the implementation of lean
manufacturing, now an industry standard.
Lean, first pioneered by the automotive indus-
try in the 1930s, aims to create more value
for customers with fewer resources and
less waste. Wolverine World Wide Inc.
and Deckers Outdoor Corp. are among
the many companies that have adopted
this model to ensure more efficient
factory environments and supply-chain
operations. “It seems common sense, and
that’s because it is,” said Mark Fegley, VP of
supply chain for Deckers. “Being more efficient
helps us introduce new materials, like Ugg Pure,
[a natural wool woven into the linings and foot-
beds of Ugg Australia footwear].”
Fegley said Deckers teaches its factory owners
lean concepts and will continue to do so as the
company expands production in Latin American
countries such as El Salvador. He cited lower
tariffs, faster response times and more expedi-
ent consumer deliveries as key drivers behind
the company’s decision to diversify its manufac-
turing operations globally.
Mike Jeppesen, Wolverine’s president of
global operations, said his company is making
progress in adapting to the new manufacturing
landscape. “We are helping factories and their
workers take waste and downtime out of the
equation on the production lines. We’re also
working on technologies such as auto-stitching,
Footwear firms are investing heavily
in manufacturing innovations that will
improve efficiency for the future.
BY MICKEY WOODSTECH
TOMORROW
Saucony’s 3-D printed
Cohesion running shoe
A prototype of Merrell
men’s hiking boots
INSIDE CHINA
11. PHOTOS:COURTESYOFBRANDS
MARCH 17, 2014 | | 23
where we use computerized machines to reduce
the number of people working on the process.”
He added that Wolverine is looking at its
design functions to find ways to reduce the labor
content required in the production of its shoes.
LIGHTENINGUP
In their quest to add more automation into the
production process, brands are increasingly
innovating with shoes that are stitchless and
lightweight.
“If you’re able to strip that away, you’re able
to lower labor costs, which is the name of the
game,” said Laurent Vasilescu, an analyst for
global investment bank Macquarie, who covers
brands including Under Armour, Nike, The
North Face and Timberland.
Nike, in particular, has led the way with
lightweight innovations, beginning in 2005 with
the introduction of its Free sneaker series. Most
recently, the athletic giant debuted its sock-like
Flyknit technology, which eliminates the stitch-
ing of the shoe’s upper to the sole, reducing the
number of workers needed on the production
line and helping factories to cut costs.
In January, Under Armour launched its light-
weight Speedform Apollo running shoe, with up-
per and midsole perforations for breathability,
as well as ultrasonic seams and silicone grips on
the soles for support.
The North Face has its Ultra Airmesh technol-
ogy, designed to protect from dust and debris,
while Wolverine has created its No-Sew tech-
nology, where upper components of shoes are
produced without stitching.
DIGITALWAVE
Companies also are experimenting with new
digital technologies. Wolverine, New Balance
and Hi-Tec all utilize three-dimensional print-
ing to reduce the need for hand-stitched overlay
constructions. “Processes like 3-D modeling
and printing show interesting potential and are
likely to introduce new areas of change,” said
Sharon Jones, SVP of sourcing and logistics
for H.H. Brown. “These processes
speed up the product development
process, allow for less sampling and
can prove to be more
cost-effective.”
Priest said the
digitalization of
manufacturing
processes in China
will continue to
gain pace in the
coming years.
“Some of the smartest minds lead the industry,
and their teams are constantly striving to make
the work process smoother, shortening the sup-
ply chain, as well as the time between the order
placement and the footwear actually [reaching]
the customer.”
ASUSTAINABLEFOOTPRINT
With the push for a more technologically ef-
ficient future in China comes a sharper focus on
sustainability.
“Formanyyears,theenforcementofenviron-
mentalstandardshadnotbeenasstrongasit
shouldbe.Therecentenvironmentalclampdown
[bytheChinesegovernment]willhaveanim-
pact,”Priestsaid.“Ascompaniesbuildnewfacto-
ries,it’skindofafreshstart,sostandardsrise.”
When it comes to sustainable manufactur-
ing practices, Timberland has long been a
trailblazer. According to the company’s most
recent social responsibility report from 2012,
its footwear was composed of 77 percent
recycled materials, a figure that nearly tripled
from 2008, highlighting the shift toward total
environmental consciousness. Over the years,
Timberland has created a variety of products
specifically designed with sustainability in
mind, including its water-repellant Radler
Trail Camp foldable hiking shoes and its
Earthkeeper boot series.
