Candie's
Candie’s, Inc., originally known for its iconic high-heeled shoes, has expanded its product line to include a variety of fashion items and accessories. Founded in 1978, the brand quickly gained popularity with its “Candie’s slide,” a sexy, high-heeled shoe that became a fashion staple for young women. Over the years, it has diversified its offerings to include clothing, accessories, and fragrances, catering to a broad audience through specialty stores and upscale department stores across the United States and internationally.
In addition to its fashion items, the brand has made a significant mark in the fragrance industry. The brand introduced several perfumes, including the Candie’s Heartbreaker Perfume Collection and Candie’s Luxe Eau de Toilette Perfume Spray. These fragrances are designed to complement the youthful and vibrant image of the brand, appealing to young women who seek a blend of style and sophistication in their scent choices. The perfumes have been well-received, adding another dimension to the product lineup.
In fall 1999, Candie’s launched a range of jeans and apparel, along with other products like sunglasses by Viva International and socks by Ben Berger LLC. Liz Claiborne Cosmetics (LCC) introduced Candie’s and Candie’s Men fragrance lines, featuring items such as perfume, soap, body mist for women, and cologne, aftershave, and hair-and-body wash for men.
LCC licensed the Candie’s brand to attract Generation Y women to department stores. The 15-year agreement allowed LCC to create, produce, and distribute these fragrances. Due to Candie’s financial issues, LCC funded the marketing campaign, allocating $10 million each for advertising and promotional items.
The “Anywhere You Dare” campaign, created by their in-house team, sparked controversy for being too sexually provocative. Alyssa Milano starred in a print ad featuring a medicine chest filled with condoms and a bottle of Candie’s fragrance. These ads were often banned by local TV networks and teen magazines but were featured in women’s fashion and music magazines, as well as GQ, Details, and Maxim. Commercials aired on cable channels like MTV, VH-1, and Comedy Central. Other provocative ads featured Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman.
In 1999, the brand revamped its website, attracting 100,000 visitors within days and launching a redesigned site in October with interactive features like surveys, chat rooms, and contests. The company introduced “street surfer” shoes, blending sandals and athletic styles, and promoted them with ads featuring the Dixie Chicks and Brandy. Additionally, Candie’s opened two 3,000-square-foot showrooms in New York City for its Candie’s and Bongo brands, showcasing their full product lines and advertisements, strategically located near other major clothing showrooms to highlight their expanded offerings.
