Content area
Full Text
Central London has fast become a mecca for men's shoes.
There, the fashion-conscious British male is spoiled with shopping options. Spanish import Zara, British footwear retailers Schuh and Barratts Shoes and designer destinations including the likes of Gucci and Ralph Lauren all dot the area. Apart from Knightsbridge and Kensington, Oxford Street and its environs (which include Oxford Circus), house the city's largest shopping district. But while the choices are varied, three destinations - Top Man, Poste and the revamped men's shoe department at Selfridges - have a selection and point of view that isn't replicated in other international capital cities.
TOP MAN
Address: 36/38 Great Castle Street, Oxford Circus, London, W1W 8LG
Square footage: 800
Brands: Jeffrey West, Hudson, Fly, Goliath and F-Troupe
Other locations: 155 stores across the U.K.
Price range: $37 to $368
Lloyd Shoe Co. has operated the footwear department at the Oxford Circus flagship of Top Man, the men's-only division of Top Shop, since June 1996, and the company's careful to keep it looking fresh. "There are a lot of shoe stores on Oxford Street, including Schuh and Office, so we gave the store a serious refit in October to keep it competitive," said Adam Senior, men's buying director.
Private label brands Top Man and Shoelab account for 70 percent of the mix and have proven very popular with customers - so far, fall '06 sales are up 30...