The busy holiday shopping season is dwindling down and consumers, buyers and retailers are looking forward to the year ahead. Curious to know what buyers and consumers alike should look forward to after the calendar changes to 2016, Vamp recently sat down several footwear industry insiders to give us their take on what footwear trends to look out for next year.
In the second part of our series we chat with Avi Ben-Zikry, co-founder of Spring Step.
Vamp: What’s the inspiration for the Fall ’16 collection?
Ben-Zikry: Our Fall ’16 collection overall theme is speaking to work to weekend, where you will see beautiful patterns and silhouettes detailed specially to satisfy all multiple wearing occasions for our customer.
Vamp: Describe the key colors, materials, silhouettes and embellishments for the season.
Ben-Zikry: We have always had success with color especially in our L’Artiste brand where we have really embraced the current trend of beautiful red and sienna hues in beautiful leathers. In our Spring Step brand, our shoes have been detailed to cover the current man-tailored trend with elegant polished leathers as well as burnished leathers in an array of rich fall colors.
Vamp: Will Fall ’16 be a big boot season?
Ben-Zikry: Traditional riding boots have started to down trend in the market place while booties across all heel heights continue to up-trend and going strong. In our Azura brand we have some very fresh new constructions with polished cupped heels with everyday core patterns. For our fashion forward customer we are excited to introduce unique lug sole heels. In our Patrizia brand, we are very pleased to showcase very design-right hiker and faux fur lined booties.
Vamp: Has social media–especially Instagram–affected the way your shoes are marketed or sold in the last year?
Ben-Zikry: Absolutely. The consumer wants “instant” gratification and one-stop shopping. Instagram has allowed brands to reach outside of their demographic shoebox to people who, in the past may never have been aware of those brands. It has really helped to bring companies into the limelight in so many ways.
Vamp: Are there any trends that you expect to see less of next fall?
Ben-Zikry: While athleisure and casual looks continue to relevant and successful in the marketplace this year, it will be interesting to see how this will evolve next fall.