Local footwear retailer Gideon Shoes is tackling new horizons offshore as it looks to take the brand to the next level.
The shoe brand, started by brothers Rupert and Matt Noffs of the Ted Noffs Foundation, launched in 2007 and has steadily made a name for itself in the Australian market.
Now, the brand is moving to boost its international reach, with plans under way to launch a debut boutique in New York this year, along with a raft of designer collaborations with local artists.
“Americans love their fashion and New Yorkers love their shoes. So we’re looking at launching our first store in New York around late 2012. This will be our first international store and it will be like Andy Warhol’s factory meets Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory,” Rupert Noffs said.
“Now that we are expanding to the United States, we also felt it was the perfect time to sit down and knock out some new designs with someone who really knows the fashion scene there. Also, to build the brand in the States. So we will be working with some major New York designers for Fashion Week collaborations.”
The collaborative collections, which will be shown initially at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, will be used to raise brand awareness of Gideon and will be stocked for a limited time in New York alongside the label's usual product offering. This currently includes Australian-made leather Gideon sneakers and 'The GivingShoe', an organic, biodegradable shoe which is vegan, and made from fair trade organic cotton and natural rubber.
Looking ahead, Rupert Noffs also revealed that there is further expansion on the cards for Gideon Shoes – both internationally and on home ground.
“We're keeping it simple, so we’ll see how we go with Sydney and New York. But the timing for the next new store openings would be within the next 12 months. We’re concentrating on our online store and our stores in Sydney also and making them the perfect retail experience. But we may also open up a store in Melbourne soon,” he said.
Gideon Shoes currently runs two stand-alone stores in Sydney, as well as an online store, with a large percentage of profits from sales funnelled into Noffs Street University, a free education facility started by the duo in Sydney’s south west.