Another sustainable initiative being explored
by footwear brands looking to reduce hand-
work is waterless dyeing, a process that utilizes
recyclable CO2 in place of water. This method
reduces energy usage and eliminates the need
for chemicals. It also provides a solution to the
severe water shortage in China that has forced
some companies to relocate their factories.
“A lot of footwear and apparel manufactur-
ing is anchored by the fact that it has to be next
to a river and basically along the coastlines of
China,” Vasilescu explained. “If you’re able to
remove that water process, you can actually
move production more inland.”
Nike announced plans last year to collabo-
rate with DyeCoo and Far Eastern New Cen-
tury Corp. at a Taiwanese factory to create the
waterless ColorDry technology. According to
a DyeCoo report, ColorDry produces brighter
colors while shortening the dyeing time by 40
percent and reducing overall energy use by 60
percent. The first Nike ColorDry products are
slated to hit retail this year.
Adidas utilizes low-waste initiatives such as
Formotion, a free-moving heel system that is
separated from the sole and allows sneakers
to adapt to an individual’s running gait for a
smoother ride. The environmental benefits of
Formotion shoes include the use of less glue,
which means fewer toxic emissions and half the
amount of normal material waste.
Adidas has set a goal of
shrinking its environ-
mental footprint by 15
percent by 2015.
Nike’s basketball
Elite Series
If you’re able to
remove the water
process, you can
actually move
production more
inland.”
— Laurent Vasilescu, Macquarie
Under Armour’s
Speedform Apollo
13. 26 | | FEBRUARY 10, 2014
PHOTO:GETTYIMAGES
Five Oscar-nominated designers behind the
best films of 2013 talk shop. BY MICKEY WOODS
COSTUME
PARTY
FEATURE
O
scar season is officially underway, and
as the academy gears up for the film
industry’s biggest night, Footwear
News focuses on the costumes that brought the
movies to life. Whether it was the true story
of a once-free slave in “12 Years a Slave” or
the glittery fantasy of “The Great Gatsby,”
top costume designers let us get lost in their
worlds. FN spoke to five of the people behind the
year’s most-celebrated films about their design
inspiration, where they shop for styles, how to
best outfit the actors and their go-to footwear.
14. 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Costume designer: Patricia Norris
Director: Steve McQueen
The Best Picture and Best Costume nominee
depicts the story of Solomon Northup (played
by Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man abducted
and sold into slavery, and is brought to life with
striking, no-frills realism in the clothes.
Design inspiration: “Unfortunately, there’s very
little visual representation on both the reality
of slavery and what slaves actually looked like,”
said Norris. “Photography was rare back then
and few photos portray what actually hap-
pened, so you just have to start reading. Back
then, either the masters supplied their clothes
or clothes were passed down from other slaves.
They sewed a lot back then, too. But for the
film’s timeline, we pulled cottons and linens
from places like L.A.’s International Silks &
Woolens, and I worked with a guy who dis-
tressed the clothes with dye and heavy washing
to age them.”
Footwear sources: “The slaves’ shoes came from
Western Costume Co. in North Hollywood,
from lots of vintage stock,” Norris said. “There
were actual dresses from the 1850s in this
store. But for shoes, I pulled whatever I could
find that looked handmade and not good, which
was mostly leather in disrepair. We wanted to
be true to the time period, but we also filmed in
the heat of Louisiana, in the dirt and sod while
it was raining — naturally, a delightful experi-
ence for all — so it was best
that actors had something
on. We also found a bunch
of espadrilles to blend in.”
Favorite character to dress:
“You don’t get bored with
it,” she said. “There were
more than 100 speaking
parts, and you had rich
people and poor people to
dress. But [Best Supporting
Actress nominee] Lupita
Nyong’o is terrific — very
nice, very smart. Plus, she
liked her clothes [in the
movie].”
AMERICAN HUSTLE
Costume designer: Michael
Wilkinson
Director: David O. Russell
This 1970s-era ensemble
crime caper is another
double-whammy Best
Picture and Best Costume
Design nominee.
