FN's 2012 Power 100

CEO; Dansko
2011 Rank: 86
Inner Workings: Cabot and co-founder Peter Kjellerup transferred ownership of the company to its 175 employees. Up Next: Two comfort collections — Vista and Sedona — will hit stores this spring. Sales Chart: The company logged its third consecutive year of topping prior annual sales. Secret Plans: A 200,000-sq.-ft. warehouse equipped with robotic technology will open in 2013. Power Players: Jim Fox, CFO; Mimi Curry, COO; David Murphy, EVP, sales, marketing

Chairman, CEO; K-Swiss Inc.
2011 Rank: 71
Hard Knocks: Financial losses quarter after quarter have the stock hovering near all-time lows. Hot Talk: Some say the brand name — and the firm — may be a takeover target. Upsides: Nichols cut costs, slashed inventories and returned the focus to casual classics. Saving Grace: Bright spots were the Palladium brand and the third (and final) installment of K-Swiss’ buzz-generating ad campaign with fictional provocateur Kenny Powers. Power Players: David Nichols, global president; Barney Waters, VP, marketing, Palladium

Chairman, CEO; Richemont S.A.; Founder, Executive Chairman; Net-a-porter Group
2011 Rank: 90
Acquisition: Net-a-porter bought e-commerce platform Shouke Ltd. in March to build its China business. Also that month, Theoutnet.cn launched there, marking the start of a phased development plan in Asia for the group. Market Grab: The etailer opened its first headquarters outside the U.K. in New York. Honor Role: Massenet was named chairman of the British Fashion Council, an appointment that starts in 2013. Launch Pad: Theoutnet.com, the firm’s discount property, bowed apparel line Iris & Ink in September. Power Players: Mark Sebba, CEO, Net-a-porter; Alison Loehnis, managing director, Net-a-porter

President, CEO; Harbor Footwear Group Ltd.
2011 Rank: 87
Revenue: For 2012, sales are up low double digits. C-Suite: Apparel industry veteran Marty Staff became a consultant to help improve product and visibility across all labels. Accessories: Giorgio Brutini leather belts and wallets debuted. Media Blitz: The firm targeted a contemporary customer with ads for Bass and Giorgio Brutini, shot in California and New York. Power Players: Jason Lazar, head of operations; Jaime Kreitzman, senior executive, sales

Founder; FitFlop
2011 Rank: 88
Launch Pad: Kilgore introduced Trend Diffuser, a higher-end women’s fashion collection, and FitFlop FF2, a biomechanically engineered comfort line. Milestone: FitFlop celebrated its five-year anniversary, selling five limited-edition styles to benefit Care International. Channel Marker: E-commerce launched in Europe and the U.S. Watch For: The brand will expand its fledgling men’s business in 2013. Power Players: Suzie de Rohan Willner, CEO; Jonathan Pennington, global marketing director

Creative Director; Tabitha Simmons
NEW
Accolades: Simmons won the CFDA’s Swarovski Award for Accessory Design. On Account: Saks Fifth Avenue, Kirna Zabête and Modaoperandi.com are among the brand’s new retailers, bringing the total to 90 doors worldwide. Good Company: Amid styling fashion shows for Dolce & Gabbana, Marchesa and Tory Burch, Simmons collaborated on runway shoes for Peter Som, Creatures of the Wind and Honor. Hot List: Simmons’ fans include Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron and Kate Bosworth, plus notable fashion faces Alexa Chung and Karen Elson.

Vice Chairman, Arezzo & Co.; Designer, Alexandre Birman
NEW
Revenue: Overall sales for Arezzo rose 20 percent in 2011, with 2012 revenue estimates projected 30 percent higher. New Terrain: The Alexandre Birman brand relocated a portion of production to Italy and moved its company headquarters to New York. C-Suite: Caden Stobart came on as global president of Alexandre Birman this year. Hot New Store: Arezzo’s contemporary brand Schutz opened its first U.S. flagship on New York’s Madison Avenue, and the label will finish the year with 50 branded stores in Brazil.

Chairman, CEO; Donna Karan International
2011 Rank: 92
Double Down: The firm’s footwear business saw significant growth, prompting plans for store expansions incorporating larger shoe areas. Media Blitz: The new DKNYfx smartphone app will serve as the platform for all future digital initiatives. In Store: DKNY’s London flagship underwent a major remodel. Secret Plans: Donna Karan and DKNY store openings are slated in emerging markets including Russia, Asia and the Middle East. Power Players: Donna Karan, chief designer; Mary Wang, president, DKNY; Paul Kotrba, EVP, global strategy, international sales, DKNY

CEO, President; Modern Vintage
2011 Rank: 89
Star Power: Most recently, the company signed Kendall and Kylie Jenner (of Kardashian fame) for a multi-category licensing deal slated to launch in 2013. Sales Chart: A 4.2 percent rise in sales across the board fell short of 2011’s 12 percent increase. New Terrain: Modern Vintage is slated to launch its first men’s offerings for 2013. Up Next: Cytrynbaum has a potential deal in the works to sell a portion of his business. Power Player: Brian Cytrynbaum, co-founder

