“We do shoes all day. So it’s nice coming to Atlanta and you realize that you have so much in common with all the other booths, because they’re working and doing shoes all day too. It’s one big family,” said Steven Safdeye, a sales executive from E.S. Originals Inc.

Laura Conwell-O’Brien, executive director of TASM, told FN, “In my 41 years as executive director, this was by far the most successful trade show yet. The energy was incredible — every hall was buzzing with excitement, engagement was at an all-time high, and it was inspiring to see how alive and vibrant our industry remains.” She noted that attendance among retailers was up 15 percent, and for exhibitors it increased 14 percent.

Despite looming concerns about new tariffs from the Trump administration (and the resulting price increases), the overall mood at the show was largely upbeat, almost buoyant.

Brand leaders said that while the subject of tariffs is coming up in their conversations with retail wholesale partners, they’re not panicking or changing course quite yet.

“We’re taking a wait-and-see approach,” said Joe Devlin, Ecco’s independent sales director for North America. “We know it has the potential to impact our business, but we don’t want to make a change and then have to backtrack. There are a lot of things that need to play themselves out before we make any firm decisions.”

Raham Gorguinpour, senior director of sales at Vionic, noted that other factors are weighing on retailers’ minds almost more than the threat of tariff hikes. “Inflation is still a thing — it was up in January. And the cost of sourcing and shipping is a big concern,” he said.

Nevertheless, the overall outlook for business in 2025 was positive and shoe execs were optimistic that the fall collections will resonate with consumers.

One of the most notable trends across the market was “cozy” footwear options, seen in shearling-lined Sperry loafers, multicolor mohair Mou boots and everything in between.

Several brand reps noted that demand for hard-core cold-weather boots has waned in recent years due to the unpredictability of winter weather. Instead the trend has moved toward more-versatile boots and casuals — both cozy and non-cozy — because they have a longer shelf life for both retailers and consumers.

For instance, Jambu, which recently brought in a new designer to modernize its collection, reported strong traction for its casual dress styles, especially its Nia closed-toe wedge.

At Ecco, Devlin said the brand is now grounding itself in its core DNA and bringing back some tried-and-true collections with a more modern feel. (For instance, the rugged Track 25 line has returned after a brief hiatus while the brand removed all PFAs from its production.) Ecco has also invested in the development of its women’s dress collections, ranging from Chelsea boots to ballet flats. “It has a women’s-focused design approach, so it’s made for her, by her,” said Devlin, adding that the emphasis is also on lightweight and comfort.

In terms of other hot trends, Bryan Veentjer, general manager and design director at Bullboxer, observed that Western boots remain a big influence, somewhat surprisingly. “I thought it would’ve run its course, but I’m still seeing it resonating, though it’s not always a ‘true Western’ look — sometimes it’s just in the toe shape or the details,” he said.

But while boots and dress options have gained traction, sneakers continued to wield outsized influence at the show.

At Rieker, its youthful Rieker Sport casual sneaker collection has been a brand highlight, driven by its bright color palette.

Vionic, meanwhile, was touting its performance walking sneakers, including the new Walk Slim silhouette, which is a more fashionable, pared-down companion to its popular Walk Max style.

And Kizik, which has gained a strong following with its step-in performance and casual sneaker collections, is now making a play for the outdoor market with its first hiker-inspired silhouettes.

“More women’s shoes than men’s shoes are sold in this country and yet more men are making decisions about the direction of the industry [than women],” said Ayelet Lax Levy, president of U.S. operations at Naot. “It’s just good business to not only listen to the women in the room, but to elevate their voices.”

For instance, she noted, the language that men and women use to describe footwear is even different. “Most women know what ‘band-aid ankle’ means, but when I say that to a man, I usually get a blank stare,” Levy said.

And while she believes that strides have been made to put more women in positions of power and influence, the shoe industry needs more mentoring opportunities to ensure they stay there.

At Naot, for instance, Levy said many of its longest-tenured members of top management are women. “I believe their ability to not only climb the ladder but [have] long tenures here are a result of support we have provided them in their pursuits both in and out of the office,” she said.

In her own career journey, Levy said her biggest challenge was balancing full-time work with the responsibilities of motherhood. “When I had my first child it was very hard for the men who were in charge of our company at the time to realize that I needed support and help in order to find that work-life balance,” she recalled. “By empowering young women and letting them know that we don’t expect them to ‘have it all,’ but rather that we are there to support them in their quest to balance it all, it elevates and empowers them.”

In all cases, she believes in the importance of listening — both to women in the workplace and to female consumers. In fact, that was one of the driving forces behind her new venture, Ayelet by Naot, a made-in-Italy dress shoe line that prioritizes the comfort and fit that women crave.

