Irvine-based Sanuk USA, a maker of beach sandals and other shoes, has restructured as part of a bid to grow its business.
President John Vance said the company, known for quirky designs and playful marketing just brought in a new vice president of sales, a men’s designer and is hunting around for another worker to handle its Web site.
The moves are part of Sanuk’s retooling, which started five months ago when the company’s chief executive, Bob Rief, left and Vance was promoted from vice president of sales to replace him.
“We moved chairs around and that has allowed us to expand our staffing,” Vance said.
Sanuk also beefed up its art production team and hired a graphic artist, he said.
The company now has some 50 workers in Irvine, including at its warehouse. Sanuk also has a design office in Cardiff-by-the-Sea near San Diego, which is across from the beach and gives the brand “quick access” to the latest trends, Vance said.
The shoes are made under license by Irvine’s C & C; Cos.
Sanuk’s founder, Jeff Kelley, is still “deeply involved” and focuses on design and building the brand’s name, Vance said.
Kelley splits his time between the Cardiff and OC offices.
Sanuk wants to take advantage of a boost in sales that it’s getting from shoes it introduced about two years ago called Sidewalk Surfers. They have a sandal-like sole and soft pliable uppers made of fabric in fun patterns, such as stripes.
Vance said Sanuk “literally created a brand-new category within the surf and action sports market in shoes.”
“Our look is the first thing to come along since the skate shoe was invented that people have actually embraced,” Vance said.
Sanuk declined to disclose sales.
Vance said the privately held company has seen “double-digit growth” since the launch of the shoes, which have even inspired knock-offs.
Sanuk started with a few styles of men’s shoes and quickly branched out to women’s shoes because of an “overwhelming” demand, Vance said.
The company now has two designers, one just for the men’s line and the other for the women’s.
Sanuk’s shoes have helped the brand keep an edge in shoes, Vance said.
It has a lot of competitors. They range from shoemakers such as San Clemente-based Rainbow Sandals, to clothing makers with their own shoes, such as Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. and Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc.
Sanuk has garnered a following by building products that are “outside of the box” and “left of center,” Vance said. “We always challenge ourselves to be innovative and still acceptable to the general public.”
Take the company’s first sandal, which was introduced some 10 years ago by founder Kelley.
It was grass green at a time when everyone else was pushing brown leather sandals, Vance said.
“It was funny and humorous,” he said.
Thus, the company’s name, Sanuk, which is Thai for good feelings and happiness, Vance said.
Sanuk sells its shoes in a broad range of stores, including Fred Segal and Barney’s, surf and skate shops, sporting goods stores, outdoor shops and boutiques.
Vance declined to say how many stores sell Sanuk sandals, but said the brand continues to expand its number of stores.
“That fact that we’re private and one of the last independent companies in our industry gives us the flexibility and freedom to make quick decisions and changes,” Vance said.
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Oakley Buyout Wraps Up
Italy’s Luxottica Group SPA wrapped up its $2.1 billion buy of Foothill Ranch-based Oakley Inc. last week.
The deal was announced in June.
Oakley’s shares saw their last day of trading on Wall Street last week, closing flat with a market value of $2 billion.
The maker of sunglasses and clothes is set to keep its name as part of Luxottica. Founder and former 63% owner Jim Jannard will remain as “chief mad scientist” and “chief visionary,” according to an Oakley spokesman.
Luxottica, which counts yearly sales of $5 billion, designs and makes upscale eyeglasses frames and sunglasses. It also sells upscale frames from Chanel, Prada and others through its retail arm, which includes Sunglass Hut and the LensCrafters and Pearle Vision chains.
