(Reprinted from WOTMC Newsletter)
BURJU SHOES : HOW TO LAUNCH A LIFESTYLE BRAND
Dancer-Choreographer-Dance Studio owner– Burju Perez added another hyphen to her name with the launch of Burju Shoes. The maverick created a line of dance-inspired shoes designed to bring the comfort of dance shoes and the style that every diva wants together into one package. An amazing feat in itself, it is extra noteworthy when we look at the ingredients she used to produce what in every estimation is a great product launch.
Burju Shoes haveĀ a definite Latin flare. Brimming with bright, bold colors, many of the shoes are decorated with gem-like accents. What really makes these shoes fun is their flexibility. Unlike the rigid footwear of yesteryear, Burju’s shoes actually meld to your movements-this in addition to being so pretty. That is the verdict from visitors who tried on the comfortable pumps in the shoe lounge area set up at the launch party.
The event itself was well executed. A continuous line of beautiful models gracing spot-lit pedestals helped showcase the line. The two-floor venue was filled with not just press, but a whole lot of clothing designers eagerly anticipating the show that could be their one stop shop for shoes to use in their own runway exhibitions. Some came from as far as the UK but there were a number of regional designers in attendance including Cameroonian-born Fruwah Boma of Nebright Couture.
The public relations for this launch went on for weeks, courtesy of a local shop. Their promotion for the show continued up to a second before the party through tweets to a friend of a friend. This kept anticipation high and the performance was a success. It was clear Ms. Burju Perez has a strong head for business that matches her creative designs. Possibly a carry over from her days crunching numbers as a financial analyst.
Every good launch should have a goodie bag to reinforce the best of the product’s introduction and Burju made sure everyone got some great discounts. When I got home, I found something at the bottom of my bag, that while simple, reinforced the whimsy of a fine night enjoying fantastic footwear-two plastic wrapped cookies in the shape of what else-Burju Shoes.