As she looks to the future of footwear, Levy hopes that the fact that there are more women in leadership today will pave an easier path for the next generations. “I hope that we can inspire the next generation, but that they also introduce more balance into women’s lives,” she said.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

The senior vice president of marketing, advertising and PR credited her long tenure to the company’s culture and flexibility, which “allowed me to grow in my career while maintaining a balanced work-life dynamic.”

In turn, she’s made it priority to ensure that the women on her teams also feel heard and supported.

Step one, Perera said, is to give everyone a seat at the table — literally.

Then, she makes sure to celebrate the wins, both big and small. “Whether it’s acknowledging their contributions to a key marketing campaign or celebrating an engagement or a monthly TikTok-inspired gift exchange, I like to sprinkle in a little humanity to empower my teammates,” Perera said.

It can be very easy for employees, especially junior team members, to feel like they’re simply “cogs in the marketing wheel,” she explained. So her goal is to let them know they matter. “They’re all valuable in so many important and unique ways, and sadly a lot of leaders don’t take the time to appreciate their team members like they should.”

A third way Perera helps to empower women at Marc Fisher is through mentorship  — but it’s not your old-school sit-downs with executives.

“Within my marketing team, we’ve embraced reverse mentoring, where younger members regularly teach us about the latest apps, trends and technologies,” said Perera. In addition to forging connections with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, she said, reverse mentoring has also translated into business strategies that attract and retain new customers.

And as companies look to build their workforce with the next generations, those types of collaborative approaches will be vital. “Gen Alpha encourages diverse thinking and values inclusivity, while being respected and heard,” Perera said. “Building a true sense of belonging, offering affirmation and opening doors to new opportunities are key steps to helping them thrive and lead with confidence.”

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

“Having female founders, that changes things a little bit, because it’s an external signal that perhaps the mindset and the philosophy of the business is different,” explained Cross.

But Ariat’s commitment to an inclusive culture goes much deeper that the external.

“We work really hard to create a supportive, challenging and empowering environment for both men and women,” said Cross.

She noted that the proof of its efforts can be found in the company’s demographics. Both its senior leadership and sales teams are made up of 50 percent women. “And not only are we diverse by gender, but also, importantly, by age, geography, education, hobbies, pets, kids, no kids, horses, no horses,” the CEO added.

To foster that kind of environment, Cross said she spends a lot of time thinking about the life stages of her employees and how to support them at the various points in their careers.

For instance, she explained, with younger team members, the company’s focus is on coaching, mentoring and teaching them how to show up in the workplace.

“We make some of our meetings bigger than they perhaps need to be, not because we’re trying to be less efficient, but because it gives younger people in the organization an opportunity to see how it works,” Cross said. “It’s not about networking, but more to get a sense of where they will be in another two or three years in their career and how that works.”

Then, when employees enter the family stage of life, Ariat offers paid parental for both men and women. It also welcomes the whole family into the organization.

“Because half of our sales team are women, there’s almost always a baby at our company sales meetings — not in the meetings, per se, but at the meals and events,” Cross said, laughing.

When women are supported through that life stage, it gives them the resources they need to continue to grow in their careers. And companies reap the benefits, said Cross.

“They just get smarter, with more wisdom, more experience. It’s such a win. We’ve never seen a case where supporting people through life stages has been a negative. The positives are so significant.” And a new life stage can take many forms, she added, including taking on additional personal obligations like caring for aging parents or dealing with an illness. “Our team pulls together to support each other through all of those times,” said Cross.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

But the significance of also being its first female chief executive officer caught her off guard.

“I hadn’t given a lot of thought and attention to the milestone that I would be the first woman,” she told FN last month. “I was much more focused on how do we grow the business? How do I continue to steward this amazing company with the same integrity as my predecessors.”

So it came as a surprise when colleagues, partners and family members began to share what it meant to them. For instance, Gettings recalled, women would stop her as she walked through the hallways to talk about the impact on their daughters: “They’d say, ‘I can’t tell you what it means to me to say, Yeah, my boss a woman. You can do this too.’”

She said that’s a clear example of the power of representation. By her just being in that role, it helps other women believe in the possibility of carving their own path.

But there are other ways Gettings works to empower women at Red Wing, including being vocal in hiring and leadership development conversations, to ensure the same opportunities are available to women as to men.

“To be fair,” she added, “our previous leaders did a great job of this as well. I’ve just felt a heightened sense of responsibility to make sure it remains clear to the organization that this is important.”

Red Wing offers company-wide learning opportunities, which Gettings said are especially popular among women. “We have a strong cohort of female leaders at the director level who have really embraced this,” she said.

