NEW YORK — It took seven months, but when it was finally time for Tod’s to celebrates its newly designed flagship here, the company treated the affair as it does hand-stitched driving shoes: with precision.
For the soiree Tuesday night, co-hosted by The New Yorker, the store’s windows were covered with artist Michael Roberts’ print for the brand, called the T-Logo project, which made its way onto canvas bags and shoes in the spring collection.
Amy Adams, Margherita Missoni, Marina Rust, Dennis Hopper, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Lauren duPont, Renee Rockefeller and Barbara Wilhelm were among those checking out the wares.
DuPont, contemplating options for her spring wardrobe, admired a tote and a pair of peep-toe sandals. Adams confessed to taking a lackadaisical approach to her look. “It’s kind of a mishmash of my closet,” she said, deconstructing her ensemble of jeans, a Juicy Couture blazer and Lela Rose top.
Overseeing it all was Emanuele Della Valle, who contributes to the design of the brand and is the son of Tod’s SpA president and chief executive officer Diego Della Valle. “The company is getting to new, higher levels,” boasted Emanuele Della Valle, admiring the 6,000-square-foot store, which reopened in September.
Late last month, Tod’s SpA reported a 38.7 percent hike in profits for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, to $66.8 million, while sales rose 19.5 percent, to $628.8 million.
Della Valle revealed the firm is exploring entering the eyewear business with both Tod’s and its sister sport luxe brand, Hogan, in a venture with Italian eyewear manufacturing and licensing firm Marcolin, in which Diego Della Valle has a stake.
Roger Vivier, the Paris shoe and handbag company, which Tod’s SpA acquired in 2000 and relaunched in 2003 with footwear designer Bruno Frisoni, introduced its first eyewear collection in February at Première Classe.