The creative director of Donald Pliner shares his brand focus.
The creative director of Donald Pliner talks about moving the decades-old brand forward with new technologies and influencer support.
1 How do you stay true to the brand’s roots while introducing designs?
“It’s important that we maintain the brand’s DNA but evolve it in a new, more modern way. [Founder] Donald Pliner is the vision and spirit of the company. He left [Castanea Partners] with an extensive archive we refer to for every collection. Our goal is to maintain our current customers — age 30 to 55, sophisticated and not afraid to be different — while engaging new ones.”
2 Comfort has defined the label since its launch. How are these features incorporated into the current collection?
“Our signature comfort evolves with new technology [developments]. Design comes first, while the comfort benefits are incorporated by way of lasts, constructions and materials such as elastic or stretch crepe. We also [work] with vendors to create such materials. It can be done in the way a material is woven for stretch in order to make it new and different.”
3 As a dual-gender brand, how do you strike a balance between the two businesses?
“We strive to design shoes for [men and women] that have the same spirit and comfort. Our tropical trend [for spring ’18] was a bridge between the two, such as the Pollenza and Dacio styles for men with a palm print, while the women’s Gene and Cava [adopted] a proprietary pattern created by our in-house team. However, it’s not just about using the same materials and colors but having [shoes] with the same feeling. We have cases where a woman loves the brand, then introduces it to her husband. Our e-commerce site is a window where we can showcase the collection [to both customers] and tell our story.”
4 As celebrity endorsements continue to grow, is the brand aligning itself with the influencer community?
“We’ve been looking for an influencer to [work with]. It goes hand in hand with growing our social media channels, where we can engage our existing consumers while giving new ones an opportunity to discover the brand. But it’s important that it’s an authentic and genuine relationship and that they’re truly fans of the brand. When stylists reach out to us, I’m always intrigued when they’re [looking] for core elements of the brand. They want woven materials or a kitten heel. That’s where the authentic relationship comes in.”
5 Three decades after the label’s launch, is there a style that continues to define it?
“One shoe that’s been in the line for almost 20 years is the Fifi platform thong. It continues to be one of the best-sellers. When there are core items that become signature to us, we continue to use them in new ways. Every season, we evolve the style with new materials, colors and embellishments. It also gives us the opportunity to design new styles [inspired] by the sandal, such as the Cava slide version.”