Shoe Designer
Shoemaker
Footwear Designer
Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Shoe Designer or Shoemaker
Starting a Shoe or Footwear Line

Shoes have been fascinating us from our early days. From Cinderella’s slippers and Dorothy’s ruby slippers to the magical elves busily making shoes during the night, shoes are depicted as able to transport us beyond the frailties of our human condition.  

Without the glass slippers, Cinderella might just have been another girl in a pretty dress. Dorothy may never have found her way home again without the ruby slippers. The cobbler may never have known even brief success. Although customers may be looking for that magical shoe, shoe designers will tell you that it’s a lot more about skill than magic.

Good news for all of us, shoe fashionistas!

You don’t have to live in New York or Paris, you don’t have to go to an expensive design school, but you do have to have skills and persistence to be a shoe designer.  There are skills you can attain later. 

Most importantly, it is perseverance that you need to be equipped with. Shoe superstars Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo and Stuart Weitzman will all tell you that the magic in shoes comes from hard work and effort.

Design skills only comprise of 20% of a designer’s success, while the determining factors are actually the business skills (80%). If you have unique (and comfortable) designs for your shoe line, combined with strong business skills, it can be a big hit. 

Authenticity is key. Of course, you don't need to invent the wheel, just be original, innovative and unique with your designs. Now if you think you're not that creative to break into and succeed as a shoe designer, think again. 

Unconvinced? Have you ever seen those shoes or sandals that sell really well, but they’re actually not so creative designwise? Those are “classic” designs, which usually sell very well but don’t require super-creativity.

Another advantage of being a shoe designer is that you don't need to worry about seasonal trends, unlike apparel designs that change every season. You still keep (or even wear it everyday to work) that Jimmy Choo you bought two years ago, right? 

It seems to have that timeless appeal and complement most outfits. Your designs can be like that too. You can choose to design shoes that can be worn over and over again. From business point of you, it means you don't need to worry about producing new items before the old ones are sold out.

Of course, it's better to follow the trends, but there are some specializations in shoe design that are completely timeless, such as:

Bridal and prom shoes
Outdoor shoes
Nurse shoes
Working shoes
Boys' and girls' scout sneakers
Ballet shoes
Dance shoes
Aerobic shoes
Winter boots
Skiing boots

If the notion of designing, sewing, manufacturing and promoting your own shoe line sounds intimidating, there are "industry secret" forces to help you out:

• Contract technical designers (they turn your ideas into technical patterns and prototypes)

• Contract manufacturers (send them your design and measurements, they will manufacturer it for you)

• Sales representatives and distributors (they help finding retailers to carry your products)

• Fashion weeks and trade shows (they help you getting exposure to buyers and fellow designers)

• Fashion publicists (these specialists can help you getting the media exposure needed in market penetration)

If these helps still sound too much for you, consider "embellish" existing plain shoes instead of designing ones from scratch. 

Consider these:

Dyeing prom shoes
Coloring bridal shoes
Embroider dress boots
Embellish costume shoes with beads, rhinestones, ribbons, etc.
Painting sneakers (hand-painted or print)

With those professionals helping you out all the way from inception to distribution, all you need is some creative juices and unique ideas that distinguish your designing style from the rest of the crowd.  

As a shoe designer, you have the choice to design the following items using a variety of raw materials, such as leather, fabric, plastic, wood and their combinations:

Evening shoes
Working shoes
Athletic shoes
Outdoor shoes
Male's dress shoes
Women's pump shoes
Children's shoes
Teenagers' sneakers
Sandals
Beach footwear
Cowboy boots
Winter boots
Leather shoes
Plastic thongs
Slippers
Dance shoes
Orthopedic shoes

In a nutshell, if you have the drive to succeed and somewhat creative (no need to be "super creative"), you're very likely to succeed in this career. Of course, as a designer you need to continuously upgrading your skills and network with like-minded people, which can be really fun.

As it goes without saying, as a shoe designer, you can enjoy:

• The privileges of being a part of the glamorous, exciting and highly lucrative fashion industry

• Working closely with professionals that fuel the whole industry

• Earning anywhere from $40,000+ to millions of dollars annually
  

Do you know?

• Luxury goods produced $525 billion in sales in the United States last year.

• In early 2000s, U.S. population spent $42 billion to purchase more than 1.3 billion pairs of shoes.

