watches, bags and fragrances. In 1994, Cole went public, and in the years since, his stock has remained solid. Kenneth Cole Productions has been included in ForbesÆ annual 200 Best Small Companies list four times (ôKenneth Coleö askmen.com). Grasping the mystique of cachet for capturing a market, Cole says, "Nobody needs what I sell. There is probably not a person in this country who needs another pair of black shoes. Nobody needs more ties, more white shirts. My job is to get people to feel good about buying [these products]... But at the end of the day, there are things that are more important" (ôKenneth Coleö askmen.com). ôWith 80 stores and outlets across the country, 4,500 shops carrying his line, a catalog, and an online boutique, Kenneth Cole is captain of an empire that topped $515 million in revenues in 2004ö (ôKenneth Coleö askmen.com). As an icon in the designer shoe market, ColeÆs story illustrates the potential of this niche.
Like other high-fashion designers, top shoe designers bring out new lines every season. Shoe trends actually change relatively frequently, just as clothing fashions do. This means that women who want to stay abreast of fashions are likely to buy a lot of shoes to satisfy the latest trends. Currently, metallics such as gold, silver, and multi-metallics are strong and are being shown in the Kors, Rafe, and Jack Rogers lines. Wedges are back in, with colorful prints are being shown in some collections, such as Emilio Pucci. For evening, Stuart Weitzman, Anne Klein, and Claudia CiutiÆs gold, silver, and bronze metallic strippy sandals are hot (FootnotesOnline www.footnotesonline.com).
The number of designer shoe makers in the American market is impressive; this is due in part to the fact that American designers are not the only ones in the market. Many of the designer shoe makers most in vogue are Italian: Bally, Armani, Gianni Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Valentino, ...