Designer Brands
Corporate brand
UnclaimedDesigner Brands is an American footwear and accessories retailer that operates the Designer Shoe Warehouse chain and owns several private-label footwear brands.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Designer Brands is an American retail company focused primarily on designer and name-brand footwear, fashion accessories, and related services. Its best-known retail operation is Designer Shoe Warehouse, commonly abbreviated as DSW, a chain that combines off-price and broad-assortment footwear retailing with a loyalty-oriented shopping experience. The company also operates an e-commerce channel and has owned or managed additional footwear businesses and private-label brands. The business began in 1969 as Shonac Corporation, originally serving as the shoe licensee for Value City. This initial role connected the company to a larger retail environment before it developed its own store network. In July 1991, it opened its first store in Dublin, Ohio. Expansion followed during the 1990s, and the company had reached 48 stores by 1999. Value City acquired the company in 1998, and in December 2004 the business was acquired by Retail Ventures, an affiliated company. Designer Brands later acquired Retail Ventures in 2011, consolidating the corporate relationship that had existed between the businesses. The company became publicly traded through an initial public offering in June 2005. It later broadened its retail model through digital commerce, launching an e-commerce website in April 2008. Its strategy also expanded beyond the traditional DSW store base. In 2014, the company acquired a minority interest in Town Shoes, a Canadian footwear chain, and entered into an arrangement involving the DSW name. In 2018, it acquired the remaining Town Shoes shares, obtaining full ownership of that business. In 2016, it acquired eBags-related footwear and accessories business Ebuys for $62.5 million, adding a digital and international sourcing component to its portfolio. Designer Brands has also developed and carried private-label footwear lines, including Audrey Brooke, Kelly & Katie, Lulu Townsend, and Poppie Jones. These brands complement the company's assortment of third-party designer and national brands by providing products controlled or sourced by the retailer. The company expanded its assortment to include children's shoes in 2016 and pursued partnerships intended to add recognizable athletic and fashion labels, including a 2017 agreement to carry Under Armour footwear in DSW stores. International activity included a 2016 franchising agreement with Apparel Brands for DSW stores in the Middle East and the opening of a store in Oman in June 2017. The company also experimented with adjacent in-store services. In 2019, it announced plans to add nail salons to selected stores after testing the concept at two locations in Columbus, Ohio. A major corporate identity change occurred in March 2019, when the company changed its corporate name from DSW to Designer Brands. Its New York Stock Exchange ticker changed from DSW to DBI effective April 2, 2019. The rebranding was intended to represent a business broader than the DSW store chain, including owned brands, additional retail operations, and international or digital activities. Designer Brands has faced operational and market challenges typical of footwear retail, including cybersecurity exposure, changing consumer behavior, and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, all of its retail stores were closed during the pandemic. A footwear collection developed with Jennifer Lopez was subsequently adjusted toward sneakers and comfort footwear as remote work and more casual dress changed consumer preferences. The available reference material identifies Designer Brands as an active American footwear retailer with more than 500 United States stores and an e-commerce presence, although detailed current financial and executive information is not supplied here.