On the more personal level, Gettings said she feels accountable for creating awareness among men in the company about the unique challenges women face as working mothers.

“I came into this role off of maternity leave, so you can imagine the constraints that I had in terms of feeding my baby and getting home at a decent time. How would I travel?” Gettings recalled. “This became an open conversation with my male colleagues.”

And though that experience felt awkward and uncomfortable, Gettings said, “I felt a strong sense of responsibility to make sure that all eyes are open to the issues women face when they come off a maternity leave — or as they go through any new chapter in their lives.”

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

“While women demonstrate strong leadership qualities and possess valuable analytical and strategic skills, they remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions within the retail sector,” she said.

Ortlieb has the experience to back up that declaration. She has worked in the industry for more than two decades, at major retail companies including DSW, Lane Bryant, Family Dollar and The Limited. For the past several years, she’s been a leader at Rack Room Shoes in Charlotte, N.C., now serving as senior director of planning and allocation.

To foster more gender equity in the retail sector, she said, “it is crucial to provide robust support systems for women, including access to mentorship programs and comprehensive professional development opportunities.”

One such opportunity she relies on is the Empowering Women in Business Conference, organized by the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce. Orlieb said the annual event offers inspiring and motivating sessions, so she consistently encourages other women from throughout the Rack Room organization to participate each year.

“These sessions provide valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating both personal and professional challenges, equipping colleagues across the business with new skills and techniques,” she explained. “A significant advantage of this conference is the invaluable opportunity to network with other accomplished women.”

And Ortlieb believes it’s vital to cultivate strong networks that support and celebrate each other’s successes. “This spirit of sisterhood, embodied in the adage ‘real queens fix each other’s crowns,’ fosters a positive and empowering environment,” she said.

However, she notes, instances of competitive and destructive behavior do exist between women in the workplace — but they are a “lose-lose scenario.”

“Ultimately, a united front, characterized by mutual support and encouragement, presents the most advantageous path for women’s collective progress,” said Ortlieb.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

“There were times coming up that I would’ve never thought I would see a woman president, and here I am working for one,” said Cox, referring to Lisa Tucker, who took over as president of Shoe Show in 2018.

Cox noted that under Tucker’s leadership, the Shoe Show buying team has added more women. And she herself has benefited from Tucker’s support during her 20-plus years at the company.

Cox joined the family footwear chain as merchandise planner, a role she held for roughly 10 years. But when the role of director of distribution came open, she wasn’t quite ready for it. However, Tucker gave her the opportunity to grow into the position by being an “understudy to another gentleman she brought in.” When he moved on to another department, “[Lisa] gave me the job and gave me the shot,” said Cox.

Creating an environment where all voices are heard and valued is crucial, Cox added. “It’s essential to ensuring that every employee, regardless of their role or position, is treated with respect and given that opportunity to succeed,” she said.

As for how she shows up for her colleagues, Cox said she maintains an open-door policy and tries to offer guidance and personal advice whenever it’s needed.

“We need to share our stories,” she explained. “Each generation thinks there’s no common ground with the next, but the longer we live, we can see consistencies.”

And where there are differences, those provide an opportunity to enhance the mentoring experience, which Cox believes should be a two-way process. “Today, I think it’s more of a conversation where both the veteran employee and the new employee can share and learn from each other. The veteran may have experience, but the generations coming underneath us, they’re so bright and there’s so much in terms of technology that they can offer us.”

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

Duffy-Tan recalled a time during the COVID pandemic that she opened up to her colleagues during a town hall about her personal challenges with mental health and the support she received from the company’s human resources department.

“COVID was an unprecedented time, and the best way I knew how to support women was to share my experience and to encourage them to feel empowered to ask for what they needed,” she said, adding that she felt incredibly exposed in sharing such personal information, but was ultimately proud of herself and happy that others benefited.

In the wake of her statements, Duffy-Tan said, “I received a handful of messages from women at BBC thanking me for sharing my experience.”

For the most part, though, she added, the biggest challenge facing women in the workplace is struggling to create work/life balance. “The fashion industry moves fast, often requires regular travel and can be unpredictable,” Duffy-Tan said. “These factors can be particularly challenging when one is balancing raising a family and a career.”

So for managers and executives, it’s important to be understanding of personal and family responsibilities, while also encouraging female employees to take leadership roles. She recalled how BBC’s late-founder, Bob Campbell, did just that.

“Bob would ask how he could help when I was trying to balance selling campaigns and attending important school events for my son,” said Duffy-Tan. “Bob created an environment where I could ask to move an afternoon meeting up, so I could catch my son’s basketball game. Then he called that night to ask if my son’s team won.”

