The shoe industry is very much like the tech industry. If you close your eyes for too long, the world passes you by. Staying ahead of the latest trends in shoe fashion is a full-time job itself. I've been in this business over twenty years, and the best lesson I've learned through experience is know what's hot before anybody else does. It is this reason why my wife and I periodically fly to Europe to check out what's hot in the trendy boutique stores of Milan, Paris, London, Rome and so forth. I get a real kick out of talking to the designers and the reps and checking out what's smoking in Europe before it hits the United States. Not to say the states doesn't have a reputable fashion industry of its own, but let's face facts here...if you want shoe fashion on the edge, you go to Europe. Keep an eye on the site for these gems I found in Italy.  |