CEO; Highline United
2011 Rank: 95
New Accounts: Though the firm no longer represents United Nude, this year it signed footwear licensing deals with Elie Tahari and French Connection. Growth Push: The company expanded its New York design team and now houses a studio in its showroom, to be closer to customers and quicker to the market. Brand Standouts: Italian brand Ash Footwear International continues to heat up in the U.S. and plans to launch additional retail stores. Power Players: Scott Kaminsky, VP, sales; Rob Perschino, VP, sales

President; Matisse Footwear
2011 Rank: 96
Making Tracks: New accounts include The Buckle, Journeys, American Eagle Outfitters and ShopNBC, all of which put the firm on pace to hit $40 million in sales, up from $30 million last year. Home Run: Hot Western boot styles aided much of the firm’s trajectory. Power Players: Chris Ryan, VP, product development; Sheena Parks, director, marketing

Chairman, CEO; Gap Inc.
2011 Rank: 93
Sales Chart: Profits surged 29 percent in Q2 as the company’s comeback continues to gain momentum. Grand Opening: The firm’s Piperlime group planted its first brick-and-mortar shop in New York. New Terrain: An expansion spree in Latin America will bring 30 new Gap stores to the region by 2014. C-Suite: Former H&M designer Rebekka Bay was named Gap’s creative director, succeeding Patrick Robinson. Power Players: Toby Lenk, president, Gap Inc. Direct; Jennifer Gosselin, SVP, GMM, Piperlime; Jack Calhoun, president, Banana Republic

Chairman, CEO; President, COO; Weyco Group Inc.
2011 Rank: 99
Brand Standout: Sales for Bog surged 34 percent in Q2. Open for Business: The first Florsheim street store bowed in Hong Kong, while key flagships in New York and Milan received a facelift. Launch Pad: Weyco’s growing kids’ business got a boost from Florsheim’s move into the boys’ category and the debut of Umi athletic shoes. Power Players: Kevin Schiff, president, Florsheim; Bill Combs, president, Bogs; Michael Bernsteen, president, Nunn Bush; Brian Flannery, president, Stacy Adams

Chairman, CEO; Yoox Group
NEW
Next Big Thing: Under a venture with PPR, Yoox now handles online sales for five of the luxury firm’s brands: Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Sergio Rossi and Bottega Veneta. The first new site, for Sergio Rossi, debuted last month and is available in 100 countries. Open for Business: The company in March launched Shoescribe.com, a site dedicated to footwear. Good Numbers: Net revenues jumped 31 percent in the first half of 2012 from the same period last year, led by growth in foreign markets, which make up 84 percent of the business. Power Players: Francesco Guidotti, CFO; Giuseppe Guillot, COO

Chairman, CEO; Fila Korea; President; Fila USA
2011 Rank: 98
New Tech: Partnering up with Invista, Fila debuted its Coolmax performance collection. By the Numbers: Worldwide sales of the Fila brand will hit $1.8 billion in 2012 and are on pace to reach $2 billion in 2013.

CEO; Asos Plc
NEW
Revenue: In the latest quarter ended Aug. 31, group revenues for the British firm rose 31 percent from the same period in 2011, to 145.2 million pounds (or $232.8 million at current exchange). C-Suite: After the departure of longtime chairman Lord Waheed Alli, Asos named former Amazon exec Brian McBride as his replacement, effective Nov. 1. Power Player: Nick Beighton, finance director

Co-founder, Creative Director; Co-founder, CEO; Rebecca Minkoff
NEW
Media Masters: An Instagram initiative chronicling Minkoff’s daily shoe choices called “shoetography” launched this year and raised the brand’s social media presence. Her account has 100,000 followers and increases 500 to 2,000 a day. Good News: Consumer footwear sales at retail doubled between spring 2011 and spring 2012. Strategy Shift: The company sold a minority stake to TSG Consumer Partners. Next Big Thing: The brand plans to open its first U.S. store in Soho next year.

President, CEO; Sole Technology
2011 Rank: 97
New Digs: In October, the company moved its European headquarters to an environmentally friendly building in Amsterdam. Launch Pad: With Disney, Sole Technology will launch a collection of co-branded shoes for the “Phineas & Ferb” cartoon show. Giving Spirit: The company expanded the Etnies’ “Buy A Shoe, Plant a Tree” campaign, which has planted about 100,000 trees in Costa Rica and Brazil.

Creative director; CEO; Donald J Pliner
2011 Rank: 91
Launch Pad: The brand, owned by Castanea Partners since 2011, debuted DMSX for fall ’12, aimed at a significantly younger customer than its other lines. In the Works: A higher-end collection designed jointly by Pliner and his wife, Lisa.

Owner; David Z
2011 Rank: 100
Sales Chart: Despite a tough economy, Zaken’s nine-unit chain held its own. Revenues should be on par with prior years. C-Suite: Daughter Brittany Zaken joined as assistant buyer and also oversees social media. Power Player: Ronnie Balagula, assistant buyer