In the end, that made her a better employee. “I was able to show up to BBC as a ‘whole person’ — a mother, a wife and a committed professional,” she said. “Because Bob was invested in me and my happiness, I doubled down on my investment to him and BBC.”

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

“The industry must break down the barriers that prevent women from advancing, whether that’s through offering mentorship, equal opportunities or simply fostering an atmosphere where women aren’t pitted against one another,” said the retail veteran, who now serves as senior vice president and general merchandise manager at Shoe Carnival Inc.

Gordon noted that a competitive workplace, while it might fuel the bottom line, has at times created barriers for employees seeking to enter leadership roles. “Women, in many cases, find themselves navigating a landscape where opportunities for advancement can be scarce, and sometimes that can breed jealousy or a sense of scarcity,” she said.

However, Gordon added, that narrative is changing as women are increasing supporting each other in authentic ways. “More women are understanding that collective success benefits us all,” she said. “While challenges remain, we are more united in our efforts to uplift one another than ever before.”

As for how she helps elevate others, Gordon said she strives to be approachable and is committed to offering guidance, advice and a listening ear when needed. She personally mentors several women both internally and externally, who reached out directly to forge a relationship.

But in certain ways, Gordon said, mentorship looks different today than in the past. For one thing, it’s more flexible and organic, rather than a forced, formal system. And it acknowledges the whole person.

“The focus has shifted to a more holistic approach, covering not just career advancement but also work-life balance, mental health and navigating a fast-changing landscape,” she said. “This shift has made mentoring more personalized, helping my mentees thrive in both their professional and personal lives.”

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.

Chamberlin has been with E.S. Originals for 27 years, most recently serving as president of the women’s division. Prior to joining the company, she was with Nine West.

Abie Safdye, vice president of sales at E.S. Originals and one of its third-generation leaders, described Chamberlin as an “instrumental member” of the team, noting that she “played a pivotal role in driving growth, innovation and excellence” in the women’s category.

He told FN that the company is positioning itself for growth, with its eye on adding new brand partners, especially in the casual athletics business. “We’re a robust company,” Safdye said. “We have a portfolio of brands that we keep growing. We’re very innovative, we’re very aggressive and we’re taking the company to new heights. That’s what we see coming in the near future.”

Here, Chamberlin shares more insights into her new role at the company and how E.S. Originals stays on top of the every-changing fashion marketplace.

Since being promoted to president last month, what are your top focuses?

Mari Chamberlin: “I’ve been over women’s for many years, and then over the last two years, they expanded my responsibility to be over kids, and now I’ll be overseeing men’s, too. I’ll be bringing that whole fashion trend approach to all genders, by watching what’s going on in the marketplace and also seeing what’s going on in Europe. I’ll also be making the company more vertical, with sharing more information, keeping the teams closely connected. Everything was very segmented before, and now we’re going to one company, where I’ll be reporting in to the owner’s sons — Abie, CEO Joey Safdye and Jacob Shalom — and we’re going to work together on the innovation going on in the marketplace and how we stay on top of everything.”

Which styles are the hottest right now?

MC: “I would say more of the athletics in Nautica, and with Juicy Couture, the seasonal product, the cozy and casuals. And then for Sugar, it’s a lot of the dress products. Within our brands, we hit everything — it’s kind of a one-stop shop where if you’re looking for boots or dress, we have it in Sugar. If you’re looking for casuals and athletics, we have it in Nautica. If you’re looking for fun, seasonal product, we have it in Juicy Couture. And then we do have moderate product in Jones New York and London Fog.”

With all the contraction and consolidation among major U.S. retailers, how do you continue to foster those partnerships?

MC: “You have to be very creative in how you work with them. And stay up on what the trends are and what they’re exactly looking for. We have great partnerships where they rely on us for that. And then constant communication [is also important] because things are changing every day. A big-box retailer might want one thing one day, and then the next day want something else. COVID really changed our company by the fact of we were able to communicate all the time versus waiting for samples. And we work closely with [retailers] to share what’s new.”

What’s new for the coming seasons?

MC: “We just started dabbling in leathers because some of the [retail] customers want to elevate their product, but our leathers are $49, so we’re still staying in that open price point where we find that the consumer is shopping right now.” 

Which trends are standing out for fall 2025?

MC: “I would still say that cozy is on fire and footbeds, too — I’m not seeing that change. Novelty sneakers are definitely coming back, and we’re seeing a lot of different materials on those. You’re seeing a lot of Mary Janes with athletic bottoms, which is new and fresh. I still am hearing a lot about boat shoes, but I feel like that’s very territorial, like maybe it’s still more of a Southern thing.”

A version of this article appeared in FN’s special “Women Who Rock” issue, released Feb. 3. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.