Design inspiration: “It’s [set
in] the 1970s, but David didn’t want the movie
to be a historical re-enactment,” Wilkinson
said. “It’s a film about ideas and how far we’re
willing to go in our everyday hustles to get
what we want, so I dressed each actor accord-
ing to their personalities
and that of their characters.
Jennifer [Lawrence] is very
fearless, and her dresses were
low-cut and dangerous, and if
something was too tight or fit
oddly, it made sense with how
unhinged her character was
— almost a sense of schizo-
phrenia. Elsewhere, Christian
[Bale] adopts the physicality of
the character and he stacked
on 40 pounds, so we styled
him with a lot of extra flair and
flamboyance. Sixty percent
of the clothes ended up being
made from scratch.”
Footwear sources: “Badgley
Mischka had some shoes in
their parent line that had just
the right amount of strappy
disco flair for some of the eve-
ningwear I designed for Amy
Adams,” Wilkinson said. “A lot
of the shoes from the period
are now 40 years old and worse
for wear, so we wanted to up-
date them a bit by using more
contemporary Badgley shoes.
For Jennifer, we played with
more mainstream, less high-
end designers, more like what
you’d find in a mall in Long
Island in the 1970s. She wore
a spectacular pair of Pierre
Dumas black suede, gold-trim
peep-toe sandals.”
Favorite character to dress: “I
try to avoid favoritism, but I’ll
treasure my time with Amy Adams,” Wilkin-
son said. “Her character has such a trajectory
of coming from a small town to Manhattan,
discovering the power and allure of clothing
and the effect it can have on people around
PHOTOS:12YEARSASLAVE:COURTESYOFFOXSEARCHLIGHTPICTURES;GATSBY:COURTESYOFWARNERBROS.PICTURES;HUSTLE:COURTESYOFFRANCOISDUHAMEL/SONYPICTURES
28 | | FEBRUARY 10, 2014
FEATURE
12 Years
a Slave
American
Hustle
The Great Gatsby
FN0210P26,28,30,31.indd 28 2/5/14 3:59 PM
15. her. I’m proud to say that the
clothes really helped Amy on that
journey.”
THE GREAT GATSBY
Costume designer: Catherine
Martin
Director: Baz Luhrmann
This Best Costume Design
nominee created dazzling Jazz
Age looks with Miuccia Prada,
Brooks Brothers and Tiffany &
Co., crafted to match husband-
director Luhrmann’s surrealistic
vision of the famous novel by F.
Scott Fitzgerald.
Design inspiration: “Whenever
Baz and I work on adapted pieces,
it’s always the source that’s the
greatest inspiration,” Martin said.
“One of the great things about
Fitzgerald is that he describes the
costumes in great, precise detail,
like Gatsby’s dinner suits, for ex-
ample. Then, from the source ma-
terial, you try and translate what
you believe the author felt about
the characters, how he described
them and how he believed a
contemporary audience might’ve
felt about those characters at the
time. We also did a lot of research
in New York’s Met Library and
the Fashion Institute of Technol-
ogy — so, lots of [time in] fashion
libraries to research and look back
at the Jazz Age period — and then
we also rented a number of shoes
and clothes that were actually
1920s contemporary clothes to
reference the construction.”
Footwear sources: “Miuccia Prada
did some extraordinary shoes for
the character Daisy Buchanan
to go with her crystal dress,”
Martin said. “[They were] a
very iconic version of her Prada
spider shoes done in beautiful
flesh tones, gold and silver with
a beautiful waisted, period heel.
And [the shoes] Isla Fisher wears
as Myrtle were based on period
research and a personal love I
have for tango shoes.”
Best places to shop: “We designed
all the costumes in-house, so we
rented a minimal amount, main-
ly workwear and uniforms,” Mar-
tin said. “In the case of Prada, we
collaborated with them and she
supplied over 40 costumes. With
Brooks Brothers, Fitzgerald was
a lifelong customer. [The brand]
represented the quintessential
preppy look, which was one of
the ways you associated yourself
with the establishment, and for
Fitzgerald, it was important to
feel a part of that world. [For the
film], Brooks Brothers bespoke-
tailored all the background and
principle costumes for the men.
Same goes for Tiffany — it was
a rite of passage of the upper
echelon. You saw that life and art
and commerce were all intermin-
gling to be an inspiration for the
book.”
