DALLAS — The 132-year-old Texas boot-maker Lucchese is kicking up its heels — literally.
Lucchese recently began expanding its high-end offerings, starting with a fashion shoe line that includes everything from sleek sling-backs to burnished oxfords.
“It really is all about matching the desires and needs of our customer base,” said William Zeitz, who helped shepherd the company through the change as executive vice president and creative director. “They lead very active, vibrant lives and boots are fine but they wanted more from Lucchese.”
The idea for the expansion came after longtime customers said they would be interested in offerings of more than just boots, said Zeitz, who joined Lucchese in spring 2012 after stints at Nike and Cole Haan. With everything from brand strategy to product design in place, he left the vice president and creative director post this fall but remains a marketing consultant for the company.
El Paso-based Lucchese launched its fashion footwear collection for men and women last spring, with advertisements running in fashion magazines including Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. In the fall, it rolled out a line of purses. The new offerings continue the tradition of being handmade, with the company using its signature luxurious materials including ostrich, calf, pony hair and crocodile.
