Brown Shoe Company to change name, add men’s line

St. Louis -- One of St. Louis’ oldest public companies and one of the nation’s most diverse footwear companies, Brown Shoe Company, is putting a new foot forward and changing its name to “Caleres,” a Latin word that means “passionate, to glow.” The Brown name, however, will live on in a new men’s footwear business called Brown Shoe Bootmakers that the company plans to launch in 2016.



The new moniker, which takes effect at the conclusion of the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting on May 28, is part of a rebranding campaign to better position the company’s brand portfolio, which includes some 1,200 Famous Footwear and Naturalizer stores. (The stores will continue to operate under their respective banners.) The logo will incorporate Brown Shoe’s “Star-Five-Star” mark, which the company has used since 1885.



In addition to its store banners, Brown’s portfolio includes such fashion-forward brands as Sam Edelman, Franco Sarto, Vince, Via Spiga, Diane von Furstenberg, and Fergie Footwear.



“Our new brand identity reminds us of the legacy we must preserve as we build for another century of progress,” Brown Shoe CEO Diane Sullivan said in a release. “Part of that identity is our name and mark, and these two elements demonstrate the passion behind our 137-year-old success story and help set the benchmark for the continued importance of fit to our future.”



The company described its new men’s footwear business as taking “an artisan but rugged approach to men’s shoes.”



“Our rebranding initiative, and the launch of our men’s footwear business, help position us as a company with both a proud legacy and an ambitious global vision,” Sullivan said. “Our passion for fit, our dedication to craftsmanship, and our business savvy are part of our legacy, while our vision helps fuel our future. And, as always, the consumer will remain at the center of everything we do.”