THE INVISIBLE WOMAN
Costumer designer: Michael
O’Connor
Director: Ralph Fiennes
O’Connor, a self-proclaimed
history buff and Best Costume
Design nominee, reimagined
stately Victorian looks for the true
story of a torrid affair between a
young actress and famed novelist
Charles Dickens, also played by
Fiennes.
Design inspiration: “The story is
inspired by the biography of Ellen
‘Nelly’ Ternan, who had a long-
term affair with Charles Dick-
ens while he was married,” said
O’Connor. “We were looking at
artists from the 1850s and Victo-
rian figurative painting, as well as
culling inspiration from Dickens’
novels. Nelly was a muse for his
writing, especially around ‘Great
Expectations.’”
Footwear sources: “All the shoes
were made specifically for the
film,” O’Connor said. “We started
in the 1850s with soft, flat, canvas-
and-leather ankle boots with a
chiseled, elongated toe. We went
up a decade with an armor-toe,
slightly pointed boot, then to the
1880s as the characters got older
and the heels got higher with an
apple-core heel, high laces and
buckle on the front of the shoe. We
made 30 pairs altogether. Ralph
PHOTOS:WOLF:COURTESYOFMARYCYBULSKI;INVISIBLE:COURTESYOFDAVIDAPPLEBY/SONYPICTURESCLASSICS
FEATURE
The Invisible Woman
The Wolf of
Wall Street
FN0210P26,28,30,31.indd 30 2/5/14 3:59 PM
16. even wears a fabulous pair of
leather-and-tweed [shoes], some-
thing like French country boots.
Materials to make them came
from all over, including a theatri-
cal shoe company in London, and
Pompei Shoes in Rome.”
Favorite on-set moment: “For the
actors, it’s always a surprise to see
an authentically made but oddly
shaped shoe,” O’Connor said. “It
alters the way you walk. Lots of
actors are used to only wearing
flat shoes, so when they’re in this
ankle-hugging, lace-up, chiseled-
toe boot, it helps with getting into
character. People love shopping
for shoes, but to make a shoe spe-
cifically for someone and measure
their feet for them, people think,
‘I’ve never had a pair of shoes ac-
tually made for me before.’ Some-
times the actors [even want to]
take shoes away, which I enjoy.”
THE WOLF OF WALL
STREET
Costume designer: Sandy Powell
Director: Martin Scorsese
Based on the memoir by con-
victed stockbroker Jordan Belfort
(played by Leonardo DiCaprio),
this Best Picture nominee spans
the opulent 1980s to the minimal-
ist 1990s.
Design inspiration: “We were
given access to the archives of
Jordan Belfort, on whom the film
was based,” said Powell. “It was
interesting to see the kind of looks
Wall Street men had in the 1980s
versus the 1990s. In the 1980s,
men looked unstructured and
wore suits of brown and green
hues — not very attractive. Money
doesn’t necessarily symbolize
good taste. But in the 1990s, men
were employing tailors from
London’s Savile Row to customize
their suits, and the idea became
about minimalism. The 1990s was
a backlash against the more-is-
more decadence of the 1980s. It
was more minimalist, but it was
still expensive.”
Footwear favorites: “Gucci made
a hell of a lot of footwear for
the men,” Powell said. “Jonah
[Hill] and Leo had lots of loafers
to choose from, and I actually
made them to my specifications,
selecting colors from lavender to
eggshell white. Margot Robbie’s
character had this very nouveau
riche way of dressing. If she was
wearing Versace, it was from her
head to her feet, sunglasses on
down. She has these fabulous
vintage Versace boots, which,
thankfully, we get a closeup of in
the scene where she discovers the
gay orgy in her apartment.”
Favorite on-set moment: “There
were boots for the later 1990s
scenes that were Gucci by Tom
Ford that sadly didn’t make it on
screen,” Powell said. “We tried
everything to get Margot in them,
but they were too small for her.
We even tried wrapping her feet in
plastic! If we got them on her, she’d
be crippled, but I was determined
and she was willing to go for it. The
shoes were that great.”