History
Designer Brands traces its origins to 1969, when it was established as Shonac Corporation and served as the shoe licensee for Value City. The company initially operated within the orbit of Value City's retail business rather than as the large standalone footwear chain later associated with the DSW name. The company opened its first store in July 1991 in Dublin, Ohio. Store growth accelerated during the 1990s, and the business had 48 stores by 1999. Value City acquired Shonac in 1998. In December 2004, the company was acquired by Retail Ventures, an affiliated enterprise and later a central part of its corporate history. In March 2005, the company suffered a major data-security incident involving customer data from approximately 1.4 million credit-card transactions. The incident became one of the most significant events in the company's early public history. A few months later, in June 2005, the company completed an initial public offering and became a public company. It entered digital retail in April 2008 by launching an e-commerce website. In 2011, the company acquired Retail Ventures, its largest shareholder at the time. This transaction simplified the relationship between the operating footwear business and the affiliated corporate structure. The company subsequently pursued expansion through acquisitions, licensing, private labels, partnerships, and international initiatives. In 2014, Designer Brands acquired a 44 percent interest in Town Shoes, a Canadian footwear retailer, and entered into a licensing agreement involving the DSW name. It acquired the remaining Town Shoes shares in May 2018, bringing the Canadian chain under complete ownership. In February 2016, it acquired Ebuys for $62.5 million. The transaction supported the company's broader footwear and accessories strategy and added an e-commerce-oriented business to its portfolio. The retail assortment expanded in July 2016 when children's shoes were added. The company also signed a franchising agreement with Apparel Brands in August 2016 to develop DSW stores in the Middle East. The first such store opened in Oman in June 2017. In March 2017, the company reached an agreement with Under Armour to sell Under Armour footwear in DSW stores, strengthening its connection with the athletic-footwear segment. The company tested services beyond footwear retail by placing nail salons in two Columbus, Ohio, stores. In February 2019, it announced that the concept would be added to five stores. The same year brought a major identity change: in March, the corporate name changed from DSW to Designer Brands. The NYSE ticker changed from DSW to DBI on April 2, 2019. The new name reflected an organization that included the DSW chain but also private-label brands, other footwear businesses, and broader retail activities. Designer Brands has owned or marketed private-label footwear brands such as Audrey Brooke, Kelly & Katie, Lulu Townsend, and Poppie Jones. These labels sit alongside designer and national-brand merchandise and allow the retailer to offer products developed or sourced under its own brand architecture. In 2020, the company collaborated with entertainer Jennifer Lopez on a footwear line. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all of the company's retail stores, while the rise of remote work altered demand across fashion categories. The Lopez collection was redesigned to feature more sneakers and comfort shoes in response to those changing preferences. Reference material describes the company as operating more than 500 stores in the United States and an e-commerce website. Current leadership, headquarters, ownership, financial performance, and post-2020 operating developments are not established by the supplied sources.
- 2020
Pandemic store closures and comfort-footwear repositioning
[1]All retail stores closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Jennifer Lopez collection was redesigned around sneakers and comfort shoes.
- 2019
Corporate rebrand to Designer Brands
[1]The company changed its corporate name from DSW to Designer Brands, followed by a ticker change from DSW to DBI.
- 2018
Town Shoes fully acquired
[1]Designer Brands acquired the remaining Town Shoes shares and obtained complete ownership.
- 2017
Under Armour partnership and Oman opening
[1]The company agreed to carry Under Armour footwear and opened its first Middle Eastern store in Oman.
- 2016
Ebuys acquired and children's footwear added
[1]The company acquired Ebuys and expanded its merchandise range to include children's shoes.
- 2014
Town Shoes investment and DSW licensing arrangement
[1]Designer Brands acquired a 44 percent interest in Town Shoes and entered into an agreement involving the DSW name.
- 2011
Retail Ventures acquired
[1]The company acquired Retail Ventures, its largest shareholder.
- 2008
E-commerce website launched
[1]The company launched its online commerce channel.
- 2005
Public offering and data-security incident
[1]The company experienced a major customer-data theft incident and became publicly traded through an initial public offering later that year.
- 1998
Acquired by Value City
[1]Value City acquired the company as it expanded its retail relationship with the footwear business.
Products and positioning
A broad-assortment footwear retailer combining designer and national brands, private-label products, off-price value, physical stores, and e-commerce. The corporate identity is broader than the DSW retail chain and encompasses owned brands, additional footwear businesses, and selected international initiatives.
Footwear retail chain · 1991
Designer Shoe Warehouse
Designer Shoe Warehouse, commonly known as DSW, is the company's principal retail chain. It sells a wide selection of designer, national, athletic, casual, and comfort footwear, together with fashion accessories. The format uses a broad assortment and value-oriented positioning to serve shoppers seeking recognizable brands across multiple footwear categories.
Private-label footwear
Audrey Brooke
Audrey Brooke is one of Designer Brands' private-label footwear brands. It forms part of the company's owned-brand assortment, complementing third-party designer and national brands sold through its retail channels.
