“Visionary,” “mentor,” “trailblazer.”
Those are some of the words retailers, designers and industry associates used Thursday to describe Vince Camuto, 78, chief creative officer and chief executive officer of the Camuto Group, who died from cancer Wednesday at his Greenwich, Conn., home.
A private service will be held in Greenwich on Tuesday.
Industry leaders reacted Thursday with a mix of strong emotion and memories of a dynamic and creative entrepreneur.
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“I think he was known as the footwear king,” said his friend, Tommy Hilfiger. “He had impeccable taste. But he had a passion and drive unlike any passion and drive I’d ever seen. We’d get into lengthy conversations on shoes and style and fashion and what he would do next. He’d always say, ‘Come to my showroom. You have to see this new collection. You can’t believe these boots.’”
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Hilfiger recalled meeting Camuto at a wedding in Greenwich in 1986. Camuto had on a brown velvet suit. “I wore brown velvet suits in the Seventies, and I said to myself, ‘this guy is either very cool and with it, or he has no clue to what’s going on.’ We became friends and I realized he really knew what was going on in fashion.”
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Hilfiger and Camuto, who socialized together with their spouses, threw an industry dinner party at Sant Ambroeus in December to celebrate Camuto’s book, “Life of Style.” (Assouline Publishing). Guests ranged from Saks Fifth Avenue’s Marigay McKee and Lord & Taylor’s Liz Rodbell to Andrew Rosen and Reed Krakoff.
Hilfiger said Camuto’s wife, Louise, “is incredibly creative and has amazing taste. I always said that Louise is his secret weapon. I could see Louise continuing on.”
Calvin Klein said he’s known Camuto for many years, and they did some work together when they were developing accessories for one of the CK lines. “I went to Brazil with him and looked at his factories when he was still with Nine West,” Klein said. “He was a unique man. I’ve never worked with anyone like him, and I’ve worked with a lot of people. He was so on top of every aspect of the product from the inception to knowing what everyone in the market was doing, to getting it delivered and having relationships with the stores. He was one of a kind.”
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Terry J. Lundgren, chairman and ceo of Macy’s, was very friendly with Camuto, both personally and professionally.
“Vince Camuto was one of the fashion industry icons I most admired. Vince was a genius…a visionary…a leader. He was always positive, always challenging us about the next big idea. And when it came to fashion, Vince was somehow always right.
“I remember going to the Nine West showroom and seeing this sea of shoes from his five different brands and I would tell him I only had 20 minutes so…‘Vince, among these 1,000 pair of shoes, tell me the top 10 styles that will be the key items for the season.’ The first couple of years that I asked this question, he seemed unprepared to answer,” Lundgren continued. “That is because he would never allow ANY of those shoes to appear in the line unless he thought they would all be a bestseller. But even though he was unprepared for the question, when I challenged him to choose, he took 15 of the 20 minutes I gave to him and he strolled through the large display and handed the 10 shoes to me. And then he said, with confidence, ‘These are going to be killer shoes — home runs — no doubt about it!’ I am telling you the truth when I say that of those 10 shoes he selected each season when I went to his showroom, seven to eight of them were the best sellers in the entire company. That’s how good Vince Camuto was. He was a very good designer and one of the greatest merchants I have ever known. I will miss him so very much. I never stopped learning from Vince. With his departure, there is a void which will be incredibly hard to fill,” Lundgren said.
Alex Dillard, president of Dillard’s Inc., agreed. “The fashion industry has lost an icon. His passion for the footwear business and his vision for style meeting function were unmatched. Not only was Vince a valued business partner, he was also my best friend and he will truly be missed.”
Tory Burch recalled how she was making a few shoes when she started, “but I can’t say we had a collection until Vince came on board. He saw the potential and taught me so much. He was an incredible person.” She said that he could have 100 pairs of shoes in the room “and he could pick out the 10 best styles that would resonate.
“We worked very closely together. He was very involved from a merchandising standpoint, no one was better,” said Burch. Since her company’s inception, Burch has also worked closely with creative director Mercedes Castillo, who works for both Camuto and Burch in designing footwear and accessories. Together, they were all a team, she said. Burch also noted that Camuto had “a wonderful sense of humor; he appreciated things and I felt very fortunate to have him in my life. He had an amazing taste level and instincts. Just the way he saw things were quite different.”
