Shoes Blog

The company supports many different charities through various efforts. The company began in 2005 to support the Youth Aids organization by selling various accessories in its ALDO stores. Feet First has supported The Cure Foundation since it opened and supports National Denim Day in Canada both organizations work to raise money for breast cancer research.

In late 2008 with the help of the band Simple Plan, spring began to sell bracelets for War Child Canada.

In 2008 the company launched its Next Step program aimed at going green and becoming more environmentally friendly. The first step of the program was to launch a new shoe box design that incorporated a handle into the box, eliminating the need for customers to use a bag to take their purchases home. The company also changed the bags that it does use to be made from wood-free paper.

ALDO shoes were founded in Canada in 1972 as a footwear concession within Le Chateau. The original group included stores in Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Winnipeg. The first freestanding ALDO store was opened in Montreal, in 1978. The brand expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, with stores operating under the name ALDO. The first ALDO store opened in the United States in 1993 in Boston, Massachusetts. The first international store opened in Israel in 1994. The brand expanded in the 2000s into Saudi Arabia in 2001, England in 2002, and Singapore in 2003. Since then, the brand has further expanded on the international market. The company opened stores in Australia under a franchise agreement in 2005 and starting in 2006 began to enter the Chinese market. In 2007 ‘ALDO Group China’ was founded to manage Chinese operations.

The group has started other brands as well. In 1991, the company launched the Transit banner in Canada. Five years later, they started the Feet First banner which caters an older client group. Additionally the company operates Globo Shoes catering to the family market. In 2008 the company began to re-brand some of its Stoneridge stores at Little Burgundy stores. The new Little Burgundy stores carry brand name footwear and accessories from over seventy designers.

The ALDO Groupe owns and operates a worldwide chain of shoe and accessory stores. The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal, Quebec, in 1972 where its corporate headquarters remain today. It has grown to become a worldwide corporation, with over 950 stores under 6 retail banners: ALDO, ALDO Accessories, spring, Feet first (FIRST in the United States), Globo, and Little Burgundy. There are also ALDO outlet, ALDO Kids, ALDO Liquidation, Spring Liquidation, and clearance stores. Canadian, American, and UK stores are corporate stores while international stores are franchisees. The company once operated the now closed or re-branded banners Simard & Voyer, Pegabo, Transit, and Stoneridge.

It owns tanneries in the Netherlands, Thailand, Indonesia, and China, and has engaged in a research program to reduce the environmental impact of the tanning process. ECCO’s shoes are produced in factories, either under its own ownership or under license, in a number of countries including Slovakia, Japan, Cyprus, Thailand, Indonesia, Portugal and most recently, China and India. It projects a brand image of a combination of comfort and style, generally operating at prices that are a little above average for the mass market while remaining within reach for a wide range of consumers. Many of ECCO’s dressier shoes now use fiberglass shanks instead of the more popular metal shank, making them airport friendly, however, with new shoe removal procedures at airports worldwide, this value is not as significant as it once was. ECCO began making golf shoes in 1999 and unveiled a running shoe in 2004.

ECCO is a Danish shoe manufacturer. The company was founded in 1963 by Karl Toosbuy in Bredebro, and now operates more than 3,000 shops worldwide, selling an extensive range of men’s and women’s shoes, and manufactures 12 million pairs of shoes each year. The company is owned by Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak, daughter of Karl Toosbuy who died in 2004.

International

The company has expanded its operations into markets in Asia and in Eastern and Central Europe. ECCO has also expanded to Canada and the United States, through other independent retailers and online sales, although there is limited number of mono-brand stores operated by the company. The largest ECCO store in the United States is located in the Kierland Commons in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Oprah Winfrey show featured Christian Louboutin and a collection of his shoes in a show dedicated to ‘the face behind the name’, Louboutins were on display around the set, with Oprah Winfrey describing the shoes as ‘pieces of art’.