Private-label footwear
Kelly & Katie
Kelly & Katie is a private-label footwear line owned by Designer Brands. The brand contributes retailer-controlled merchandise to the company's broader women's footwear assortment.
Private-label footwear
Lulu Townsend
Lulu Townsend is among the private-label footwear brands associated with Designer Brands. It provides products developed or sourced for the company's own brand portfolio rather than being a third-party national label.
Private-label footwear
Poppie Jones
Poppie Jones is a Designer Brands private-label footwear brand included in the company's controlled-brand portfolio.
Celebrity collaboration · 2020
Jennifer Lopez footwear collection
The Jennifer Lopez collaboration was a celebrity-linked footwear collection launched in 2020. After the pandemic changed shopping and clothing habits, the collection was redesigned to place greater emphasis on sneakers and comfort footwear.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Jennifer Lopez footwear collaboration
United States
Designer Brands collaborated with Jennifer Lopez on a footwear line intended to connect the retailer with a prominent entertainment personality and fashion audience.
Outcome. The collection was redesigned during the COVID-19 period to emphasize sneakers and comfort shoes as remote work and more casual dress affected consumer preferences.
Brand decisions
2020
Jennifer Lopez collection redesigned for comfort footwearProduct launchBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic closed the company's retail stores and accelerated changes in consumer footwear preferences associated with remote work.
Action taken
The company revised the Jennifer Lopez collection to include more sneakers and comfort shoes.
Aftermath
The adjustment reflected a shift toward casual and comfort-oriented footwear during the pandemic period.
2019
Corporate rebrand from DSW to Designer BrandsStrategyBackground
The corporate organization included more than the DSW store chain, including private-label brands, additional footwear businesses, and international initiatives.
Action taken
The company changed its corporate name to Designer Brands and changed its NYSE ticker from DSW to DBI effective April 2, 2019.
Aftermath
The new identity positioned Designer Brands as the broader corporate organization while DSW remained the principal retail chain.
2016
Acquisition of EbuysM&ABackground
Designer Brands sought to broaden its footwear and accessories operations through an acquisition with an e-commerce and international dimension.
Action taken
The company acquired Ebuys for $62.5 million.
Aftermath
The acquisition became part of the company's effort to extend beyond its traditional store-based DSW model.
Acquisition price. $62.5 million (2016)
Recent events
Reported
Designer Brands announces investment partnership to establish JEMS footwear factory[2]
Designer Brands announced a $2 million investment through a partnership with Pensole and Dr. D'Wayne Edwards to advance JEMS by Pensole, described as the first Black-owned footwear factory in the United States. Shoes produced there are intended to be sold exclusively at DSW.
Reported
Designer Brands temporarily closes North American retail locations[3]
Designer Brands announced that it would temporarily close its North American retail locations as of close of business on March 17, 2020, while continuing to serve customers through e-commerce and keeping warehouses open.
Reported
DSW launches Jennifer Lopez footwear collection[4]
Jennifer Lopez announced her collaboration with DSW and said she was proud to launch her new footwear collection, which was available at DSW stores and online.
Reported
Designer Brands lowers fiscal 2019 adjusted EPS outlook[5]
Designer Brands lowered its fiscal 2019 adjusted EPS outlook to $1.50–$1.55 per diluted share, from its previous range of $1.87–$1.97.
Reported
Designer Brands reports third-quarter 2019 results[5]
Designer Brands announced financial results for the three months ended November 2, 2019, including reported net income of $43.5 million and adjusted net income of $48.6 million.
Sources8 sources
- 1Designer Brandsen.wikipedia.org
- 2Designer Brands宣布投资合作以建立JEMS鞋厂prnewswire.com
- 3Designer Brands 暂时关闭北美零售门店newswire.ca
- 4DSW推出Jennifer Lopez鞋履系列blackamericaweb.com
- 5Designer Brands下调2019财年调整后每股收益展望prnewswire.com
- 6Designer Brands Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Resultsprnewswire.com
- 7Designer Brands Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2020 Financial Resultsprnewswire.com
- 8Designer Brands Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Resultsprnewswire.com
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