“He was an amazing partner to Nordstrom and was honored with our Partners in Excellence award in 2013,” said Pete Nordstrom, president of merchandising.
“Like us, he viewed the business through the customer’s eyes and put them first. He often spoke about his first job at I. Miller on Fifth Avenue working in customer service and how much he learned from hearing why women were returning shoes. When it came to product, he was absolutely the best merchant in the business, period. Vince spent time on our floors and with our customers. He was directly involved with our teams on assorting and picking product. He always had a passionate opinion. Vince was always curious, and he had incredible energy. Vince always asked ‘what’s possible?’
“Camuto Group is responsible for a lot of business with us, including a big business with Tory Burch shoes as well,” Nordstrom added. “Something I admired the most is his enthusiasm for the business. He was really into the business. He was engaged and always strived to do more and to do better.”
Mindy Grossman, chairman and ceo of HSN, has built a major business with Camuto. “Vince took the fashion industry by storm, emanating a passion for innovation and creativity that is unrivaled. He was a visionary, mentor and trailblazer who redefined the footwear industry. As one of our largest fashion brands, Vince was one of the first to embrace my vision for HSN and became an instrumental partner for me and passionate advocate for HSN as we transformed the company.”
“What was so inspiring about Vince was that he was constantly evolving and reinventing himself. He had so many successes and his influence was astounding on so many different brands. He really set the example for so many of us,” Reed Krakoff said.
Ariel Chaus, ceo of Chaus Inc., which makes Camuto’s ready-to-wear collection has been a business partner with Camuto.
“He definitely left a profound impact on me personally and my career. It’s a big loss. He was a great partner. I learned so much from him. He had so much trust and faith in me and what we could accomplish together. He was very proud of what we’ve been able to do,” Chaus said. In 2012, Camuto Consulting Inc. acquired the shares of Bernard Chaus Inc. not owned by members of the Chaus family, and Chaus became a private company. Camuto has a 49 percent stake in Chaus. Chaus’ company makes Vince Camuto Sportswear, Too by Vince Camuto, 1.State, Chaus, Cynthia Steffe and CeCe sportswear.
“He was a great merchant and a great guy and had tremendous business savvy and great instincts,” Chaus said. Industry sources estimate Camuto’s rtw business drums up $200 million in wholesale volume. Key accounts are Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Bloomingdale’s.
Chaus said they were introduced through a retailer. “Vince had always wanted to do business with us. He was a shoe guy, and there was something about rtw that always excited him. I’m happy that he was able to see the brand become a lifestyle brand and the rtw so successful,” Chaus said.
Camuto was instrumental in helping Jessica Simpson to build an over $1 billion powerhouse brand, encompassing a wide range of categories. In 2005, Camuto Group became the brand’s master licensee.
“Vince Camuto was my mentor, my friend and my constant inspiration,” said Jessica Simpson. “From the inception of the JS Collection, he encouraged me to dream bigger and better. He showed me that teamwork is everything. With Vince’s guidance we were able to build the collection into the worldwide brand it is today, and I will be forever grateful to him for changing my life so much for the better. I will always carry with me his passion for business, his love of family, and his cool and lovable demeanor.”
Tony Spring, chairman and ceo of Bloomingdale’s, added, “The entire Bloomingdale’s family is incredibly saddened by the loss of Vince Camuto. Vince has been a true partner and was a fashion leader. A fond memory is being honored alongside Vince for “Father of The Year” by the National Father’s Day Council this past June. Vince told me his children were his proudest accomplishment, a sentiment we both shared.”
“I loved him. We all loved him,” said Stuart Weitzman. “His achievements went beyond our industry. I particularly admire how little credibility he gave to retirement.”
Steve Madden, a footwear rival of Camuto, said, “We had a very respectful relationship. He was a shoe god. There is no other way to say. We were competitive, although I would have loved to have collaborated with him. I’m stunned; I can’t believe he’s not around. He was a great guy. We were competitors, but he was just awesome. He was just an amazing guy.”
Neil Cole, ceo of Iconix Brand Group, added, “Vince was one of the true icons in the footwear and apparel business. He was one of the greatest shoe cobblers of our time who truly understood how to make a woman feel great in a pair of shoes. Vince also had a warmth with all those he touched and the greatest of humility in all he did.”
