The 10 Biggest Shoe Trends in DSW History

This house of brands has seen it all.

As DSW Inc. marks its 25th anniversary this fall, FN looks back at some of the best-selling footwear trends to grace the retailer’s shelves.

dsw shoes
DSW shoe trends.
CREDIT: Courtesy of DSW.

Noticeable in the list are quite a few classic looks, such as tall riding boots, penny loafers and footbed sandals. The continuing popularity of these styles speaks to power of a timeless silhouette.

But for more adventurous shoe lovers, jeweled sandals and spunky Western boots also proved to be must-have fashion items over the years.

The initial idea for DSW was discovered in 1991, when Steve Nacht, one of the owners of the Shonac retail firm, visited an Atlanta warehouse that was selling its shoe inventory at a steep discount. He then returned home and within six months opened a store for footwear closeouts in Dublin, Ohio.

dsw shoes
DSW shoe trends.
CREDIT: Courtesy of DSW.

Watch on FN

Since the company’s inception, much about it has remained the same. Its big-box stores continue to be a haven for shoe lovers, with aisles upon aisles of popular brands and must-have styles.

And in 2008, the company launched DSW.com, which stocks an even wider array of merchandise, and now features convenient omnichannel features like buy online, pick up in store.

Click through the gallery to see more.

View Slideshow

Want More?

How DSW Is Innovating to Secure Its Future

5 Marketing Techniques Other Retailers Could Learn From DSW

The Shoe Treasures Hidden Away in the Salvatore Ferragamo Archive

The Best Shoes From the Manolo Blahnik Archives

Access exclusive content

\