FMA's Featured Maine Products...
Some of the finest products in the world come from Maine companies, and you can visit more of them in Freeport than almost anywhere else. Companies like; Cole Haan, Thos. Moser, Georgetown Pottery, Acorn, Brown Goldsmiths, Cold River Vodka, Au, Wilbur’s Chocolates, just to name a few, are located here in Freeport. Oh, and did we mention L.L.Bean?
On this page we'll feature a different product made with pride, ingenuity and quality starting right here in Maine - and available in Freeport!
This month we feature...
ESTABLISHED 1928
A RETROSPECTIVE OF ICONIC AMERICAN STYLE
CHICAGO 1928
At the height of the Jazz Age, style and sophistication were an integral part of urban society as social mores and fashionable attire were revolutionized by the flapper generation. To capitalize on the burgeoning fashion trends, Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan introduced the
original Cole Haan shoe in Chicago in 1928, launching an illustrious 80-year reign as one of America’s premier luxury goods brands. Through his ingenuity and flair for design, Cole created the company’s reputation for quality and incredible craftsmanship while Haan, who inherently understood the whimsical, fleeting desires of discerning customers, elevated the brand to one known for service and style.
As the roaring 20s came to a close, Cole Haan shared in the birth of American classic menswear – from grey flannels and bucks to khakis and athletic-inspired styling. As the more conservative 50s entered into the American consciousness, Cole Haan became a mainstay in
men’s university shops with its preppy staples, including genuine handsewn moccasins, saddles, bucks and penny loafers.
Although the company changed hands several times over the next few decades, it wasn’t until Chairman Emeritus George Denney took the helm that Cole Haan catapulted into iconic brand status. Denney, who began as a leather cutter in a Maine factory, acquired the label in 1975 from Taylor Shoe Company and moved Cole Haan’s headquarters to Yarmouth, Maine.
As the women’s movement progressed in the 1970s, Cole Haan recognized the tremendous opportunity to expand its brand power and introduced the first women’s footwear collection.
A DECADE OF INNOVATION
For Cole Haan, no other decade produced more milestones for the company than the 1980s. It was a time of innovation and inspiration that brought timeless collections to the market. With the launch of the multi-colored boat shoe and the Brazilian-influenced driving shoe in the early 80s, Cole Haan cemented its place in history as a brand that defined American footwear
trends. As the brand grew exponentially, Cole Haan opened its first freestanding retail store in Freeport, Maine, allowing customers to shop at their leisure for all of the impeccable collections for which company was known.
By the mid 80s, Cole Haan capitalized on its popularity and debuted a complete line of men’s accessories, including belts, braces and personal leather goods, as well as introduced the boat moccasin in pastels and an athletic-inspired leather sport shoe called the Court Sport,
predicting today’s coveted sport luxe styling.
With the emergence of its trend-setting collections and signature materials – such as handwoven and burnished English calfskin - Cole Haan became synonymous with accessible luxury and definitive American style.
SYNERGY BETWEEN STYLE & SPORT
In 1988, Cole Haan was acquired by Nike, Inc., the pre-eminent sporting goods company in the world. This move transformed Cole Haan as the brand created a first-of-its-kind synergy between the worlds of fashion and sport. Incorporating proprietary Nike AIR technology into a line of shoes, Cole Haan became the first fashion footwear company with authentic sports technology.
In fall 2006, Cole Haan launched the “state-of-the-art” high heel – a breakthrough line of
women’s dress shoes that challenges the notion among women that leverage Nike technology.
Inspired by a long-standing problem in fashion, the compromise of function for beautiful
design, Cole Haan seized the opportunity to design a sexy, trend-right heel that women could actually enjoy wearing. With these shoes, the company proved that fashion and technology can work together, and changed the way women think about and wear high heels.
MARKET EXPANSION
Headquartered in New York City and Yarmouth, Maine, Cole Haan established an overseas presence in 1997 with wholly owned subsidiaries in Japan and Hong Kong. The company debuted its first branded retail location in Tokyo, Japan three years later. Currently, Cole Haan operates concept stores and additional points of distribution in Japan, Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, and is pursuing expansion into China, Qatar, Europe, Central and South Americas, India and Russia. In 1997, Cole Haan recognized the potential of the internet and launched colehaan.com,
which experienced immediate success and has since become the fastest growing business channel for the company.
Additionally, Cole Haan has a remarkable presence within high-end department stores and specialty boutiques. From Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, Cole Haan has established itself as a wholesale powerhouse. Internationally, Cole Haan has a strong presence with over 50 locations including Takashimaya, Isetan and
Mitsuikoshi. Cole Haan is also in department stores in Hong Kong, such as Lane Crawford.
To expand into new product areas, Cole Haan partnered with G-III Apparel as part of a licensing agreement in 2000 to create Cole Haan Outerwear, a relaxed and luxurious collection of coats for men and women. In 2006 Cole Haan partnered with Mallory & Church to produce fine men’s and women’s hosiery and, more recently with B. Robinson and Clearvision to create signature luxury eyewear. The brand continues to seek out licensing partnerships that share its commitment to high-quality product and exciting, exclusive design.
With a storied history that spans decades, Cole Haan is the embodiment of exquisite American style and luxury. As a testament to the brand’s dominance in the fashion scene, Cole Haan has been honored by Footwear News as ‘Company of the Year’. Under the helm of CEO James Seuss, Cole Haan continues to emphasize its tradition of craftsmanship and innovation while growing the company’s U.S. and international retail presence.
Today, customers can experience the depth and breadth of the complete Cole Haan product collection through one of the company’s some 70 freestanding stores in North America, more than 40 factory outlets in the U.S., online at colehaan.com, at high-end department stores and specialty boutiques across the country, and through more than 70 points of distribution internationally.
