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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Shoe Boutique Brings New York to Calabasas

Shoe Boutique Brings New York to Calabasas Step inside Dawn and John Spilman’s Leap Shoe Lounge and you are immediately struck by the sense that you have stepped beyond the provincial walls of old-town Calabasas and into the hip minimalist interior of a downtown Manhattan boutique. This posh fashion haven lies adjacent to the Commons in the Calabasas Plaza. The team behind Calabasas’ newest retail outpost are shoe industry veterans. Dawn is a creative art director, having worked on projects with Ugg Boots, and previously as an executive at L.A. Gear. She is still currently managing advertising campaigns in the footwear industry. John also works in footwear, and is presently Reebok’s senior sales manager of fashion. As local residents and shoppers in Calabasas, they are attempting to fill the void in the West Valley’s fashion forward apparel market by opening their shoe lounge in the center formerly known for its post office, selling a product directed at both the fashion-forward high school student, as well as her still hip parents. There exists only one other high-end shoe store on this end of the Valley, located in the Commons, targeting an older, more conservative demographic. Dawn explains how the couple came to open the boutique. “With only one other fashion shoe store in Calabasas, we saw an opportunity in this area to sell both men’s and women’s shoes to the less conservative demographic. We knew this is where we wanted to be, and after identifying the space, waited over one year for it to become available. “The Calabasas customer is both sophisticated and discerning, so we have been buying accordingly. Some of the lines Leap carries include: Costume National, Ugg, Diesel, and Irregular Choice, along with Eugenia Kim hats, and Un Apres Midi de Chien bags. “Having been in the shoe business for 20 years, we have an advantage over others new to the business as we consistently go to trade shows and are able to view the new lines and trends before most retailers and the general public. Although we have only been open two months, sales have been consistently increasing, and in the future, we are looking to open stores further north in Santa Barbara, and perhaps Palm Springs.” Margaux Lushing

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