SE 35-50.indd

by Kristopher Kay
ellie
shoes
For the
Entertainer Inside
Every Woman
S
een on the stems of some of the most glamorous women the world over, Ellie Shoes hardly
needs an introduction. However, in 2008, the
shoe company known for creating sexy and affordable footwear has lept from center stage into the collective mainstream with a chorus line of creations presented just in time
for the holiday season.
“The name Ellie has gone from being a beloved leader in
the sexy shoe industry to becoming a trendsetter within the
wholesale manufacturing world,” explains Bridget Silvestri,
Public Relations Director for Ellie Shoes. “From stilettos worn
by entertainers on stage, to Halloween specific footwear, to
today’s Penthouse by Ellie — an upscale line featuring styles
geared for a new emerging force in fashion — we cover every
avenue when it comes to fashionable footwear.”
Another transition for the company began earlier this
year when Ellie teamed up with Leg Avenue to diversify the
popular manufacturer’s brand beyond intimate apparel. The
easily remembered label, Leg Avenue Shoes by Ellie, proved
to be mutually beneficial for the Halloween shopping season
especially, as Ellie’s reputation of expert craftsmanship was
realized by their new partner and recognized by retailers
worldwide.
“It made sense [for Ellie] to pair up with a costume manufacturer, because the customer is really wanting a complete
look,” says Silvestri. “By providing the footwear shown on
the [costume] packages and catalogs, we’re helping the
42/December 2008
retailer with [their store’s] upsales and making the customer
have a satisfying buying experience.” With the inaugural collection hitting pay dirt, expect the 2009 Leg Avenue collection
early in the new year.
Ellie’s poetry in motion hasn’t been a simple midnight
stroll. It has taken the Southern California company and its
owner, Ellen Renger, eight years to stand atop the intimate
shoe market. But this year, even more eyes began to stare
down at their shoes. In her memoir, “Candy Girl,” author and
Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody gave the company
a shoutout, saying, “I swear, Ellie’s have better support than
Easy Spirits!” Then, Ellie’s 457-Claudia style graced the heels
of UFC hostess Rachelle Leah on the November ‘08 issue of
Playboy. Finally, Ellie Shoes was honored as the 2008 Accessories Manufacturer of the Year at the 2nd Annual STOREROTICA Awards. As STOREROTICA was held in conjunction
with the Gentlemen’s Club Owners EXPO, the award honored
Ellie’s high regard in not only the erotic apparel industry, but
in the exotic dance industry as well.
“We will always cater to our dance customer; they are
our ’sole’ — and, yeah, pun intended,” says Silvestri, through
smiles. “They keep us thinking sexy, and we know they appreciate affordable shoes that are comfortable. It’s our quality that keeps our buyers coming back. Our customers tell us
they prefer our product because, for the same price, they get
better quality.”
STOREROTICA.com
A two-pronged path to new successes
To hold their ground in the costume market, Ellie began
attending Halloween themed conventions back in 2002. “Our
general merchandise had an increase in sales from Halloween shows, so we continued attending,” Silvestri mentions.
“Ellie has had many styles of merchandise to go with costumes in general, but no other [shoe company] was really
doing sexy costume-specific shoes and boots.”
Two years later, Ellie further tested the waters with a mass
mailing to retailers of a foldout featuring 12 images of a
model wearing specific manufacturers’ Halloween costumes.
Each image showcased four different styles of Ellie shoes
and boots to pair with the costume. It didn’t take long for the
company to collect the accolades for their new endeavor and
strut full force into the pumpkin patch. Ellie embarked on
designs specifically tailored for the costume market; the next
year (2005), Ellie released its maiden Halloween catalog.
“To this day, Ellie continues to produce never before seen
costume-specific designs,” says Silvestri. “We closely follow
what new costumes are coming out each season and design
footwear to pair with them. It’s a win-win for everyone
involved. You know you’re headed in the right direction when
other shoe manufacturers follow suit. It’s a compliment.”
With the desire to start a more upscale collection and
reach out to new retailers and customers, Renger’s company finalized a lucrative deal to license the Penthouse brand
name. “The name was instantly recognizable to our existing customer base, and the intention was to do a new ’Ellie‘
line but bring it to another level,” Silvestri says. “What came
about was a whole new collection with styles being inspired
by other cultures.”
Ellie’s lead designer, Jose J. Palos, explored those cultures to include every kitsch and couture alternatives of high
fashion. Feeling a natural pull to lifestyles within the worlds
of pin-up, vintage, burlesque, punk and Rockabilly, Palos’ new
selections were unveiled under the Penthouse line. “These
genres are now hot, hot, hot, and have a growing community
of retailers eager for new merchandise,” says Silvestri.
Verifying this trend, couture clothing manufacturers have
been incorporating similar themes into their collections. The
sexy extreme heels (five inches or
higher) have been seen during New
York Fashion Week, from the top
designers in high fashion and on
the pages of Vogue magazine. It
seems clear that Ellie’s Penthouse line has hit its stride.
“We want to get
across how the high
fashion trend is
going more and
more platform
stiletto,” explains Silvestri.
STOREROTICA.com
Other opportunities, same attitude — feet first
With their hands in multiple cookie jars, Ellie still sees
more challenges in the weeks and months ahead. For 2009,
Renger and company have put together a brand new collection that will debut under a cloak of secrecy.
(All we could get from the
otherwise generous and
sunny Silvestri is that it’s “Top
Secret” followed with a loving,
“we’d have to kill you” clause.)
“We’re excited because
right now we feel the way we
did when we took the risk of
starting the costume collection, and then with the Penthouse line, which led us into
other markets,” Silvestri
says. “We can’t wait to
introduce this new line
and do what Ellie
Shoes does best
— what we’ve
always done
— bring sexy,
affordable footwear to even more
individuals.” E
For more information
on Ellie Shoes, please
call (888) 771-8388 or
visit www.ellieshoes.
com.
December 2008/43