Liz Rodbell, president of Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor, who has known Camuto for over a decade, said, “It was an honor to call him my friend but he was also really a mentor so it goes a little further for me.” Rodbell explained why the Camuto brand is carried in all HB and L&T doors. “He had an amazing eye for fashion and stayed connected to the customer,” she said, citing his numerous appearances in the stores, meeting with customers and store managers. “When he first launched his sportswear (in fall 2011), we went through it piece by piece,” Rodbell recalled. “Something clicked. At that moment, we knew that this would be a major success.”
Max Azria, who has footwear licenses with Camuto, said, “My friend, Vince Camuto, committed his entire life to his family and his work. He was an incredibly passionate person — dedicated to his business, but most of all, to friendship.”
“He would always greet you with a genuine smile, a hug, a handshake, and many times a pat on the cheek,” said David Neri, executive vice president and general merchandise manager at Belk Inc., who knew Camuto for more than 30 years. “A great partner to Belk over the years, Vince understood the Southern woman as much as he did the New York woman, and he knew how we could better give our customer what she wanted.”
Muriel Gonzalez, Macy’s executive vice president and general merchandise manager of cosmetics, fragrances and shoes, said, “Vince was one of the most magical people I have ever had the pleasure to work with. When he decided to enter a new category — fragrances — he approached it with his full intensity. He was totally involved in all aspects of the development with his licensee…and kept asking questions. Which do you like better? Why? What do your customers like? What does the buyer think? His amazing taste level allowed him to fully visualize the project throughout the development process and, as has been said so often about him, he had a knack for choosing a best seller…not just in shoes.”
Matthew Rubel, senior adviser at TPG Capital and former chairman and ceo of Collective Brands (Payless Shoe Source, Saucony, Keds, Stride Rite, among others) and former ceo and chairman of Cole Haan, observed about Camuto: “Vince always added a gem to everything. A room. A person’s moment or a shoe. He loved women and it showed in his craft. Vince brought the most exquisite taste level to women at prices they could afford. Everything he did was focused on making it more beautiful. Vince was at the forefront of enabling women to enter the work place and feel and be pretty. In addition he was a gentleman.”
Camuto has several fragrances with Parlux, such as Vince Camuto for Women, Vince Camuto for Men, Fiori Vince Camuto, Vince Camuto Femme, Vince Camuto Homme, Amore Vince Camuto, Bella Vince Camuto and Vince Camuto Solare.
Don Loftus, president of Parlux, Camuto’s fragrance licensee, noted, “His amazing talent, taste and vision inspired us every day. Fortunately, through his powerful leadership, he has built a team of professionals that will ensure his extraordinary contributions to the fashion and fragrance worlds continues for decades to come. Our sincere sympathy goes to his beautiful family.”
Mike Normart, senior director of casual lifestyle footwear at Zappos.com, added, “Vince Camuto was a true visionary in the footwear industry. He had an amazing taste level which I enjoyed seeing every season.”
Michael Feagan, executive vice president of E. Gluck Corp., the licensee of Camuto Watches, said, “For the past three years I had the honor of working with Vince Camuto to produce his namesake fashion watches. Vince empowered me to bring trend-right fashion timepieces that represented the master brand. He had an energy that allowed a merchant to thrive and bring to life products. Together we both fed off each other’s ideas, innovation, passion and energy to excite the market with great product.”
Camuto had a successful career in two acts. He cofounded Nine West in 1977, developing nascent Brazilian factories to build a major American footwear business under the Fisher Camuto umbrella. In 2001, he created the Camuto Group as a footwear sourcing partner for retailers, and eventually established a stable of brands including BCBG MaxAzria, Lucky Brand, Jessica Simpson, Vince Camuto, VC Signature Vince Camuto, and Louise et Cie. He also developed a lucrative partnership with Tory Burch in 2006 to manufacture her footwear. Simultaneously, he pursued aggressive growth for his namesake brand, which alone drummed up wholesale volume of $1 billion and was eyeing $2 billion in five years, via directly owned footwear and licensed categories. Today the Vince Camuto brand is present in more than 70 countries. Camuto Group and its partners operate 95 retail locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In addition to his wife, Louise, Camuto is survived by five children, Robert, Andrea, John, Christopher and Philip, a grandson, Dantino, and a sister.