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Shoes, Socks & Hosiery
Footwear Adds Fashion With Color and Style
Academie Footwear Hires Reps
The New York based shoe company
Academie Footwear recently hired three
new sales people: Lester Cohen, who will be
responsible for New York City and upstate
New Jersey; Michael Berezin, who will
cover Maryland, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania; and John Brewer, who will
cover Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana. All three
will report to Andy Jones, National Sales
Manager.
Academie Footwear, a division of
Synclaire brands, was started by Andy
Jones and Bruce Smith-Grant, both of
whom were originally with Bass and Co.
Popular styles for the brand include handsewn
loafers and the box and saddle shoes
that are the traditional dirty buck style
with red brick soles.
For more information visit www.synclaire.com
or email Andy Jones at
ajones@synclaire.com. — D.C.
Atlanta Hosiery’s 400 Styles
Since 1935, Atlanta Hosiery Company has
manufactured and distributed socks and
hosiery, under the Two Feet Ahead label,
to independent retailers around the U.S.
Today, the family-owned-and-operated
company carried more than 400 styles of
socks and hosiery for children.
Currently, Atlanta Hosiery is working
on a children’s collegiate line and has the
licenses to use the logos from approximately
40 schools around the country
including the Univ. of Georgia, Univ. of
Michigan, Penn State, Virginia State, Ohio
State and Alabama Univ. Socks range in
size from newborn to 13. According to the
company, basic uniform socks continue to
be strong with knee socks available in burgundy,
hunter, navy, white, black and
brown, and seamless bobby socks available
in khaki, navy and white.
For spring, Atlanta Hosiery Company
is looking to introduce lacy socks for girls.
They are still in the planing stages, but the
company is excited about the possibilities.
For more information visit
www.twofeetahead.com. — D.C.
16
Dinkles Marches With Spin
For the past 21 years, Dinkles
Marching Band Shoes have been manufactured
and distributed by Up-Front
Footwear, Inc. in Lebanon, Penn. All shoes
are laboratory tested for durability,
abrasion, flexibility, and material
strength, and in keeping with the
company’s mantra of comfort,
Dinkles is introduced Spin, a
new shoe designed specifically
for color guards.
Spin, available in black and
tan, has is a split-sole look,
split-sole design, and
split-sole function
allowing the shoe to
be worn indoors
or outdoors
without the
wearer having
to worry about
wet feet or the
sole unraveling.
The upper is a
combination of
leather and
polyurethane, which
ensures easy cleaning.
Jeffrey Savoca, president
of Dinkles, reports that a
major trend in the marching
band industry is the
lack of white shoes.
According to Savoca
approximately 80 percent
of schools are choosing black
marching band shoes.
“Uniform styles can be very
bland and schools usually select
basic black shoes to accommodate
their basic uniforms,” said
Savoca. “Also, schools want
black shoes because with white
shoes it’s much easier to detect mistakes.”
Another trend Savoca notices is
the eagerness to pay for less expensive
shoes. Years ago, schools
would spend
Reported by Deena Campbell
and Gina Goldblatt
more money for band shoes, but more recently,
schools are opting for inexpensive shoes.
Dinkle shoes are retail from 95 cents to
$30. Sizes for girls range from 5 1/2–12,
a n d
for boys 3 1/2–16. All Dinkle shoes have
flexibility and rubber soles
for traction and safety. Plastic soles
are not offered and shoes can be
customized.
For more information visit
www.dinkles.com or call 1-888-
DINKLES. — D.C.
Coco Jumbo Gets
Dainty
New York-based school
shoe company Coco
Jumbo Shoe, Inc. is set to
introduce a new quilted
Mary Jane shoe for back-toschool
2008.
“The new Mary Jane
has ballerina flavor,” said
Sonny Roffe, vice president
of sales. “It’s young
and sweet and it offers
a fresh new look
for school.”
Available in
black, navy and
brown, with a
tiny bow on top,
Coco Jumbo said that
the new Mary Jane adds a bit
of innocence to school uniform
shoes.
In the young boys sector,
Coco is set to launch the
Walker shoe, a double velco
school shoe with a converse-
Right, socks by Tic Tac Toe
from Cricket Hosiery,
(800) 762-5748.
Email:
customerservice@tictactoe.net.
Shirt and Skirt by French Toast
Official School Wear, (800) 262-
KIDS. www.frenchtoast.com.
styled bottom. Coco Jumbo said that it will
be continuing with its basic oxford shoe for
next year; however, the company is updating
the sole and creating a thicker rubber
bottom than previous seasons.
The quilted Mary Jane retails for $19.99
and the Walker shoe is priced at $24.99.
For more information visit www.rasolli.com
or call (800) 516-3304. — D.C.
Willits Puts Comfort #1
Pennsylvania-based school-shoe company,
Willits Footwear Woldwide will be moving
toward back-to-school 2008 with
offerings of fashionable school shoes with
comfort features.
“Comfort and constancy is where
we see strength in our products,” said
Stan Leshko, a spokesman for Willits.
“That coupled with styling is what kids
want to wear.”
According to Willets, comfortable gel
inserts, removal footbeds and padding are
what differentiates their shoes from
competitors. But most important according
to Leshko, comfort must be backed
with consistency.
“Consistency is paramount to the success
of a brand,” said Leshko. “And we’ve
always introduced fashion-forward styles
that crossover and last for years. We are
sticking to what we know and do well while
striving to make our products better.”
Slip-ons, penny loafers and classic dirty
buck suede shoes are strong and will continue
to be for the coming season.
Willits Footwear shoes are available in
four sizes: narrow, medium, wide and extra
wide.
For more information visit www.willitshoe.com.
— D.C.
Sock Choices at Cookies
Joe Beyba, a uniform specialist at Cookies
(Continued on page 26)
below, shoes from willits footwear worldwide,
(800) 544-3633. email: MAIL@WILLITSHOE.COM.