Retailers pick best footwear brands of 2006

Footwear Plus, the business-to-business magazine covering the footwear industry, announced the winners of their coveted Plus Awards at the WSA Show, the industry's largest trade fair, in Las Vegas on February 1. This year's winners represent the best in footwear fashion, as voted on by their retailer partners. The Plus Awards, co-sponsored by Gore-Tex Footwear and OrthoLite Comfort Insoles, were presented in 20 categories, including Athletic, Comfort, Dress, Children's, Work and Outdoor. This year's winners are: New Balance in men's athletic; Asics in women's athletic; Converse in action sport/lifestyle; Ecco in men's comfort and Gore-Tex women's; Dansko in women's comfort; Think! in comfort couture; Cole Haan in men's dress; BCBG in women's dress; Wolverine in work; Geox in children's; Merrell in outdoor; Marc Ecko in men's streetwear; Frye in western/harness; Timberland in Gore-Tex men's, Clarks in innovations in comfort presented by OrthoLite; Crocs for Item of the Year; Steve Madden for Brand of the Year and in women's streetwear; and Skechers for Company of the Year. Skechers are the first company to win company of the year two years running. The magazine also presented its men's streetwear design excellence for the second year to Unltd by Marc Ecko footear, which Skechers design, develop and market alongside Marc Ecko's Rhino Red footwear for the US and selected global markets.