“I’m more inspired than I’ve ever been.”
Sam Edelman is playing tour guide at his midtown New York headquarters on an early summer afternoon, reflecting on his singular journey after five decades in the shoe business.
Walking from room to room, the consummate storyteller shows off the little details that make big statements. For example, the horse lover’s equestrian-inspired barn ceiling is hung on wires instead of being bolted to the wall, representing flexibility and adaptability. “The fact that it’s not symmetrical is part of my personality,” he said. “You can change, you can move, you can be disruptive.”
Edelman’s innate ability to evolve is evident when perusing the gallery walls throughout the space. He reminisces about defining moments in his life and work — an early photo shoot with his bride, Libby Edelman, the fledgling days of the brand, its union with Caleres, memorable ad campaigns — and the awards (many of them from FN) that affirm his enduring influence in an ever-changing business.
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As much as he enjoys looking back, Edelman gets even more excited when discussing the future. He’s eager to show off his new men’s collection, set to launch next month, and lights up when he talks about plans to open stores in some of his favorite cities.
Alongside Libby, their son Jesse and a loyal team, the founder is building a full-fledged lifestyle business, with categories like fragrance — which is now stocked in 1,500 Ulta Beauty doors — and apparel attracting new consmers who are discovering the brand for the first time. “We’re growing everywhere,” Edelman said.
Indeed, the numbers tell an impressive story: Sales at the 22-year-old business, one of Caleres’ lead brands, were up in the high teens year-over-year in the first quarter, with strength both domestically and internationally.
According to recent Circana data, Sam Edelman stood out as the number five women’s fashion footwear brand in the premium channel (for the year-to-date period through May). And during the same period, the brand had the number-one item, by volume, in pumps, flats and drivers/loafers across the broader women’s fashion segment covered by Circana.
Jennifer Jones, senior vice president and general merchandise manager for women’s accessories at Bloomingdale’s, lauded Edelman’s talent for delivering product that feels “both current and attainable.”
“The assortment consistently offers versatile, trend-right product that seamlessly fits into [our customer’s] lifestyle,” Jones said. “Through our close partnership, we’re able to thoughtfully curate and refine the assortment, including exclusive styles developed specifically for us.”
With the dress shoe revival in full swing, Edelman believes the category is still being underserved by the industry.
“I always look for voids, and in women’s, there’s a huge gap in dress shoes,” he said. “Back in the day, there was Via Spiga, and before that, Charles Jourdan. No one has ever filled that void.”
That’s why Edelman and his team are investing heavily in newness, most notably with the 105-millimeter heel, as seen on the brand’s best-selling pump and slingback. Ballet flats and slides also continue to be key items, and the brand’s bit loafer is set for a fall 2027 update. “My woman loves fashion more than she ever has,” Edelman said, noting that he shows 350 SKUs in every material and color imaginable for each of the main shoe markets.
The Edelmans’ market week presentations have become can’t-miss events for retailers, and Libby’s photographs and campaign images are often a highlight.
Her latest project is deeply personal. “Our new Halo campaign is based on our love for horses and their influence on the fashion world. Our horses are shot through my lens,” said Edelman, cofounder and senior vice president.
The Men’s Moment
A rare photograph of Mr. Edelman riding a horse in 1973 anchors the debut of the fall 2026 men’s collection, emphasizing the brand’s timeless point of view.
The executive said that while he’s dabbled in men’s once before — he produced a small collection for himself about a decade ago — he wasn’t committed. “This time around, I got very interested because I found a huge void in men’s fashion,” he said. “It’s the biggest opportunity out there.”
Edelman bemoaned the sea of sameness across the men’s footwear landscape. “Men’s shoes look the same as they did five or 10 years ago. They aren’t keeping up with men’s fashion, skin care, hair.” (He also designed an entire apparel collection of suits, jackets and pants to complement the shoe launch.)
Produced in India and Bangladesh, the footwear collection is designed to be both stylish and comfortable, a combination that has eluded many brands. Each look is meant to feel worn-in from its first wear, and softness and flexibility were top of mind for the designer. “There is beautiful workmanship,” Edelman said, adding that he loves his basic loafer and believes a new oblique toe shape, used on a variety of styles, is poised to make waves.
The brand builder also remains bullish on the sneaker category, even as some insiders say the market is oversaturated. “When you get on an airplane, 92 percent of people are wearing sneakers, maybe 95 percent,” Edelman observed. “On the other hand, men don’t want to wear sneakers at night. They want a wonderful pair of suede loafers to wear with a pair of jeans or khakis or linen pants.”
The collection launches in mid-September at Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Belk, Amazon and Zappos — and in the brand’s own stores and on its website. Sneakers retail for $150, loafers and casuals are $200, and boots are priced at $250.
Retailers are confident the launch will resonate at a time when the heat around men’s is only increasing.
“Customers are shopping more intentionally now, and men want a shoe that looks considered, whether they’re in the office or off the clock,” said Tacey Powers, Nordstrom’s executive vice president and general merchandise manager of shoes, accessories, home and kids. “They are looking for quality and comfort. Sam understands that better than almost anyone in this industry, and launching men’s is a natural next chapter.”
More broadly, Powers heralded men’s as one of the most exciting growth stories in fashion. “Our men’s customers are trading up and exploring more categories like our women’s customers always have,” she said. “They are shopping more frequently, more experimentally.”
What’s in Store
Edelman said one of his favorite parts of the job is meeting customers, whether he’s visiting key department stores or holding court in his own boutiques.
“They’re impressed about how much I know about them. I talk to them about their hair, their makeup, what they do for exercise, their marriages, their non-marriages,” he laughed.
An avid shopper, he loves visiting his SoHo store on a busy Saturday, and by the time the year is over, he will have completed several personal appearances at department stores around the country. “It doesn’t matter where I am, there’s usually a couple hundred people waiting for me,” he said.
The brand is steadily expanding its own store roster, with 150 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world. A Southampton pop-up opened in Long Island, N.Y., this summer, and plans are underway to open 15 additional doors during the next few years, with the South, Northeast and California among the major targets.
International growth has also been at the top of Edelman’s agenda. Asia is the brand’s biggest retail market, where Edelman operates 100 doors — 70 in China alone — through a joint venture.
Edelman is also eyeing prime opportunities across the pond, and the brand will make a big splash in London during the second quarter of 2027, when it opens a flagship in the old Browns space on South Moulton Street. The brand already has a presence in the U.K., where it is stocked in five Selfridges doors. And in Paris, it is building a strong business with Galeries Lafayette, where it plans to open a large pop-up in September. Dubai is also a growing market.
No matter where the brand shows up in the world, it’s a story of authenticity and consistency, the founder said. “I’m very excited about Sam Edelman. We’re in the best place we’ve ever been,” Edelman said. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I haven’t made them twice. I learned a lot along the way.”
