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Donald PlinerAmerican shoe designer
Country:
 USA |
Biography of Donald Pliner
Donald J. Pliner was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1943, along with his twin sister Donna. He grew up working for his father Leo, who owned the family business, "Pliner's Florsheim Family Shoe Stores." Starting as a simple assistant, Pliner eventually opened his own retail store, "Pappagallo Beverly Hills," in 1967. In its first year, the store generated about $1 million in revenue.
In 1971, Donald's store moved to Camden Drive in Beverly Hills and became known as "Right Bank Clothing Co." Three years later, the name changed to "Right Bank Shoe Co." It became the first American retail point of sale to distribute designer shoes, clothing, and other items from brands such as "Maud Frizon," "Castelbajac," "Basile," "Trussardi," "Bisonte," "Stephane Kelian," and "Arche" to Europe.
After opening a second store and a tea room, collectively known as "The Right Bank Clothing Co. and Tea Room," Pliner continued to innovate and create new lines of footwear, clothing, and accessories. The positive response from customers when the ready-to-wear line was launched indicated the need for a wholesale division. Pliner's products were distributed to special retail outlets and department stores nationwide.
Meanwhile, "The Right Bank Clothing Co. and Tea Room" gradually became a popular meeting place for celebrities. In 1984, Donald was hired by the largest shoe wholesale operator, "Intershoe," to create a new line of shoes called "Glace," which were to be produced in Spain. Pliner not only led the creative work on the collection but also resolved many other issues for "Intershoe," including the successful sale of the "Glace" line. Within two years, the entire collection was sold out.
In 1987, Donald began assisting the footwear brand "Erica." Under his creative leadership, the company's sales significantly increased. Then, in 1989, he decided to create another proprietary line of footwear and accessories with the support of his company, "Donald J Pliner." In 1994, Pliner introduced the first fully flexible pair of shoes, with the main goal of achieving maximum comfort. The men's footwear line from "Donald J Pliner" was first presented in 1998. What started as a project to create basic footwear with enhanced elasticity evolved into a full-fledged fashion collection for men.
In 1999, the first "Donald J Pliner" concept store opened in the "Aventura Mall" in South Florida. In 2002, the "Donald J Pliner Handbags" department reopened with a completely new program. Today, there are two handbag collections available. The "Couture" line is produced in Italy, while the "Donald J Pliner" line is manufactured by Asian producers and skilled craftsmen from other countries.
In 2003, Pliner opened a flagship store on Camden Drive in Beverly Hills. In 2004, he launched the "Friends of BabyDoll Pliner" collection for dogs, which included outerwear, collars, leashes, and containers for air travel for dogs weighing up to 9 kg. The containers received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In his current footwear collections, Pliner incorporates innovative materials and vibrant colors. Almost every line he designs includes remarkable flexibility. Pliner achieves this effect through direct methods using specific materials or hidden techniques that do not affect the appearance of the shoes.
