James, please tell me how the Cole Haan brand differs from all other brands in the luxury goods segment?
To everyone. Its history, original ideas and excellent quality. Cole Haan is, first of all, affordable luxury and what is commonly called the “American Dream”. The Cole Haan brand was created in 1928 by Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan. Then, in the heyday of jazz, the first Cole Haan boots appeared. Since then, nearly 80 years have passed, and the Cole Haan brand has gone far beyond the release of only comfortable, fashionable and stylish shoes. Today, the company's assortment includes clothes for men and women, sports and casual shoes, bags and leather goods, accessories - sunglasses, gloves, knitwear. As a separate line, I would like to mention our wonderful coats, which have repeatedly received international awards.
It is known that Cole Haan since 1988 is a subsidiary of the sports concern Nike. Which world sports star do you work with?
Since you are a Russian magazine, I’ll answer this way - the famous Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has become the “face” of our company in the past year and is now launching her own collection under the Cole Haan brand. It's no secret that athletes pay great attention to the quality and comfort of their shoes, so Maria decided to release unique shoes with special airbags that would reduce pressure on the foot, even in very high-heeled shoes. Very soon, Maria will present the Cole Haan Sporting 2009 spring collection, which will combine sports and technology used to create sportswear with the style and cut of casual clothes and shoes. Thanks to Mary, the Cole Haan collection will feature tennis-themed accessories in the form of tennis racquets and other sports elements.
What other regions besides the Middle East do you consider to be potential markets for Cole Haan?
Today, our products are presented either in luxury department stores, especially in specialized fashion galleries such as Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. There are already more than 60 such points outside the United States, but, of course, we will expand our presence in countries such as China, Russia, India and other Middle Eastern states, in addition to the UAE. In Dubai, we open two mono-boutiques, and plan to go to Abu Dhabi and other emirates.
Cole Haan celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2008. What will she please buyers in her anniversary year?
We celebrate this significant date with a new collection that once again brings us back to the historical heritage, impeccable craftsmanship and innovation of Cole Haan. The quintessence of the current collection is “penny” loafers, hand-sewn in Maine (USA), and the new American penny handbag, as well as images of coins in denominations of one penny, or secret penny pockets for all products of the collection. But the main thing is our company quality, impeccable style and reasonable prices, despite the brand's belonging to the luxury segment.
Thanks, James.
We wish you success in the new year.
Interviewed: Irina Ivanova
