I was instantly struck when I read the deeply sad news that
Vince Camuto passed away on Wednesday, January 21st at 78 years old.
I’ve lusted after his signature shoes for years now and on my 21st
birthday I broke down and bought a pair of red patent leather pumps with gold
metal details. I’ve always appreciated the quality styling you get at a
reasonable price for Vince Camuto shoes.
Curious about his career, I did some research and learned about the
incredible life of this legend.
Vince
Camuto started in this industry at 18 years old working for I. Miller. He took
customer complaints, which was how he learned exactly what women looked for in
shoes. He co-founded Nine West with Jerome Fisher in his mid-30s. The Nine West
brand gained popularity fast and by 1999, Camuto and Fisher were able to sell
the company to Jones Group Inc. for $900 million (wwd.com). In 2001 he launched
Camuto Group and created 3 labels: Vince Camuto, VC Signature Vince Camuto, and Louise et
Cie. He also developed footwear collections for Jessica Simpson, Tory Burch,
Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Dillard’s, and owned the licenses for Lucky Brand
shoes and BCBG Max Azria (wwd.com). If this was not enough, he added apparel,
accessories, fragrance, handbags, menswear and a ready-to-wear line to his
massive footwear empire. He accomplished this through licensing and without
having to sell or go public with the company.
Through
this unbelievably successful career, Camuto has made industry friends who have
spoken out since his passing. Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Tory Burch
amongst many others commented on his immense passion, expertise, and influence
on the industry. Even Steve Madden, a direct competitor of Camuto’s footwear
stated, “We had a very respectful relationship. He was a shoe god. There is no
other way to say. We were competitive, although I would have loved to have
collaborated with him” (wwd.com). Many
also spoke about Camuto’s family and how much he adored them. He is quoted
saying “my children are my proudest accomplishment. Even at the office, I feel
like everyone is family. Family is what is most important to me” (wwd.com).
I think it
is safe to say that Vince Camuto is the perfect model for how to behave and
lead in fashion. As graduating seniors, we worry about the ruthless reputation
of the industry we’ve spent four years preparing for. Some of us have already
experienced the stereotypical rude and dramatic fashionista behavior on our
co-ops. Vince Camuto’s life and career is a testament to the fact that you can
treat your employees, partners, and colleagues respectfully and still achieve
great success. People like Vince Camuto are the examples we need and must
strive to emulate.
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