Christian has recently collaborated with famous director David Lynch and they have created an exhibition featuring rare shoes by Louboutin, they are on show at the Pierre Passebon Gallery. The exhibition is named ‘Fetish’.

Rap artist Foxy Brown references the shoes in the first verse of her song “We On Fire” stating, “See it’s the Louboutin leopard pump Don Diva…”

R&B singer, Ciara’s up coming “Crunk&B” single “High Price”, references Christian Louboutin stating, “See me in the club rockin’ Christian Louboutin.”

Christian Louboutin currently has five boutiques in the United States. Two are located in New York, and one in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and in South Coast Plaza of Orange County. Stores are planned for Design District in Miami.

In Asia, the first Christian Louboutin boutique was opened in October 2007 on On Lan Street in Central, Hong Kong.

There are two in London, England. The original is in Motcomb Street. An additional one opened in Mount Street in 2008.

In addition to the stores a large proportion of sales are also done online through online stores and boutiques.

In Australia, you can find his shoes sold in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney in David Jones stores.

Recently, Louboutin opened his first store in South America in Shopping Iguatemi Paulo.

In addition, a standalone Louboutin store opened this year in Ngee Ann City, a high-end mall in Singapore on its famous shopping stretch, Orchard Road.

Celebrities ranging from Angelina Jolie to Carrie Hoff to Mariah Carey, are fans of Christian Louboutin shoes and many celebrities are now choosing his shoes as their red carpet accessories. Patti LaBelle signed an endorsement contract with the company to wear their shoes during her concerts and on the red carpet. Her favorite are the Diamond Encrusted pumps. Angelina Jolie has favored his designs on almost all red carpet appearances. In her movie ‘Wanted’, Angelina Jolie dons a pair as the assassin ‘Fox’, these beige round-toed Louboutin’s are from her personal collection. Kylie Minogue also wore Christian Louboutin shoes in her “2 Hearts” video, which the magenta red soles are noticeable when she maneuvered on the piano. Britney Spears has been spotted wearing Louboutin shoes while clubbing in Los Angeles and at various court dates for her custody battle. Christina Aguilera is also a fan of Louboutin’s creations, often seen wearing them to events, and during her 2006-07 Back to Basics Tour. Madonna wore Christian’s black patent leather studded mary-janes in her Live Earth performance. Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki is also a fan of the brand, seen wearing platform peep-toe Louboutins in basic colors such as nude and black, as well as rhinestone pumps in a photo shoot for Sweet magazine, also Japanese jazz singer Shiina Ringo was noticed to wear a significant number of Louboutins during the promotion of her band’s CD Variety.

Christian Louboutin’s designs have gained popularity among socialites and celebrities, several of whom have made public appearances sporting the signature red soles. For example, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Kidman were outfitted by the couture cobbler for their weddings. Other famous fans of his shoes include Tina Turner, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, Catherine Deneuve, Cameron Diaz, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker .

Louboutin also designed shoes for hit pop sensation Mika which he wore at his July 4, 2008, show at Parc des Princes. In an episode of Cribs UK, Danielle Lloyd shows of her many styles of Louboutin’s shoes. Leigh Lezark and Rachel Bilson are also known fans of Christian Louboutin.Paris Hilton, Blake Lively and Amanda Bynes have also been spotted wearing the infamous red soled shoes.

Louboutin also received inspiration for his infamous, lethal-looking stilettos from an incident that occurred in his early twenties. He had visited a museum and noticed that there was a sign that forbade women to enter while wearing sharp stilettos, for fear of damage to the extensive wood flooring. This image stayed in his mind, and he later used this idea in his designs. “I wanted to defy that,” Louboutin has said. “I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident and empowered.”

Christian Louboutin has topped The Luxury Institute’s annual Luxury Brand Status Index for 3 years; the brand’s offerings were declared the Most Prestigious Women’s Shoes in 2007, 2008 and 2009.