Footwear

The teasers started weeks ago: 15-second commercials starring muscular athletes and an Under Armour shoe box with a mysterious red glow. Viewers can't see what's inside the box. The Baltimore sports apparel company is keeping that a secret until Sunday's Super Bowl. That's when Under Armour will air a 60-second commercial - costs this year are reported to be $2.7 million for 30 seconds - in the first quarter of the football game to unveil its new cross-training sneaker. The commercial, to run on the most-watched sporting event of the year, is just one piece of what will be the biggest - and riskiest - product launch ever for Under Armour Inc. The company, known as much for its marketing prowess as its sportswear, is spending heavily on a yearlong campaign to introduce the athletic shoe it has dubbed a performance trainer as a wedge into the mainstream athletic footwear market.

Under Armour may launch a new line of hybrid-cotton apparel next year, according to an analyst that follows the company. The Baltimore sports apparel company is known mostly for its slick feeling, fitted compression wear. Analyst Michael Binetti, who follows Under Armour for UBS Securities LLC, in a research report released Monday described the new line of apparel as "coated cotton that wicks moisture from the skin, but still has its cotton feel." Binetti revealed the company's plans for the new line in a research note where he also announced he was upgrading the company's stock to a buy rating.

There's strength in numbers. Faberge is spending $10 million to re-launch Brut after-shave via its aggressive Men Are Back ad campaign. Not a penny was spent altering the fragrance's original formula, however."

NEW YORK -- The last thing Steve Madden needs is more caffeine.In his midtown New York showroom, the disheveled, ultra-now shoe designer darts from phone, to generic Starbucks drink, to client, to generic Starbucks drink, to bathroom, to generic Starbucks drink, occasionally pausing to calm himself by singing "Stand By Your Man.""The Attention Deficit Disorder part of the day is happening now," the 40-year-old Madden says in his raspy Long Island accent.It's market day, a day for him to check up on the progress of his products, and for local retailers to review the new lines, do some buying and share some gossip.

Under Armour founder Kevin Plank is splitting his job, bringing in a veteran retail executive as president of the Baltimore athletic wear company as it transforms itself from upstart to major player. David McCreight, who was most recently president of Lands' End, will report to Plank and be responsible for the core businesses, which include footwear, apparel and accessories. Plank will remain chief executive officer and chairman. It is the latest move by the company, which was run by Plank's childhood buddies and other close associates in its early days, to beef up its management ranks by raiding major retailers for top talent as it expands into new lines, such as off-field athletic shoes.

This is the season of Ugly Footwear. If we remember anything about the Summer of '94 -- aside from the O. J. Simpson affair emerging as the biggest story since the dawn of man -- it'll be that every other person was clomping around in those god-awful water shoes or those clunky black sandals that make the wearer look like Spartacus on beta-blockers.The history of footwear is dotted with unfortunate examples of good taste gone awry: Earth shoes, Superfly platform heels with tiny goldfish swimming in them and combat boots for women are vivid examples that come immediately to mind.

Laura McDaniel takes her shoes seriously . . . all 100 pairs of them.That's why when she decided to buy a new home, she made one request of the builder: She wanted enough closet space to show off her shoes.But until her home is finished this spring, her collection of footwear -- which includes leopard-print heels, beaded sneakers and fuchsia pumps -- will remain in assorted shoe racks around her current Crownsville home."I long to own a closet that can meet all my clothing demands," says Ms. McDaniel, 34, programs manager for Dollar Systems Inc. "I'd like it to look like a retail store room."

Under Armour plans to hire hundreds of workers at its Locust Point headquarters this year, expand facilities on its campus and bring its brand of sports apparel and footwear to new markets in the U.S. and around the world. CEO Kevin Plank outlined the goals Tuesday while promising shareholders more of the rapid growth that has defined the $1.8 billion company in recent years. During an annual meeting in which Under Armour pitchman and record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps made a surprise appearance, Plank said the company is just beginning to make inroads in areas such as athletic footwear, women's sports apparel and international markets, with room to grow.

After more than a century outfitting generations of Baltimore's men, women and children with new shoes, retailing institution Hess Shoes will close its remaining 11 stores, the chain said yesterday.N. Hess' Sons Inc. will begin going-out-of-business sales immediately, said Larry Drombetta, president and chief executive officer.Once the sales are completed, Hess will become the latest in a series of Baltimore retailers such as Hutzler Bros., Hochschild Kohn, Stewart's, O'Neil's and Brager-Gutman whose names have disappeared.

I recently overheard a locker room conversation about a "barefoot" running shoe. What is it? Your gym buddies were probably talking about Nike's new "Free" line. Maybe the company was inspired by famously barefoot Ethiopian running champion Abebe Bikila, or maybe it just decided "less is more." Whatever the reason, Nike has launched a line of shoes designed in the spirit of exercising barefoot. Shoes like the Free Trainer 5.0 and Free Runner 5.0 have flexible sides and soles, and minimal padding.