PHOTOS:WOLF:COURTESYOFMARYCYBULSKI;INVISIBLE:COURTESYOFDAVIDAPPLEBY/SONYPICTURESCLASSICS
FN0210P26,28,30,31.indd 31 2/5/14 3:59 PM
17. FOOTWEAR NEWS | MARCH 24, 2014 | VOLUME 70 | NO. 11
66MOREHITS
FALL’S FIERCESTFOOTWEAR
WHATYOUNEEDTONABNOW
Big names. Bigger trends. FN makes the season’s definitive edit.
Here, TABITHA SIMMONS’ Mosshart boot and GIANVITO ROSSI’s
square-toe style for Mary Katrantzou set a highly lustrous tone.
HOT
LIST
Topexpertsgopointfor
pointonthepressingissues
Thedirtydetailsbehind
WoodyAllen’snewmusical
DEBATETEAM
LONGSHOTS
MUSTBUYSFALL’14
18. INSIDER
ON DEADLINE × Top Stories
RetroCollections C
BY MICKEY WOODS
NEW YORK — Can small heritage
labels that once occupied a niche
find success in a crowded athletic
market dominated by the big
names?
A number of labels, including
Etonic, Pony, British Knights
and Ewing Athletic, are trying
to make waves this year with
boutique-focused retail plans and
unique marketing initiatives that
spotlight their histories.
Etonic is the latest label looking
for a new audience. The brand,
which was first established in 1876
and had its heydey in the 1970s
and ’80s, will relaunch product in
six stages. A retro shoe line will
debut in June, with performance
golf, running and fitness walking
to follow for fall. (Basketball and
apparel are also in the works.)
The company is targeting spe-
cialty stores and independent re-
tailers such as New York’s Atmos
and Chicago’s Leaders 1354.
“We’re not trying to compete
with the big dogs,” said Etonic
CEO Bruce Weisfeld, who bought
the brand with Anthony L&S
Footwear in 2012 from Lotto
Sport Italia.
Justin Davis, manager and
buyer of Mint Footwear in Los
Angeles, noted the store will pick
up Etonic’s running styles. “They
will go over well because custom-
ers are looking for something
with historical value that we can
introduce to them,” he said.
Meanwhile, two other heritage
brands have begun to carve out
shelf space. Ewing, the signature
company of former New York
Knick Patrick Ewing, has been
building a presence since it was
reintroduced in 2012.
According to David Goldberg,
president of Ewing Athletics, the
brand’s success in boutiques can
be attributed to maintaining an
element of surprise.
“Whether it’s a special-edition
release or a regular shoe, we’ll
put it on social media channels,
then sale of product follows a
week or two after,” he said. “We
keep it close to the vest. That way
consumers aren’t sick of a shoe
before it’s even out.”
The brand’s recent limited-edi-
tion St. Patrick’s Day release sold
out quickly, according to Matt
Halfhill, owner of the Nice Kicks
store in Austin, Texas. Halfhill
credits the lack of mass-market
stock for driving demand. “You
truly get a lot of shoe for your
money,” he said. “For $110, you get
a limited-edition style by Patrick
Ewing, and the shoe is not abso-
lutely everywhere. You can look
down on your feet and see a Hall
of Fame basketball legacy.”
For Susan Boyle, owner of the
Rime boutique in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
Ewing’s shoes have resonated
with both children and their
parents, who might have worn the
brand in the past. The label’s retro
33 high-top, which comes in a va-
riety of colorways, has been a top
seller for the store, Boyle added.
Pony, which debuted in 1972
and relaunched last summer after
These shoes all
look good, but
it’s bigger than
throwing shoes
on a rapper for
legitimacy.”
— Diego Ross,
Leaders 1354
FN0324P12,13.indd 12 3/20/14 6:50 PM
19. PHOTO:COURTESYOFBRITISHKNIGHTS
s CourtNewFans
many stops and starts, has made
collaborations a key part of its
strategy this time around. Next
month, it will unveil two special
styles with trendy boutiques Wish
in Atlanta and Atmos.
Wish’s shoes will feature pony
hair with reflective touches on
the sides, while Atmos will offer
suede kicks in “Big Apple” red and
“liberty” green.
And in June, the brand will
team up with London-based
styling agency Art Comes First to
create two capsule collections to
be sold exclusively at Dover Street
Market’s three locations, accord-
ing to Michael Clark, Pony’s VP
and creative director.
