The Vince Camuto brand of footwear and small leather goods has been in the country for less than two years, but it is gearing up for expansion in 2014.

 

From the present three stand-alone stores, there will be a total of eight by the end of next year. Four of the new stores alone will be located in Bonifacio Global City.

 

Gregory Morel, Camuto Group’s president of international sales, credited their local partner and exclusive distributor Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) for making more people aware of the brand.

 

Incidentally, Vince Camuto is also the official licensee of the footwear and small leather goods collections of Jessica Simpson and BCBG.

 

Customers familiar with Vince Camuto will be thrilled to find out that pieces from the women’s apparel will be available at Rustan’s Department Stores in six months.

 

“We will also be launching a women’s fragrance in the early part of 2014 and this will also be sold at Rustan’s,” Morel said.

 

Men will have to wait a little longer—maybe two more years—before the men’s shoes, watches and small leather goods will be available locally.

 

The Camuto principal had just gotten off the plane from New York a few days ago but didn’t look the worse for wear. He said that after three years with the company, he has gotten the hang of it: the long flights, arriving at odd hours in a different country, and heading to a meeting or press lunch soon after.

 

Global growth

 

In a statement, he said he was “committed to growing the Camuto Group globally” and “excited to showcase the brand abroad in order to capitalize on the vast opportunities in these markets.”

 

For Fall 2013, Vince Camuto offers three inspired trends: Tour of Duty, Factory Girl and Kings Road. Tour of Duty consists of utilitarian, military-inspired silhouettes in rich tones of chestnut, olive and burgundy. Styles include polished boots and booties in leather and suede, and classic Mary Janes with gleaming metal buttons and multiple straps. To complete the look, there are handbags and clutches with metallic details.

 

Factory Girl gives a glamorous nod to mod with color-blocked and sculpted heels and wedges. The range also has a Mary Jane style with clean, minimalist lines rendered in cloudy patent leather.

 

Handbags, meanwhile, have streamlined shapes that embody the minimalism of the mod movement.

 

The last range for this season, Kings Road, is the most dramatic with flat sandals in velvet jacquard or muted metallics, and pretty pumps in luxurious suede and flannel. Embellishments

include tassels, bows and lustrous hardware in colors like teal green, deep fuchsia and dark purple.

 

Asked to describe the buying habits of women in the region, Morel described Asian women as “on trend but not trendy.”

 

“They gravitate toward  styles that they can wear all day like ballet flats, sandals and pumps. Embellished sandals in ‘spring-y’ colors are always popular especially in countries like the Philippines where it’s hot or humid the whole year round,” he said.

 

Morel said that while SSI has a buyer who chooses the styles the stores here will carry, he and his team also suggest styles they might have overlooked and which have the potential to sell.

“Black is always popular because certain styles can be season-less,” Morel said.