Objectivity Of Taste

Kinetic shoe boots from spring/summer 2011 Manifesto collection.

It is always strange looking through sales statistics from the recent selling season. Some styles that you love do well, some badly, and there are always some unexpected winners and losers. I find it impossible to predict. My business partner always wants a sure winner, but how can you tell? I need to put a crystal ball on my Christmas wish list.
This seasons’ Kinetic shoe boots in the black lace and velvet combination from the Manifesto collection were one of my favorites, I was sure this style would sell well. That is until our first appointment with a major department store’s shoe buyer who exclaimed: “This shoe is a kiss of death, we are not buying it! It is not right for our customer and lace never sells!” Oh well, I wish I knew earlier. The next appointment is with another department store buyer from the same city. Well now, they loved them and bought heavily into this Kiss-Of –Death style.



How come there is such a difference of opinion between two quite similar stores in the same city? The buyers always claim that they never buy what they personally like, it is not about their individual taste, it is about their customers’ taste. Apparently they are so objective that they can predict what their customers will like in the forthcoming season based on certain rules (lace never sells for some), and past experiences. However, when you look at the sales statistic this sometimes speaks against it. Otherwise all the styles that they buy for their store would sell out?
This shoe did very well in the end, on the wholesale front. What the customers in the shops will like and actually buy only time will tell. And mirror, mirror on the wall, lets see who is the most objective of them all?