Frank Cooke, head buyer of
Wish, said the brand has fared
well in his store. “People are re-
sponding to the [classic] M-100s,”
he said. “Those, along with the
artistic partnerships are re-
establishing Pony as a legitimate
fashion brand.”
Thomas Cykana, buyer at Kith
in New York, said Pony is on his
radar because the brand reached
into its archive “in a diverse
way,” and he hopes to carry
the line this summer in Kith’s
Brooklyn store. “The classic
styles in the line, like the Topstar
Hi and Topstar Lo, have the most
potential,” Cykana said. “Those
shoes could easily take market
share from the Puma Suedes,
Adidas Gazelles and the like.”
Founded in 1983 by Jack
Schwartz Shoes, British Knights
will relaunch May 10. The brand
has recruited artist Darren
Romanelli as creative director
and tapped music-industry talent
manager Scooter Braun — best
known for making Justin Bieber a
household name — to repurpose
the brand under the slogan, “Art-
ists are the new athletes.”
“We have collaborations lined
up for the next 18 months with
names in music, fashion and art,”
said David Schwartz, president
of British Knights. “In May, we’ll
launch in earnest, but for now,
we’ve dropped some updated
1990s retro basketball shoes.”
Other artistic directives for
British Knights include creating
a mix tape with hip-hop pro-
ducer Alchemist, launching social
media-friendly ads, reviving
archived 1980s and ’90s prints,
and utilizing music video product
placement.
But Cykana is skeptical. He
said British Knights’ collabora-
tion pack of basketball shoes by
Romanelli did well in his shop
a few weeks ago, but didn’t sell
out. “While the shoes look very
similar to the classics of the 1980s,
they may not resonate with our
consumers the way the first-to-
market brands [like Ewing] were
able to,” he said.
Overall, bigger challenges lie
ahead for heritage brands.
“If Nike, Adidas or Puma retros
something, a 17-year-old kid most
likely buys that,” said Diego Ross,
GM and buyer for Leaders 1354.
“These shoes all look good, but it’s
bigger than throwing shoes on a
rapper for legitimacy. Kids should
understand why these shoes
matter, so marketing [campaigns]
should center on the brand’s his-
tory. It’s our job to help [young
consumers] understand a shoe
before throwing it on shelves.”
A new British
Knights style
launching in May
FN0324P12,13.indd 13 3/20/14 6:50 PM
22. Toasting 20
What’sthebestwayto
celebratetwodecades
inbusiness?For
Giuseppe Zanotti,
themilestoneisjustan
excusetocreatemore
shoes.“Peoplekeep
tellingmeIshoulddo
amovieorabook,”
thedesignertoldSpy
duringhisNewYork
visitlastweek.“Forme,it’saboutthe
shoes.”Zanottiwillbowacapsule
collectioninJuneofsixbejeweledsan-
dals(basedonbest-sellingstyles).And
lastThursday,topBergdorf Goodman
consumersgottheopportunitytoshop
exclusivelookswiththedesigner.Later,
hegreetedmorefansduringapersonalap-
pearance.Then,itwasofftoTokyo,where
Zanottiwillcelebratetheanniversaryin
oneofhisbrand’shottestmarkets.“Ihave
abouteightmoretripsthanusualthisyear,”
thedesignersaid,admittingthatjetlagcan
sometimescatchupwithhim.
PHOTOS:NOAH:COURTESYOFPARAMOUNTPICTURES;ZANOTTI:KATIEABEL;CHLUMSKY:COURTESYOFBILLYFARRELLAGENCY;BARRYMORE:GETTYIMAGES
ByKristenHenning,withcontributionsfrom KatieAbel,JacquelynLewisandMickeyWoods
Noah’sArtIttookavillagetorevivethetaleofNoah’sark.Infact,acrewof
about70helpedtomakethecostumes,saidMichaelWilkinson,
thecostumedesignerbehindthefilm,whichwasshotoverafour-
monthperiodinIceland.SpygottheinsidescooponWilkinson’s
shoestylesforleadsRussellCrowe,JenniferConnellyand
EmmaWatsonin“Noah,”directedbyDarrenAronofsky.
WhatwasthevisionbehindthistakeonNoah’sstory?
