I don't fret much about the natural life spans of shoe companies. If stores don't do the right things, they cease to exist, and that doesn't trouble me at all.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I feel like shoes are one of those things that no matter how conservative or how outrageous you get, a good pair of shoes is going to last you a lifetime.
I've been making shoes my whole life.
We asked ourselves what we wanted this company to stand for. We didn't want to just sell shoes. I wasn't even into shoes - but I was passionate about customer service.
The problem is you can't wear your old shoes too often because people say, 'You're still wearing that shoe?'
I have a shoe habit. If I'm in New York, it's a problem because I'm walking and I have access to more stores. In L.A., it's not as bad.
I've never worked in a retail store, but I did sell shoes at Gimme Shoes in San Francisco, a job I was fired from.
I love to shop, especially in retro stores. I have about a million pairs of old-school sports shoes like Adidas, so that's probably my biggest vice.
Moms, take it from me: do not buy your baby too many shoes when they're so tiny, because their feet grow every week.
If a customer walks out without shoes, you really want to find out why. 'It didn't fit' is not good enough.
I personally approve all the shoes that go into production, and I have a level of involvement with the factories that other people don't have.