BEHIND THE SUCCESS OF MARK MCNAIRY’S NEW FOOTWEAR LINE

Last month, award-winning designer Mark McNairy launched his new footwear line – New Republic by Mark McNairy – at New York Fashion Week: Men’s, where it was available for purchase exclusively online at newrepublicman.com. This new line designed by McNairy, which is produced by Los Angeles-based menswear subscription service Five Four, marks the second footwear collection for the designer.

“Everybody else copied my shoes, so why should I not do the same,” says McNairy, who also serves as a creative director for Five Four.

Every shoe is made from high quality suede or leather, with leather lining and an EVA or rubber sole. The most notable from the brand are the drivers, Wooster and Barclay, which feature signature nob heels, ultra-soft suede uppers and all-day wearability.

New Republic shoes all retail for under $100, making it the most attractively priced shoe, made by a notable designer, in its category. “Cheap shoes do not have to look cheap,” adds McNairy.

So how has the business been since the launch? Andres Izquieta, co-founder and co-CEO of Five Four, says that in the four weeks since debuting the line, the company is getting a great picture of what’s working and what’s not. “Surprisingly, so far the more fashion-oriented styles like the chukka boot and the driver that are outperforming the classic dress shoes,” he told MR. “We tapped the existing Five Four customers as our initial audience and they reacted well – we almost sold out of three styles completely with our initial launch. Additionally, we launched web advertising this week in order to promote the New Republic brand outside of the Five Four base.”

But wait, there’s more. “At the end of September/beginning of October we will be launching more accessories like ties and socks under the New Republic name,” adds Izquieta. “From there we will start doing monthly drops of new shoe styles online starting in November.”