Tell us about your business, its history, and how you build customer loyalty. Special Occasions by Saugus Shoe was started in 1984 by husband-and-wife-team Gerald and Diane Brenner. We are proud of our customer service staff, shipping and sales team on which we base our growth and customer loyalty.
Who is your main designer or designers?
Diane Lynn Brenner
What divisions (e.g., Prom, Pageant, Social Occasion, Bridal, etc.) do you design for and market? Prom, Pageant, Social Occasion, and Bridal.
What size ranges do you offer? Shoe sizes 4 – 10, 11,12, 13 and 14 in widths AA, B, D, EE as well as children’s sizes.
Please identify three characteristics about your designs and business services that you are known for? We have been told upon numerous occasions that our designs are very trendy, and not only comfortable but fashion-oriented for all special occasion divisions. Our customer service department aims to please by providing the help needed to answer the numerous questions from our many bridal shops, shoe stores, and boutiques that are serviced.
How do you keep your design ideas current? We keep designs current by being creatively refreshed at all times. We travel to locations that enhance creativity and spark innate design sense. We also are always in tune with fashion, people, and trends worldwide through modern forms of telecommunications.
As a designer, where do you receive the most satisfaction? The ultimate satisfaction for us is the feedback we receive from the owners of stores as well as the customer. We enjoy receiving notes of appreciation. Most often we receive special appreciation from store owners who have been loyal to us these many years. One of the best gifts was a bouquet of flowers at a trade show as a special thanks for supplying beautiful shoes to some beautiful brides. The ultimate joy is knowing that we created a shoe that just might make millions of brides or prom goers thrilled.
What fashion looks and fabric-usage trends do you predict will emerge in the near future? Fashion is so spherical, going from one part of a circle to the next with a twist here and there of fabulous nouveau styling. Fashion trends tend to imitate what is going on in the world in the many different countries of the world. I would have to say that we must take in to account the natural aspects of global warming as it pertains to fabrics — natural, simplistic beauty, elegant but not overstated.
What design trends do you predict will fade from the fashion scene?
Our list includes ornate jewelled pieces that overshadow the ambience of an outfit; huge and thick platforms will probably give way to more elegant footwear, streamlined to enhance the outfit of a bride or promgoer.
What aspects of the fashion business bring you the greatest satisfaction?
Fashion is a trend. Here today and gone tomorrow. We love keeping up with the trends of each woman and what she needs from each occasion in life that she experiences, and the many years it takes her to evolve and experience them all. We have enjoyed so very many of the people we have met in the editorial/advertising field... from bridal to prom, pageant, and social occasion. Being asked to provide shoes for top shoots for fashion models, stars and brides worldwide is a pleasure. We are grateful to have had our shoes appear on The View, ABC, and numerous movies and pageants. Another favorite joy of ours is giving shoes to the many of our citizens in need. Often, we answer the requests of bridal shops and boutiques who ask us to donate to a worthwhile cause, or to ladies who need shoes for a special job interview or a prom that they cannot otherwise afford… for these opportunities, we thank our caring customer base.
