Shoes!

Ok, fashionista's, it is time to show or express that little shade of envy you have for what I get to do in life. I have been fortunate to interview a few fun people over the years, like shoe and clothing designer Vince Camuto and What Not To Wear's Clinton Kelly, but I am moving on. This coming Saturday, April 28th, Donald and his wife Lisa Pliner are coming to Raleigh's own Main & Taylor Shoe Salon for a meet and greet with their fans. I get to meet, greet, and interview Donald and his wife Lisa before the doors open! I have so many random questions that I want to ask, that I am hoping I just don't ramble and ask him if he needs a shoe tester. Let me give you a quick refresher on his life and career.

Donald was born in 1943 and raised in Chicago with his twin sister. Along with his brother, he worked as an apprentice to his father at Pliner's Florsheim Family Shoe Stores. With all that experience in the family store, we know where he got his shoe chops from!
1967 - Opened his first store, Pappagallo Beverly Hills, and sales went through the roof. Clearly a star in the making.
1971 - Donald began gaining ground with the Right Bank Clothing Company
1984 - Donald was recruited to head a Spanish-produced footwear line called Glace, and not only designed, but conceived the whole operation
1987 - Donald did a stint designing for the brand Erica, and sales increased dramatically
1990 - Donald began designing his own line of footwear and accessories, and creating his brand
1994 - Donald designed the first all-over elastic using comfort as his underlying goal

That all-over elastic was one of my first pair of his shoes! Do you remember your first Donald Pliner's shoes?

1998 - Men's footwear is introduced by Donald. Today, Donald's men's line includes dress shoes, boots, basic comfort shoes, sandals, sporty styles, and executive dress shoes, and complements his women's line in scope and style.

Boy, would I like to be a permanent fly on his wall!

What about Lisa Pliner?

With her formal education coming from the Parsons School of Design in Paris, the Miami native has been designing since fall of 2010, after years of working side by side with Donald. Lisa's signature green sole signifies life, and celebrates all things good. She defines good as growth, renewal, health, and the environment. Lisa designs for the active woman who is unwilling to sacrifice style for comfort, while offering ultra-chic style and stunning technical details in each shoe.

So, we are all updated with their careers, and especially the impressive one Donald has had. He was wonderfully gracious when I met him over 20 years ago, and I expect he will be the same this weekend. Come and check out the event at Main & Taylor Shoe Salon at North Hills this Saturday from 10-4. Bring or plan to buy a shoe, as he will sign them.