As FN Platform wraps in Las Vegas this afternoon, we check in with Leslie Gallin, president of footwear at UBM Advanstar, to get her take on the three-day event. Here are her highlights.
How did you feel the mood of the show was overall?
“There have been a steady flow of retailers, and the retailers are writing. I spoke to both sides of the aisle, and they’re having a good show. People have embraced that the world has changed and we need to think differently. Now there are enough smart people in the room and they’re making it happen. It’s exciting.”
What were some of the big highlights for you?
“Having Blair Underwood [here to launch his line] was great. He was very personable and appreciated all the advice and help. The concert we had was out of this world. The World Classic Rockers played for two hours, and everyone enjoyed it.”
Watch on FN
You also had a lot of new experiences on the show floor.
“We had our French graffiti artist who was painting in the In Play lounge, and all the art is adorable. The Pensole students created the shoes you saw when you came in. Hush Puppies has been celebrating their anniversary with pies, and we had Moscow Mules with Wolverine. The National Shoe Travelers made a deal with Make-a-Wish that you could donate airline miles for the cause, and they made it so easy. It was a pleasure to give them my miles. It’s all about the experience. I wanted people to come here and have some great takeaways.”
What were the event highlights?
“The first FN panel on the show floor was well-received. We were a little concerned about how customers [moved] around on the floor, but that worked out well, so we’re going to continue that. HSN was here for an open audition. They were so blown away by our talent here that they are coming back. There was a lot of value-add for people.”
