On Monday, November 13, Staff Writer Maren Frey attended an event where Stuart Weitzman shared his insights on all things, from his muses to branding to the famous “Million Dollar Shoe,” in an event in the Diana Event Oval in collaboration with the Columbia University Fashion Society and Barnard’s Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Wellbeing. 

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference,” is the phrase from Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken poem that has influenced iconic American shoe designer Stuart Weitzman’s career over the past three decades. On Monday, November 13, Weitzman shared his insights on all things, from his muses to branding to the famous “Million Dollar Shoe,” in an event in the Diana Event Oval in collaboration with the Columbia University Fashion Society (CUFS) and Barnard’s Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Wellbeing. 

Even before the event began, Weitzman approached his talk with ease and confidence. Prior to taking the stage, he engaged with the audience in casual conversation, detailing his love for racquet sports like padel and tennis and offering to sign the shoes of audience members who were wearing his brand. Upon taking the stage, Weitzman shared his truisms for a successful entrepreneurial career that include risk, inspiration, and imagination.

When it comes to risk, Weitzman said “if you don’t take risks, then you don’t achieve big goals.” When it came to the development of his brand, Weitzman saw a need for custom shoes for red carpet and couture occasions after seeing celebrities in ornate custom dresses each time they walked the carpet. He took a risk and asked Aretha Franklin to shout out his shoes when she wore them during one of her Grammy appearances. After Franklin did on stage, Weitzman’s brand immediately took off and his risk paid off. 

Similarly, Weitzman shared how the risk of “out of the box thinking” helped his ads take off. The first of the Stuart Weitzman shoe brand’s ad campaigns was focused not on shoes but on pumpkins and Weitzman’s Dalmatian. Weitzman described these ads as an example that, “if you do things in an unusual way, anything can happen.” For him and his company, what followed was success, profit, and numerous Clio awards, which celebrate creative advertising concepts. 

Another one of Weitzman’s truisms was inspiration. Weitzman cited inspiration as “something everyone needs,” and how artists Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol have inspired him while leading his company. Drawing inspiration from Picasso’s quote, “Do I ever copy? Yes, I do copy. I copy from poets, musicians, and nature?”. Weitzman shared that he aims to find inspiration everywhere, especially by getting outside because you “can’t have great ideas when you live in a cubicle.” 

Weitzman’s muses range from style icons like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn to working women and housewives. When designing for specific celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Taylor Swift, he draws on inspiration from both vintage and modern trends. For the thigh-high boots he designed for Swift for her 1989 tour, he added garters to the shoes so they wouldn’t fall down while she performed. Weitzman’s innovative moves have not only paid off business-wise but also with his clientele, as he has not only designed for actresses and pop stars but also for royalty. In fact, two of his most loyal customers are Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. 

Along with inspiration, Mr. Weitzman discussed how important imagination can be: “If you have something you believe in, don’t let anyone shut you down.” When it comes to getting celebrities and those with influence to wear his brand, Weitzman shared that he does not simply ask for payment, but he places his products where he knows they will shop. He did this with Jennifer Aniston, who during the 2008 recession was seen wearing Weitzman’s Alex Swamp Espadrille countless times after he started selling his shoes in her favorite store. This imaginative entrepreneurial spirit has carried on through Weitzman’s international success. His shoes are now sold all over the world, from New York’s Fifth Avenue to Milan to Hong Kong’s famous IFC mall.

Throughout the presentation, Weitzman had many of the CUFS E-Board members model his iconic shoes, including his “One Million Dollar Shoe” which he designed in 2002 and adorned with more than 450 diamonds. As the models walked around the Event Oval, the audience marveled at not only the innovative designs but the beauty of each shoe. Cara Delevigne’s 2023 Oscar shoes were also on campus, as another CUFFS member showed off the shoe that was voted “Best Dressed” by Harper’s Bazaar in 2023. 

Not only has he been successful, but Weitzman’s beliefs of having “ fun in your business” and giving back to communities were also apparent during the talk. For instance, he shared a video on how his partnership with model Gigi Hadid helped build three schools in Laos, Guatemala, and Ghana. In finding enjoyment in his work, Weitzman has lived his life “the way he lives his career to have fun,” always making time for his passions, which include playing tennis often at 81 years old. 

“The road less traveled has a longer path, however the path that you take with your imagination has the most power,” Weitzman announced. As he closed out the presentation, it was evident to all in the audience that imagination, inspiration, and risk are key to both a successful career and a happy and rewarding life, similar to what Stuart Weitzman has lived. 

Images via Author.