• In 2003, of the nearly 200 marketers of footwear, women’s footwear was the largest sector of the U.S. market with $20.5 billion in sales, a 3% increase from the previous year.
  Next in sales for 2003 was the athletic shoe market with Nike and Reebok’s combined sales of $14.2 billion. 

• Nike had top athletic shoe sales and an increase of 8.1% over 2002 sales.

• Reebok’s 2003 sales increased 11.4% over their 2002 numbers.

• Athletic footwear comprises 35% of total footwear purchases.

• The outdoor shoe market also showed significant growth in 2003 with Timberland posting 12.7% growth and revenues of $1.3 billion.

• Low-end retailers were the largest distribution channels for the U.S. market, having 44% of the footwear market in 2003.

• US footwear market is expected to increase 10.2% in value, during the 2004 to 2008 forecast period, reaching a value of $45.5 billion in 2008. 

• In 2008, the women’s sector will continue to be the largest of the footwear market, reaching $22.9 billion, over 50% of the market.   

About the Authors

Jennie S. Bev is THE fashion, image and fun careers expert, whose reputation has been acknowledged by prestigious media internationally. She has been profiled and mentioned in Entrepreneur, Teen People, Canadian Business, Home Business, Dong (France), San Francisco Chronicle, The Independent, Daily Southtown, The Arizona Republic, Femina (Asia) and Dewi (Asia).

Editor-in-Chief Jennie S. Bev was named 2003 EPPIE Award finalist in Non-Fiction How To category for excellence in electronic publishing. She has published over 40 books and 900 articles in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany and Southeast Asia. She is also a college professor based in San Francisco Bay Area.

Co-author Vicki Zolenski is freelance writer, copywriter and editor who has also taught high school English, and technical and business writing at college level. She was a reporter for her college newspaper as well The Hershey Chornicle and Accolades. Vicki loves learning, the environment, and life.

This 84-page instantly downloadable StyleCareer.com eGuide Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Shoe Designer brings you valuable insider tips, advice and suggestions not available elsewhere to help you embark on this highly lucrative career path. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Myths, The Realities, and the Basics
I Have Some Unique Designs, but Will People Buy Them?
I Live in a Small Tow, How Do I Purchase Materials? How Much Do I Need to Stock Up?
I Have Ideas, but Not Sure about the Business Part
The Truth about Creativity vs. Business
Is This for Me?
Benefits

Getting Ready for the Big Break
History of Shoe Design
The Shoe Industry
Today’s Market: Cheers and Challenges
Trends
Athletic
Comfort
High Heels
High-End (Designer’s)
Forecasts for New Product Trends
Niche Markets
Branding
Trademarks
Terminologies
Shoe Styles
Shoe Types
Heel Types
Miscellaneous

Skills of the Trade
Shoe Anatomy
Upper Parts
Bottom Parts
Design
Elements of Design
Shoe Construction
Computer-Assisted Design
Making Prototype

Starting Your Own Business
The Big Picture
Business Management Plan
Product Plan
Marketing Plan
Financial Plan
Entrepreneurship
Business Expertise
Product Expertise
Entrepreneurial Spirit and Mindset
Free Resources
Be a One-of-a-Kind Shoemaker: Custom-Made, Bestride, and Specialty Shoes
Be a Mass Producer

Outsourcing the Manufacturing
Scientific Testing
Promoting Your Business
Publicity
Trade Shows and Fashion Weeks in the United States
Trade Shows Overseas
Get Listed in Merchandiser Marts
Buyer’s Open Calls
Manufacturer Representatives

Learning from Pros
Trainings, Workshops and Classes
Internships
Job Resources /Scholarships Resources
Trade Associations
Trade Research
Industry Online Resources
Trade Magazines
Blogs
Business Associations
Technical Institutes

Success Profiles

This eGuide literally saves you hundreds or even thousands of dollars spent on professional workshops and training and hundreds of hours of research. It will help you break into the career of your dream faster without having to repeat the same mistakes that most newcomers do.
   
This eGuide also includes information on:

• Participating in fashion weeks and trade shows

• List of vendors, manufacturers, wholesalers and suppliers

• List of workshops and classes that teach how to design shoes 
  List of shoe design schools, which are renowned for outstanding courses in the industry

You can have this exclusive eGuide right away by instant download for only $65.95, which you will earn many times over with your first paid job. This special low discount price is reserved for today, Sunday, May 11, 2008 only. (Regular price: $75.95)

Breaking Into and Succeeding
as a Shoe Designer
 84 Pages
Regular Price: $75.95
Sale Price: $65.95

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