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sk any new fashion footwear brand where its targeting distribution, and chances are the first response youll get is Nordstrom. Likewise, shoppers often cite Nordstrom as their go-to store when looking for a great selection of luxe yet accessible shoes. Since its shoe-store beginnings more than a century ago, the better-grade department store chain has managed to add diverse fashion categories while maintaining a focus on its customers footwear desiresso much so that it continually sets the gold standard for department stores in the eyes of industry members and onlookers alike. Brand legacy means a lot in the retail space, notes U.S. retail analyst Daniela Nedialkova of Atlantic Equities in London. Nordstrom started out as a specialty footwear store and that heritage is remembered. Since 1901, when it launched as the Wallin & Nordstrom shoe store in Seattle, Nordstrom has grown to more than 100 full-line locationsnot to mention its offshoots, including an e-commerce site, 50 Nordstrom Rack locations and a standalone shoe store. In order to be successful weve had to evolve, just as fashion evolves, says Michael Boyd, spokesperson for Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. But despite its growth over the last century, the chain has maintained its original philosophy on providing exceptional service, selection and quality. It also continues to define itself as a fashion specialty retailer, and its footwear section has always been a highlight thanks to a solid mix of styles presented in an upscale but inviting atmosphere, with top-notch customer service backing it up. And from a brands perspective, that successful execution of merchandising and support makes it an unsurpassed retail platform.

Selection and Setting

When I go out and sell my brand, the first thing that comes to mind is where would I like to shop, says Douglas Segal, North American sales manager for Spanish brand Camper. The nice thing about shopping at Nordstrom is youre not shopping there strictly on price; youre shopping based on the experience. According to Boyd, Nordstrom prides itself on making shopping easy for its customers, and striving to improve upon that is a continuous goal. We want to be a superior multichannel fashion retailer and deliver a seamless experience, he reports. That starts with the selection of products. The footwear selection is unique from other department stores, with both designer brands and small, relatively unknown but trendy and interesting brands in the mix, Nedialkova explains, noting the boutique-like selection lends weight to the chains self-defined specialty-store status. The variety is not as wide as in a typical department store but feels more carefully selected. Like the other Big 6 luxury department stores (Saks, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys), Nordstrom focuses on fashion, but it carries more categories of footwear than the others, says Greg Tunney, CEO of Pickerington, OH-based R.G. Barry Corp., who cites the outdoor and young-trend segments as examples. But it doesnt get too mainstream either, carefully navigating the fine line between luxe and mass. Somehow, Nordstrom has been able to keep an exclusivity but have a broader scope, Tunney explains. The companys goal is to provide customers with the best selection of designer, luxury and quality fashion brands available. As a fashion retailer, we believe its our job to edit, Boyd says. Many footwear execs agree that the fact that the