“Darrencreatedthispost-apocalypticworldwheremanhad
destroyedhisenvironment.Itwasapost-industrialenvironment,
butyoudidn’tknowifthefilmwasinthepastor5millionyearsin
thefuture.Fortheshoes,Iwasinspiredbyultra-modern,but
primitivedesignsbyRickOwensand[Martin]Margiela.SoI
decidedtousebeautiful,rawanduneventextilesforedgy
silhouettes,and97percentoftheshoesweremadefrom
scratch.”
Tell us more about what went into making the shoes.
“Weusedrecycledrubbersforthesolesandthickcanvasmaterials
tosustainthejagged,unpredictableterraininIceland,aswellfor
floodscenes,whichwecreatedwithraintowersonset.ForEmma,
wewantedafashion-forwardtoughnessbecausesheenduresso
much.ForJennifer,itwasaboutstateliness,soherbootsweresturdy
withstrappydetails.ForRay[Winstone],hewasthefilm’scenterof
corruption.Wehadmetalplatesaddedtohischunkymilitarybootsto
reinforcethat.AndforRussell,it’saboutthepsychologicalplacesNoah
goesto,sowecreatelotsofhand-stitchedpieceswiththickwaxed
threadtoshowhisunraveling.”
Werethereanyfunmomentsonset?
“There’samythinIcelandwheretrollscomeoutifyoukicktherocks,
andtheyplaytricksonyou.DuringasceneofRussell’sat3a.m.,he
kickedoneoftherocksandwestoppedshootingforasecond.Inthe
nexttake,hisbootscompletelysplitopenandwethought,wow,
thosetrollsgotinstantpayback.”
10 | | APRIL 14, 2014
Jennifer Connelly
and Russell Crowe
in “Noah”
In Anna’s Shoes
Anna Chlumskyisback.Spycaughtup
withthe“Veep”starbackstageatlastweek’s
Jeffrey Fashion Cares fundraiserinNew
York,whereshemadeheropeningremarks
inSergio Rossiheels.“Theygavemeadded
heightandfeelgood,”shesaid.Theseason
threereturnof“Veep”alsohas
Chlumskyreeling.“Let’sjustsay[my
character],Amy,battleshershareof
demons,”shesaid.WhileChlum-
skyremainedmumonspecifics,
shediddishaboutherfavorite
shoestowearoff-camera.“Inmy
ownlife,myfavoriteshoesare
loafers,”shesaid.“[Actor]Gene
Kellyalwaysputtapsonthebot-
tomsofhisloafersandwore
themwithwhitesocks,which
Iaspiretodo.”Sowhatother
summertrendsisChlum-
skyexcitedabout?Cowboyboots:
“Durangoismakingacomeback,and
thankGod,”shequipped.“Ihopethey
haveanklebootsIcanwearwithsomeskinny
jeansandbangles.Whynot?”
Elton’s New Kicks
Rockon,Elton.Elton Johnhasbeenmov-
ingandshakingevenmorethanusualthis
season.Inadditiontopreppingfora13-city
internationaltourkickingoffthisspring,the
musiciconrecentlywrappeda10-partdocu-
mentaryforOWN.Totopitoff,Johnalso
announcedhewillmarrylongtimepartner
DavidFurnishinMay.Andhe’llhaveplenty
ofblinged-outshoestodonforeveryocca-
sion,thankstoa13-pairpurchaseofDonald
J Plinerstyleslastmonth.“[Elton]had
onespecialpair[madewith]redjewelsand
goldinitialsofEandZ,[torepresent]Elijah
andZachary,histwosons,”PlinertoldSpy.
Thedesigneraddedthathislabelhasalong
historyofshoeingthesinger.“Inthe1970s,
Eltonwasoneofmybiggestcustomersatmy
BeverlyHillsstores.”
SPY
Drew Barrymore donning Dana Davis. Barrymore recently walked
the CinemaCon red carpet in the designer’s Heidi style, a peep-toe
heel in suede with a python print, to top off her sunshine-yellow en-
semble. “[Drew] loved them so much she asked to buy them in every
color,” said Davis. “I know our shoes are comfortable, but a preg-
nant woman dying for [them] because they don’t hurt her feet — we
have a winner.”
SPOTTED ...
Anna
Chlumsky
Giuseppe
Zanotti
Drew
Barrymore
