To all our amazing friends and customers,

For several years now, there’s been a new figure in the leadership of Lori’s. He’s our youngest son, Matt.

Matt came to us well qualified on the product side of the business. He received a degree in fashion design and worked in the design and production side of the industry while living in New York and, for a time, in Italy. He has, needless to say, become a full force in our business, involved in every aspect of running and managing it: from buying; to selling on the floor; to marketing; to managing staff. Matt does it all. All in all, he has the attributes of a great retailer- and thank goodness. We’re very happy to look forward to a time when we can leave Lori’s in such capable hands. (Though we’re not going anywhere just yet).

So without further ado, some words about where we’re headed, from Matt

Be well,

Lori and Brian

Don’t worry. Lori, and Lori’s, will be around for many years to come. Although I know one day she will pass the proverbial torch, I can’t picture myself at a shoe show without her. Some may not know, but Lori is an authority figure, a mentor, a creative collaborator, and overall, a revered “shoe dog” in the footwear industry. Oh, and by the way, she’s my mom.  

For well over thirty-five years, she has built a foundation for us to be viable in 2021 and for years of future fashion to come. She has set the tone for leading independent fashion retailers across the country. In the years to come, we will be building off of this strong foundation to always offer you, our customers, not only what you need, but what you covet.

So, what are the most important things to watch during the years to come, you might ask?

One of the foremost is the continuing growth of our online services. Though the pandemic accelerated the growth of our online business, we had already been putting extra focus and energy into its development and we’ll continue to do so. We strive every day to provide you with a frictionless experience between our online and brick-and-mortar stores. Whether shopping in-store or online, our goal is to provide you with the highest level of product knowledge, sound fashion advice, and the attention and support of our incredible staff, all in a fun shopping experience.

Also in the works is continuing to add to the breadth of our selection and adding more exclusive products that you won’t find anywhere else. This is where I can leverage my education in fashion design and my experience working in production and design, both in New York, and in factories abroad. We are working more closely with our current European factory partners than ever before and discovering new partners in the process. We are committed to offering products that you won’t find everywhere else. Of course, all of our product development and design is influenced by the latest fashion trends and by input from you, our customers. We hope you’ll be as excited as we are by our selections from our exclusive L’idea by Lori line, as well as from my new line, MA’91, scheduled to debut this Spring.

All in all, in the world of Lori’s fashion, there’s a lot to be excited about. We are so looking forward to having all of you back in our stores again. I genuinely miss the many personal relationships and back and forth I have with customers in the store. In the meantime, continue to check in with us on our site and through social media. Let’s all work together to get through the pandemic so we can get back to having so much fun through fashion at Lori’s.

Stay well,

Matt

If you're familiar with our brand Fabio Rusconi, this is my dad and I with Fabio's son, Filippo, at the shoe show in Milan. We work together closely with these small family factories from Italy to bring you only the best. 

Franco Meucci, "the shoe doctor". One of the small family owned factories we work with outside of Florence. Some of our most coveted boots are produced in his factory. Not only do they produce exclusives for Lori's, but they produce shoes for luxury brands throughout the world. 

Here's a technical sketch of an incoming style for the label I created for our stores, MA '91. We work closely with our Italian factory partners to customize these styles to makes sure they are unique. What you see here is one version on an incoming sneaker with specific material and pattern directions for the factory. The devil is in the details.

Here is sneak peak of the MA '91 label you will soon see in all Lori's stores and online.

Where the magic happens... this marks the beginning of the shoes life cycle. Creating the perfect last is a game of millimeters. This is what sets Italy apart in the shoe industry- the artistry of creating the perfect form.