Christina Gigante is very familiar with defying expectations.
As vice president of sales, she is among the highest-ranking female executives at Skechers USA Inc. But when she got her first big promotion to national sales manager at the brand in 2015, she was the only woman at the leadership table for sales.
“It was great, but I also felt like I was being thrown into the lion’s den because, for five years, I was the only woman in a room with all these men and it’s hard to find your place,” Gigante said. “I was also the youngest, which didn’t help either.”
The young executive also faced questions about nepotism because her father, Robert Gigante, has been with Skechers since its inception. But Christina is quick to note that she started in an entry-level role 14 years ago — and even applied without telling her father. “I just wanted to see if I could get the interview without them knowing [about our relationship],” she recalled.
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Every few years, Gigante moved up the ranks, gaining more responsibility. “There was no silver platter handed to me, by any means, but people didn’t necessarily think that in the beginning,” she said. “I think they know now I worked to get where I am.” And she’s proud to have paved a path for other female leaders in the company and to serve as an advisor for those coming up behind her.
As the first woman in management, Gigante had to write her own playbook about how to lead. She describes her approach as being a leader versus a micromanager, to empower her team. “I let them come to me with their issue and how they want to approach it without me giving them an immediate answer of what I would do,” she said.
To develop that philosophy, Gigante learned from her previous managers and mentors, including her father as well as retired Skechers executive Rick Graham. “Rick was very tough,” she recalled. “He was pushing you — but was also in your corner supporting you. He challenged you because he knew you can do it better. That was a really positive skill I learned from him.”
Another significant inspiration was her grandmother, Tina Gigante, who was a longtime executive at Avon during a time when few women excelled in corporate America. She helped calm any insecurities about working in a male-dominated space. “She used to tell me, ‘Baby doll, don’t worry. They put on their pants the same way you do,” Gigante said.
As for her own advice for other women in footwear, Gigante said the most valuable skills to acquire are strategic thinking to stay ahead of change in the business; financial acumen to make decisions that benefit the bottom line; and networking and relationship-building, to gain support and access to new opportunities. In support of the latter, Gigante serves on the advisory board of the Ten Ten Footweaer Foundation’s Women in the Footwear Industry community.
A version of this article appeared in the June 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 5, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at a live event in New York City.