NordStrom meaNS BuSiNeSS

Shoppers love it. Brands want to be in it. Here, a look at how the better-grade chain continues to raise the bar for department store footwear retailing. By Leslie Shiers
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chain has regional rather than national buyers helps we know we have a lot of work to do to earn our each hone in on what their particular customers are customers trust, he notes. We strive to offer after. Plus, they have a knack for pinpointing each friendly, knowledgeable, welcoming service and brands specialty, says Segal, noting Nordstrom believe expertise in both fit and fashion knowledge buyers come to market with an open mind. Theres is integral to earning our customers business and a difference between being a buyer and a numbercontinued confidence. cruncher, he says. I believe they are buyers. They Segal notes that if you take a look around a are looking at the product, the mix and how its Nordstrom shoe department, youll still see sales going to look on their floor. associates sitting on one knee the old-fashioned Faryl Robin Morse, founder and designer of way, measuring feet and assisting shoppers into New York-based Farylrobin, agrees Nordstroms shoes. You cant put the passion into someone buyers are product people first. They not only selling something, he says, but at Nordstrom, he understand trends but product, she states. Morse says Nordstrom was the first department store to take a chance on her brand, which (when it debuted) was new in the sense that it offered a trend-driven look that didnt fit into the traditional junior or salon segments. In addition to blazing trails for new categories, Boyd notes the chain has recently enhanced its womens designer collection, bringing in more styles from highly desired American and European labels. Roberto Angiolucci, president of C.C. Calzature Limited, parent company of the New York-based Claudia Ciuti brand, says the store offers some Nordstroms designer corporate vendors, but also looks footwear salon to other designers for newness. Last June, the company strengthened Jeffrey Kalinskys role as director of designer merattests, it shows in everything the staff members chandising to further push that envelope. Kalinsky, do. There are no formal service rules across all founder of the Jeffrey luxury boutiques in New Nordstrom stores, Boyd says; the company just York and Atlanta, is working with Jack Minuk, looks to hire great sellers who are knowledgeable, Nordstroms executive vice president and general friendly and have a vested interest in fashion. We merchandising manager of the footwear division, simply try to provide our employees with the tools to cultivate the designer shoe salon. Sam Edelman, they need and empower them to take care of the head of the eponymous New York-based brand, customer, he adds. anticipates Kalinsky will help Nordstrom put even Tunney recently had the opportunity to put greater emphasis on unique fashion and bring in Nordstroms staff to the test. In mid-December, he new blood that offers the freshest looks. found himself at a Seattle location, where he was Of course, beyond the product itself, in-store working on finalizing the stores buy for the spring presentation plays a huge role in the footwear launch of R.G. Barrys latest licensed label, Superga. departments success. Nordstroms shoe departWondering whether the shoe department staff had ments tend to get top billing, located near the front any knowledge of the Italian canvas sneaker brand, entrance where product cant be missed. Segal says he wandered into the mens area to find out. The the area is always clean, while Edelman adds it is first employee to approach him on the floor had well-organized and easy for shoppers to navigate. not only heard of Superga (which hasnt had a presThroughout the department, product is given space ence in the United States for about eight years), but to breathe, and brands tend to be represented with described how hot it currently is over in Europe. breadth, Tunney says. [Nordstrom has] the most That you dont get on a typical sales floor, Tunney discerning merchandisers of footwear, he adds. says. The knowledge of Nordstroms salespeople is They know how to balance space, air and product. really second to none. Brand, style and fitting expertise often comes Specialty-Grade Service through extra training from brand reps or in-store Footwear-brand execs repeatedly return to designer visits. Nordstrom also ups the service quoNordstroms customer attentiveness when asked tient by stocking a broader range of sizes than other what differentiates the chain most. The ambidepartment stores, notes David Spatz, president of ence works, but its the service, Edelman asserts. Tiburon, CA-based fashion/comfort brand Anyi Lu Yet Boyd says Nordstrom doesnt consider itself International, who says Nordstrom orders down to an expert in this regard. Its our No. 1 goal, but a womens size 4 rather than the typical 5.5. The
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chain does this by carefully tracking each brands sales data and buying accordinglyinformation it shares with its brands. Spatz notes that analyzing those numbers helps Anyi Lu plan her future collections. Too often I think vendors throw things over the wall to their stores and dont get the data back, he says. I dont think other department stores realize how valuable it can be.

Brand Validator
For most new brands on the market, getting picked up by Nordstrom gives it weight among the industry. Tunney is excited that Superga is launching in 30 of its stores and would like to see the chain add his Terrasoles brand this year. He notes Nordstroms high-end approach and nationwide locations are reasons it has become such a retail force. For a better-grade footwear company, he says, I dont know anybody who has a [long-term] successful business that hasnt been successful at Nordstrom. If its not successful there, youll have a hard time anywhere else. Spatz says Nordstrom picked up Anyi Lu in the brands first year, debuting it at its Michigan Avenue store in Chicago, then putting it into four more doors shortly thereafter. In terms of business validation, he says, I wont say it equals instant success, but its almost like that. While Nordstrom initially bought small into the brand, it gave Anyi Lu some freedom in choosing which styles it wanted to put in stores. Its much more of a partnership than what we see from most of our retailers, Spatz says. But obviously, if the shoes dont sell it will end. Edelman echoes that statement: Nordstrom is usually the first to recognize true leadership and direction in fashion, but then they ask for a partnership, he says. It takes maturity, insight and integrity to develop that relationship. Morse also notes being carried by Nordstrom helps validate a brand, but being picked up by its stores means a manufacturer must deliver. They make sure their vendors deliver a real value to their customers, she says. They were the first to take a risk with our [line], but at the same time it was a calculated risk. Never forget that they are merchants, and they demand that we do what we do better than we would do it independently. They raise the bar for us. Morse says since Nordstrom initially picked up her brand, her company has had to continually work to improve its product and internal operations to maintain the relationship. Once Nordstrom buys in, she notes, Youre playing in a big mans field; theres no luxury of making mistakes or not rising to the occasion. Yet Morse affirms this has only made Farylrobin a better company. Our goal is to make [Nordstrom] a better organization, but the reality is they require that we become a better organization.